The OLPC project's hardware has had a few price hikes since formulation, but with the latest, it's only a couple of beers away from being twice the original price. One Laptop Per Child's leaders have disclosed that when mass production begins later this year, it will likely be $188, up from the last estimate of $176. $100 remains the long-term goal, achievable, in principle, once the device is rolling off the assembly line in volume.
Currency fluctuations and rising costs for fundamental components are cited for the how and why of it all. To western users attracted by the little machine's portability, utility and cheapness, a $200 price tag won't be a problem — competition with the slightly-more-expensive Asus EEE is more likely to impinge upon sales at *Best Buy. *To governments in the developing world, however, essential to the program's success, every dollar surely makes the deal less appetizing.
Vaunted Laptop A Slightly More Distant Concept (AP)
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