I’ve not paid much attention to the development of the One Laptop Per Child project recently. But looking at it again, it’s truly one of the most inspiring projects around right now. Their aims are really interesting:
The MIT Media Lab has launched a new research initiative to develop a
$100 laptop—a technology that could revolutionize how we educate the
world’s children. To achieve this goal, a new, non-profit association,
One Laptop per Child (OLPC), has been created, which is independent of
MIT.
And the machine itself is shaping up to be really interesting. I’m pretty fond of the design too. It may look a bit like a toy, but when you read the specs it’s far from it.
Nicholas Negroponte talks about it in the TED talks here.
And we cover the OLCP program daily at http://www.olpcnews.com
noble aim, redundant object.
it’s been outmaneuvered.
motorola are releasing a $25 phone next year.
who needs a computer, when you can get most of the stuff it does (connecting to the internet, email, simple text editing etc) on a simple “computer” in your pocket?
kids in africa don’t need photoshop.
m
Not sure i agree with Martin – I for one can’t use my phone for much. Certainly for text editing and and reading documents I find it tough. Maybe I’m just an incompetent though.
Plus who’s going to be funding their text message habits?
What I like about the $100 laptop is some of the wireless grid type things that it’s trying to do.
like i say though – great aim, wrong object.
wireless connectivity etc…phones can already kill computers for this, if you buy the right one.
give it a year or two, and these types of capabilities will be widely distributed at very low cost.
once this happens – what with an installed base of 4bn mobile phones by 2008/9 vs 1bn computers – “the internet” on computers will seem niche.
m
Yeah, I’m not so sure on this either Martin. Mobile phones have been rubbish at this for ages and are still pretty crap when it comes to any real Web style things. Telcos/manufacturers have had the chance to do it better for ages and haven’t/ I completely concur that this is going to change, but I think the OLPC is a completely different idea/market.
noble aim, redundant object.
it's been outmaneuvered.
motorola are releasing a $25 phone next year.
who needs a computer, when you can get most of the stuff it does (connecting to the internet, email, simple text editing etc) on a simple “computer” in your pocket?
kids in africa don't need photoshop.
m