Sub-$10 “audio computer” trials underway in Ghana
Feb 16, 2009 Education/Literacy, Healthcare, Social Initiatives
Talking Book
Non-profit organization Literacy Bridge have announced a pilot program of their so-called Talking Book Devices, which the company describes as a “sub-$10 audio computer”. The compact devices can be programmed with various spoken-word lessons, aimed to assist in educating people without access to formal education or electricity.
Interestingly, content can also be shared between two devices without a PC or a network, and even recorded directly to the device, which Literacy Bridge hopes will allow for information to be easily distributed, and make it useful even outside the classroom. This will make it a more useful device than the $30 “laptop” from India.
The pilot study will sharing of content on various disease prevention techniques and farming best practices. These devices can be in future be paired with textbooks, so that learners can engage in comprehension and pronunciation activities, play back lessons at various speeds, engage in multiple-choice style question-and-answer sessions, and access other interactive activities. Read the rest of this entry »
$30 laptop that does not look like a laptop
Feb 5, 2009 Social Initiatives, Stars, Policy and Finance
Sakshat
After hyping up the $20 laptop, the Indian answer to the OLPC, what came out was disappointing to say the least. What was shown on February 3rd was a “ultra low-cost” computing-cum-access device that can “make wonders” in the dissemination of education to the remotest corners of India.
Christened “Sakshat“, the 10” long and 5” wide hand-held device, resembling a modem, rather than a laptop, will supposedly help e-learners access the Web easily. Priced versions of e-content available on the Net can be accessed through this device.The cost of the device shot up to between $20 and $30 against the initial plan to peg it at $10.
Question is how much will the users have to actually fork out when you add a display or a printer to access those e-learning materials? In my opinion, the Simputer, another low cost computer design, unveiled in India in 2001 was better than this one. Atleast it had keyboard and screen! This is a joke of a laptop - one made in bad taste. Read the rest of this entry »
OLPC XO-2 details discussed: $75, dualscreen etc
Jan 30, 2009 Philanthropy and Corporate Initiatives
"Possible" OLPC X2
The Guardian (UK) has a report fleshing out details of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation’s next model, the XO-2.
Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman emeritus of MIT’s Media Lab and head of the OLPC project promises that the XO-2 will be a $75 dual-screen device that’s held like a book! You can also turn it around and use one of the (touch)screens as the keyboard.
While you may be rightly skeptical about the touted price tag (given that the original XO-1 retailed for almost double its initial $100 target), there are other interesting details. “One important thing about the XO-2 is that we’re going to do it as an open source hardware programme. ……. we’ll want people to copy it. We’ll make the constituent parts available. We’ll try and get it out there using the exact opposite approach that we did with the XO-1″, says Negroponte. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Negroponte, OLPC, OLPC xo-2
John Lennon lends his voice to the OLPC
Dec 29, 2008 Education/Literacy, Social Initiatives
One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has been aggressively pushing its product for Christmas shopping this year, but now they have bagged a big one! With the assistance of technology and the consent of Yoko Ono (not in that order maybe), John Lennon of the The Beatles has returned in a new OLPC spot. In the ad, the late musician proclaims: “Imagine every child no matter where in the world they were could access a universe of knowledge. They would have a chance to learn, to dream, to achieve anything they want.”
Yoko Ono has been pretty selective about granting rights to using any Lennon imagery till now. It is great that she got convinced about the good cause that is the OLPC project. The legendary Beatle’s fame will undoubtedly generate buzz and many more people will perhaps visit the site, but it remains to be seen how many actually go and buy the Gift 1 Get 1 scheme of the OLPC in these bad times.
If this still does not inspire you to get your donation on, watcg another advertisement that may finally manage to pull at your heartstrings hard enough.
Tags: John Lennon, OLPC
OLPC Give 1 Get 1 Offer now Online!
Nov 17, 2008 Social Initiatives
OLPC
The Give 1 , get 1 OLPC XO offer is live on Amazon. You pay $399 to get a laptop and the OLPC foundation send another laptop to a child in the developing world! The laptops will ship before Christmas as well. This is one guilt free shopping that you can indulge yourself in!
Last year, the programme saw about 50000 participants and this time, with the reach of Amazon, hopefully, we will see better numbers! Head over to Amazon link now!
Hand cranked radios and laptops and LEDs
Nov 11, 2008 Natural Resource Conservation
Trevor Bayliss with Nelson Mandela
Remember the clockwork radio? The one which a maverick UK scientist, Trevor Bayliss designed a few years ago, which used a winding of springs using power the radio (for up to an hour after only 20 seconds winding) in places without access to electricity or batteries? This helped people in africa to listen to radio, especially broadcasts for AIDS awareness. It was updated to include a solar panel which meant that it could run without assistance in sunshine.
Then came an iteration of the OLPC, more famous as the $100 laptop. The idea of equiping it with a handcrank was mooted, which could be used to power the laptop.Other contraptions were tried out to power the device by animals. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Clockwork radio, Handcrank, LED, OLPC, Sony
OLPC - Give one laptop to a needy child, get one laptop
Sep 30, 2008 Education/Literacy, Philanthropy and Corporate Initiatives, Social Initiatives
OLPC
The Massachusetts based One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation which aims to increase laptop penetration amongst the children of the the developing world has announced its “Give One, Get One” program this year, and has confirmed a November 17 date. from Amazon No word on the price yet, but $399 is quite likely. That is not anywhere near the original $100 per laptop target, but if you want to contribute for this good cause, do check out the OLPC website. Read the rest of this entry »
Now you can get a laptop ( or a netbook, if you prefer to call it that!) for Christmas and feel good about it too!
Tags: $100 Laptop, Education, OLPC, XO