The $100 laptop is a dream that is closer to being realized, but not by the company that initially hoped to accomplish it. Rather, a company called Impulse has announced the release of the NPX-9000 laptop, which they say will sell like hotcakes at the low price of only $130. This undercuts the former candidate for a $100 laptop, the XO, by $55. Of course, that's in quantity – the price tag is only valid for purchases of 100 units or more.

The machine isn't very impressive on paper, sporting a 400MHz CPU with 128MB of RAM, a gig of storage space and a 7-inch screen. It operates on Linux and includes an unnamed office suite, web browser and other software by default – though few details are mentioned. The Eee PC may not have the upper hand in price, but it sure does on specs. However, if ultimately a very low price is what the market will respond to, competitors like Impulse are moving in the right direction.