A pair of Indian universities -- the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Technology -- have teamed up to produce a $10 laptop for "higher education applications." The Indian government is clearly involved in the project, and there's no telling if that price involves subsidies, but however and whenever they pull it off, a $10 laptop would certainly be landmark event for all parties involved. To supplement the project, the government is also working on a low-power, low-priced access device to help with internet proliferation. On the other side of the world, the folks at Gartner have tacked on an extra zero, and are saying that a $100 laptop "will not be a realistic target for the next three years," and that the pursuit of such a pricepoint could be detrimental to companies chasing the mini laptop market. While Sony's Mike Abary
might agree with the conclusion, one little fact disagrees with the premise:
Jointech's $99 laptop (pictured). We know, the truth hurts.
Read - India's $10 laptop
Read - Gartner says $100 laptop is three years away
posted Jul 29th 2008 10:08AM
A Logitech keyboard costs $10 -- Small indication to the imposibleness of this mighty tall claim.....
stop calling it "higher education"...it's simply "education"
I don't know if you're joking or not, but typically "higher education" refers to anything beyond basic secondary school. In other words university or college.
$99 is the wholesale cost for the Jointech in lots of 1000. Retail cost is expected to be more like $250.00.
I think $10.00 is a little out there, assuming that's a retail price. Though, you might be able to get something kind of like a laptop for $10 in parts, maybe. I'm thinking of something like the Tandy 100 portable here: small monochrome lcd, basic keyboard, runs off AAs, with as few parts as possible.
I think they mean a $100 laptop that isn't total balls.
And I think the real $10 price tag of that other laptop comes from the rest of the tab being picked up by the government. There's no combination of cheap parts and labor that can come even close to creating a true $10 consumer laptop.
$10*
*with 3 year contract and monthly fees. All personal information will be sent to the government.
That would either be China, the US or Britain with an additional $5 a month if they promise to not leave all your information on a train.
This is the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. Trust me, no one here is capable of any such feat.
...its "feet". :)
No it's 'feat'.
Marked as a non-story...
Seconded
these $10 laptops probably have static screen made of paper =P
The problem with Gartner is that they're on Microsoft's payroll. They probably assume that a laptop needs to include Windows (and a $$$ Windows license) to function. It doesn't and I think we'll see $100 laptops a lot sooner than they think.
doubt it would be able to run any commercial software. im all for cheaper technology, but take it one step at a time.
who would want a $10 laptop? I'll tell you who... the same people who would by a $10 car.
The same people who have an annual salary of $100.
They can't all be broke. All the jobs I should have access to are already over there.
Hey Dudes
If we can make a 2500$ car then whts with a 10$ laptop
10$ = Rs420 aprox.
firstly, TATAs made that car.. unless u work for tata motors, u have nothing to do with it..
secondly, the $2500 car will set u back much more than the mentioned price (ie the onroad price).. if u compare THAT price to the on road price of the cheapest car available in india, the difference is less than half or around that region.
my point is, now compare the price of the cheapest notebook in available in india to a $10 notebook.. its would mean ATLEAST 30 times lesser..
oh india.
I honestly don't believe anyone can create a fully functioning consumer laptop that would only run you $10. If it IS $10 I expect there to be some kinda catch; getting locked into a contract of sorts? Advertisements perhaps? I dunno, I just don't think it's possible.
American corporations actually gave away free PC's in the 90s. But yeah, there were contracts and advertisements and stuff.
we already have $10 laptops, they're called calculators :P
Ah balls,
That was the first thing that I thought of too and was just about to hit submit when I read your comment.
Great minds..
Just because a company priced it at $99 doesn't mean there are $99 or less parts in the thing. Plus they may be talking $100 quality laptops not worthless shit.
That does sound a bit racist! I hope it wasn't.
In any case, there was speculation when Tata started the project on the 1 lakh rupee car (Rs. 100,000 = $2500) for the common man. And this year it's a reality.
Same was the case when India came out with the Simputer (computer for the common man) back in 2002. It was a handheld computer, similar to a PDA, And these are some of the properties of this less-successful yet innovative computer:
Type: Handheld computer
Media : Smart card
USB storage devices
Accelerometer
Operating system: Linux
Input: 320 x 240px touchscreen
USB keyboard
Power Lithium ion battery
CPU StrongARM SA-1110 206 MHz
even though the iits are the top and most reputed engg colleges here in india, theres no way theyr gnna develop a 10 dollar laptop (without subsidies) in the next 3 years..
even the cheapest mobile phones retail for around 20 dollars approx (no contract n unlocked).
Well, if it did come through government subsidy, it'd be one of the best investments ever by the Indian government, by just about any government.
Well obviously it appears that India has a time machine.
this is all a bunch of bull crap...
p.s.: I graduated from the Indian Institute of technology.. :D
"So you're telling me I can get 10 Indian laptops for the price of what I have now? That means 10 times more powerful computing and 10 times faster to market! It's a no-brainer."
- my VP of engineering
I am from India.
$10 My foot. A Boston Celtics cap cost around $25 here.
well, now you will have something cheaper to wear.
A cap or whatever doesn't cost $25. It's just what you choose to pay! Do you know that all the clothes sold in Banana Republic or say at Gap are from India (and its neighbours). Which if bought directly from the source costs not more than Rs.100 ($2.5) or 200 ($5). And, this would still leave the seller a good margin! It's upto us on what we choose. $50 at Gap or $2 at source!
ASUS had promised a $200 laptop when the lowest price of the laptops were around $600-700. Now, subtract the brandness, subtract profits, add a bit of subsidy, add some advertisements, add linux, add cost-effective technology, add cheap & quality labour, add innovation. And, I don't think, why this is impossible, given a few years time.
Think Different. You need courage and guts for that even!
I am not bashing anyone out here. These are just my thoughts.
Kasi, don't waste your breath on these guys. Most of them think they live in a free economy.
Kind sirs,
I am trusteed bored member for India Institute of Technology and you are coming to me highly recommended for special investment opportunity....
First tell us who gave you this news. Me living in Urban India didn't hear of it even in my dream till now!
N if its true, then the govts' got too much funds n should use them for higher priority purposes!
Is it just me; or do half of the posts on this thread literally not make any sense?
O, wait, I think I get it...
If this site was in Hindi I'm sure my posts wouldn't make sense either...
Your comment doesn't make any sense now even.
Slow, maybe?
whts indian curry? theres nthn known as indian curry here..its a very broad term..
fyi, food defers from state to state here.. food in the north is very different from the south or east for that matter..
so, wht exactly are u talking about?
What's with several posts here unable to type english? This isn't an SMS you know, you won't be charged for extra characters after the first 160 ...
"N if its true"
"then whts"
"whts indian curry? theres nthn known"
"wen wil u learn that there r"
Reminds me of Pulp Fiction. Samuel Jackson goes: "English mother#$@%er, do you speak it?" ... the world doesn't need $10 laptops, it probably needs $5 dictionaries.
Who made you the guardian of the English Language?
What they write is technically a type of Shorthand. They are free to express themselves how they please. Like you are free not to read their comments.
Jerk.
i dont think they can make a $10 laptop, atleast in the near fture.. I can see something like this coming up in about 2020 or something...
Lets first start off making a $100 laptop right then we can work our way down to $10. What I would like to really see is Jointech bring out their $99 with 1gb for $125 and 2gb for $140gb. Then add $15 for wifi. From there we can then work down to $10
right, all you technophiles!!! the only reason u ddont have a $100 laptop is because th eentire coroporate capatalist world would come to a halt, the same reason the 100mile a gallon caburator is not there anymore.. its because "sit on my tight arse and make negative comments" people like you dont want it bad enough!!!
right so TATA makes the $2500 car, and also makes (or rather owns as in can run to the ground while the west looks o, but wont) Jaguar and Landrover and owns Tetley tea, and Corus steal.. so I'd treat it with a bit of scabooosh!!! ok.. $10 laptop.. is dooable.. squeeze the supply chain and you'll get it.. heck.. i bet u guys were the ones who believe the $499 EEPC was a myth as well.. make up sleepy head!!
There's no contradiction. India develops today a $10 laptop, and it will take at least 3 years for inflation to raise its price up to $100 :)
Bless y'all. @ Kasi, please i am talkin about general public, what are the stores for in the neighborhood if every prick goes to the industry directly?
$10 laptop = legal pad + 9 dollars
Success! High-fives for everyone!
Correction it is not $10, it is $100 - http://bit.ly/10-100 .
Mukul.