Per the New York Times and CNET, November will herald the release of a new ruggedized laptop designed to take abuse and last longer than most. What's so special about this laptop? For every one that you buy at the low price of $400, one will be donated to a child who couldn't otherwise afford one.
This laptop is the culmination of three years of effort by the One Laptop Per Child project, which estimates there are 2 billion children in poor countries whose education leaves much to be desired. Having just recently returned from Brazil myself, I can attest to this as truth.
The price on this laptop was kept down by eliminating bells and whistles such as a CD/DVD drive and all Microsoft Office components. Running on a standard Linux operating system, this sturdy machine has only a 7.5" screen. The keyboard is membrane sealed and spillproof - and too small for an adults hand.
This laptop is not only spillproof, it is also rainproof, drop proof, dust proof and fanless. But its most acclaimed feature is its ultra long battery life. As batteries and power for that matter are not plentiful in developing countries, the creators of this machine thoughtfully included a new lithium ferrophosphate battery that powers six hours of heavy activity or 24 hours of reading. It runs at 1/10 the temperature of a normal laptop battery, and is good for 2,000 charges vs 500.
You can purchase one of these machines for your child - as well as another 3rd world child, on November 12th.
Recent Comments