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Laptop Scheme for Third World
Mon, 24 Sep 2007
A non-profit organisation has launched a scheme that enables adults based in North America to donate laptops to developing countries, should they purchase a computer for four times the price.

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) scheme is aiming at providing $100 (£49) laptops for children at schools in the developing world.

A fortnight's programme from November 12 is going to enable the American and Canadian public to fork out $399 for an XO laptop. With each one sold, another is to be given free to a child in a developing nation.

The OLPC president of software stated that US buyers can claim $200 as a tax-deductible charitable donation . The actual cost of the laptop is approximately $185, with the remaining $15 covering delivery. 40,000 are expected to be produced in October. Numbers are expected to double and treble during oncoming months.

The scheme is contrary to OLPC’s statement in January that the general public would not be able to buy the laptop.

The entire PC industry is considering the production of cheap laptops . The Taiwanese manufacturer Asustek has announced the "eee" model, a simple notebook PC that should sell for at $199 or less later on this year.

The founder of OLPC, Nicholas Negroponte of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , accused chipmaker Intel last May of trying to drive it out of the market.

Yet OLPC and Intel both state there is enough room for both products.