09:35 A small, low-cost computer showcased at Geneva’s annual LIFT convention promises to bridge the digital divide faced by developing nations.

A green and white laptop famous for its low production cost was promoted by its proud owner, Michael Vorburger, at a digital technology conference in Geneva. Vorburger works in private banking but also wants to raise awareness about this computer revolution in Switzerland. The "$100 laptop" was introduced at the 2008 LIFT conference last week for the first time. Although its actual cost is $180 US (and not $100), Michael Vorburger is proud of his toy. “I made the most of the 'buy one for donation and keep the other' scheme, which was part of the opening promotion of the product.”

The XO laptop, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was designed with the goal of giving every child a computer - worldwide. The device is produced by a company called Quanta at a factory in Changshu, China. The hardware is petite - smaller than a normal laptop with a 19-centimeter (7.5-inch) screen - and contains a series of software applications that enable children to listen to sounds, learn languages and do their schoolwork. Rabbit ear antennae provide Wifi (wireless) capability.

Vorburger aims to promote the laptop by visiting schools around Switzerland. He hopes underprivileged children one day might each have one. But he also wants parents in this country to know that they have a cheap alternative when looking for a computer for their children.