Home » forums » Discussion » Other Computers

XO - One Laptop Per Child

Submitted by eeun on October 6, 2007 - 2:42am. Other Computers

I've been following the development of the OLPC (now named the XO), and am considering the buy-one-donate-one program running for a brief period in November.

After seeing David Pogue's review, and reading the specs, it reminds me a lot of the emate, or what the emate could have been if developed now.

Considering what it is, and does... once I saw it's also got USB and an SD slot I think it's quite a cool machine for $400...plus the fact that for that price you're also paying for a second unit to be donated.

Nevermind that all the installed software is -intended- to be poked at, modified, changed...the machine's no powerhouse, but quite possibly a useful funhouse.

...and very much like a next-generation emate.

» login or register to post comments | previous forum topic | next forum topic

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
pmjett's picture

very cool

Submitted by pmjett on October 6, 2007 - 4:17am.

Thanks for that link, eeun. I heard about this a while back in the development stage, but hadn't followed up to see where the project had gone. The specs are pretty impressive considering the constraints placed. I have used a Geode based machine in a design project at work (panel pc in that case). Certainly not Core-anything, but adequate.

The Give 1, Get 1 program is very tempting- particularly as we've kicked the idea around at home about getting a machine for our son, AND you'd be donating one to boot.

Cool stuff.

mike

» 128K now working!, 512K, Mac Plus, Classic, SE/30, ANS 700/200, Indigo iMac, B&W, Sawtooth, iBook G4. Numerous SGI and Sun boxen.

login or register to post comments
Jon's picture

For the features and specs, $

Submitted by Jon on October 6, 2007 - 4:38am.

For the features and specs, $400 and tax deduction is a nice deal, plus the Give 1 part on top of it. Getting a feature rich and kid ruggedized laptop for that price is a good deal. We are considering the Give 1 Get 1 program for my daughter, and my wife is thinking of bringing the idea up with the teachers/parents at her preschool. It's a church run school, so it would take very well to the charity aspect of the program.

I saw the Pogue review earlier today. I liked it (I generally like his stuff) and I showed it to my wife. She already had an interest in the XO, but the Pogue article/video sealed it, I'm pretty sure. I think some of the nifty stuff like throwing water and dirt on it made a good impression... And that fall on to the rocks. Eye-wink

» I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine. - Fritz Perls

login or register to post comments
DrBunsen's picture

Yeah, I'm drooling for one of

Submitted by DrBunsen on October 6, 2007 - 9:33pm.

Yeah, I'm drooling for one of those too.

What would be ultra cool from an educational perspective would be if you could set up a sister school arrangement; your whole school buys the XO and the donated ones all go to the same school in the third world. And the kids stay in contact.

» Damn the Torx screws, full speed ahead!
Apple and Wireless FAQ

login or register to post comments
pmjett's picture

right on...

Submitted by pmjett on October 7, 2007 - 12:48am.

I showed my educator-wife eeun's link and we came to the same conclusion about having a sister school. I think she is going to try and investigate the feasibility of such a thing at her school.

Now, to save up that "extra" money!

mike

» 128K now working!, 512K, Mac Plus, Classic, SE/30, ANS 700/200, Indigo iMac, B&W, Sawtooth, iBook G4. Numerous SGI and Sun boxen.

login or register to post comments
eeun's picture

That's really cool. I'd have

Submitted by eeun on October 7, 2007 - 2:17am.

That's really cool. I'd have a bucket full of feel-good to have had, indirectly, a part in something like that happening.
That's worth at least half a karma point Grin

» Jack of all Trades, Tinkerer and Dabbler in the Obscure and Nonsensical.
3 stories posted
login or register to post comments
DrBunsen's picture

pmjett: Note that the offer'

Submitted by DrBunsen on October 7, 2007 - 12:26pm.

pmjett: Note that the offer's only good in November.

» Damn the Torx screws, full speed ahead!
Apple and Wireless FAQ

login or register to post comments

Rather interesting review. Th

Submitted by frida on November 8, 2007 - 5:59am.

Rather interesting review. Thank you for a link.

»
login or register to post comments

Any word on just how tiny the

Submitted by Janus on December 5, 2007 - 2:32am.

Any word on just how tiny the tiny keyboard is? I'd love to use this to take notes in class and on the go but if the keyboard is frustratingly tiny, then it's a no-go

» You can have my 12" PBG4 when you pry it form my cold, dead hands...or when Apple releases another subnotebook...or when I can figure out how to put Mac OS X on a PC subnotebook...

login or register to post comments
littlejohn's picture

It is a small picture.....

Submitted by littlejohn on December 5, 2007 - 3:45am.

It is a small picture, but it gives you some reference.

http://laptop.org/en/img/news.jpg

» 8bitsytem.com
Mr. 8Bit

login or register to post comments