Linux, Zaurus, cheap wireless internet

Jared jared at hatwhite.com
Thu Jun 30 15:53:37 CDT 2005


So I have this idea that you could take a Zaurus-like box
stripped down to bare minimum and have it dedicated
to running a single application, Mozilla. Plug in a
wireless card, and make enough of them to sell for about
$100 or $200, cheap enough for poor people to afford.

Then put up a few hotspots, charge $10 a month for unlimited
download to these devices, and make a living thereby. Or
convince a city council to do so.

It's just an idea, and I'm already making a living, so
it's all speculative, but here's my question: Being that the
Zaurus still sells for just under $1000, how could this
happen:

a. Acquire a boatload of used Zauruses from Ebay
b. Make a contract with China for Zaurus-lite thingys
c. Some other form of hardware device I don't know about
    which already exists, and which costs less.
d. Angel investors, inspired by the noble cause
    of closing the digital divide.

Any suggestions?

-Jared


More information about the Kclug mailing list