02-02-2006, 02:00 AM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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$100 Laptop? Meet the $100 'Cellular PC'
" . . .MIT's low-cost laptop ha[s] been building a lot of buzz. How could it not? It's inexpensive, has a hand crank to charge the battery, and serves a laudable goal: getting PCs into the hands of residents of developing nations. . . . However . . other alternatives are being proposed. One such proposal comes from Microsoft, which believes that cell phones are a better option for accomplishing the goals of the project. At the CES earlier this month, Microsoft showed off a prototype of a "Cellular PC" that used a TV set as a display and a keyboard for input. Both peripherals would be connected to the phone via special adapters. According to Microsoft CTO Craig J. Mundie, cell phones make more sense as a basis for inexpensive computers�they are common, relatively cheap, and the infrastructure exists for their usage already."
It's good that technology intuitions and companies are focusing on giving the third world a helping hand. As with many things though, it's still possible to disagree about the means of achieving a common purpose. Arstechnica do really question Microsoft's motives in their post, rather unfairly I think. The $100 laptop sounds great, but I have read several articles in the Economist magazine that seems to offer more support for Microsoft's approach. The articles said that mobile telephony was of far greater value to poorer countries than having PCs and being able to use them. So, having 'Celluar PCs' could be best of both worlds. (I wonder what OS they will run......). Well, the world's a large enough place and there's enough needs for both methods to be of use. What do you reckon? $100 laptop, $100 'Celluar PC', or both?
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