One Laptop per Child

Submitted by anjumh on Mon, 2007-12-10 02:30.

I came across this link while checking a chip my company was making for its security.

Its a wonderful idea but I am not sure if India comes in their plan. If yes its a wonderful way to equip children with laptops suited only for them.

Till December 31 2007, they have a scheme where you can donate one laptop to any child in a developing nation and order one for your child.

http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/give-one-get-one.php

Something about the laptop

What is the $100 Laptop, really?: The XO is Linux-based, with a dual-mode display—both a full-color, transmissive DVD mode, and a second display option that is black and white, reflective, and sunlight-readable at three times the resolution. The laptop has a 500MHz processor and 256MB of DRAM, with 1 GB of Flash memory; it does not have a hard disk, but it does have three USB ports and an SD-card slot for expansion. The laptops have wireless broadband that, among other things, allows them to work as a mesh network; each laptop is able to talk to its nearest neighbors, creating an ad hoc, local area network. The laptops are designed to be extremely power efficient, enabling the use of innovative power systems (such as solar, hand-crank and pedal-power).

Do have a look!

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Submitted by shuchi on Mon, 2007-12-10 06:12.

Anjum, 'the $100 laptop' has been one of the most discussed topics on educatorslog.in! You can read all about these discussions as well as info on the GOGO (Give one Get one scheme) here (http://educatorslogin.com/the_100_laptop).

I would like to extend the OLPC debate and discussion to the Classmate PC that Intel has come out with and that is already being used in several countries already. How do the OLPC and the Classmate PC compare? I do know that unlike the XO machine, the classmate PC can run Windows or Linux. I guess that is an advantage since most people, even in India, are more familiar with Windows and windows applications. I did come across some articles and youtube videos recently that I will post shortly...but it would be great to hear from someone who has seen and used one or both machine(s).

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Submitted by anjumh on Mon, 2007-12-10 08:36.

Oops! Should have checked.

In a recent IT fair I got to see a similar kind of a laptop called Eee PC by ASUS and Intel. This was however priced above 500 Singapore dollars. It was linux based but wikipedia says that they would be coming up with a Windows XP OS too. The laptop was sleek but as compared to the XO, I feel it wont attract too many younger kids. The XO is designed more to be liked and explored by a child where as an Eee PC or Classmate looked more like a mini notebook which adults could use too. An XO I think cannot be exploited since it cant be used much for commercial purposes (The security chip comes in here) where as the Eee PC can be.

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Submitted by shuchi on Thu, 2008-01-03 01:55.

Came across this article on eSchoolNews.com about a very successful experiment with the XO laptop in Peru - http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=51339;_hbguid=09198d8d-359d-4f48-badb-edf738fad741

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Submitted by varni on Wed, 2008-01-09 15:31.

The OLPC has been discussed so much, and still we keep hearing a lot that is there in the news . Recently intel seems to have withdrawn from the OLPC project.. So whats next?

Tuesday January 8, 06:44 AM

Intel Quits One Laptop Per Child Initiative

Rhonda Ascierto

Intel has withdrawn its seat from the One Laptop Per Child's board of directors, because of recent demands from the OLPC to quit Intel's competing project, called Classmate PC.

Classmate PC is Intel's low-cost mini-laptop, geared for school children. Intel confirmed that the OLPC board asked it to stop supporting non-OLPC platforms.

The chipmaker initially resisted joining OLPC, which currently distributes a $200 mini-laptop called XO that is powered by a microprocessor from Intel's chief rival Advanced Micro Devices.

Intel eventually joined OLPC's board last year, and there was discussion about an Intel-powered version of the OLPC's mini-laptop, as well as a version running an ARM processor. OLPC said its relationship with had Intel broken down and cited a lack of cooperation on Intel's behalf.

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