Re: [GKD] The $100 Computer is Key to India's Technology Fortunes
Mark, Great post. I'd add some related comments: - In developing areas with little or no communications infrastructure, voice is the most important 'application'. - For voice, cell phones are ideal. - Cell phones are very, very nice for their small size and great battery performance. - Cell phones are not lower-tech, internally, than computers. - Computers will come down in price the same way as cell phones. - Cell phones can do data/text/email/web, but I wouldn't call them ideal for these activities (how many of us on this list that have web/email capable phones use them for this list rather than a computer?) - Cell phones are a quite closed system, including both the phones themselves and the required infrastructure. - Computers are quite open; lots of ways to make them, lots of organizations can make new ones. Inveneo Jhai are two that I know about but many others as well; maybe someday we'll see millions of $100 computers from MIT :-) - The communications infrastructure needed for computers is quite flexible and quite amendable to organic growth at the edges, which can be readily built by the users -- schools, NGO's, ISPs, SMEs, using local wires (CAT5), wireless, or sometimes even GigE on fiber. - Edge/last mile infrastructure built and operated by the users has very, very low costs and very good performance. So while reaching the rest of the Internet may still be slow and expensive, reaching others in your same town or area is very fast and cheap. -- Jim On Jul 28, 2005, Mark Summer wrote: I think cell phones have their space and useful applications and computers have their specific space and other useful applications. Thinking of using cell phones in class rooms for curriculum delivery seems to be quite a bit far fetched - with a small screen you can do only so much in my opinion. With a decent sized keyboard and a mouse with software that supports these types of input devices, you will always be way better off when working, say on spreadsheets, text documents or drawings. And these skills do provide a lot of benefit to people looking for jobs. There is, as well, the whole concept of a larger display, where multiple people can read information from it at the same time and such. Using a cell phone to check email and surf the web may appeal to some more then others. I do believe on the other hand that SMS / Text messaging is a very powerful tool and very cost effective as well. I was recently in Uganda and there you can get access to market prices for crops in various towns via SMS - this may be of value for many people. And there are many more very good uses out there. Thinking of computers as a thing of the past is, in my opinion, something to discuss 15 to 20 years from now, but certainly not in the next 5 years. ..snip... ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] The $100 Computer is Key to India's Technology Fortunes
Tom and others: I think cell phones have their space and useful applications and computers have their specific space and other useful applications. Thinking of using cell phones in class rooms for curriculum delivery seems to be quite a bit far fetched - with a small screen you can do only so much in my opinion. With a decent sized keyboard and a mouse with software that supports these types of input devices, you will always be way better off when working, say on spreadsheets, text documents or drawings. And these skills do provide a lot of benefit to people looking for jobs. There is, as well, the whole concept of a larger display, where multiple people can read information from it at the same time and such. Using a cell phone to check email and surf the web may appeal to some more then others. I do believe on the other hand that SMS / Text messaging is a very powerful tool and very cost effective as well. I was recently in Uganda and there you can get access to market prices for crops in various towns via SMS - this may be of value for many people. And there are many more very good uses out there. Thinking of computers as a thing of the past is, in my opinion, something to discuss 15 to 20 years from now, but certainly not in the next 5 years. When thinking about costs there are a few other things to keep in mind as well: How long will the device be relevant? When does it need to be replaced? Currently cell phones still have very fast innovation cycles compared to computers, where the innovation cycle has slowed down dramatically over the past few years. I can still use my computer from 3 years ago very well for day to day word processing and so on, whereas if I require a sophisticated cell phone I need to replace it about once a year. Purchasing costs: The cost of a computer that will work fine for office type applications and internet access is approaching $200 to $300 already now. While a cell phone that can access the internet, and provides the user with a decent text entry capability still costs at least $200 if not much more (keep in mind many cell phones in the US and Europe are subsidized through contract term commitments, which doesn't apply to they way cell phones are marketed in developing nations). Ongoing costs: Cell phones still operate mainly on a per minute model, not only for voice, but for data traffic as well. This limits the free access of information, because it's not clear what the cost will be exactly, while many types of data access for computers are already priced at a flat-rate. Flat-rate data access makes it much easier to find sustainable business models in the communities. And of course the use of office applications has no other ongoing costs associated with it other than power and the use of printing materials (if required). It's much easier to budget for this then for metered services. Many PC manufacturers are now recognizing the value of building low-power-consuming computers and so the power requirements are decreasing as well. It's already pretty easy to build computers from off-the-shelf components that consume less then 20 Watts, and at prices below $400, including keyboard, mouse and display. I think each device has its place and for certain uses a cell phone is by far superior to a computer under certain circumstances and vice versa. It's misleading to assume that cell phones will replace computers in the economies of Europe and the US anytime soon and we should not expect that this will be different in other places around the world. What do you think? Mark Mark Summer co-founder, Inveneo web: http://www.inveneo.org phone: +1-415-901-1969 x 1200 FWD: 603303 cell: +1-415-867-9751 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Thursday, July 21, 2005, Tom Abeles wrote: I think that it is nice to think about the $100 computer. But one needs to remember that cell phones are ubiquitous and relatively low cost. One post secondary education institution is developing curricula using the cell phone as the device of choice for their students. Cells that are both WiFi and work on the cellular bands are on the market, and some are predicting the $2 cell phone which is printed, realizing that these can be built up with the proper inks, which are even being used to make mechanical devices. Also, think about iPods and where the next generation is going to be, rather than trying to make the past cheaper. ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] The $100 Computer is Key to India's Technology Fortunes
Dear GKD Members, Tom Abeles is absolutely right, and I do like his slogan about not trying to make the past cheaper. To this I would add that this is an area where market forces do work to our benefit, the large volumes of potential sales in phones and music players and the strong competition means that the technology gets both cheaper and better. Let us ride that wave. By contrast any purpose developed solution like these proliferating $100 computers don't have a market, unless you view wealthy but possibly gullible donor agencies as a market, and are using old technologies that will be left ever further behind. The only thing that leaves me uncomfortable in this is that we are relying on a trickle down effect - market forces in the west may be creating benefits that can be picked in emerging economies. Pat Hall On 7/21/2005, Tom Abeles wrote: I think that it is nice to think about the $100 computer. But one needs to remember that cell phones are ubiquitous and relatively low cost. One post secondary education institution is developing curricula using the cell phone as the device of choice for their students. Cells that are both WiFi and work on the cellular bands are on the market, and some are predicting the $2 cell phone which is printed, realizing that these can be built up with the proper inks, which are even being used to make mechanical devices. Also, think about iPods and where the next generation is going to be, rather than trying to make the past cheaper. ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] The $100 Computer is Key to India's Technology Fortunes
On Thursday, July 21, 2005, Tom Abeles wrote: I think that it is nice to think about the $100 computer. But one needs to remember that cell phones are ubiquitous and relatively low cost. One post secondary education institution is developing curricula using the cell phone as the device of choice for their students. Cells that are both WiFi and work on the cellular bands are on the market, and some are predicting the $2 cell phone which is printed, realizing that these can be built up with the proper inks, which are even being used to make mechanical devices. Tom, Hwell, in my experience we ain't there yet when it comes to the relatively low cost of cellphones in developing countries. In fact, handset cost is one of the main reasons why they aren't even more available to the poor. Add other features like WiFi and they will probably be even more out of reach except for the richest of the poor and we're back where we started. $2 cell phones? Isn't that akin to all the promises we used to hear that telecommunications costs would fall to near zero? (Because they haven't; even those poor who can afford the handsets frequently opt for the very low rates that allow them to receive calls, but not make them.) (Just curious though if you are talking about desktop factories or fab labs to manufacture such phones at such costs. Who is doing it?) Best, Gary Gary Garriott Innovation Program Officer, ICT for Rural Development Winrock International Voice: +703 525 9430, ext. 614 www.winrock.org ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] The $100 Computer is Key to India's Technology Fortunes
Dear GKD Members, I think that it is nice to think about the $100 computer. But one needs to remember that cell phones are ubiquitous and relatively low cost. One post secondary education institution is developing curricula using the cell phone as the device of choice for their students. Cells that are both WiFi and work on the cellular bands are on the market, and some are predicting the $2 cell phone which is printed, realizing that these can be built up with the proper inks, which are even being used to make mechanical devices. Also, think about iPods and where the next generation is going to be, rather than trying to make the past cheaper. thoughts? tom abeles ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] The $100 Computer is Key to India's Technology Fortunes
GKD members may be interested in the following article detailing recent progress towards the design of a $100 computer in India. -FN ** http://news.com.com/Indias+renaissance+The+100+computer/2009-1041_3-575205 4.html India's Tech Renaissance The $100 computer is key to India's tech fortunes By Michael Kanellos Staff Writer, CNET News.com June 29, 2005 MUMBAI, India--One of the critical ingredients for the $100 computer is probably in your garage. In about three months, a little-known company called Novatium plans to offer a stripped-down home computer for about $70 or $75. That is about half the price of the standard thin clients of this kind now sold in India, made possible in part by some novel engineering choices. Adding a monitor doubles the price to $150, but the company will offer used displays to keep the cost down. If you want to reach the $100 to $120 price point, you need to use old monitors, said Novatium founder and board member Rajesh Jain, a local entrepreneur who sold the IndiaWorld portal for $115 million in cash in 2000 and has started a host of companies since. Monitors have a lifetime of seven to eight years. It is this kind of entrepreneurial thinking that has made Jain the latest visionary to seek out today's Holy Grail of home computing: a desktop that will start to bring the Internet to the more than 5 billion people around the world who aren't on it yet. The first $100 computer is a fitting icon for a country undergoing major changes in the development of its technology, economy and society. As Indian companies increasingly break away from the limitations of handling outsourced services for Western corporations, innovations are likely to multiply and inspire the rising number of independently minded engineers and executives who are leading the country's technology industry to new frontiers. Because of thriving exports and low PC penetration, India has become the epicenter for projects on the cutting edge of computing hardware. Advanced Micro Devices has started to sell its Personal Internet Communicator for $235, including monitor, through a broadband partner here. It says a fully equipped $100 personal computer in three years isn't out of the question. The innovative spirit that pervades the industry is producing a variety of new approaches toward affordable computing. Tata Consultancy Services is tinkering with domain computers that reduce costs by just handling fixed functions such as bill payment or word processing, said Nagaraj Ijari, a senior executive in the company's operations in Bangalore. About 200 miles away in high-tech center Chennai, formerly known as Madras, Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala of the Indian Institute of Technology has developed a $1,000 automatic teller machine that can also serve as an Internet kiosk for villages. He has also built a wireless data system that has been exported to Brazil, Iran, Fiji and Nigeria. Creating a product that cuts costs without reducing functions isn't easy, as exemplified by the Simputer, a handheld computer designed for the masses. And many products face formidable logistical and infrastructural obstacles. Professor Jitendra Shah, from the Centre for the Development of Advanced Computing, is examining ways to reduce electricity usage by setting up solar-powered computing terminals that tap into battery-powered PCs acting as servers. We are looking at ways to take advantage of unconventional sources of power. Practically in every village you will find a truck or car battery that you can use when the regular power grid fails you, said Ketan Sampat, president of Intel India. You also want to design something that is more tolerant of dust. Living in a material world The key to success for the $100 computer lies in the sum of its parts. Even though the industry has seen continuous price declines for components--including metal, plastic and other raw materials--many executives believe that manufacturing a full-fledged PC for even less than $200 is probably still impractical. We are not able to fix the monitor and hard-drive problem, said P.R. Lakshamanan, senior vice president of Zenith Computers, one of India's largest local PC makers. With these realities in mind, some companies are adjusting their price goals. Xenitis, for example, has come out with PCs that cost just under $250, equipped with an older 1GHz processor from Via Technologies, 128MB of memory, a 40GB hard drive, Linux software and a 15-inch screen. Via will join in with its own Terra PC in the fall. The Terra comes with the same basic configuration as its Xenitis competitor, but the operating system and the basic applications are loaded on a flash memory chip, not the drive--making the computer less susceptible to viruses and other problems. Via, however, admits that it will need to select battle-hardened software. There is no way I am going to take care of all of the problems, said Ravi
