While enjoying an always delicious cafe mocha at Oslo this morning, I came across the 15.09 issue of Wired Magazine. On page 60 they included a world map indicating the price of broadband for various countries. The following is a snap shot of some of the countries profiled:

• South Korea - $.08 / 100 kps
• The Netherlands - $.14 / 100 kps
• United States - $.49 / 100 kps (.01% of the average monthly wage)
• Nicaragua - $14.65 / 100 kps
• Bolivia - $39.06 / 100 kps
• Mozambique - $361.83 / 100 kps (1,400x the average monthly wage!!)
• Saudia Arabia - $571.82 / 100 kps (58% of the average monthly wage!!)

At the bottom of the map is a question asking if the much promoted $100 laptop is really enough. The logic being that while we are now able to distribute computers cheaply to 3rd world countries, how can we get those computers online with such high costs for connectivity? Talk about Connectile Dysfunction!