I was flipping through the Newsweek that my boss just leaves around the office--primarily on my desk--when I came across an article on a laptop project that is aiming to have a laptop for kids in developing nations. Apparently it is solar powered, runs on as little as two watts, has a screen that is readable in bright sunlight, swivels into an e-book reader, most software is collaborative, and is just under $200 (and you can get a tax deduction for the donation).
People in the US can't buy one for themselves unless they pay for two of them; one to go to a child and the other for you. That is still less than most laptops today and it benefits both you and a child in an underprivileged community. Nicholas Negroponte is the chairman behind the company and says that this could be something that can change the face of the world's economy. His original goal was to have the laptop for $100, but the production starting cost was a bit higher than he though it would be. He's still aiming for the goal of $100 which he says is obtainable in about 20 months; he wants it down to $50 by 2009/2010.
I think that this is a wonderful opportunity for the community to get involved. Not only do they get a reasonable laptop but they are able to give a laptop to another child and allow that child to advance in ways that they normally wouldn't be able to. Who knows, perhaps something amazing will come out of the project.
www.xogiving.org
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