Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2007
$100 laptops begin production
Production has started on the $100 laptop, just five years after the project was proposed. Quanta, a computer manufacturer, are producing the laptops in a factory in Changshu, China.
Production signals the first stage of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, which aims to provide cheap laptops for children in developing countries. Professor Nicholas Negroponte, founder of OLPC, believes the start of production is a positive landmark for the campaign. He said: “Today represents an important milestone in the evolution of the One Laptop Per Child project.”
Professor Negroponte first proposed the idea of the $100 laptop in 2002. His vision was both mocked and praised at the time, with critics claiming sanitation and healthcare issues were much more important to developing countries. The laptop itself has also faced criticism with Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, criticising its “tiny screen” and lack of hard drive. Craig Barret, chairman of Intel, was also quick to dismiss the device as a “$100 gadget.”
Although Professor Negroponte is quick to emphasise that this project is about education not technology, the $100 laptop features a number of innovations that render it ideal for use in developing countries. The machine has no moving parts and is relatively easy to maintain. It also has a unique display, which is readable in sunlight and allows children to use it outdoors. Most importantly, it is suitable for use in areas that have little access to electricity, as it is a low power machine and can be charged via a variety of devices, including solar panel.
Uruguay recently became the first country to place an order for the laptops, although many others have expressed an interest. People in North America will also be able to purchase a limited number of the machines though the OLPC’s Give 1 Get 1 scheme. This scheme allows members of the public to buy a laptop for themselves, while also donating one for a child in a developing country.
Following the start of production, the OLPC believe that the first children to receive their laptops would be doing so later this month.
Source:
BBC
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