One Laptop Per Child: sale begins today

[cos]

"... a new laptop that's spillproof, rainproof, dustproof and drop-proof. It's fanless, it's silent and it weighs 3.2 pounds. One battery charge will power six hours of heavy activity, or 24 hours of reading. The laptop has a built-in video camera, microphone, memory-card slot, graphics tablet, game-pad controllers and a screen that rotates into a tablet configuration. And this laptop will cost $200."
-- New York Times, 2007-10-04

One Laptop Per Child started out with the goal of designing a computer that would cost $100, and be usable by kids in third world countries with no computer literacy (or even literacy) to begin with, and no infrastructure (safe storage, power plugs, ...). They ended up with one that costs $200, and now it's ready to see if they meet the other goals. Along the way, they designed something wacky, weird, and new: it has no disk (it uses 512MB flash storage), a completely new user interface, can be charged by solar power or hand crank, and has an unusual security model, among other things.

"Starting November 12, One Laptop Per Child will be offering a Give 1 Get 1 Program for a brief window of time in North America. For $399, you will be purchasing two laptops XOone that will be sent to empower a child to learn in a developing nation, and one that will be sent to your child at home."
-- laptopgiving.org

These XO Laptops are intended for participating governments of third world countries, to distribute to children, and they say this fundraiser is the only time they'll be selling them here in North America.

XO Laptops can auto-sense each other's proximity, and make it easy for you to quickly start interacting with the other laptops ("let's draw together!"). Which means they're more fun when there are more of them around. I'm gonna get one. Who else?

Comments

[regyt.livejournal.com]

I'd rather just buy one for a child who needs it than have to buy another for myself, too.

[sykotropic.livejournal.com]

Ah but if you have a child who thinks your Mac17"Probook is theirs, this may be a good way of giving them their own and supporting good works at the same time.

[cutieperson]

you could always give yours to a child (or adult) here who needs it.

[nex0s.livejournal.com]

That's what I was thinking too.

N.

[cos]

You can simply donate by clicking "individual giving". But this isn't about "having to get one for yourself", this is the only chance to get one for yourself. That's why I'm posting about it. I want one.

[boutell.livejournal.com]

It's a good cause... though many would argue there are Bigger Needs To Be Met First (that was what Bill Gates learned when he considered doing something like this in his own fashion years back, and he got serious about third world health and nutrition instead). But an OLPC wouldn't be right for my daughter, who already expects a fully first world PC. (:

[tisiphone.livejournal.com]

I am actually seriously considering it for my daughter. I've not yet quite decided though.

[redheadedmuse.livejournal.com]

dude. Rio is so getting this for Solstice.

[mattblum.livejournal.com]

Bought one (well, two, really) just about an hour ago. It looks awesome. I got it for my kids, but I'm looking forward to using it when they're in bed, too.

[pumpkin-pi.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the reminder!!

[choucroute.livejournal.com]

I really want one. I've had the chance to fiddle with them a couple times and they're really amazing.

but between that and a trip to london next year, I'll take the trip to london.

[cos]

Ooh, how'd you get your hands on one?

[choucroute.livejournal.com]

a friend was developing some of the musical software.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Mine is bought!

[lightvortex.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I thought that they had 1gb of flash (I'm looking back at a post (http://lightvortex.livejournal.com/89161.html) where I asserted that they did, after being at a presentation given by some of their developers).

I'm considering buying one because I want to look at accessibility at some point when I have time (which isn't right now; need to finish hacking on Abiword first...)

I hope someone develops something like it but intended for use by adults (preferably with a larger keyboard). Having a laptop that can be hand-charged would be really neat. I can picture it being useful if I'm on a long train or bus trip or otherwise don't have access to power but want to be able to get work done, and, the less coal we're burning, the better...

[drwex]

Planning to get one for K probably this week or next.

[jiapa.livejournal.com]

I bought one. I figure I'll play with it for a while and if/when I get bored with it, I'll give it to my almost 7 year old godson.

Plus, it comes with a year of free tmobile wifi access. That's worth a fair bit to me as well. *grin*

[safetybitch.livejournal.com]

At that price, it's almost a crime not to get one for my eight year old! Plus, ya know, the whole giving to deserving children thing. :)

[cos]

Cool!

... and get some of the other local children's parents to get some, because I think these things are gonna be much more fun when there are several of them in the area and they mesh with each other.

[safetybitch.livejournal.com]

I was thinking I might share the link with the director of Markus's Montessori school, because, well :)

OLPC meetup arisia

[(Anonymous)]

Someone told me that you were organizing an XO meetup at Arisia. I can't seem to find out when and where. You may not even get this, but if you do, email me at val.grimm@gmail.com; or you can look for me, I will look a little like this: .
I say a little, because I'm not Daniel Day Lewis and also the ribbon on my hat has a red stripe in it.
-Val