Chatting and Downloadable Porn for All!

The Economist article, The Real Digital Divide, argues that what the developing world really needs is mobile phones, not necessarily the Internet. However, there are a lot of things you can't do with a mobile phone - and I don't just mean chat or download porn. It is not practical to use a mobile phone for education, research or sales.

There are real obstacles to closing the digital divide: sporadic electricity availability, cost, etc. There are, however, some people who are working on it. As detailed in the Washington Post article, Bringing the Internet to the Whole World (Lexis-Nexis link) a computer chip company, AMD has developed a Personal Internet Communicator.

The PIC is targeted to people who make $5000-10,000 a year and has an interesting marketing plan.

Rather than a stand-alone item that users customize with separately purchased software and other features, AMD's Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) is a sealed box, sold through Internet providers in much the same way that cell phones are sold by wireless companies.

Roughly the size of a thick, hardcover book, the computer is pre-loaded with the same Microsoft Corp. operating system that powers many handheld organizers. It includes programs for Web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging, word processing and spreadsheet calculations.

The PIC is easy to use, rugged and operates with little power and it will retail for approximately $200 plus the monthly Internet service cost. Best of all, this isn't a charitable endeavor subject to the funding and whims of a government agency. This could actually make a profit!

If there is one thing that will overcome any obstacle in this world it is capitalism and the relentless pursuit of profit. If someone can make money on this then I think the developing world will be awash in porn before they know it.