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Peru buys 260,000 Laptops for the kids – of course!

I’m pleased to report that Peru has signed on to purchase 260,000 laptops through the One Laptop Per Child program. From Cnet’s Liam Tung:

One month after the One Laptop Per Child charity went into mass production with its $188 laptop, the Peruvian government has signed a contract to purchase 260,000 units. Nicholas Negroponte, an MIT professor and founder of the project, announced the deal on Saturday. He also revealed that Mexican billionaire and longtime friend, Carlos Slim, had ordered 50,000 units for distribution in Mexico.

In November, the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) charity contracted Taiwan’s Quanta Computer to start producing the green-and-white computer in its new Changshu manufacturing center, which is located north-west of Shanghai. The first countries to place mass orders for the rugged green-and-white laptops were Uruguay and Mongolia. Ivan Krstic, the director of security architecture for the OLPC project, has said that Uruguayan water and mobile-phone utility companies have allowed the organization to plant wireless access points on existing towers to facilitate the laptop’s use.

I think this is excellent and I’m also pleased with the government for going with the OLPC program and not selling out to Intel or the other big businesses which are trying to compete with the non-profit. As you might have read on my previous posting I have a special place in my heart for the youth of Peru.

Kendall Schoenrock’s business background includes experience in tech startups, real estate development, and angel investing. Currently he runs Schoenrock Investments, a family real estate investing office that is an umbrella to multiple other entities focused on residential, commercial, and entrepreneurial endeavors.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Kendall,
    We were just watching the interview with Nicholas Negroponte this past Sunday on “60 Minutes.” It was very interesting. And I agree with you, I am glad that the government of Peru is not going with anyone else on this. I think it is wonderful what he is doing.

  2. Hi Julie!

    I also saw the 60 Minutes show. I thought it was very well done and outlined many of the issues surrounding around the successful deployment of this project.

    Thanks for reading!

    -Kendall

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