$100 computers for everyone?

Massachusets Institute of Technology professor Nicholas Negroponte wants every child to have a $100 laptop to promote and inspire education. Despite facing continued criticism from Intel and Microsoft, Negroponte has some huge backers on his side — Google, Quanta Computer and News Corp. (and Rupert Murdoch), to name a few — which have contributed $29 million for Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child Nonprofit Association. The modified laptop would use just 2 watts of electricity, which is one-tenth of what conventional laptops use — early plans for hand cranks on the side of the machines have been scrapped, and the computers will now be able to connect to AC adapters. Despite the criticism, though, Negroponte said his group could begin distributing computers by early next year.

But before you try posing as a child to get a $100 laptop, you should know that the computers will have 7-inch screens and 500-megahertz processors (which should remind you of the good ol' days) — not exactly the envy of your friends. But we wonder what you think: Would you spent millions of dollars to give $100 laptops to kids, or would you do something else with the money?