The long debated issue of the “digital divide” between the rich and the poor was brought to the fore once again with news coming in from different sections of the global media of plans to release “a low cost” Laptop computer, which would be the centerpiece of India’s National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technologies.

Early reports of this incredibly cheap laptop- fondly referred to as India’s “answer to American One Laptop per Child project” which set out to produce a computer for $100 (£68)- indicated that the laptop had initially been pegged at an amazing 500 rupees (just around $10), but according to the BBC;

“… this could be a mistranslation, because transcripts of the speech, in which it was unveiled, mentioned it costing $10 (£7) but this was later corrected to $100 (£70)”

Fine! Let’s assume it may have been a mistranslation, and that the actual price really is going to be just around a 100 USD, the question still remains;

Just how feasible is this, Really?

Though not much is know about the rudimentary laptop (which has been in the making for almost 3 years), it is believed that it would have on board memory of up to 2GB, as well as wireless capabilities.

The price of computer components makes it is even more difficult to envisage developing such a low cost laptop. It is a known fact that previous attempts at developing cheaper laptops intended for the developing world ended up exceeding the estimate budgets. Even the One Laptop Per Child’s XO machine, went well over the $100 mark, soaking up a surplus of around $88-

“… That high-profile venture led by the scientist Nicholas Negroponte ran into problems after several companies, including the chip manufacturer Intel, refused to cooperate”

Most experts have even referred to India’s plans for an even cheaper machine as “Unrealistic”. The Times Online reports that Analysts at the financial management company Merrill Lynch, estimated that “the Negroponte laptop screen alone cost about £20″, which leaves one wondering if the so-called $10 laptop will ever become a reality.

It is worth noting also, that Intel’s Convertible Classmate netbook which was released on the 12th of January 2009, hit the shelves for $549. Specs on the second-generation Classmate (aka the convertible) are as follows:

• Atom N270 (1.6GHz)
• Intel 945GSE chipset
• 8.9″ at 1024×600
• Up to 16GB of flash storage
• Water-resistant keyboard
• VGA port output

In the end, and just as the analysts at Merrill Lynch put it, maybe;

“India’s $10 price hopes appear to be nothing more than pure fantasy”.

This may well be the case; however, let’s not be too hasty in judging, we just cannot forget the “100,000-rupee (£1,450) Tata Nano car and a no-frills mobile telephone that costs less than 800 rupees”.

Regarding the feasibility or otherwise of India’s $10 laptop, we would just have to wait and see. Reports have it that “Plans to cut the price to the bone appear to hinge on domestic technology that uses low levels of power.”

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