Re: Time to boycot OLPC?

On Fri, 2008-04-25 at 13:32 +0100, Nick Hill wrote:

>  I reckon EeePC computers cost around £45 to make, 

> and with competition, and increasing volume, prices will be a little higher than 
> manufacturing costs. (It is clear ASUS have mercilessly trimmed manufacturing 
> costs to the bone using a 7" screen where there is space for an 8 or 9" screen

The 900 has a 8.9" screen but it's a lot more expensive.

> which would substantially improve usability but have a cost delta of maybe £3).

> I estimate the costs of EeePC hardware when manufactured in tens of millions, 
> break down at factory gate approximately as follows (without VAT):
> 7" TFT screen £7
> Keyboard, plastics £5
> Battery £4

Where can you buy laptop batteries at under a fiver?

> PSU £2
> 4Gb Flash £5
> Processor, glue logic and PCB £11
> WiFi chipset & ancilliaries £4
> Packaging, manuals etc £2
> Assembly and testing £4.
> 
> Total: £44+VAT.

Didn't you forget RAM? Flash is for storage isn't it? I hope you are
right but I think that is a bit optimistic.

> (I have manufactured computer hardware, and pay attention to the pricing of 
> commodity equipment.) The above pricing structure will fall further as volume 
> drives further integration.
> 
> Therefore, OLPC as a hardware offering is completely dead. OLPC is supposed to 
> be cheap, but OLPC can't do cheap like ASUS and their inevitable imitators can 
> and will.

There are already about 6 I can think of with products ready for launch.

> OLPC might be rugged, but I imagine that in a very poor African village, 
> schoolchildren will not be allowed to drop a laptop. A child would be petrified 
> of dropping, loosing, or getting it wet for fear of consequences, and the 
> elders, I am sure, will make those consequences very clear. That is even if 
> parents dare allow their children to carry them.

Ian
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