Africa/Global: The hype of the $100 computer

The fifth annual MIT Technology Review Emerging Technology Conference kicked off with a presentation from Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab. Negroponte discussed his $100 laptop initiative, in which he is working to produce a low-cost laptop for mass distribution. But www.knowprose.com says the initiative is complete hype: "We wouldn't want to shake things up at all with open hardware. Oh no, that would shift power structures. That's what's been holding back the Simputer and similar initiatives."