Have Laptop Will Travel

I have always been a firm believer of the aims and goals of the One Laptop per Child Foundation. I really believe that giving children in the developing world access to information and computers will have a tremendous impact not only on these children on a personal level but also on their respective countries in the future.

Thus, it was with great excitement when I read that the Foundation announced that production of new affordable computers have already begun.

According to the Foundation, Quanta Computer of Taiwan has commenced commercial production of its product — a lime green and white XO laptop computer. Already, orders have come in from Uruguay and Mongolia. The computers will also be made available to American and Canadian children through a 399 dollar holiday charity program that would subsidize the purchase of a second machine for children in other countries.

The XO laptop runs on Linux and is designed primarily for elementary school children. This early, is already proving to have an impact on the computer industry. The Fondation, which was founded by Nicholas Negroponte, is already creating ripples in the market, leading other manufacturers to produce their own versions of low cost computers for the consumption of target audiences like women and children.

I really think that that OLPC initiative will benefit us consumers in the long term. I envision laptops to drop prices significantly in the next four to five years and eventually achieving a critical pricepoint where they can viably compete with desktops.

Do you like this article? Submit it to Blogosphere News!