[Chankama]

I am sure you guys have heard of the $100 notebook that MIT is building? It's a 500 MHz beast! (and I don't mean that in a sarcastic way) .. Pretty amazing stuff.

Supposedly, AMD, google, and Red Hat (linux) are in it too. These guys are really gonna revolutionize how the world thinks about computers.

Anywaysssss, what does Intel have to say about this?

Intel Chairman:

Potential computer users in the developing world will not want a basic $100 hand-cranked laptop that is due to be rolled out to millions, chip-maker Intel Corp. Chairman Craig Barrett said on Friday.

"Mr Negroponte has called it a $100 laptop -- I think a more realistic title should be 'the $100 gadget'," Barrett, chairman of the world's largest chip maker, told a news conference in Sri Lanka. "The problem is that gadgets have not been successful."

"We work in the area of low-cost, affordable PCs, but full-function PCs," he said. "Not handheld devices and not gadgets."

[gaara]

He's just ****ed off because AMD is now opening up a market in regions that otherwise have no microprocessor market...thus no competetion

I'm sure he's also passing on the opinion of his good corporate friend Bill Gates in regards to microsoft not cashing in

Basically I'd say this a reaction to the fact that these countries don't have a technology market...and unlike the developed world where Intel and Microsoft have always been the dominant companies due to tradition, these places will only be exposed to AMD/Linux kernels and thus if and when these places do become developed they'll most likely favour AMD and Linux due to user familiarity...that and the fact that they're cheaper

I think the idea of a hand cranked laptop is wild though

[Nubius]

yeah, when I read that it was 'hand cranked' I thought that was pretty crazy.

**** I want one these things lol...I need a cheapass laptop that'll simply be able to run notepad or things like that so I don't have to waste money trying to get an expensive one for school

[Chankama]

Yup exactly. Intel does not want anything to do with AMD spreading in that sector. Even compared to the US and Canada and Europe, that market is huge. Just that they don't have money.

The Indian goverment itself is supposedly "adapting" Linux these days. And Bill is not too happy about that. I heard that he's giving away "free" windows, so that they will get used to it - or something rather.

I am sure MIT didn't approach Microsoft at all. But, they "might" have approached Intel. Funny if that actually happened. AMD is always there to grab the market that Intel screws up with. :|..

[Tyler1989]

How much cranking do you need to do to power this thing.

[Chankama]

Originally posted by Nubius
yeah, when I read that it was 'hand cranked' I thought that was pretty crazy.

**** I want one these things lol...I need a cheapass laptop that'll simply be able to run notepad or things like that so I don't have to waste money trying to get an expensive one for school

Your buddies might give you a hard time about the bright green color and the yellow crank though .. That being said, I wouldn't mind one either.

MIT is supposedly doing this on purpose. So that people don't try to sell of (illegally) laptops meant for needy kids..

[gaara]

How much cranking do you need to do to power this thing.

According to the article one minute of hand cranking will provide ten minutes of power...which is pretty good IMO

[Nubius]

Your buddies might give you a hard time about the bright green color and the yellow crank though

Then they arent my buddies! any friend of mine would be jealous of it's sleek stylish looks and colors

I'm sure it'd look weird if I brought it to a lecture and every 10 minutes went crazy on it and cranked the **** out of it....I'd probably get some stares at that point

[Keyboard Cowboy]

It really comes down to this. Who really need a Centrino CPU just so they can do word processing on the go.

I find that this is perfect for kids in under developped contries. And I think that Intel can go have cup of S.T.F.U.

It would not suprise me that next year I am going to see one of these computers down at the AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC shop. I remember my old man picking up a wind up AM/FM Radio which I saw on the descovery channel 6 months before.

If I see one at the shops, I might pick one up for my scout troop as we were thoughing the idea around on whether or not to get a computer from the troop.

[Flanker]

Holy Crap...thats so crazy.

MIT For The Win!