$10 Laptop is Huge Disappointment

Status
Not open for further replies.

Marcus Yam

Splendid
Jul 1, 2008
4,491
0
22,780
At least even a single rollerskate has four wheels, and might actually be able to get you places.

While it is partially the fault of certain publications to get all hot and bothered over something that is completely improbable, it still is disappointing to the point where I really would prefer the rollerskate.
 

p05esto

Distinguished
Jun 11, 2001
876
1
18,980
Good question, looks like a pretend box my 4-yr old would have fun plugging cords in and out of. But even then, not worth $10 I'm afraid.

I'll take the rollerskate as well, could probably sell it to someone else who just got the one rollerskate deal.
 

Trialsking

Distinguished
Mar 2, 2007
733
0
19,010
What a $10 laptop is no good!?!?!?!?! Its called getting what you pay for.

I'd take the rollerskate also. You can cut in half and then nail it to a 2x4 board, and viola, you have a skate board.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Wow.. this is really embarrassing. Being an Indian, I was looking forward to this "$10 laptop". How disappointing.
 

jwl3

Distinguished
Mar 15, 2008
341
0
18,780
Any rational human being would know that this was impossible. What can you manufacture for $10? You couldn't even manufacture pre-pentium 486, 386, 286 laptops for that price. YES, the value of a 286 computer today is about $0. However, to physically MANUFACTURE a 286 or even to re-assemble from OLD RECYCLED COMPUTER PARTS would cost far more in materials and labor than $10. Just the same as manufacturing a new "phonograph" would cost a hell of a lot more than the inherent market value of a junk phonograph being sold at a garage sale.

 

Charbax

Distinguished
Aug 1, 2008
11
0
18,510
"the Classmate PC was winning over governments and filling more classrooms than the OLPC’s laptop."

That is just not true. Check your facts.

OLPC is in the hands of over 1 million children in 10 thousand OLPC pilot school all over third world countries. While the Classmate PC is nowhere to be found.

You should learn not to believe marketing speak and photo ops sessions. Intel only talks about Classmate, but does not deliver. And Intel netbooks are designed to be mostly sold to rich geek adults in rich countries as a secondary or third computer.
 

justjc

Distinguished
Jun 5, 2006
235
0
18,680
Why does everyone assume it has to be a PC?

What the box is more likely to contain is a thin-client that is able to connect to central servers. This will enable it to give users access to the educational Sakshat portal, read e-books, connect to other users and participate in an e-classroom.

It wouldn't be the first indian educational experiment with thin clients as http://venturebeat.com/2008/10/13/ncomputing-scores-big-indian-deal-for-its-thin-client-school-computers/ shows. It also tells how it can be made as a $20 box, as the hardware demands is a lot smaller.

The best info on the box I have found is in the Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Rs_500-laptop_display_on_Feb_3/articleshow/4049914.cms if anyone has better links, please share.

Personally I think India was right in going with this over the OLPC.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Like I have predicted when the project was announced last year. Unless someone subsidise it, or they pay wages under poverty level, 10bucks is an impossible dream.

And by the look of the pic, I think my first mobile phone 10 yrs back is more usable. I still couldnt comprehend whatever function it provides cannot be made do with a usb thumbdrive. I think its just the software.

Leon
 

bustapr

Distinguished
Jan 23, 2009
1,613
0
19,780
It would be nice to waste $10 on a backup laptop thing that i might never use.Its supposed to only be worth $10 .Whats the harm in that.
 

Parrdacc

Distinguished
Jun 30, 2008
567
0
18,980
Why do I get the feeling that this "$10 laptop" with "still contains only mystery parts." is just a con? Like already stated you can't seriously think you could build one for only $10. Has they always say: "If it is too good to be true, it probably is"
 
G

Guest

Guest
Doesn't matter what it costs, if it doesn't do what you need it to it's worthless. Seems like it's name was quite appropriate: Sak-o-shat.
 

nottheking

Distinguished
Jan 5, 2006
1,456
0
19,310
I must say that I'm not surprised. This actually reminds me of a product I saw around 10 years ago, called the "Buddy PC," that happened to proclaim itself as the "World's first $100 PC." Of course, it wasn't a PC in anything but name, but rather just a hookup box for cables packaged with some software to turn a host PC into a server, so it could function as a non-processing dumb terminal. And due to the fact of signal loss, you couldn't install it farther than around 15-20 feet away from the host PC.

I have the distinct impression that that is exactly what this is, though I don't quite see how they managed to call it a laptop; it looks like on the client-side end it will still require all the standard desktop input and output devices, including a distinctly less-than-portable display. The only potential improvement I see is the addition of Wi-fi, which should increase the potential range it might be used within.

Yet even while considering the addition of Wi-Fi, and the parts that couldn't be reduced in production cost due to minaturization, it's still a little saddening that they managed to only cut the price of such an item down to $30US or so. I'd say that unless we see some benchmarking that shows that the latency imbued by the use of Wi-Fi doesn't cripple it even for Internet- and productivity-based applications, that something like this might be utterly not newsworthy. Potentially, I see it, at best, as perhaps a cheaper way to set up Indian call centers, where the likely-abominable speed won't hurt it. I don't really see it having much of a market elsewhere.
 

bdaley

Distinguished
Dec 31, 2007
609
0
18,980
How could anyone in their right mind believe for a second that anyone could produce a laptop for $10? It's just not possible.
 
G

Guest

Guest
This 10$ pc is like dark age stuff.

I can make 50cent product that is way better it will utilize the latest in Nano technology and has unlimited battery life, comes with its own display, but limited space.

The material is used in nano technology and will pave the way of future computer processors because it can be 1 atom thick. You see it will be made out of a awesome material that will blow your mind it is called graphite. It will be bind with metal or wood and will be couple with a thin sheet that can be made of numerous material including products from trees. I coin the term paper and pencil after the person that invented them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.