Netbooks

In 2005, Nicholas Negroponte of MIT's Media Lab announced what appeared to be a nearly impossible project called One Laptop per Child (OLPC, 2009). His idea was to develop an inexpensive ($100) laptop computer for children living in underdeveloped countries around the world. This laptop would be small, rugged, require little power to run, have a full-size keyboard, a color display, and include built in Wi-Fi. He envisioned governments purchasing these inexpensive systems and distributing them to millions of children. By 2007, the XO was nearly ready to ship. Its price was a bit higher than the $100 target but still quite affordable. However, the story takes an unexpected turn here.

The OLPC laptops were not going to be available to the public. But ASUS, ...