MIT Unveils Prototype for $100 Linux Laptop

[apcmiller]

Examancer2 writes "MIT is showing off a prototype of a $100 laptop. It uses a 500MHz AMD processor, stores everything on flash memory, and runs Linux. The AC adapter acts as the carrying strap, and there is a hand crank so if you can't find a source of electricity you can charge it kinetically. The prototype laptop is also much more flexible and durable than your average notebook. In addition the unit has a screen that has a special daylight-friendly black & white mode that makes a great ebook." From the article: "Nicholas Negroponte, the co-founder of the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, detailed specifications for a $100 windup-powered laptop targeted at children in developing nations. Negroponte, who laid out his original proposal at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, said MIT and his nonprofit group, called One Laptop Per Child, is in discussions with five countries--Brazil, China, Thailand, Egypt and South Africa--to distribute up to 15 million test systems to children." More coverage of this story available from ITWorld, InformationWeek, BBC, ZDNet, and the Associated Press. -Slashdot RSS

[myidisbb]

more like one laptop per terrorist. no thank you.

most 3rd world nations do not have a electric system of much of any kind. (thats one of the U.N. email tax plans for paying for that)

btw isnt flash memory more costly then a harddrive? what are we looking at 32 or 64 mb ram?

this is just a very bad idea that sounds more like they want another government grant to keep studing for another few years. this was talk about 2 years ago. just junk studies stealing money from tax payers. do we really want every gang memeber in the usa with a laptop?

what version of linux? doesnt todays linux require a nicer system to run on? it was stated in here that winxp could run on a 300 speed p1. doesnt mean i would want one.