Hugo Chavez coming out with his own PC?

Hugo Chávez, the combative leader of Venezuela, wants to come out with his own PC that he would then distribute to citizens in the region, according to sources in the PC industry who have been contacted by Venezuelan officials.

The PCs would be part of Chávez's strategy of winning friends in the region through gifts paid for through Venezuela's oil industry. Cuba, Bolivia and other nations have all been recipients of gifts from Chávez. The PCs would likely cost little or could even be given away. Venezuela has been contacting companies in Asia about the project, said sources.

(Credit: Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela)

It's not finalized, but an announcement could come later this year. Brazil and other governments have in the past had similar programs, but the programs died after funding trickled away.

A Chávez PC would also be the latest entrant in the market for computers in emerging economies. Intel, Via Technologies, Microsoft, Novatium, N Computing and the One Laptop Per Child organization have all come out with products aimed at bringing cheap computers to classrooms in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The debate over which one will win can sometimes be testing. Earlier this year, Nicholas Negroponte, the man behind the OLPC, accused Intel of trying to sandbag his project. Intel and others, however, have pointed out that the $100 laptop from OLPC actually costs about $175 and is made from nonstandard software and hardware.

I'm sure they will all get along fabulously with Mr. Chávez.

Chávez recently complained about a video game, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, because it takes place in his country. He said it was an attempt to prepare Americans psychologically for an invasion.

[Neo Con]

Great idea!

Why waste all that stolen oil money on frivolous stuff like food, shelter and medicine? Better to bribe people into liking you, at least enough to vote for you in the next "election".

Well, I'm sure all these traitorous American businesses who love to cater to tin-pot dictators like Kim Jong Mentally-Ill and Hu "We Love Infanticide" Jintao will love this idea, too!

[alainassaf]

That's capitalism

It's funny that the non-profit Laptop for Every Child is suddenly the best idea ever. The big multi-national, multi-billion-dollar companies have ignored emerging markets because they didn't see any profit in it. That is until they realized there is market there. So, yes any company will jump at the chance to sell anything to the 26+ million people of Venezuela. Capitalism is all about the bottom line and damn the consequences. Venezuela is doing great because the price of oil is going through the roof, not because Chavez is doing that much for the lowest tiers of society (although he (CITGO) offers discounted home heating oil to the U.S. poor, for political brownie points - which no U.S. company would do). Besides, Chavez is in no way as crazy as Kim Jong Il. His big problem is that he doesn't like the current U.S. administration, which automatically places him in the Axis of Evil or whatever the current idiom is.

[oxtail01]

are you a traitor?

Did you check whether your response was made on a computer of a traitorous American company that used China made parts? Sorry, didn't mean to question your patriotism or "I am pure American" mentality.

[DougDbug]

I wouldn't tust a PC from that guy!

Filters to keep you off of "dangerous" web sites?

Spyware to keep an eye on anyone who might be "harmful to society"? Maybe a built-in Web-cam?

The first thing I'd do with it is wipe the hard drive.

[DougDbug]

Errrr...... "trust" :(

Errrr...... "trust" :(

[Lee in San Diego]

Built in camera?

It would probably come with a built in iSight type of camera that
can not be turned off and transmits an image of the user to a spy
agency.

[lakatu32]

Paranoid

This is the paranoid society our government is creating here in the states. Soon you won't be coming out of your house because you think somebody is watching you, he he. You people that hate other countries without even being there once need some really good psychiatric treatment.

[baseleg419]

HA

None of his communistic garbage should be allowed in this
country.Oil or computers, what a waste.. Im certain his computers
would block democracy, freedom and any shot at a real life

[m.o.t.u.]

Dear Mr Kanellos.......

could you please be a bit more specific as to who your 'sources' are? The article seems a bit cartoonish & combative. Seems on the surface of it to reveal nothing except a blinkered world view, reinforced by the sorts of descriptions reserved for those who do not subscribe to it.

[oxtail01]

Yes, show our biases again

An article that starts off by describing Chavez as "cartoonish" clearly shows the "ugly American" syndrome of the writer that is the main reason why USA policies are so despised around the world. I don't endorse Chavez nor his actions but I don't automatically call him and other foreign leaders that's anti-American "cartoonish" either. It does little in trying to promote the ideals which we feel are important. Most of the responses here will probably fall into the trap set by the writer and rile up sentiments that's nationalistic at best and racist at worst. But, hey, we Americans do no wrong - it's all the fault of them foreign extremists.

[sumwatt]

I hate to steal a line.....

from a caveman commercial, but:

What?!

[lakatu32]

my 2 cents

>(although he (CITGO) offers discounted home >heating oil to the U.S. poor, for political >brownie points - which no U.S. company would do)

that's because all the companies here in America are only interested in filling their big pockets.
They don't care about the people.
We pay $3 plus a gallon of gas while people in Venezuela pay 12 cents a gallon.


>His big problem is that he doesn't like the current U.S. administration,

so does more than half of the american people. :)

[Take the Red Pill]

Ever heard of 'foreign oil'?

"We pay $3 plus a gallon of gas while people in Venezuela pay 12 cents a gallon"

Could that possibly be due to the fact that they produce their own oil and are not relying on foreign oil, as we do? Do you think people in Saudia Arabia are paying $3+ a gallon? Of course not, and it certainly isn't because they care about their people.

The US actually has it pretty good at $3/gal compared to other countries that are not great oil producers, like most of Europe (which typically pays in excess of $5+/gal).

[Commander_Spock]

And, The Winner Is-THE "INTEL"- PC!

As, there is plenty of "SAND" from a near-by "source" to establish a "CHIP" plant on the South American mainland!

[fafafooey]

Left wing Demo-kooks will buy it in the US

They hate the USA about as much as Chavez.

Maybe if Hugo includes an "I hate George Bush" screensaver, he can get the Democrat Sugardaddy George Soros to buy a bunch of them and hand them out at Hillary/Obama/Edwards rallies!

[GiveMeAUserNamePlease]

"nonstandard software and hardware"

From the article: "Intel and others, however, have pointed out
that the $100 laptop from OLPC actually costs about $175 and is
made from nonstandard software and hardware."

Does this mean that they object to using something other than
the "standard" Intel processor or the "standard" Microsoft
Windows and Office? Get real. The Microsoft/Intel combination
pushes the price over $1000, to be fair. You could hack an
AppleTV for less money and run NeoOffice.

[Fil0403]

Stupidity

The Microsoft/Intel combination pushes the price over $1000? How do you explain Intel powered PC's with Windows being sold for less than $500 then? Are you just plain retarded or just another geek who thinks supporting open-source and bashing big companies makes you an IT pro? Get a life. For that matter, you could buy a bare-bones PC for $250 and get pirate copies of Windows and Office for free.