> -----Original Message----- > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Mike Miller > Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 12:35 AM > > On Sun, 2 Oct 2005, Brian Wall wrote: > > > On 9/29/05, Harv Nelson <harv.nelson at gmail.com> wrote: > >> Not just for kids! I need one of these in the shack. So do you > >> > >> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050929/ap_on_hi_te/hundred_dollar_laptop > > > > The hand crank adds a nice touch. In theory, infinite power for remote > > computing. I'm skeptical of the price tag. Even if produced by the > > millions, I don't see how you can find all the parts and still make a > > profit at $100 each. > > > I don't know that it will be possible to get the cost down to $100 per > laptop, but I think the idea is not to make a profit. It's a charity. > They will get about $100 million and make about 1 million laptops and they > will give them away to poor children. > > Mike When one builds in very high volume, parts costs get super cheap. I doubt that part cost would be a big deal for this. This would not be built from "distributor stock" parts and would use "system on a chip" technology. I've seen a semiconductor price drop by a factor of 100 when making a high volume purchase for only a 10,000 unit production. If under $300 PC costs exist in for-profit retail distribution, I'd say THAT is a valid indicator for $100 non-profit factory cost being feasible. Chuck