It has been an interesting journey for the OLPC aka One Laptop Per Child project aka $100 laptop. Right from its inception by its visionary Nicholas Negroponte who is a professor at the MIT, this project has continuously been able to grab the mind space of countless people as well as stir up interest from numerous governments around the world.
Over the 2 years it took to convert an idea into substance, the OLPC has gone through numerous changes. The cost of the laptop went up from the targeted $100 to something closer to $200 - partly (I suspect) owing to the slide in the value of the US dollar. It also received ramped up hardware with improved specs. While some countries did not jump on to the OLPC bandwagon, it did succeed in making a rear door entry into countries like India.
Now here is another news hot off the press. OLPC has brought out a scheme where in you can own an OLPC laptop or buy one for your loved ones provided you are prepared to sponsor one for a child living in the third world country. This scheme is open to only American citizens for the time being but I don't see why it should not be extended to other developed countries. In effect this is OLPC team's way of telling you - if you want to buy a unit for your child, it is fine with us but you have to also buy one for a poor child in the developing world.
So if you are one of those Americans with a philanthropic bend of mind and with sufficient cold hard cash lying around, then you should seriously consider buying an OLPC for your loved ones and at the same time have the satisfaction of knowing you provided to the well being of an under privileged child in a poor country. Believe me, it is much much much better option than queuing up for costly gadgets (like the iPhone) which at the most will help fill the coffers of a couple of billionaires.
You can buy an OLPC from the official site.
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