TUNIS, Tunisia–A hand-cranked laptop was introduced by MIT Media Lab Chairman Nicholas Negroponte. It will cost roughly $100 (prolly $115) and is expected to be in the hands of schoolchildren in poorer countries by late 2006. Only available for schoolkids.
“This is truly a moving experience,” said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who showed up at the beginning of the event. “It’s also a moving expression of global solidarity and corporate citizenship.”
SPECS:
-500MHz processor (my laptop is only 400 MHz)
-1GB RAM (that’s more RAM than my laptop!)
-built-in wireless
-some form of Linux (open source)… Apple wanted to put their processors in their, but they were rejected cuz they ain’t open source. Viva La open source.
-a unique dual-mode display that can be used in full-color mode, or in a black-and-white sunlight-readable mode. One minute of cranking will yield 40 minutes of power in black-and-white mode. No mention of how much cranking is needed for full-color.
That’s pretty cool. A crank. I wish my laptop had an option for power-cranking. In fact, I wish my digital camera had a little crank on it. Now that would be sweet.
full story at cnet.
core77.com has a nice set of photos of the laptop.
Companies including Google, Advanced Micro Devices, News Corp. and Red Hat have donated to the project.