David Pogue Reviews the XO Laptop 303
Maximum Prophet writes "David Pogue, technology reviewer at the New York Times, has taken a first-hand look at the XO laptop, also known as the 'One Laptop Per Child' project, or the '$100 Laptop'. His reaction is very favorable, having tested it out via several criteria. And ultimately, he writes, the laptop is about more than just technology for the people. 'The biggest obstacle to the XO's success is not technology -- it's already a wonder -- but fear. Overseas ministers of education fear that changing the status quo might risk their jobs. Big-name computer makers fear that the XO will steal away an overlooked two-billion-person market. Critics fear that the poorest countries need food, malaria protection and clean water far more than computers. But the XO deserves to overcome those fears. Despite all the obstacles and doubters, O.L.P.C. has come up with a laptop that's tough and simple enough for hot, humid, dusty locales; cool enough to keep young minds engaged, both at school and at home; and open, flexible and collaborative enough to support a million different teaching and learning styles.'"
Yo, Editors: (Score:3, Informative)
Photoshop? (Score:5, Informative)
In all seriousness, though, the OLPC comes with OpenOffice and Gimp, which seem like fine alternatives to me for a bunch of African kids getting the laptop for free.
Re:If OLPC was so good, it would be sold in US (Score:5, Informative)
They aren't designed as toys. They are designed as educational tools to be used in an environment where they interact with others with similar hardware, school servers, etc., and to support centralized distribution of software and content by the agency purchasing them.
I also don't think you understand the marketing costs and risk associated with a mass retail marketing effort, particular of a product which is designed for the specific needs of a very different one than you are trying to market it to at retail.
Re:If OLPC was so good, it would be sold in US (Score:3, Informative)
Re:A child?? I must have turn the logo the wrong w (Score:3, Informative)
Re:first tits! (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Can I flash the thing (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I for one... (Score:3, Informative)
In fact I can think of a method right now to help ILLITERATE people become literate.
But your right, these are for kids that do have a certain level of literacy.
Sell them as (Score:4, Informative)
Once the kids friends realize how much power they will have, they all will want one. By the time the parents realize what's up it will be to late.
Re:If OLPC was so good, it would be sold in US (Score:3, Informative)
Cheers.
Re:Don't assume they'll be just be used for good (Score:1, Informative)
see: http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:kBxlpeFsObYJ:media.anthropik.com/pdf/hopfenberg2001.pdf+foodpop&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us [64.233.169.104]
http://potluck.com/2001/01/the-unsustainability-and-origins-of-socioeconomic-increase/ [potluck.com]
Re:Don't assume they'll be just be used for good (Score:3, Informative)
I've done volunteer work in 3rd world nations and the one thing we really needed was realiable, weather-proof computers with wireless communication. The first thing I thought of when I played around with an OLPC was how great the platform was for remote areas. In these environments, the standard practice is to get hand-me-down laptops from 1st world countries. These tend to vary from barely working 386-based systems to more modern Mac and Windows machines with serious battery issues. Having a rugged, field-rechargable platform would simplify a number of applications - from simple logistics (keeping track of local resources and trade), to tracking human rights abuses (what I was doing), to the more nefarious military/rebel/drug-running uses (which is what I personally think most OLPCs will be appropriated for). I suspect adults will quickly become the primary users of XOs.
I haven't seen any serious discussion about this possible (probable) use of the OLPC and would like to see what other people think (esp. if you've worked in these areas before).
-Chris