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Intel Debuts Ruggedized PC Platform for Rural India:Posted By: Jim Thatcher Jay Wrolstad, newsfactor.com Intel has launched a new platform with the goal of bridging the gap between the technology haves and have-nots. The chip giant developed the platform, named the Community PC, after the company conducted studies that indicated a clear desire for technology access exists in remote communities in India.Unfortunately, weather conditions -- heat, dust, and humidity -- and unreliable power sources can compromise typical PCs used in such environments. Intel created the Community PC platform to operate within these constraints. The platform includes a ruggedized PC chassis that Intel claims can withstand large temperature fluctuations and high humidity. It also has a removable dust filter and integrated air fan to regulate the temperature of the motherboard. Community Outlets The Community PC platform is central to Intel's new Jagruti initiative, a program that will bring together businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and Internet service providers to launch computer kiosks in underserved areas. The term "Jagruti" means "awakening" in Sanskrit. Generally speaking, the platform is part of Intel's push to enable individuals, communities, and countries to gain equal access to the technology tools, skills, and educational content needed to engage in the global economy. Specifically, the idea is to have Community PC kiosks operated by local entrepreneurs, who would provide their communities with access to services such as electronic government forms, including land records and marriage licenses, among others. The kiosks could help those living in rural areas avoid having to travel into large cities to complete necessary paperwork. They simply would visit a local kiosk and have a kiosk "operator" input their data online. Narrowing the Gap In creating initiatives to deliver highly affordable computers for underdeveloped countries, Intel is far from alone. Several organizations and technology companies, including Microsoft, are keen to get hardware, software, and services into developing regions around the globe. As one notable example, MIT Media Lab cofounder Nicholas Negroponte, who believes a hand-cranked, ruggedized PC would be valuable in regions with spotty electrical power, has spearheaded a major effort to get a laptop into the hands of every child around the world. Initiatives also are sprouting up from inside impoverished nations themselves. For example, Indian firm Big Apple has unveiled an "Intel-ligent PC" that offers basic computing capabilities for a very low price. Attempting to narrow the digital divide between developing nations and more mature countries is widely recognized as a good cause, but whether the efforts will have a significant, global effect remains to be seen. "You're seeing price drops and government-sponsored initiatives in many countries, in an effort to get PCs in," said George Shiffler, an analyst at Gartner, in a recent interview. "But you're still facing low per capita income and an immature economic structure." So, while I.T. providers might be able to ship the ultra-affordable PCs, it is not yet known whether people will be able to buy them. "Initiatives like those done at Intel could ease the constraint of some barriers," said Shiffler. "But it's still a slow process." Courtesy Of: Yahoo! News The information reported above is property of Yahoo! inc. and reprinted or modified with legitimate permission. We thank Yahoo! inc. for the kind cooperation with us and other shareholders. |
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