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MIT Tries to Build $12 Computer

Posted 08/07/08 at 10:09:10 AM  by Chris Moody

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If the $100 laptop wasn’t enough a team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is working on building a computer for $12, targeting families in Third World countries. They are basing their design on the old Nintendo Entertainment System. The NES used a MOS 6502 processor similar to the Apple IIe and Atari 2600 although it was a customized version for the NES.

The 6502 was designed in 1975. It is an 8-bit processor with a 16-bit address bus and clock speeds around 1 or 2 MHz. It is sure to smoke my digital watch.

Just how far the project will go is uncertain. Nintendo still holds the copyrights to the NES.

It sounds like a truly worthy project! You can check it out here.

NES
COMMENTS:6
TAGS: build a pc, NES, Nintentdo, MIT, Cheap Computer, Apple II
COMMENTS
avatarthat would be awesome since

Submitted by derekxedge on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 12:07pm

that would be awesome since my parents came form the poorest country in the world, Cambodia

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avatarMultithreading???

Submitted by Strongbad536 on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 11:03am

Well if the apps were multithreaded the thing would have a lot more power!!!!  LOL

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avatarThese people don't need the

Submitted by brutalus7 on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 9:21am

These people don't need the power of an Xbox. A super-cheap machine that allows them to increase the literacy rate and education level of the entire population is more important than a fancy GUI.

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avataryes, but why teach someone

Submitted by AndyYankee17 on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 8:01pm

yes, but why teach someone linux syntax instead of english? they should be using a gui. or just an NES game that improves english

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avatar1-2MHz

Submitted by Asevening on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 7:18am

I guess that helps explain in more detail why the emulators and roms I have for that run so well on my computer.  NES is the best system ever.

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avatarwhy not mod something like

Submitted by AndyYankee17 on Thu, 08/07/2008 - 8:34am

why not mod something like an xbox? it's a little bit more expensive but will have thousands of times the processing capability.

 

That said, I want to mod my NES to fold. I'll expect my first WU in a decade.

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