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There was a time when a fully-featured laptop would come at
a hefty premium over its desktop counterpart. However, the past few years have
seen a dramatic decrease in size and cost for most computer components, which
has made it much easier to fit better and cheaper parts inside a smaller laptop
housing.
Even with these advances, many were surprised to see a $37
laptop appear on eBay last week. The listing has since been raised to $39.98
and shipping will run you another $40, making the real cost of the laptop $79.
One Laptop Per Child
Project
Plans for an ultra-cheap laptop are nothing new. In 2006, a nonprofit organization
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) was started with the aim of building a $100 laptop
specifically for children in 3rd world countries. At the time, many
people were skeptical of this project as the screens alone cost $100.
The final outcome of this project was the XO-1 laptop, which
looks more like a Fischer Price toy than a real laptop. The XO-1 was released
in 2007 at $199, double the project's target price. The "Give 1 Get 1" program,
where consumers purchase an XO-1 for
$399 and have another device sent to a child in a 3rd world country,
was launched soon after the devices release. An updated version of the device
was released in 2008 with slightly better specs, but still at the $199 price
point. Future versions of the XO are expected to be a tablet instead of a
laptop.
 Although the OLPC Project failed to hit their $100 target
price, they worked closely with many electronics vendors to create parts at
prices that were never before attainable.
The $37 $39 Laptop
This new product that appeared on eBay last week is being dubbed as a laptop, but the 7" screen puts
it on the lower end of the netbook range. Some of the other specs, such as 128MB
of RAM and 2GB hard drive, might leave you wondering what this computer will do.
Another red flag is that the item is shipped from Hong Kong
and the notes say "The item may be a factory second or a new, unused item with
defects." They do have a return policy within 7 days, which says they will
either send a replacement or credit you depending on their inventory.
Either way, some people are willing to give this netbook a
chance. Over 2,000 have already been sold
and many customers have left positive comments.
Would you bite at an ultra-cheap netbook, or would you
rather pay a little more to get a faster machine?
More Info:
eBay Auction Listing
The $37 Laptop For Real
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