U.N. Lends Backing to the $100 Laptop

willki wrote to mention an AP story stating that The United Nations has pledged support to the $100 Laptop. From the article: "Kemal Dervis, head of the U.N. Development Program, will sign a memorandum of understanding Saturday with Nicholas Negroponte, chairman of One Laptop per Child, on the $100 laptop project, at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. The program aims to ship 1 million units by the end of next year to sell to governments at cost for distribution to school children and teachers. UNDP will work with Negroponte's organization to deliver 'technology and resources to targeted schools in the least developed countries,' the U.N. agency said in a statement."

Re:How about for the geeks?

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, there are quite a few willing to pay three hundred.

There will be a commercial version of the laptops sold for around $220, though this price is not certain. The profits will go to giving them to the developing nations.

The companies that are making the extremely low cost parts to these laptops intend to sell them in other markets as well.

I, personally, would love to own and develop for one these things. They are probably going to be more widely used than the Commodore 64s. I hope they make the crank optional in the commercial version though, we have access to power.

windows key?

[madnuke]

On the laptop keyboard there is a windows key perhaps MIT have switched to the dark side!

Re:How about for the geeks?

[trygstad]

There is a plan to make these available for purchase in industrialized nations and the price point is, in fact, $200 according to an article in the Wall Street Journal (http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB1131933051 49696140-442o71jo_IlBrLpyUeeOdsqDs7E_20061113.html ?mod=tff_main_tff_top [wsj.com]). At that price, I for one--quite literally--will take four of them; one for each of my kids and one for me. In the tablet, B&W high-contrast screen mode, they are supposed to be killer E-Book readers (I love E-Books). They have built-in mesh wireless; supposedly if one unit is connected to the Internet physically or by wireless, all units within range of the mesh are as well. They will run RedHat Linux and I'm sure that there will be a pile of easy-to-install programs of all type in a purpose-built YUM repository somewhere to allow them to meet each user's needs. Even thought they will have no hard drive, they will have half a Gig of flash drive and 4 USB ports, making them easy to connect to external drives. This geek certainly wants one (OK, four), and even with marketing costs, I know that at $200 each, my four units would pay to put at least two units in the hands of poor kids as well. It's certainly one of those win-win-win situations all around.

Re:Good Question...

[nullbort]

Linux [mit.edu]

Lets not be cynical

[tobby]

The poverty argument is akin to saying because there are poor people in the world we should disband NASA. Clearly economics is not a strongpoint with some posters. This is a fantastic, positive and inspiring initiative by Nicholas Negroponte and its disheartening to see so much cynisism on slashdot. One would think slashdotters would be at the forefront championing the cause.

Instead we have shortsighted speculation about its uses betraying an unbelievable ignorance of our own experience with technology. You can bet recipients will find creative and innovative ways to enrich and improve their lives.

The only problem will be distribution and ensuring the laptops ends up in the hands on the intended recepients which is a perennial problem in developing countries. And if there is demand for these laptops in first world as has already been displayed in some of the posts you can bet an active blackmarket will thrive to divert them back to the first world.

Re:And the greatest idea of all...

[chiok]

Yes, they will. The commercial version should be around $225 and the proceed will help subsidize the $100 units. The initial units will be earmarked for the subsidized version, so the commercial version won't be out immediately.