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When the folks over at One Laptop Per Child set out on a mission to build a sub $100 laptop for developing nations, we wished them on their mission. It is after all, a great cause. When India announced that it would begin building $35 ultra-low-cost laptop for students however, we called them mad, stark raving mad. Turns out India’s minister for human resource development was determined to prove us all wrong, and this week has announced they will be producing more than one million of the devices which will be sold to colleges and universities across the country.
For $35 one wouldn’t expect much in the way of performance, but sources at PCWorld have confirmed that each device would include a touchscreen display, Wi-Fi/USB, 2GB of Ram, and a physical keyboard. The device itself is also rumored to be powered by a 2-watt power supply for use in regions where the power grid is less reliable.
We aren’t ready to give up our day jobs as full time skeptics just yet, but what we’ve seen so far is pretty impressive, and could revolutionize the ultra-low cost PC movement in developing nations if it’s successful.
Comments are closed on this article
bittertruth
August 08, 2011 at 7:31pm
$35 ??? Whoever believe them, couldn't be more fool.
It could be a piece of trash.
Doing media stunt for some cheap publicity. Ask every indian, what their government is like.
NortonsArk
August 07, 2011 at 7:48pm
The PCWorld article has a link to The Economic Times (of India) that has pretty much the same information.
The comments by the folks within India are interesting. They seem to think this whole thing is political hogwash.
tonymus
August 07, 2011 at 5:38pm
If users call tech support, will they get someone in Peoria, Illinois (USA)???
Shemnon
August 07, 2011 at 9:06am
Great,
Just what we need. More third world countries on the web eaiser than ever, hacking, creating viruses, and sending more spam. Working in the web hosting industry, almost all hacks tend to come from third world countries where laws about spam, viruses, trojans, and hacks are non existant.
d3v
August 07, 2011 at 10:23am
If you don't like us third worlders you first worlders should get together and form your own computer network. LOL maybe resurrect compuserve or something.
BTW most spam originates in the USA.
profdlp
August 07, 2011 at 1:00pm
"If you don't like us third worlders you first worlders should get together and form your own computer network."
We did, it's called "The Internet". ;-)
I do fully support the efforts being made in India, Africa, and elsewhere. I will be happy when everyone in the world has a computer. I just hope they're not as restrictive as China.
d3v
August 08, 2011 at 11:18am
Eh the Internet is global. You may have invented it but now its used all over the planet. So you no longer own it. What you need is a country club type of computer network. A private VPN that only rich christian white people can access. Something the KKK would be proud off.
bowei006
August 07, 2011 at 10:40am
yep. we third worlders don't have all the first worlder snotty attitude and propagandanated minds.
d3v
August 07, 2011 at 8:44am
$35 is after govt. subsidies. Can maximumPC tell us how much the govt. is spending on subsidising each device?
Happy
August 07, 2011 at 9:22am
Ahhhhh. Now it makes more sense. Yeah, I'll bet the subsidies are quite a lot. Makes sense now why they were able to so soundly thrash the One Laptop Per Child organization's goals.
