Would You Buy a US$200 Laptop?

[johnjg75]

i'd get it just for saving text files and things like that, it's basically all u can do anyways

[kaos_frack]

I've been interested in low-cost computing for a long time, specifically projects geared towards developing countries. One project working on this idea is called One Laptop Per Child, which is trying to develop a laptop that could be built and sold to governments in developing countries for around $100. The governments would then give the laptops to school children for free.

But in addition to selling them to governments, they're now talking about possibly letting a 3rd party build them and sell them to the general public, with a possible pricetag of around US$200, from which $20 or $30 would go to the One Laptop Per Child project to get more laptops to the kids.

The specs are still a bit iffy, but basically it looks like they'd have something like a 500Mhz AMD processor, 1Gb of flash memory instead of a HDD, and a 12-inch display. Oh, and it'll run Linux. They'd have Wi-Fi connectivity and maybe built-in 'mesh networking', where you can quickly and easily network the laptops together and share a single connection to the Net. Power consumption would be kept as low as possible, and they'd run on AC power, or batteries that can be recharged by either AC power or by using a some sort of manual system -- like a hand crank that attached to the side of the laptop or something.

So my question is, would anybody be interested in buying this kind of laptop? And if so, what would you do with it?

Cheers,

Wil

i wouldn't
cos i already have one
compaq presario v2000

[kassandora8]

can u lower that price?

[iPod Wizard]

I wished I could buy a $200 laptop but w/ good quality.. Viaos are good, but expensive.

[j0sh4tran]

I would buy it if you just need it to take notes in school or something

[ihtus]

i would buy such a laptop...

[loserk]

it looks good but i will not buy it..

[TheCrymsonLegends]

Come on, there is alot you can do with a 500mhz - 1gig Flash Memory computer.


I have a child on the way, and I been noticing the computer programs for children to help with math, and reading and stuff. If the programs arn't too big it would be perfect for a child to play on. If anyone here has smaller kids and your sick of them getting on your computer or want to make sure they never do, buy them this to surf the net and get online with thier friends. There obviously is no potential for the thing, but that's what I would buy it for, to help my child beat the crap out of kids when it gets into school :P Muahahahahaha.... With the programs they have my child would almost be in a 5th grade level once it started kindergarden. Like I said on the way ( henceforth "it" ) I don't know gender yet, it's like me stubborn, kept it's legs crossed in the Ultrasound. But yeah, other than for a child, I would buy them to experiements with explosives, you think it's indesructable, just let me get ahold of it.

[davd]

i would i saw the site and it looks pretty good .plus microsoft wouldnt get cent

[wil]

Come on, there is alot you can do with a 500mhz - 1gig Flash Memory computer.

There sure is!

I refurbish old computers, sell a few, and donate others to daycares, community groups, etc. and they work fine for a huge variety of tasks. No good for playing the latest games or editing digital video files and that sort of thing, but for general use -- for kids/students, in offices, etc. they work great. And most of them are under 500mhz and have less than 10Gb HDD.

Cheers,

Wil