Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have almost completed a new generation laptop model priced at just… 100 dollars.
These affordable laptops are expected to be launched in large quantities in the near future, primarily targeting children in developing countries.
Sample products will be introduced in November this year. However, information about the basic structure of this laptop has already been disclosed: it features a 500-megahertz processor produced by Advanced Micro Devices Inc. The traditional hard drive will be replaced with a memory card, and it will operate on the Linux operating system instead of Windows. The laptop includes USB ports and can connect to Wi-Fi networks.
The laptop’s casing is covered with a layer of soft rubber, which is one of the advantages of this new generation of laptops. According to Nicholas Negroponte, the head of the research team, “with such a protective covering, the laptop is completely immune to scratches and breakage.”
The laptop screen has two modes: color and black and white. With the black and white screen, users will find it comfortable to read books or documents on the device, especially when using it outdoors.
Negroponte plans to donate the first 100 laptops to the children of an orphanage in Cambodia. He aims to implement a humanitarian, non-profit program called “One Laptop Per Child” this year.
The company plans to produce between 5 to 15 million of these laptops, distributing them to countries like Brazil, China, Egypt, Thailand, and South Africa.
It is anticipated that in the next production year, the Massachusetts government will purchase this product and provide it to approximately 500,000 high school students and college students in the state.
Furthermore, researchers will strive to improve the product and may even develop future generations of laptops that could render the 100-dollar price tag as “too expensive.”
Mai Hoa (Lenta.ru)
