Márcia Detoni
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Tunis (Tunisia) - The prototype of the US$ 100 laptop was presented yesterday (16) at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) as the ideal solution for the digitial inclusion of needy children in developing countries. The goal of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Media Laboratory in the next few years is to make this equipment available in the six largest developing countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia (Brazil, Nigeria, Egypt, India, China, and Thailand).

In the speech he gave representing the country at the WSIS, Brazil's minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, said that Brazil is negotiating with MIT to acquire the laptop.

According to the president and founder of the MIT Media Laboratory, Nicholas Negroponte, "this is an educational project that will help resolve the problem of digital division in the world." According to Negroponte, if the project turns out to be feasible, it will be offered to the other poor countries as well.

The US$ 100 laptop, which is powered by a crank, battery, or electric current, is the size of a book and bright green in color - to please children and convey an environmental message. MIT determined a minimum order of a million machines and payment in advance. Negroponte expects the initial lots to be ready for shipment by the end of 2006 or the beginning of 2007.

He pointed out that the product will not be available in stores. The idea is to sell it exclusively to Ministries of Education in countries committed to the "One Child, One Computer" project.

The president of the MIT Media Laboratory visited Brazil in July to present the project to president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. According to Negroponte, Lula expressed great enthusiasm about the project.

The laptop developed by MIT can perform nearly all the same operations as a normal computer, except for storing large amounts of data. It was assembled to use free Linux software and access the internet through a wireless device. For people who don't have electricity or money to buy batteries, there is the option of the crank. A minute's winding provides at least 10 minutes of connection time to receive data.

Translation: David Silberstein