One Laptop Per Child
December 7, 2006 · by Scott Fradkin
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organization [website] is creating a laptop aimed at children that only costs 100 US dollars.
Wikipedia has a really nice entry about it [wikipedia].
This laptop is a really impressive feat of engineering as far as I’m concerned. The amount of stuff they’ve packed into this machine for 100 bucks (well… apparently 130 to 140 dollars to start out) is astounding.
It uses Linux as its OS, flash RAM rather than a hard disk, ad-hoc wireless mesh networking, a video camera, microphone, sound, USB, and a pretty decent LCD screen. It’s engineered to use 2 to 3 watts of power for long battery life. There’s even a separate power unit that will allow you to use hand power or foot power to recharge the battery.
The OLPC is interested in using this laptop as a modern learning tool for children living in some of the poorest places on this Earth.
There are a lot of interesting discussions that surround this project ranging from people who think that what the OLPC is doing is great, to people who believe that this is money better spent on the basics that these children need to live.
I think it would be kind of neat to be able to get one of these to see what it can do and what it can be made to do. Unfortunately, the OLPC website says that it won’t be available to the general public. Hopefully some of their ideas make their way into consumer models in the future.
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Comments
- #1 - Matthew Huang said on Dec 9, 2006:
- Interesting! If this product is mature enough, I might consider buying one^^.
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