Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Production begins on $100 laptop

Production has started on the $100 laptops that are set to revolutionise education in developing countries. Just five years after the concept of the $100 laptop was first proposed, the low-cost computers are being produced by Quanta in a factory in Changshu, China.

The $100 laptop, also known as the XO laptop, is the brainchild of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) campaign. Professor Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the OLPC campaign, first presented his ideas for a low-cost laptop in 2002. His plans were met by excitement and ridicule, with some critics pointing out that basic sanitation and health care were of a much higher importance to developing countries than computers.

The laptop itself has also faced some harsh criticism for its lack of technical wizardry. Craig Barret, Intel chairman, quickly dismissed the computer as a “$100 gadget,” whereas Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, scrutinised the laptop’s small screen and criticised its lack of hard drive. In defence of the device, Professor Negroponte has pointed out that the laptop was built to be educational not technological.

What the XO lacks in technical prowess, it certainly makes up for in innovation. It has been developed specifically for use in remote and environmentally hostile areas, so it boasts a number of useful features. The machine itself has no moving parts and is encased in durable plastic. The laptop also has a sunlight-readable display, which makes it ideal for outdoor use. Perhaps the most important aspect of the machine is that it runs off relatively low power and when the batteries run out, the machine can be charged via a number of devices such as solar panels.

So far, the OLPC’s only order has come from the government of Uruguay, who bought 100,000 laptops with an option to buy 300,000 more. However, other governments are also showing an interest and it is expected that the scheme will be a huge success.

Source:

BBC