How much would you pay for a laptop computer which is claimedcan last a lifetime, needs no maintenance and doesn’t need to be upgraded? Gerry Morgan, a 54-year-old former teacher from Canada, claims he hasinvented such a computer, which he is marketing through his company,InkMedia Inc. [Image Caption Hassle free alternative: Morgan showing the prototype of hisInkMedia laptop.http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/11/9/nation/n_p29morgan1.jpg] The laptop, named the InkMedia, uses a Freescale processor with 512megabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory) and the Linux operating system. Ithas an 8.6in SVGA screen that is capable of displaying 800X600pixel TrueColour graphics and comes with four USB ports. It also has a WiFi port forwireless Internet access. The price for the InkMedia is a mere US$300 (RM1,000). The Freescale processor and Linux operating system, which is free for anyoneto use, contribute to the lower price of the laptop. Morgan, who was in town, told The Star earlier this week that he got theidea for the laptop while he was working as a technology consultant in Indiaabout 10 years ago. He said he didn’t like watching people spend a lot of money on computersthat they then threw away after a few years. Morgan said he designed his laptop to not have a hard disk, which is astandard component on regular computers. The hard disk stores a computer’soperating system, applications, and other data, such as photos, MP3s anddocuments. All the applications a user would need, such as a word processor and webbrowser, are contained in the InkMedia’s ROM (read-only memory) chip, whichcannot be modified or corrupted. “Because it does not have a hard disk, my laptop will never fall victim to acomputer virus (which would need to modify application files to pose athreat),” Morgan said. Without a hard disk, however, InkMedia users will need to move informationthey want to keep to thumbdrives and other external storage devices. He claims the 980g laptop is durable and can withstand accidents, such as aspilt drink or a drop. Morgan, who is founder and managing director of InkMedia, sees the laptop asa tool for bridging the digital divide – the gap between the technologyhaves and have-nots. According to him, students at the HELP Institute here would be the first inthe world to test the InkMedia laptop in January. For more information on the laptop, go to www.ink-media.com.

Source: www.ink-media.com.