Great news. Now if they could only do something about the massive amount of poverty or the lack of sewers, transportation system, lack of schools, etc.

It's great to give a kid a laptop but they can't eat laptops...

Actually they can. They are planning to train the kids to get US high-tech jobs.

What US high tech jobs?

IT high tech jobs. I can’t emphasize how many products I had to redesign/rewrite that were developed by our friends from India. Yes they are charging less here in US, but in the long term it costs more for companies to undo the “quality” of work they have produced.

Most of them "have" over 10 years experience in software development, but don't know how to turn on a computer.

yeah Caliostro ...and the corporations that are hiring these "know nothing indians" are run by morons who are not as enlightened as you are and thus can't figure out the poor quality of work that the damn Indians are doing.

Go sell your bull@!$%# somewhere else.

MrIndia, they are not morons, just trying to get a cheap labor.

Funny, you Indian guys got offended by something I said? Sux ha? But it's reality, face it.

What are you, Mr T?

Well these can't be good for the environment...

Anytime you get rid of the Microsoft operating system, it's definitely good for the environment. Especially the computer environment.

With Linux, a good very effective operating system, you won't have to buy that new Microsoft junk that prevents you from using some of your old software.

True, but... most companies run on MS software, you can't change that over night

Oh, G-R-E-A-T!!!!!! Now every Mr Okinowee, Barrister Sir-Floyd FlimFlaster and dying Ida Needs-sta-give-my-Money-Away in a co-signment box will be buying these cheap pieces of crap so they can send out more SPAM and annoy the h*ll out of us with their misspelled, poorly written grammar deficient letters because they can't afford to install "SPELL-CHECK" on this garbage!

I don't think it will need one since its coming from your mouth.

Wow, talk about racism, really I find the haters here are just jealous of the intellgence of Indians and the hard work they put into education. I would say more than 80% of programmers are Asians. While the other 20% learned programming from the Asians, lol.

Btw, curry in english means sauce so not sure whats the relation btwn curry and computer here... Did your laptop come with curry infused cuz boy you got ripped off big time.

If India can make it for $35, China will make it for $20.

If a U S union worker makes it, it will cost $1,000.

Roy,

Yeah blame the union worker for wanting to...oh I don't know eat, buy a house, send kids to school. That $1,000 price tag has nothing to do with the CEO who make 7-figure salaries it is all because of the Union Worker who want to make more then minimum wage.

Sure it will sell for $35.00. But in India's economy, that would still be the equivalent of at least $600.00 if not more for the average Indian!

Roy wilson; Unions as any large organization have their good and bad; however , how would this country survive with 60 hour work weeks, no overtime, no health care, no retirement, no social security deductions, no vacations, 5 dollar a hour paychecks, no unemployment insurance, no medicaid, ; where does a government get it's tax revenue from persons making 16 thousand per year, we have inflated our economy to care for the world, to create a market for our products; however we forgot, business Will; go to the cheapest market for production, remember the funny little man that the media made fun off, he warned us of what was coming, Government, college professors, industry all said he was goofy in the head, his name Ross Periot!

Agreed Caliostro2010. While I don't work with Indians, I know someone who does. Their programming skills are crap. And to the person who pulled the racism card, give it a rest. There are stupid people everywhere. At least hire stupid US Citizens. When all the jobs are farmed out overseas and you are forced to take a job for which you're overqualified and for a lot less money then you'll change your tune. American companies should = American jobs. Of course by then it will be too late. There will be no more middle class to support America and then we'll all be broke.

Even with the CEO making a 7 figure salary the unionized direct labor costs are atleast triple the non-unionized indirect labor costs. In the largest companies there might be 40 employees that earn seven figures, but several thousand that earn $38/hour plus benefits. Everyone focuses on the CEO salary, but insane direct labor costs is what is truly costing American companies marketshare. India and China are gaining marketshare because they have lower direct labor costs. If the US wants to continue to participate in the global marketplace they must reduce direct labor costs. It would also be a necessary morale boost to reduce the CEO salary, but its effect would be negligable. The true benefit would be in the reduction of direct labor costs. India can put a reasonably similar quality product to market as the United States and can do it for 20% of the cost. You are crazy if you don't think that the CEO for an Indian company doesn't make a salary competitive to a United States CEO. Their competitive advantage is low direct labor costs. Is it wrong that they pay such a lower wage? It is an ethical and cultural decision. The United States would need to increase import tariffs (slippery slope to isolationism) or adjust to the new developing global market in which not everyone will be able to own their home, drive a brand new car, etc. It is a difficult future with difficult decisions. In the United States we compare the disparity of income between the top 2% and the "working poor." The rest of the world compares the disparity of income between their country and the United States. The middle class is exploding in the rest of the world as they catch up with the US standard of living. Most foreign countries are experiencing the growth and prosperity that the United States enjoyed in the 1950s and 1960s. The United States needs to redefine and develop its competitive advantage. The US did have the best practices, best technology, and the largest middle class to provide a market. The rest of the world has nullified these advantages, yet we still expect to be paid a premium for United States goods and services. The United States needs to separate themselves from the rest of the global market by developing a new competitive advantage that will command the premium price required to continue the American lifestyle. I know that is not what people want to hear, but it is the world we live in and we must accept it or work to improve it.

Sounds like both Caliostro2010 & JimBob have lost their jobs due to outsourcing. I think competence speaks for itself.

politz,

They pay college educated kids 3 bucks an hour and the college kids love it because it affords them a middle class lifestyle in India. You cannot compare that in the US. Also the companies that import these guys from India treat them like @!$%#. Granted compared to India again they think they are receiving a blessing and their boss that works them 12 hours a day is a wonderful person cause he provides air conditioning and they get LUNCH!

It's all prospective. I love the Indian people I just hope their government lets them enjoy a bit more of their own labor and raises their own standard of living. Same goes for the Chinese workers, rather then importing all the fruits of their labor to the US for mindless consumption.

Production Manager_12

Your analysis is "spot on".

The average factory worker in the United Staes cost aboutv $25 per hour, including benefits.

The average non-union auto worker in this country cost about $44 per hour.

The average union auto worker cost about $74 per hour.

Is it any wonder that businesses transfer jobs to China and India and Mexico, where qualified workers are paid about 10% of a union worker in this country. The ridiculously high costs of unionized workers is the main reason that private sector union workers have declined from about 35% of the labor force 40 years ago to less than 7% now. Unfortunately, unions constitute a very large percentage of public sector workers, where their excessive costs are just passed on to the taxpayers - and we all pay the price in higher taxes.

The sad thing is that the average Chinese and Indian worker will soon be better educated and better qualified than the average American worker, thanks to unionized public school teachers, who protect their unqualified teachers instead of the kids.

Unless we dramatically change our education system and weed out the bad teachers, we will continue to lose jobs to foreigners.

Unions once served a very useful purpose, but now they are a major part of the PROBLEM, not the solution. The focus of Obama and the Democrats on protecting unions (because of the huge contributions they receive), instead of making America more competitive, just perpetuates our economic decline.

To politz:

No I haven't lost my job to an Indian, in fact, I'm staying at home right now and working on redesigning software for BOA and other banks, something that was written "Off Shore", dude, they spent millions on this crap and now I have to redo it, I'm not complaining, I get paid for it, but I wonder, what was going through the brain of those executives (except bullet now I guess) that spent so much money on junk like that, I know what it was, "I can do it half the price or less", well GL...

Production Manager 12, you raise some good points, but I must ask, do you really want to deal with employees who have no access to health care? Do you really want to have to work with a production staff that does not have access to running water or indoor plumbing? Do you really want to have to manage a work force that is constantly hungry and/or homelss? That is what the third world nations that you are talking about provide to their workers, nevermind that the workers in these countries can't afford to buy the goods that they produce. Maybe, if the cost of living had actually fallen as a result of the globalization, like all good conservatives promised, workers in the United States could actually afford to work for less money. But that isn't what happened, is it?

and Roy, if union workers only represent 7% of the workforce, why can't the other 93% compete?

Sounds like someone is either a corporate shill or a house slave--which are you, RoyWilson33613? Your anti-union opportunism is just the kind of thing the elites want us debating about as they drive our economy into the dirt with their degenerate gambling you call capitalism. Workers in Germany and Japan are unionized and their economies don't seem any the worse for it. Perhaps the problem occurred when Regan stopped taxing the rich and the middle class had to bear the tax burden alone. But an Uncle Tom Republican wouldn't believe that for a second, would he? No, master knows best, master has trickle down, I gets what master don't eat, I'se so happy. Well, I'm a field slave, I know what master does in the dark of the night and I don't like it and I won't take it. I'm proud to be a union man for life. My people saved children from slavery in this country and we work to stop it elsewhere. What do your kind do? Exploit every group you can until you get caught and then move on to the next batch. You make me sick. Teachers today work harder and smarter than teachers 20 years ago, but for less pay (via inflation) and you blame our system on them? No, what you want, or what your masters want, is a return to 1900 where children had work to do and education was only for the scions of the wealthy. Do you expect your child to be spared this by sucking up? Don't count on it.

Hey, maybe if more Americans took more math and science classes they could take some engineering courses without screaming like little girls about how scary math is. (no offense to little girls anywhere) But hey education majors and political science majors are college students too, so they must be smart, right?

How about learn a marketable trade instead of going status quo and getting a "degree". Or you can just bitch about how Asians and Indians take all the high paying technology jobs. That works too.

This is what you people do not see. If they can make a laptop for just 35 bucks, after getting educated in USA on technology who do you think is going to lose here? It will be USA, and you can bet USA will ban the sale of it inside USA borders because if they allow it, Dell and other computer companies in USA will declare bankruptcy and more will be unemployed. The only way you can get it is travel out of USA to buy it and when you do make sure you stock up on some parts for it because none will be in USA.

The downfall of USA is still yet to come because of the greed and ignorance of the USA Government. Now many of you will ask how. The answer is ECONOMICS. Other countries will destroy the USA economy and you are just seeing the very beginning of it. They already have the cheapest cars now on the road doing OK, and now this. China is a few years behind India and USA technology wise but they will catch up rather quickly. Yes China can sell and match the same price. Now what is USA going to do. USA is still stuck in hard core mobile phones while the rest of the world can use chips and recharge at will without being locked in on some stupid 3 year contracts. USA is starting to fall behind and will continue to do so until the American people wake up and see what is happening to them as thousands will be out of work and no job available as the rest of the world will not want to spend for USA products due to its high cost.

Take a look around you if you not believe me. Everything is now imported from other countries and its getting harder and harder to find USA made products. Medicines are far cheaper outside of USA, phone charges is far cheaper outside of USA, Companies have moved out of USA and are reaping billions on profit, while USA in the meantime is complaining and sitting with a thumb up their asses and keep asking for more raises, and paying more for products at ridiculously high prices.

Example My dog a doxie broke her own neck by shaking herself a bit too hard. Had the operation done plus medicines plus ICU care, plus hospital stay, plus doctors fees, plus X-rays, all for $275 bucks, of which the same thing if done in America will cost a cool 10 grand.

Shame on you America for your insatiable greed. You deserve the downfall and accept the reality that eventually USA itself will go totally broke. When that happens the dollar will take a dive like never before. You have a congress and a president who would prefer to give Amnesty to 20 million ILLEGALS in the country and give them the jobs and ignore your own unemployed USA Citizens. No other country is as stupid as the American Government and they do not have ILLEGALS trying to run the show, as if they are caught they go to jail and are deported ASAP out and blacklisted and banned for life. In some countries they execute you if you are a ILLEGAL in their country without a trail.

So don't laugh posters, but understand me well of my warning to you, because it is coming just around the corner. When it happens it will be the new Great Depression and this one will have nothing to do with the stock market at all. Your economic engine is going to take a hell of a hit very soon and it will indeed destroy USA for what its worth. So enjoy what you still have as many of you will lose it and will be out in the streets wondering what in the hell happened to everybody!!!!

In the meantime the other countries will continue to thrive and they will obviously dump any USA holdings as they do not want to get hit themselves. Other countries are now laughing at USA because they can see it coming like clear blue waters.

Who do you think bailed out USA of the recent recession???? It was China!!!!!!! President Obama made a private deal with China to get cash so he can pay off the banks who were in default and crashed. He couldn't generate any more since USA is in debt of well over 14 trillion dollars. Believe it or not USA almost defaulted financially not long ago.

Hawkwind, good comment, if they watched less iCarly, Zoe 101 and other degrating stuff, it would be better. My son watches everything related to astrophysics on tv, my daughter watches that crap, he has higher grades and she lags behind, whether its related or not I don't know

Hey Caliostro2010, if you read hawkwind's comment more thoroughly, you'd also see that he's criticizing the people who are whining about Asian's and Indian's taking the hi-tech jobs. AKA you. So just saying, you should probably take note of that too.

Is it any wonder that businesses transfer jobs to China and India and Mexico, where qualified workers are paid about 10% of a union worker in this country. The ridiculously high costs of unionized workers is the main reason that private sector union workers have declined from about 35% of the labor force 40 years ago to less than 7% now

No it's no wonder that criminals seek the easiest route to amassing what is not theirs.

Yeah, insisting that your workforce be able to compete in the market you shape is asinine. Let em eat after me. Your type makes me sick while you apologize for the faceless masters that keep you hunched over the mill with your ass in the air and a smile on your face because you think you could attain the same evil stature.

KEN in NC:

that's just for the cord.... the three prong and adapter cost another $99, not including state and local electronic recycling fees, taxes, shipping and handling.

You guys are f*cking retarded. An adapter only costs about 2 or 3 bucks. See, I can be a d*ck too =D

If US produces it it will come with the stench of tacos and burritos!

Considering many villages in India have no electricity, it would require one very extra long extension cord for power and recharging. Oops! Sorry, I forgot the $35.00 probably does not include a battery pack! There's another 150 bucks!

I like tacos and burritos..they should make them with pizza, ice cream and steak stench too..for 35 bucks Id buy one of each.

Hey think of the possibilities that a 20 dollar computer brings to education and literacy. (hopefully they can figure out how to make them enviromentally responsible).

A MAN WAS WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK ONE DAY HUNCHED OVER CARRYING TWO BAGS WHEN SOMEONE WALKING PAST ASKED HIM FOR THE TIME…

the man sat his two bags down (ONE FROM EACH HAND ) AND LOOKED AT HIS WATCH… UM he said… HOLD ON I LEFT THE TV RUNNING… HE THEN PRESSED A BUTTON … OOPS NO NO THAT’S THE PHONE ..THEN PRESSED ANOTHER BUTTON AND SAID OH NO THAT’S THE GPS…AFTER PRESSING A FEW MORE BUTTONS HE SAID AHHH YES YES HERE IT IS , IT’S 2:35 P.M.…

OH WOW said the other guy ..YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOUR WATCH DOES ALL THAT …

OH YES HE SAID ..I INVENTED THIS ALL BY MYSELF…

OH WOW MAN I GOTTA HAVE IT NAME YOUR PRICE …

NO NO THE MAN SAID I WOULDN’T PART WITH THIS.. .

.AWWW CMON I’LL GIVE YA 2,000 DOLLARS…

WELLLLL …OK…. HERE IT IS…THE MAN TOOK IT OFF AND HANDED IT TO THE STRANGER AND AS THE STRANGER STARTED WALKING AWAY THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE WATCH SAID …

HOLD ON THERE BUDDY ….HE REACHED DOWN TO THE TWO BAGS HE WAS CARRYING PICKED THEM UP AND SAID ….

YOU FORGOT THE BATTERIES ….

AWWW CMON YOU KNOW THAT WAS FUNNY LMAO

it was kinda funny the 1st time second now your pushing it.

KEN in NC "You can get the computer for $35.00 and for $999.95 you can get the computer along with the electric cord."

That's because the cord is made by a high school dropout union member.

Think of the dangers inherent. I challenge you to be afraid and think what MIGHT be the aganda here. Guaranteed if there is a potential to exploit it will occur. People lie cheat and steal, therefore I am.

LOL.

Hooray for perceived value. NOT

Completely agree. Hey, I'm really glad another country is doing well for themselves. Maybe we'll get lucky and some tech support call center jobs will wash up on our shores to support these things. Since we're all bored, and need something to do.

It is, after all, need based. India is in a unique position with a high-tech workforce and challenging problems of poverty and education. And this is how they solve it.

The US is a rich country and there is no need for cheap ..... well, anything. If this $35 laptop came here, I doubt people will even sniff at it. We all need our huge bloated systems because instead of improving productivity, people prefer to listen to music and watch TV and movies on them !

Don't worry. The US has tons of kids that are future Rap stars, NBA players, drug lords, pimps or rockstars... that is if they can put down the PS3 controller and the 4 Big Macs.

Ignorance is bliss. Our K-12 education system is the crotch.

No Actually it's because Indian people can not afford to pay the 1000 for a computer like the U.S can. Also keep in mind that the 35 dollar laptop was made without having to deal with regulations after regulations on products. Just like the tata nano they made in India, they say in order to target U.S buyers they will have to improve construction and add airbags(Among a bunch of other safety standards). Why? Because our laws require it. And we have these laws because boneheads can't drive a car correctly, so we have to protect them. So ya it's 35 stop crying out its so advance, it probably isn't. Hell, the thing is probably barely functional. So ya i would take my tried and proven software and components over a $35 POS. It may be "democratic" but that doesn't mean it is worth the money.

India is amazing?

For all of you IT people, if you want cheap labor and good quality go after eastern European guys, just look at the stats on BrainBench, this has to change.

And for all of those who will say India has a good space program I have to say one thing - Russia. you suck by providing them with all of the knowledge and hardware.

India rules, now you happy? Just expressing my opinion from experience...

politz, relax, my facts are right, cause I'm involved in it

To Caliostro2010: What the @!$%# is your problem? Damn, I bet some guy in Mumbai probably took your job because you sucked so much at it, no wonder you have such a hate on for Indian people. Seriously, who @!$%#ing cares if they made a 35 dollar laptop. I personally think it's pretty cool. Get over it, no need to make jabs at Indian people every chance you get it.

Man Politz must have really got his vage hurt. Because you know India is the best thing since sliced bread and they are going to save the world, any other opinion other than that is WRONG. Politz go back to your customer service job for comcast making 20 rupees a month.

No never, actualy you bring more work for me, thank u ;)

politz,

You are harping on Caliostro2010 for not providing facts to back up his claims, but you are not providing any of your own proving that he is wrong either.

bluto038, do you have a job or on welfare? At least the comcast customer service guys have jobs. wake up and join the civilization~

Castrolio2010 has a pretty big mouth for someone who doesn't know what he talks about. Tell me something, if India sucks so much like you say they do, then why is their economy booming so much? Especially their IT sector? While we're on that subject, why is the US in such a recession? Why in unemployment so high. You're quick to put the blame on foreigners, but you don't look at yourself. The banks failed us by sending out sub-prime loans through their a$$es, and the American population was gullible enough to take on big loans, and all of this fueled the housing bubble and the ailing economy.

All that aside, why the f*ck do you even care so much? They're not even selling it here, didn't you read the article? They're using it to give to students across India. Technology is widespread and high quality here, and they're just trying to do that over there. Why the hell do you care so much. Good for them and good for us, so stop PMSing you closeted bigot.

@YoungMoney92 - http://web.mit.edu/urbanupgrading/upgrading/whatis/images/India-SlumBuildingBack.jpg

There's your booming economy. STFU

A MAN WAS WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK ONE DAY HUNCHED OVER CARRYING TWO BAGS WHEN SOMEONE WALKING PAST ASKED HIM FOR THE TIME…

the man sat his two bags down (ONE FROM EACH HAND ) AND LOOKED AT HIS WATCH… UM he said… HOLD ON I LEFT THE TV RUNNING… HE THEN PRESSED A BUTTON … OOPS NO NO THAT’S THE PHONE ..THEN PRESSED ANOTHER BUTTON AND SAID OH NO THAT’S THE GPS…AFTER PRESSING A FEW MORE BUTTONS HE SAID AHHH YES YES HERE IT IS , IT’S 2:35 P.M.…

OH WOW said the other guy ..YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOUR WATCH DOES ALL THAT …

OH YES HE SAID ..I INVENTED THIS ALL BY MYSELF…

OH WOW MAN I GOTTA HAVE IT NAME YOUR PRICE …

NO NO THE MAN SAID I WOULDN’T PART WITH THIS.. .

.AWWW CMON I’LL GIVE YA 2,000 DOLLARS…

WELLLLL …OK…. HERE IT IS…THE MAN TOOK IT OFF AND HANDED IT TO THE STRANGER AND AS THE STRANGER STARTED WALKING AWAY THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE WATCH SAID …

HOLD ON THERE BUDDY ….HE REACHED DOWN TO THE TWO BAGS HE WAS CARRYING PICKED THEM UP AND SAID ….

YOU FORGOT THE BATTERIES ….

AWWW CMON YOU KNOW THAT WAS FUNNY LMAO

JimBob, what has that picture to do with this article? are you drunk?

Hmm Comcast, never mind comcast, look at Verizon, cheap labor, sweatshop. Nothing against Indians, I'm not a racist, but 6 month C# course for $700 dollars and fake resume can not produce a good product, I see it everyday, guys answer every single question on interview, get hired, come to work, then do nothing during a day, they bring results back in the morning, cause someone does it for them and gets procentage. I'm not hatefull have a lot of Indian friends, but majority of IT ppl are fake.

Sorry, bvut I still hate curry.

http://niviusvir.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/detroit-slum-1.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_w1iq4z0Unjg/SrAAMSffONI/AAAAAAAAAQs/NWFUDtQmNCI/s400/Detroitghett2.jpg

Oh lookie...ANYONE can find pictures on the internets....

Hey JimBob, maybe you should look at PE-481057's pictures. See, anyone can easily show you America's failing state. In the 1950's, Michigan was one of 8 states in America that produced 1/3 of the world's GNP. Look at it today in the pics above. Next time, think before you open your fat mouth dumba$$. Stupida$$ JimBob, what kind of a dumb name is that?

Oh yes And your name "young money" what kind of name is that? OH I KNOW IT's LIL WAYNE!!!! Hahaha why are you bagging on his name if yours is after some punk wanna be gangster who is in jail. And Also putting cuss words in your response NEVER makes you look credible. Anyways, where did you find that Michigan was 1/8 of 1/3 of the world's GNP??? And seriously, 1 city in Michigan does not mean it went down hill. I mean look at cali, San Francisco is a disaster(just kidding) i mean Oakland or Compton, yet we are still like 11th overall in economic power (Old fact someone check real one).

Caliostro2010 boasts about getting a lot of work re-designing someone else's work. Let's face it, software maintenance/enhancement is more challenging than new design. It is easier to redesign than try to work on an existing code, not to mention, it gives you work for a lot longer, as you correctly point out. It is all about 'communication skills' to convince the bosses that a complete overhaul is required, and you're good to go for years on it.

Now, I'm not saying there are bad programmers, there are a lot of them, but companies that outsource do not let a project go on to completion without testing it. And, for someone counting on those Brainbench kind of 'tests' of one's competency and academic-style of interviews, you could not be practical enough to work on other programmers' codes and you want it just the way your brain thinks about it because your knowledge and experience is too narrow. I sympathize the BOA for double spending on a project, just hope your 'redesigned' stuff works - some of us cannot afford banks making the software an excuse this time, to rip the investors off the savings, again.

>>Oh lookie...ANYONE can find pictures on the internets....

I wasn't aware there were multiple internets.... I'll call my ISP and see if I can pay more to upgrade to a better internet. Thanks!

Also, it's funny that it's a bank that is facing the problem of fixing poorly written software. The person I originally posted about having direct experience with offshore outsourcing also works on banking software, just not for BOA. Scary.

Oh, and my name is James Robert - hence the nick JimBob. Sorry if that's not gangsta enough, but I outgrew that garbage a long time ago.

In short, depreciation rate is very high in the electronic market- also a reason things after a little use do not have much resale value.

Running after the newest technological gimmick at any given time and abandoning and shelving a slightly-older-but- absolutely- sufficient-for-all-practical-purposes technology is a stupendous waste of money. This is where we can do enormous cost savings especially in products which need to be mass produced and distributed.

In my opinion, this is a GREAT idea for a country like India which has enormous potential in developing human resources but is low on capital. More power to them!

Alas! wish I could convince my bf why he DOES NOT need to buy the newest most awsomest TV set in the market!! It is like watching money floating down the drain...

You're spot-on here, "guy". I'm sitting on a nearly 6 year-old PowerBook G4 right now, and apart from running slowly when watching video on some channels, it's a remarkably serviceable Internet machine that runs Microsoft Office apps with ease...can be purchased on eBay now for around $300, but was 5 or 6 times that when it was new...I'm willing to bet you could buy a warehouse full of PowerPC chips today for next to nothing...

Good logical post...

I don't agree with theotherguy1234 comments, your comparison is completley wrong. I build computers, but it is not as simple as you gather old stuff build a computer for $35. It requires research on every component that can be made cheaper on mass production as well as it should be able to perform with today's software.

Try building an old IBM PC 486 for even $50 by old parts and see it can perform with today's OS or even works. You won't even find an old motherboard for $35 bucks!!

Anand, but I am guessing they don't necessarily want it to run the latest and greatest OS with all the unneeded distractions and CPU sapping apps. I would imagine Foxconn will be more than happy to make a motherboard for this at some ridiculously low price that can support an older CPU and run a stripped down linux version.

However, all that said, I wonder whatever happened to:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501546.html

oh wait.... a few years after that it was $180 and not $100 and then all the nations who desired one dropped their planned purchases. Funding dried up. Supporters went away and it died a natural death.

Considering that OS-X will no longer being ported to the PowerPC Processor, You could probably get paid to take the warehouse full of them! :-). I'm not an apple proponent by any stretch, but it was a sad day when they decided to go intel. I don't understand why you would drop a superior product for one that is lacking. (other then the profit margin).

Great post. I'm a lover of video PC games and have noticed their seems to be financial rewards for video card manufacturers and PC game manufacturers whom create new games that require thier very latest video cards to install correctly. Creating a demand on thier own products.

Whoa whoa whoa, the PC gaming market has been at a stand still for the last 4-5 years. Crysis was an anomaly that no one foresaw. Considering that in 2006 the top of the line could barely push what my 9800gt SLI can do. My set up 230...2006 top of the line around 2k. Unless you are looking for the absolute conquering edge, the video cards to do that are about 1k-2k. As soon as crysis 2 comes out i have a feeling the pc gaming world will be rocked again. imo.

That it is built on reused/recycled stuff cannot be a bad thing, if true. It is, in fact, a very good thing, considering the amount of electronic waste that is out there. Though, in that case, mass production would not be that easy and quick. But I am sure, as the article indicates, it is research on component optimization and technical skills that have contributed to this machine's low cost.

The biggest concern here would be the waste that it is likely to generate, because of people buying it even when not necessary. While it is a technological wonder, a laptop is not a necessity to get most kind of usable information that everyone must have. But everyone is in the rat-race to show off as technologically advanced, kind of like having a car with all those fancy options that are never used, except to show that it is there!

Did you get another box of Japanese cereal?

Japanese people eat cereal? Who knew!

Oh yeah, they really pay.. Lets see, apple mac mini, $700, lasts for about 3-5+ years.. What does that equal out to? Around $233-$140 a year if you just have to have a new one... How long does a PC stand the test of time? 2 years tops, before you're ready to throw the thing out or upgrade it with new parts.. And you're paying, what, $350 or more for a new PC? Oh and lets not forget the need to re-install Winblows every so often due to registry errors.. And the spyware.. And the viruses.. So, why buy a non-apple computer again? Oh yeah, that's right, they have a lower price tag.. Initially.. Glad you weighed in on a tech related subject, you definitely have some expertise being on the "hate apple" band wagon.

A MAN WAS WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALK ONE DAY HUNCHED OVER CARRYING TWO BAGS WHEN SOMEONE WALKING PAST ASKED HIM FOR THE TIME…

the man sat his two bags down (ONE FROM EACH HAND ) AND LOOKED AT HIS WATCH… UM he said… HOLD ON I LEFT THE TV RUNNING… HE THEN PRESSED A BUTTON … OOPS NO NO THAT’S THE PHONE ..THEN PRESSED ANOTHER BUTTON AND SAID OH NO THAT’S THE GPS…AFTER PRESSING A FEW MORE BUTTONS HE SAID AHHH YES YES HERE IT IS , IT’S 2:35 P.M.…

OH WOW said the other guy ..YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOUR WATCH DOES ALL THAT …

OH YES HE SAID ..I INVENTED THIS ALL BY MYSELF…

OH WOW MAN I GOTTA HAVE IT NAME YOUR PRICE …

NO NO THE MAN SAID I WOULDN’T PART WITH THIS.. .

.AWWW CMON I’LL GIVE YA 2,000 DOLLARS…

WELLLLL …OK…. HERE IT IS…THE MAN TOOK IT OFF AND HANDED IT TO THE STRANGER AND AS THE STRANGER STARTED WALKING AWAY THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE WATCH SAID …

HOLD ON THERE BUDDY ….HE REACHED DOWN TO THE TWO BAGS HE WAS CARRYING PICKED THEM UP AND SAID ….

YOU FORGOT THE BATTERIES ….

AWWW CMON YOU KNOW THAT WAS FUNNY LMAO

Wait what Mckay??? The reson why PC go out so fast is cuz there is new stuff every year. Apple users are mislead when it comes to their products. Man apple computers are OLD! their top of the line is like mid range for PC USers. Seriously, looked at a apple desktop with 3.03GHZ cpu 8 gigs ram 1tb hard drive....2000. My mid range 2.93 ghz 4gb ram 1 tb hd drive-1000. So ya Nice job for Apple being lasting. And sorry the only reason Pc's don't last as long as Mac's is cuz PC are cheap and great for pron. Apple are expensive, and not worth getting a virus on your 2000 computer.=P

I can't wait till 2011 when all the Winblows users are carrying around their Tablets, wait Winblows won't have a Tablet at the rate of Manufactures are dropping them for Android. So, I can't wait till 2011 when all the Android users are carrying around their Tablets, trying to convince everyone that it's a Tablet not a net book. lol

don't kid yourself, apple products are overpriced and everyone knows it. when comparing an apple laptop to a windows laptop in the same price range, windows will always give the user more processing power to do anything that can also be performed on the mac. and programs are more limited on the mac.

http://dealnews.com/7-Widescreen-2-GB-Internet-Tablet-w-Google-Android-for-119-free-shipping/378772.html

go there... 120 bucks for something like the Ipad... google android tablet. it also has a webcam and more options than the Ipad though...

@Zhong Guo Gou

I wish that was a fact, but it isn't. I have worked on PC's and Macs for some time now. And your opinion is pretty much wrong. PC's aren't any cheaper in value, yes price. But really when you pay less for something that is made cheaper. Do you really get a better value, no.

@Matt 86

Do you really thing that a $120 no name electronic product is going to have any support near Apples? Do you think that this $120 Tablet, if you want to call it that. Even has anything near the battery life then that of the iPad? A Max Resolution of 800x480 is kind of lame. A wonderful 0.3-megapixel camera, really not even a full Megapixel, lol. No Accelerometer, Wi-Fi is g not n. I would like to see more specs and users feed back on this So called $120 device.

I am looking forward to a main stream Android Tablet to compete with the iPad. I am sure that all the Android fanboyz can't wait either. But as it sits right now there is really only one real main stream Tablet, it's made by Apple. And until some other manufacture steps up to the plate. I don't really think that we can have any discussions about how bad the iPad might be. Because you can't compare it to anything else out, because it is the only main stream Tablet that is out at this time. With over 3 Million sold, and 16 Million due by the end of the year, any Tablet from this point forward has a up hill climb.

@bub9001

so by your reasoning, the mac is worth ~2x as much as a pc and is priced accordingly. a quad-core mac computer would be the equivalent of a pc with an octo-core processor, so to speak.

maybe you can elaborate more on what value you see in the mac that justifies its cost of 2x a pc.

@bub9001

you are correct, the Ipad is much better, but with a price tag of 500 bucks. I would settle for the 120 dollar tag and buy some extra memory for the android tablet right now. The next gen Ipad should be a major upgrade from the one now. And the reason you see so many Ipads sold is because it's the "in" thing right now. goes along with phones... you can get a better phone, with cheaper plans other than the Iphone, but what do people get? the Iphone. It's just people not being smart with their money.

There are also many alternatives to the ipad which i would go for which would save me money... but most people aren't going to do that.... they'd rather feel in the loop than have money in the bank

Matt86

Wait till the Android and Windows 7 Tablet comes out. I don't think they will be $499 or $599 for the same device features as the iPad. I really would like to see another main stream Tablet come out before the end of the year. Really CES was nothing but Tablets, and Apple didn't even show theirs off, like they would. lol

Zhong Guo Gou

Sorry I can't make Windblow users see value in something that requires less work to do things. Remember I work on both PC's and Macs. I have tried for years, and Microsoft has some spell over users when it comes to switching to Mac.

Careful i bet they are as fragile as glass! that or they will fall apart as you turn it on.

The reason why they don't care is because the 97% of the iphone users like their iphone. Just because Android makes a phone that does a few different things than the iPhone does. Every Android user thinks the iPhone is some sort of useless device. Face it there are people that don't want a Android, just like there will be people that don't want a iPhone.

If you could take the trash out of your crappy mind imagine what you could do!!!!

If American can't keep planes out of it's tallest buildings, imagine what they can do with their economy!

If American can't keep planes out of it's tallest buildings, imagine what they can do with their economy!

are you saying an american drove the plane into the building? if you're going to make a joke, at least get your facts straightened up. the plane was hijacked, which means control was taken over by someone else, in this case a suicidal terrorist.

doberman - that was a low blow. And an a completely unwarranted one at that. Please apologize and retract your statement.

You are stupid enough to actually believe thats what happend. No wonder the Higher powers get away with so much DUMB SHEEP

Yeah, imagine...our airspace is supposedly being monitered and these clowns at the airport didn't even notice that they were about to hit the WTC. You're right, if only Americans could pull their heads out of there proud asses, maybe we could accomplish something!

Our country is over run with gang members and drug dealers, our schools are full of drug babies and people who have no regard for anything!USA is so ghetto! If we put laptops in our low income schools, they would be broken in a day.

People of India clearly have superior intelligence!

"People in India clearly have superior intelligence?"

LMAO...really?! Where's their SR-71 Blackbird? Where's their B-2 Spirit? Where's their Ohio-class and Virginia-class nuclear subs (the most advanced subs on the planet bar-none) and super carriers (the most advanced carriers bar-none)? Nothing else in the world comes even remotely close to those both technological and intelligence-wise.

Not trying to be complacent or arrogant, but those are the facts, the rest of the world still has quite a bit of work to do...take the SR-71 Blackbird for example, it still holds the world's speed and altitude records (for jets anyway, doesn't include the crazy rocket-powered stuff like the X-15, which is also, oh yeah, American), and the Blackbird set those records when? Mid 70s? Nearly 40 freaking years ago!!! 40 YEARS!! And nobody has yet to even match that let alone surpass it.

reason84,

very clearly says how much you know about your own country. When was the last time you checked the back brains of the major US organizations including defense, IT, Space.....the list never ends

Do you realize the US has had derailments as well, especially of the Metrolink. But that's beside the point, don't be ignorant to think the US is perfect! Please, with all the dipsh*t people like you in it? HA!

All haters please exit the Earth, next stop Mars! bbbbye!

Ok, come on reason84, this isn't military we're talking about at all. I mean really. There are reasons why we have the high level of technology in military based areas, but not at all in the civilian areas. We're a fighting country, so that's all we build up. So what? We can stand up to a country who's doing nothing to us as a country?
I'm not saying that fighting for a broken and divided people is wrong, but we have such high level technology for our military for, honestly, no reason at all. Sure we can stand up to the 'bad guys,' but we could do that without the insane amounts of money spent on new technology. Imagine the possibilities with all that WASTED money. And yes, it truly is just wasted money.

Reason84 has a point. USA still is the Mecca of innovation and breakthroughs. Indians are smart but that isn't necessarily because they are mentally superior than everybody else. It's simply because there is a tremendous social and cultural emphasis on education. So everybody goes to school. Everybody studies math and science. Everybody goes to college. Getting into an engineering college is tough but india still graduates close to 100,000 engineers every year. Not all of them are top notch. I'd say about 60 % of them are run of the mill engineers. You can't expect innovation or excellence from them. But they are great at one thing. RUNNING THE MILL. So basically after you have done your research and after you have made your innovation and after you have implemented the idea - you need knowledgable people to do the day to day stuff. That is what these legion of indians are good for. Which is why India is fast turning into the back office of the world while America remains the powerhouse of innovation for the forseeable future.

Bottomline - Indian education system is geared to produce a great number of mules and few horses. American system on the other hand produces several horses but not enough mules.

Well stated Mr. Johnson. I find it interesting that you mentioned "the government and the corporations" (I'm going to presume that you are talking about The States here).

True....it's almost like we don't have an actual stand-alone government....but rather a government with Corporate "co-partners"......

Why read a science and tech story and then leave a political comment. Wish I could see a picture of what that laptop looks like. Too many paranoid and blaming people out there.

Try that for a day and tell me you still have that opinion, or at least tell me you still want to be in a room full of stinky people.

How does manufacturing cheap computers make people in computer careers less of an asset? It's great to see India came up with this gem, and I support it 100% for what they're using it for. Aside from that, computer companies are starting to look back to U.S., England, etc. for programming and development jobs because the practically overnight training Indian schools provide make for some really sloppy coders, which can end up costing a fortune in the future.

Want proof? Look at any truly talented person from India looking to get ahead in a computer-related field...where do they go to school if they can afford it? U.S.A. There may be cheap labor and numbers in India, but that's about the extent of it.

For years everyone has been telling us that the wave of the future for the American worker is the computor industry. India is currently making a laptop that will sell for $35.00 and may soon sell for as little as $10.00. If you are currently woking in the cumputor field you had better start honning some new work skills. Can you say (would you like fries with that burger).

and can you say, would you like spell check with those errors?

We need to really think where would this nations IT be without Indians onsite or Offshore????

So you're saying that IT jobs were and are outsourced to India because the IT people there are better at resolving user issues?

SundryWork

It’s obvious that you know very little about computers. This unit can be built that cheaply – and not using older technology as the others posters are saying. It is true that an Intel iCore is expensive, because it is new, and you probably will not see it in this unit. However, there are manufacturers in India and China who can do this (don’t forget that we taught them how to do this by outsourcing - from our R&D to customer service), and for pennies. As to the software - there are tons of free software from OS to teleconference (LINUX, Skype, Teamviewer...). The iPad and iPhone are also very cheap devices to make but with R&D, manufacturing, profits, taxes, and shipping cost tacked on $35 becomes $350, …er, I mean $649.99.

An additional word:

A lot of you posters may not realize that 9 out of every component in the computer you have, and the computer itself, is made in Asia (China, India …). Ignore them at your peril. America is on its way down – they are on the way up.

The President is trying to explain this to the left and the right (who are still refusing to work together to right this – they are still locked in their little power struggles). By the time we wake up to realize that we are no longer the top of the heap in any category – it will be way too late.

the manufacturing part is outsourced. the research is not.

In the United States (US), the policy debate surrounding offshore outsourcing of 'white collar' service jobs, many of them high-paying, professional and technical positions, has recently focused on an area having potentially serious consequences for America's long-term national competitiveness: the business strategy of offshoring firm research and development (R&D) activities of critically important industries, such as information technology (IT) and pharmaceuticals.

http://www.innovation-enterprise.com/archives/vol/7/issue/4/article/1625/us-offshore-outsourcing-of-randd

Offshore outsourcing of R&D is a growing strategic phenomenon in the IT industry, with industry leaders such as Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, and Texas Instruments having moved product development centers to China, and Accenture, AMD, Cisco Systems, Google, IBM, and Microsoft outsourcing product development centers to India. Microsoft is reportedly planning to invest an additional $400 million in India and $750 million in China on R&D between 2004 and 2006 (Austin, Hills and Lim 2003) and Accenture and IBM adding 15,000 additional positions in India by the end of 2005 (Travis 2004). Frost & Sullivan, another market consulting group, estimate that the IT R&D outsourcing market in India will increase from the present level of $1.3 billion annually to $9 billion by 2010 (Frost & Sullivan 2004). According to AMR Research, this translates to 800,000 IT-related jobs being offshore outsourced from the US to India by 2008 (Travis 2004).

http://www.innovation-enterprise.com/archives/vol/7/issue/4/article/1625/us-offshore-outsourcing-of-randd

Anand is correct.

I have been in the IT industry for over 28 years. I build computers and have engineering experience and a software engineering degree. This Indian company must have redesigned this laptop almost from the ground up. At the very minimum it has a completely redesigned system board, memory and video configuration not to mention completely redesigning the manufacturing processes. The BIOS and CMOS would have had to be completely rewritten as well. This was no simple task and I must admit to being impressed. If I were Dell, Lenovo, Apple, Acer, HP, etc. I would be very nervous.

Has anybody stopped to consider that the Indian government is most likely heavily subsidizing the company making the computers? That is about the only way they could cover their R&D and production costs to get that kind of price for their consumer market.