Amazon to sell one OLPC laptop for the price of two
Amazon will soon sell the OLPC Linux laptop using the approach taken by the hardware charity's 'buy two, get one' programme.
So said OLPC EMEA chief Matt Keller, in an interview with IDG.
Keller said Amazon will add the XO notebook to its product list late in November, though it seems a limited run that extends only to the end …
The kids work their fingers to the bone in the developing countries actually building these things, and then their reward is a free laptop donated by us kind souls in the west? Wouldn't they rather have food or an education or farming equipment or a bed to sleep in?
Or I suppose to be more global about this - not just in the US? the 'Buy 1 Give 1' scheme was just for USians, which seemed rather short-sighted, I am hoping that this time us 'Over There' people will get a chance.
Amazon will make a lot of money selling 1 pc for the price of two ..
#
Hey there, you got the title wrong :) If Amazon sold "1 pc for the price of 2" it would be making a hell of a lot of money .. or none at all if people saw what they were buying :)
No, you're totally missing the whole point of this.
You pay amazon for 2 PCs, and you get sent 1. The other is sent (I assume without ever going near Amazon) by OLPC to where the OLPC project feel it should go.
>Which means, crucially, that many, many more developing-world children will benefit.
So will Amzon unless the second laptop is sold at cost or they donate the profit from the second one to charity or maybe they really are selling one for the price of two in which case the mark up will be 100%. I can't see Amazon losing out on this.
Uh, these kids would be getting PAID to work their fingers to the bone building these machines. With this "money" they can BUY food.
So all our money is going to fund these children you assume are making the machines to earn money and therby food AND to give them a free PC to educate themselves and get out of the rut where their only job is building these PC's, working their fingers to the bone.
No it won't necessary solve the larger geo-political and economic problems of the developing worlds, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth doing either.
How much is amazon going to sell these for? I have a sneaking suspicion that they are going to cost a fair bit more than one of the new slimline mini laptops - and with the economic crunch coming, i don't think people are going to see it as true value.
I would go one further than that and say that this is more of an inventory clearing exercise than a breakthrough marking promotion.
When was the last time that the specs were updated?
If the OLPC project had had any brains at all they would have spun off a commercial venture selling black, consumer specced versions of the OLPC and use the profits to plough back into the charitable arm. If they had done this back when it made sense they would have made a killing. Instead Asus, Acer and Dell are all chasing profits from this market and OLPC gets nothing. Oh well OLPC, thanks at least for evangelising the concept of a cheap laptop even if you didn't see fit to cash in while you had the chance.
Most of us who were crying out for the 1-for-the-price-of-2 have now been lured away by the eeePC, the Wind, the One and the various cheap knockoffs.
Our thirst for a Small Cheap Computer has been sated. The XO might be a contender at 1-for-the-price-of-1, but at twice the price its in netbook territory and isn't going to catch the buyer's eye.
(Maybe if they'd included the wind-up dynamo they'd have got greenies interested.)
Wouldn't it be more expedient for your employers to just give you food and housing instead of money?
In fact, how about we all go back to serfdom, and stop using that nasty paper money at all? Without money, all the world's problems would just melt away, obviously.
Thank god, too. Having to learn multiple skills and deal with people of all social and economic classes have really been killers for those of us who want nothing more than to work in agriculture our whole lives as we "rent" a place to live from the local Viscount. Or Duke. Or whatever.
Well, two OLPC machines ARE going to be more expensive than one EEEPC.
However, the EEEPC doesn't last as long on a charge and cannot take being left on the grass, accidentally kicked, etc anywhere near as well as the EEEPC.
Register
Amazon to sell one OLPC laptop for the price of two
Amazon will soon sell the OLPC Linux laptop using the approach taken by the hardware charity's 'buy two, get one' programme. So said OLPC EMEA chief Matt Keller, in an interview with IDG. Keller said Amazon will add the XO notebook to its product list late in November, though it seems a limited run that extends only to the end …
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Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
Tom
Is it highly taxed #
or can you get the linux version and stipulate the other one is too?
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
Stef
So... #
The kids work their fingers to the bone in the developing countries actually building these things, and then their reward is a free laptop donated by us kind souls in the west? Wouldn't they rather have food or an education or farming equipment or a bed to sleep in?
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
G2
in Europe, is the second one tax-deductible? #
anyone knows if the second laptop will be deductible from the income tax as a donation in Europe ?
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
Paul Murphy
In the UK? #
Or I suppose to be more global about this - not just in the US? the 'Buy 1 Give 1' scheme was just for USians, which seemed rather short-sighted, I am hoping that this time us 'Over There' people will get a chance.
PH 'cos I wouldn't mind her on my lap either.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
Gordon Pryra
Not the best way to do things #
I think that the "2nd laptop" should just go in the form of cash to the leaders of the western world.
In return they can stop selling arms and funding dictators in the developing world.
that way the developing world can actually progress and these kids can live in a world where they will need computer skills
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
jeremy
I've got one, they're great #
I got mine through the US give-one, get-one.
Had to wait a while, but now i have it, its great.
It runs a form of linux, but i run Debian from an SD card.
The screen is perfect for watching films on the go and due to the way it looks, i doubt any self respecting theif will see it as much more than a toy.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 09:58 GMT
Paulo
Amazon will make a lot of money selling 1 pc for the price of two .. #
Hey there, you got the title wrong :) If Amazon sold "1 pc for the price of 2" it would be making a hell of a lot of money .. or none at all if people saw what they were buying :)
It's 2 pc's for the price of 1 :)
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 10:34 GMT
Graham Wood
@Paulo #
No, you're totally missing the whole point of this.
You pay amazon for 2 PCs, and you get sent 1. The other is sent (I assume without ever going near Amazon) by OLPC to where the OLPC project feel it should go.
So the title/content are correct.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 10:34 GMT
Andrew Robinson
Oh Paulo... #
I will save you the hassle - I have lit the fire, others will fan the flames.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 10:34 GMT
Allan
A poweful argument for OLPC... #
...lis made by this video on TED : http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves.html
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 10:34 GMT
Chris Ashworth
Re : paulo #
Think you missed the point there buddy :)
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 11:13 GMT
zedee
@Paulo - two for one #
I think you're reading too much here.
You buy two laptops but you only get one, so it really is 1 for the price of two.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 11:13 GMT
Chris W
Where's the profit going? #
>Which means, crucially, that many, many more developing-world children will benefit.
So will Amzon unless the second laptop is sold at cost or they donate the profit from the second one to charity or maybe they really are selling one for the price of two in which case the mark up will be 100%. I can't see Amazon losing out on this.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 11:13 GMT
Mark
re: So... #
Uh, these kids would be getting PAID to work their fingers to the bone building these machines. With this "money" they can BUY food.
So all our money is going to fund these children you assume are making the machines to earn money and therby food AND to give them a free PC to educate themselves and get out of the rut where their only job is building these PC's, working their fingers to the bone.
Twonk.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 11:13 GMT
Trygve Henriksen
Amazon.com ? #
I guess that means it's still only Americans who can buy it, then...
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 11:22 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Little acorns #
No it won't necessary solve the larger geo-political and economic problems of the developing worlds, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth doing either.
To quote one EVIL big corp: "every little helps".
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:33 GMT
Mathew White
Cost? Rather get a AeeeeeeePC? #
How much is amazon going to sell these for? I have a sneaking suspicion that they are going to cost a fair bit more than one of the new slimline mini laptops - and with the economic crunch coming, i don't think people are going to see it as true value.
I would go one further than that and say that this is more of an inventory clearing exercise than a breakthrough marking promotion.
When was the last time that the specs were updated?
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:33 GMT
DrXym
OLPC totally lost the plot #
If the OLPC project had had any brains at all they would have spun off a commercial venture selling black, consumer specced versions of the OLPC and use the profits to plough back into the charitable arm. If they had done this back when it made sense they would have made a killing. Instead Asus, Acer and Dell are all chasing profits from this market and OLPC gets nothing. Oh well OLPC, thanks at least for evangelising the concept of a cheap laptop even if you didn't see fit to cash in while you had the chance.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:33 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Too little, too late... #
Most of us who were crying out for the 1-for-the-price-of-2 have now been lured away by the eeePC, the Wind, the One and the various cheap knockoffs.
Our thirst for a Small Cheap Computer has been sated. The XO might be a contender at 1-for-the-price-of-1, but at twice the price its in netbook territory and isn't going to catch the buyer's eye.
(Maybe if they'd included the wind-up dynamo they'd have got greenies interested.)
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:33 GMT
Paulo
Oops .. my bad :) ... #
Ok ok .. I finally got the point ..
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 14:35 GMT
Sam Liddicott
too late #
Last Christmas I wanted one, now I want the gigbyte whatsit when it comes out.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 14:35 GMT
Sooty
can i use the old fashioned system #
buy one! get one!
Would be interesting to see how many bought the more expensive version to give one one away if the choice were available
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 14:36 GMT
Jim
@Mark #
So nice to see people still follow the libertarian dogma. How did this people survive without capitalism? Hint - they did.
And tell me when, given they are working their fingers to the bone, will these kids have time to use a computer and so improve themselves?
"Uh, these kids would be getting PAID to work their fingers to the bone building these machines. With this "money" they can BUY food."
Wouldn't it be far simpler to just give these kids food instead of giving them money to exchange for food? Oh no, that would be slavery. My bad...
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:34 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@Jim #
Wouldn't it be more expedient for your employers to just give you food and housing instead of money?
In fact, how about we all go back to serfdom, and stop using that nasty paper money at all? Without money, all the world's problems would just melt away, obviously.
Thank god, too. Having to learn multiple skills and deal with people of all social and economic classes have really been killers for those of us who want nothing more than to work in agriculture our whole lives as we "rent" a place to live from the local Viscount. Or Duke. Or whatever.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:34 GMT
Mark
re: Cost? Rather get a AeeeeeeePC? #
Well, two OLPC machines ARE going to be more expensive than one EEEPC.
However, the EEEPC doesn't last as long on a charge and cannot take being left on the grass, accidentally kicked, etc anywhere near as well as the EEEPC.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:34 GMT
Mark
@Jim aka "Naziboi" #
Well, thank you for that well reasoned rant.
FFS, do you really think that the OLPC will be getting children to make them and making them work 20 hours a day?
Shit, sherlock, you really HAVE drunk the Anne Coulter koolaid.
This is probably an alien language to you, though. Neo-con brainwashing is pretty extensive.
Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 16:25 GMT
Anonymous Coward
"For starving people in third-world countries..." #
So, does that include US Microsoft employees, then? Hmmm... two copies of XP = two sets of "Windows tax"...
Yup, that'll be correct then...
Posted Friday 5th September 2008 13:40 GMT
Paul Murphy
Yes it is for US only - again! #
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7599652.stm
Posted Monday 8th September 2008 10:49 GMT
Speedy
OLPC #
Sure, buy one and pay for another which will be donated to a 'soon to be' Nigerian 419'er. We REALLY WANT THAT!!!
Posted Monday 8th September 2008 12:48 GMT
Mark
@Speedy #
Yup, because there's no limit to the idiots and their money that will fall to a scam in the west, is there. No limited resource at all.
Maybe if we cut off the fingers of all third world people they wouldn't be able to type on computers and make a scam email.
Sorted!
This topic is closed for new posts.