In 2005, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology unveiled their prototype of a supposed $100 laptop for children in the developing world. Those laptops ended up costing approximately twice that amount. In May of this year, Nicholas Negroponte (MIT's Media Lab) announced plans again to develop a basic tablet computer for $99 through his non-profit association, One Laptop per Child. The western world keeps backing up and taking another run at it. It remains to be seen how this latest effort will do.
On Thursday of this week, the Indian government unveiled their prototype of an iPad-like touch-screen laptop, with a price tag of just $35, developed by the Indian Institute of Technology. It hopes to begin next year, producing these devices that have no hard disk, but use a memory card instead, and are able to run on solar power. Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said the tablet, expected to run the Linux operating system, would be introduced to higher education institutions next year.
The device's developers say it supports web browsing, video conferencing and word processing, and is intended for use by students. If all goes according to the ministry's plans, the price for the laptop will drop to $10 in the future. Granted, the device has yet to enter production, but Mamta Varma, a ministry spokeswoman, says there are several global manufacturers already expressing interest in producing it.
This all begs the question: Why couldn't the mighty MIT manage this feat? Mr. Sibal might very well be right when he says, "The solutions for tomorrow will emerge from India."
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