Low cost computers

I hear about very low cast computers designed and produced in India and Brazil. Is this for real?  I have always thought of how LingQ could be used to spread literacy and language learning into countries where a majority of people cannot afford computers. Even if not everyone could buy one of these low cost computers, perhaps schools and libraries could have them. Then there is still the problem of the MP3 player. Is this all an illusion or is there something there that can be done?

Comments

[Ana]

I don't know anything about India, but I can give my opinion on Brazilian situation.
This idea of low cost computers, it depends on the point of view. There is no U$ 100 computer around here, but it has become very easy to buy a reasonable computer, if you are willing to pay for it during a year or even two A lot of people really do this, mainly as gifts for teenagers. There is a generic sense that a computer is an important thing for the kids to have, even among the less educated parents that have no cue about what a computer really is.
MP3 players are not really the problem. One can buy a very simple one for U$15 or so. Of course these ones are not high-quality models (I've paid ten times this for mine!), but I think they are good enough to listen to language audios decently.
Also, I know people that don't have computers at home or at work, but have an entire virtual life using cybercafes, which are relatively inexpensive, too.
So, I guess using LingQ is indeed technically feasible for most people around here.

[lowcostcomputers]

it will really help if Lingq is free. I have a computer at home but i cant afford to use this genius system.

[Flavio]

I´ll tell about Brazil.
Two or three years ago Brazilian governor changed the percentual tax or eliminated it from some kind of computers ( especially PC´s and Laptops ).
Immediately we saw a lot of companies building and selling low cost computers.
Now it´s more easy and cheap to buy a new computer.
Sincerely I dind´t find a computer costing U$ 100. But there are a lot of oportunities costing abour U$ 400.
It helped very families to buy the first and new computer. I remember that five years ago a laptop costed U$ 2000 because all the components it was imported. Last month I bought reasonable laptop for U$ 500. Very fine no ??? lol

I think that the "digital popularization" not necessarily will help the people how to learn a new language. Beucause almost them prefer to use the computer and the internet to leisure as youtube, facebook, orkut, musical clips etc. Just a few percent use the internet as a learning tool.

Best regards.

[Philipp]

I don't know about computers but I have seen many mp3 players in mainland China sell for less than $5 (and that was in a store) so even if computers are not an option, I think pretty much anyone can afford an mp3 player.