Chip-maker Intel "should be ashamed of itself" for efforts to undermine the USD 100 laptop initiative, according to its founder Nicholas Negroponte. He accused Intel of selling its own cut-price laptop - the Classmate - below cost to drive him out of markets. Professor Negroponte, who aims to distribute millions of laptops to kids in developing countries, said Intel had hurt his mission "enormously".
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Member since:2005-07-08
I'm sure Intel is after the money,but in the end what matters is the fact that they are selling a cheap laptop.Which,mind you,runs Windows and Linux. I don't know which is better (never touched one of these) but I suspect they are pretty much the same. morally, Negroponte & Co should have first option. Unfortunately , money is always made in these companies. And people look first at this : money.
Member since:2005-08-28
Well, from what I can tell it looks like the Classmate PC is a stripped-down conventional laptop rather than a totally new design like the OLPC (for better or worse). There's no interesting display, a tiny touchpad, a much more power-hungry processor (which, still, will go over fine in second-world countries), and they don't mention any of the wireless mesh. I believe the projected cost of the Classmate PC is still $250, which is a somewhat significant increase over the $175 XO.
Other than that, they are pretty similar. I don't know about Negroponte yelling at them for this; it seems like the OLPC still has its own considerable appeal for more rural markets, provided they get the human-power charger working.
As for software, both of them seem to be relying on local educators and the community in that country to provide targeted and appropriate content for the children.
This is my main worry for both of them: The OLPC in particular is still finalizing and working the kinks out of its hardware, and they've hit the magical trip-point where they're going to start producing these things... Where is the content? If these are educational devices you need time to write the educational software and activities.
I haven't seen much said about any advance copies being sent out to governments interested in purchasing these laptops so their educational professionals can create software for them. No, they're already planning on shipping en masse.
Edited 2007-05-21 15:39
Member since:2005-07-06
Unfortunately , money is always made in these companies
Thing is, if someone with limited resources brings up money and resources to create something which will help people, and babysit this idea all the way from idea to reality, that is something to be proud of and support. When a company recognizes that this idea has profit potentials and recreates the idea with pretty much no effort relatively, then undercuts the pricing to steal the "market" then that's not something to be proud of. If they would've taken the road to support the original project, then that would've been a wholly different story.
Member since:2007-01-20
Member since:2005-11-10
If that was the case then why didn't Intel do this years ago?
Because Mr Ego-ponte came up with the idea, made the plan, put it into effect and is about to make it happen.
When he came up with the idea Intel and MS were laughing.
Now the reality of 200 Million or more new Linux and AMD users scares the CRAP out of Craptel and Microcrap.
Member since:2006-02-04
Member since:2005-11-10
Mr Negroponte is upset because he got a lot of countries on board to buy OLPC's.
Now when they goes back to these countries to actually get them to follow through with their offers, they all say that Intel has visited and we are ether now not sure what we want to do OR we have changed our minds.
He is not jumping at shadows, this is what he sees.
Member since:2006-08-15
I don't think you're being cynical at all. You are absolutely correct. It's Intel's job to make money/profit, not run charities. Anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken.
Intel has no incentive to be charitable unless governments develop an incentive for them, such as tax breaks for donating equipment, etc....
Intel could simply have chosen to ignore the $100 USD Laptop, but instead they have chosen to take the low-road and work against it. Just one more reason for me to buy AMD products......
Member since:2005-11-10
Member since:
2006-07-08
Maybe it is the cynic in me, but I feel that Intel is out to make money rather than help developing countries. I met some of the OLPC people at this year's FUDCon Boston, and they seem to be generally concerned with helping others than helping their shareholders.