AMD Cuts Personal Internet Communicator

DaGiants writes "AMD has killed the Personal Internet Communicator (PIC), one of the first major efforts at designing ultra low-cost PCs for the third world. Ars Technica reports that AMD decided to pull the plug, taking a loss on the project. AMD can't be too disappointed though, as the OLPC uses AMD's Geode x86 processor, and delivers a lot more for much less. While OLPC gets most of the attention these days, AMD's role in spurring interest in low-cost PCs for developing nations can't be overlooked."

Re:Before I brought PC's to the 3rd world

[ghoul]

The American standard of living was a fluke. It was supported by the opening up of vast areas of land and dispossesing the original inhabitants and then pumping and exporting oil like crazy while the real developed world aka Europe was shooting itself in the foot with two world wars. If not for the wars America would stay a middle level power with a mostly farming based economy . So the early 20th century lead is not coming back. America can still stay ahead by shifting the economy over to new generation stuff but if the 3rd world wants to catchup it would be stupid to follow America's route. For one most 3rd world countries dont have a hell lot of cheap land and cheap oil so they actually need to use their brains to get ahead and for brain powered industires PCs are more important than roads. Anyway roads are a very inefficient and wastefull mode of long distance transport. THird world countries would be better off with India's example which has the worlds largest rail network

Re:Good decision

[Russ Nelson]

The problem wasn't just the price, it was that they didn't want to cut into sales on their more profitable processors, so they didn't sell the PIC into US markets.

Content for the Kids

[ArcticCelt]

I just got an idea. It would be cool if eventually there was a web site with the aim of creating and donating content for those kids. If we knew what kind of pedagogic material they need I am sure that many people would be happy to write eBooks or educational software about mathematics science or any other subject (or even donate material already written ). I prefer to donate time on those projects than money that would probably go directly in the pocket of some rich warlord or dictator.

Of course, open source and open content already exist but if the aim was to directly help kids in developing countries, the content created would be more suitable for their needs and maybe more people would volunteer.

$100 laptop? $250 desktop? INSANITY

[Bombula]

I just don't get this whole thing about supplying cheap computers to developing countries. It probably just gets a lot of press on the internet because it's something geeks can relate to a little better than starvation, typhoid and malaria. But anyone who's ever actually been outside of a developed country knows that cheap computers are a hell of a long way down the list of needful things. When you've got kids dying by the thousands of ... diarrhea ... then things like clean water, decent food, and sanitation are a slightly higher priority. And unless these $100 laptops and $250 desktops "for developing countries" are solar powered, it might be an idea to do a little work on, say, power infrastructure first, mmm?

I know these computer people making this stuff can't be stupid, right? I guess that means they're just insane.