An entry level game console
A console with quirks, for tinkerers by David Pogue in the New York Times: a gaming computer which is a cube with a 3 inch side, at $100. It runs Android. It is an open design; you can hack the software and hardware.
Raspberry Pi
This is a complete computer for $35. You have to see it to believe it. Connect in an ordinary smartphone power supply, an Ethernet cable, a USB keyboard, a USB mouse and an HDMI screen, and you're up and running. It boots linux and runs a browser. [link] [link] [link]
A bit more money and a lot more compute
Arduino is going beyond the geeks to the artists.
Beaglebone Black is at the $45 pricepoint.
Utilite is a quad-core computer that consumes 3-8 watts. At $99.
Implications
In the West, these things are cute. But in developing countries, where individuals and firms are more resource-constrained, these new approaches can be valuable alternatives to conventional bloatware. These open up a new world of exploration and R&D in India, as a large number of tinkerers and researchers can afford these pricepoints. Many workplaces can shift away from conventional desktops and save money on hardware and on electricity.
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