In a thoughtful article in the New York Times, Hal R. Varian, professor of business, economics and information management at the University of California, Berkeley, explores the potential business models that could be built around cheap laptops in developing countries.
Starting from historic examples — the sewing machine, the cash register, the telegraph and the telephone — Varian sees opportunities for financial transactions, the management of contracts and legal titles, education, and the struggle against illiteracy.