MIT Researchers Unveil a $100 Laptop They Hope Will Benefit Children Worldwide
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| Title: | MIT Researchers Unveil a $100 Laptop They Hope Will Benefit Children Worldwide (ID: CSD4293) | |
| Author(s): | Jeffrey R. Young (The Chronicle of Higher Education) | |
| Topics: | K-12 Programs, Laptop and Notebook Computing, Student Computer Initiatives | |
| Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2005) | |
| Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | |
| Abstract: | At the World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia, Nicholas Negroponte, director of MIT's Media Lab, will show an early version of a $100 laptop that he announced in January. Negroponte has said that such a device would bring the fruits of technology to millions of schoolchildren in developing nations, spanning the digital divide and spurring economic development. According to those involved with the project, a number of countries have expressed interest, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and South Africa, though development remains before orders can be placed. In addition, the governor of Massachusetts has called on his state to provide the new laptops to every middle and high school student. Critics of the program argue that people in developing nations often need more basic supplies, such as food and clean water, and some also note that the educational value of laptops for every student has not been proven. The devices use the Linux operating system and flash memory; they do not include cameras or DVD-ROM drives, as originally planned. They run on C batteries that can be recharged using a hand crank attached to the device. | |
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