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Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Ultimate Vaporware - The Negroponte $100 Laptop Normally we post on products that are currently available. I'm making an exception, for a product I think will never see the light of day at the projected cost, because it's annoying how much coverage it's getting.Who am I to make predictions on the One Laptop One Child Project? No one, but who are they to make their claims? Look at the picture! Is there a single piece of physical evidence that this thing is anywhere close to even a prototype? My main problem is the feel-good attitude of the project. They will only sell to governments that will give it away, they won't sell it commerically apparently. Which is stupid. If you look at the proposed specs -- ruggedized, crankable, sunshine-viewable, solid state storage -- private people would easily pay $300+ for such a machine. Which, if it was possible to make for under $100, would pay for two more for the underprivileged. Their distaste for dirtying their hands with capitalism is so disingenuous it's pathetic. The most irritating thing about this piece of air is that it won't matter if it succeeds or not. Everyone involved will get credit for making the attempt, even if it helps exactly zero underprivileged children. Negroponte will always be known as a champion of the poor. My heroes, on the other hand, are the corporations that are out there producing products and driving down prices every day through competition. Not quite as glamorous as making things up out of thin air, but much more effective in a world full of reality.
Stopped during my 30 seconds at Blog Explosion. Just wanted to say hi! great idea, get them to sell the laptops for 300 and when they do, donate 2 to children.
» At 5:42 PM,
Exactly. There is no shortage of demand for a device like this, whether for a media player, a grab'n'go Internet/VoIP machine, or just a cheap little computer for writing. Which is why I don't believe the product will come from this project at all, but from a company that realizes we'll all be lining up for it anywhere below $300. From there, the governments and charities can buy it, or they can donate one for each sold.
» At 3:53 AM,
4 mins to lunch.... maybe typing this message will stop me looking at the clock. They are planning to license the technology to commercial companies for sale to people in Western countries (See the CNET article or my blog post.
» At 11:14 AM,
You're right, but it still makes no sense. If he's going to simultaneously reduce the price to $100 and double or triple worldwide laptop manufacturing capacity himself, why would he even consider licensing it to someone else? If he can produce it at $100, why take $20 or $30 of a $200 sale instead of $100 making it himself?
» At 4:34 PM,
I think you have it. Thank you! Good design! Well done! | ||
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Gadgetize: Ultimate Vaporware - The Negroponte $100 Laptop
