$100 Laptop Demo

But do these Third World users have electricity to power the $100 computers?

They have a hand crank for places that have no power. Not sure how long you have to crank for each hour of use.

Great for games, maybe, but without an internet connection or a printer which most third world types can't afford, (and they probably can't afford the games either), it won't be very useful.

They all have build in wireless cards so the can create an ad hoc network with each other. No printer though. Here are the specs from Wikipedia.

• CPU: AMD Geode GX2-500 at 1.1W, with integrated graphics controller
• CPU clock speed: 366 Mhz
• SVGA 7.5" diagonal transmissive and reflective liquid crystal display used in one of two modes:
• Reflective "sunlight readable" monochrome mode with 1200 by 900 screen resolution (for e-book reading outdoors—this is 200dpi)
• Transmissive Color mode with approximately 800x600 pixel resolution with backlighting (for laptop use)

Depending on mode, power consumption of the display is between .1 and one watt.

• 128 MiB of Dual – DDR266 – 133 Mhz DRAM
• 1024 KiB flash ROM with open-source LinuxBIOS
• 512 MiB of SLC NAND flash memory
• External SD card slot
• VGA resolution (640x480) color camera
• Wireless networking using an "Extended Range" 802.11b/g wireless chipset run at a low bitrate (2 Mbit/s) to minimize power consumption.
• Marvell 8388 wireless chip, chosen due to its ability to autonomously forward packets in the mesh even if the CPU is powered off.
• Dual adjustable antennae for diversity reception.
• Conventional layout alphanumeric keyboard localized for the country of use.
• Dual five-key cursor-control pads; four directional keys plus Enter
• Touchpad for mouse control and handwriting input
• Built-in stereo speakers
• Built-in microphone
• Audio based on the AC97 codec, with jacks for external stereo speakers and microphones, Line-out, and Mic-in
• 3 external USB2 ports.
• Power sources:
• DC input, ±10–25 V
• 5-cell rechargeable NiMH battery pack, 22.8 watt-hour (82 KJ) capacity

Hi to all!

I am from a 3rd world cuntry. México.

For me is optimistic that just working hard a school like where I studied can get some $100USD laptop.

I can tell you that I knew a computer when I was 15 years old. I know people that knew computers at 25 years old. Thank's God my daugther knew computers since She got her reason and comprenhension of the world.

Difference from my Daugther and me is that we have born in different situations and in different part of México. And I know places that are worse, economically talking, in México than the place I grew up.

I think that this is an oportunity for companies, organizations and in general, people that can effort $100 USD laptop and share it with those that can't.

I also know that are countries that are worse, economically talking, than México. And they don't have the resurces to effort this kind of laptops. But thinking positive, for a companies oru organizations that provide used PCs to poor countries this is a good oportunity for them to get better staff.

I know that just laptop will not change the world at all and that laptops need some other resurces to be usefull. Like power energy, somebody who teach how to use them and so on. But there are people like you and me that can help a litle on this, it could be whith knowdlege or whatever.

I think it is a good idea. There are some other necesities than a LAPTOP, but don't judge the good thinks. It is a good starting point to help.

Saludos!

Delmar

I can understand what you mean about people growing up with computers, I think I touched my first real computer when I was 12. My nieces can't imagine a world without one, and they are only 10 years younger then me.

I think that computers in 3rd world nations are a great idea. They allow for people to learn skills that they can use later on in life. And for everyone who laughs at that I can guarantee you that in a few years all the BPO call-center jobs in India will probably be moved to places like Nigeria and other places where labor is cheap. Its a logical step in the outsourcing food chain.