CHEAP THRILLS

Last week the green light was given to start production on the $100 Laptop. It's a fascinating non profit project with the aim of enabling learning in developing countries.

It's been a contentious path. The concept came out of MIT's Media Lab and was quickly rubbished by Gates et.al.

The laptop was actively opposed by Intel who came up with their own version. It threatened to get nasty until they kissed and made up earlier this month.

Based on mesh networking and operable on a single internet connection (or none at all), the laptop has been

"[e]xtensively field-tested and validated among some of the poorest and most remote populations on earth... [The] computer uniquely fosters "learning learning" by allowing children to “think about thinking”, in ways that are otherwise impossible. Using the XO as both their window on the world, as well as a highly programmable tool for exploring it, children in emerging nations will be opened to both illimitable knowledge and to their own creative and problem-solving potential."

Bold visions indeed. But how can you run a laptop in the middle of newhere without power?

Apparently the cheap rechargable battery has "four-times the amount of time as a normal laptop battery". Hand crank and solar panel options are available. Nice.

It's a natural "must" for Blackle homepaging. And as this fella explains for the BBC, it uses about 10% of the juice of a standard laptop.