Uruguay First To Place Order For $100 Laptops

October 30, 2007 8:49 a.m. EST

(AHN) - The government of Uruguay has become the first in the world to place an order for the so-called $100 laptop. It has purchased 100,000 machines for its schoolchildren aged six to 12.

Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of One Laptop per Child (OLPC) organization which is behind the project, is "delighted" with the first deal.

He said: "We commend Uruguay for being the first country to take concrete actions to provide laptops to all its children and teachers and look forward to other countries following this example", according to BBC News.

The laptop, known as XO, has been developed to be used mainly in developing countries. It is durable and waterproof, and in case of electricity problems, can be pumped by solar power or pull-string powered chargers.

When first launched, it aimed to sell for $100 but not its price has crept up to $188.

There are a number of ways the laptops can be purchased.

Under the Give 1 Get 1 (G1G1) program, from November 12, people anywhere will be able to buy one machine for themselves as well as one for a child in Cambodia, Afghanistan, Rwanda or Haiti. Under this scheme, initially, buyers will have to choose from one of these countries.

In another program, a buyer can purchase the laptop in lots of 100 or more for a country of their choice. For this, price starts at $299.

Uruguay government's Laboratorio Tecnológico del Uruguay (Latu), which runs a large scale education and communications project known as Ceibal, has placed the first order. The machines will initially be distributed in the country's eight to nine regions.

According to BBC News, Miguel Brechner, president of the organization said they will purchase 300,000 more machines to "cover the rest of the country later in 2008 and Montevideo in 2009."

OLPC is now hoping that other developing countries will follow Uruguay initiative.