The $100 Laptop Coming Soon?
There was a long piece in the WSJ today on the race to build the $100 laptop:
A novel plan to develop a $100 laptop computer for distribution to millions of schoolchildren in developing countries has caught the interest of governments and the attention of computer-industry heavyweights.
I follow this type of news closely for two reasons:
- I’m interested in seeing the rapid evolution of technology. 3 years ago they said that the $1,000 laptop wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. Boy were they wrong.
- Computer access should be available to all. I don’t want to sound preachy here, but I think we’re all better off if we can give children across the world access to a computer and an Internet connection.
The article goes onto to say that heavyweights like Microsoft, Dell, Apple, and Intel are all pushing for the initiative. And what’s more interesting is that the bottom line isn’t really of concern to these companies.
Sure, everyone’s out to make a buck, but Dell would barely make a profit on a $100 laptop. MP3 players sell for more money than that. We’re close to reaching that $100 price point. Hopefully lots of deserving people will be able to benefit once we get there.