Hands On with the “One Laptop Per Child” XO Computer
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project was first publicly announced in 2005. Its stated goal was to create a laptop style computer designed specifically for use by school children in the Third World. It was often labeled the “$100 Laptop” because of the proposal by one of the chief architects of the project, Nicholas Negroponte, that this price point for a computer would make it possible for many governments to give every child in their school systems one of these machines. Learn more about all of this by reading the article in Wikipedia and visiting the OLPC website at www.laptop.org.
Production models began shipping in late 2007, though not at the $100 price tag. A brief promotion by the OLPC organization was launched in December 2007. Called “Get One, Give One,” it offered Americans the opportunity to pay $400 to receive one XO-1 model of the OLPC and have one donated to a child elsewhere in the world. A good friend, Ken Hargesheimer, participated. The following remarks are based on our work with his XO.
This is not like any laptop you can buy at your local electronics or office supply store.
- It is specifically designed, both hardware and software, for children with no previous experience with computers or technology
- It focuses on “activities” and exploratory learning by the student
- Its size and design are made to be durable and child-friendly, not for adults wanting to do business-like work
- It is a marvel of simplicity, complexity, economy, and of “thinking outside the
box”
Note in our two accompanying photos:
- The color combination and hard plastic outer shell
- A rubberized keyboard for children-sized hands and fingers
- Dual wireless antennas (“ears”) allowing wireless internet access if available, and easy wireless communication with other nearby XO computers and, eventually, XO school servers
- A rotating screen with built-in web-camera, microphone, USB ports, secure digital memory card slot, and game controllers
- A 7″ diagonal high resolution color LCD screen that can switch to gray scale mode for easy visibility outdoors
- A long life battery which supplies the 7-10 or so watts the system uses (typical laptops use 65 – 150 watts!) and can be recharged with an optional solar panel, hand crank mechanism, or supplied AC adapter
Enough for this time. We will talk about actually using the XO in our next post.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Wow, very cool first-hand reporting! Wish I was there to see it myself. Looking forward to your next post.