Computer hardware and software company Endless showcases a minicomputer with a tag price of US$79 at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. These computers are Linux-based particularly built for developing nations.
There are affordable and expensive desktop and laptop computers available for purchase in a nearby electronics store. Ready-made computers offer basic to advanced hardware components and operating systems from either Windows or Mac OS. And there is the minicomputer developed by Endless that comes with a price tag of US$79.
Chief Executive Officer and Products Chief Matt Dalio of Endless believes everyone deserves the option to own a computer. The Endless minicomputer is a Linux-based computer built for people who have never owned a computer before, especially those who live in developing countries.
When companies talk about bringing offline people online, they are focused on tablets and mobile phones. Marcelo Sampaio, Endless chief growth officer, argued that people who predicted the computer's death owns a computer.
In Sampaio's vision, a mouse and a keyboard will always have the upper hand for certain tasks, like writing this article, for example. The main obstacles to have a personal computer are Internet connectivity and computer costs.
The Endless Mini does not include a screen, a mouse or a keyboard. But Dalio states that a television set could serve as the computer's screen, while a mouse and a keyboard can be bought only at a cost of US$10. However, the company is also working on expensive computers with a price tag that starts at US$189
The Endless Mini was in action at the 2016 CES, and it offered standard graphic interface. What really sets it apart from other computers is the company's Internet optional approach. The minicomputer offers an encyclopedia application like Wikipedia and educational applications with videos provided by Khan Academy. If owners of the minicomputer do not have Internet connectivity, they can still access content even though it is not 100 percent updated. Programs and features will auto update itself upon connection to the Internet when available.
Both Dalio and Sampaio see Endless as a software company rather than a hardware company. The company is also described as content curators and not as content creators. The minicomputer is now available for purchase online in the United States. In addition, Mexican telecommunications company America Movil has been working with Endless to reach its target audience, and now has its presence in 20 other countries in the world.
