Not sure if anyone has ever heard of this organization, but they made a major announcement today. Here's the article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6908946.stm
Quote:
Hardware suppliers have been given the green light to ramp-up production of all of the components needed to build millions of the low-cost machines...The first machines should be ready to put into the hands of children in developing countries in October 2007.
[...]
Since the idea was first put forward in 2002, the low-cost laptop has been both lauded and ridiculed. Intel chairman Craig Barret famously described it as a "$100 gadget" whilst Microsoft founder Bill Gates questioned its design, particularly the lack of hard drive and its "tiny screen".
[...]
And as time passed, even some of the critics have changed their stance. Earlier this month, Intel, which manufactures what was considered a rival machine, the Classmate PC, joined forces with OLPC.
[...]
The XO currently costs $176 (£90) although the eventual aim is to sell the machines to governments for $100 (£50).
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a very interesting project. I'm giving a presentation this week (Technology and Society class at U of C) on the
digital divide, so I had been researching this group for a little while. here's their website:
http://laptop.org/