Panasonic's Let's Note laptop line is turning ten years old, and the company is sponsoring one of the coolest sales promotions that I've ever seen. Their first annual Let's Note Build Fest invites 50 children from around Kobe, Japan to come buy a notebook, but there's a catch. The kids are buying a box of parts and they have to assemble the laptop before they can take it home! Fifty students from nine to eighteen are being given the chance to pony up $1050 USD for this great hands-on experience.

Panasonic's T5 is a great choice for a project like this since the notebook uses standard hardware, and the fourteen available colors add to the festivities. I can't think of a better way to demystify the inner workings of computers for children and technical neophytes. The hands on DIY scene is hot right now and I can see lots of adults signing up for this type of instructional purchase. Just to reiterate, Panasonic: If you bring this to the States I would love to roll my own laptop.

Via IDG's DWT, and here's an auto translation of the original announcement.