$100 Laptop Unleashed

It looks like the campaign to provide children in the developing world inexpensive open source computers is gathering steam. A $100 laptop that’s wireless capable and features a wind-up device that can provide ten minutes of power when no power is available debuted at the UN Internet summit in Tunisia. Engadget has a full report, with pictures.

True the laptop has minimal storage space, but given that it’s wi-fi capable, access to Gmail is easy, and programs already exist to turn your 2Gb Gmail account into a 2Gb remote hard drive.

Now that the organizers of this project have the $100 laptop in hand, they still have to raise the $100 million required to distribute these laptops to 1 million children.

I repeat what I said before. Given the considerable interest by North American gadget-hounds, the creators of this laptop should sell these to the developed world for $200. Buyers not only get a lean, mean web browsing machine, they have the satisfaction of buying one of these $100 babies for some underprivileged child in the third world.

Meet the Baby

Thanks to Kim and Ed Jernigan for hosting a meet-the-baby shower at their wonderful house up in Nithburg, Ontario. We had a good time cooing over the baby and dinner and carrot cake was just wonderful. Thanks to everybody who came out. Sadly, a number of people had to send their regrets, and we regret that you all couldn’t take part, but we promise that you will also get plenty of other chances to meet Vivian. We won’t be locking her away.

With that in mind, here’s another cute baby photograph that I just had to snap (on my mother-in-law’s instructions), even though Erin was very, very tired.

Like mother, like daughter.