Posted by
Ed
19 yrs ago
See this article:
http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/27/technology/fastforward_xo.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2007042716
We'd like to buy some for here: http://www.asiaxpat.com/school/
Please support our advertisers:
vibe
19 yrs ago
Mate, you need to do a bit more research. I hate to be a killjoy, particularly in response to your noble efforts, but this isn't going to work in your situation.
This is a large-scale non-profit initiative to enable governments of developing nations to provide computer hardware to their poor children on a mass scale. You aren't going to buy a few or even a few hundred units off the shelves, you're going to have to pony up to buy hundreds of thousands of units, and you would be the first one to do so.
Several countries including Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Thailand, Nigeria and Libya, have expressed an interest, but none are yet to pony up the cash. Also note that it will cost $175 and not $100.
The cheapest alternative is an IBM machine that runs about $400.
If I can be of any help to this project please don't hesitate to contact me, I'd love to get involved.
More reading at:
http://www.laptop.org/laptop/
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070426/D8OOHRL80.html
Please support our advertisers:
Ed
19 yrs ago
I saw an article in Fortune online that they plan to retail them in the US so I think at some pt it will be possible to buy small numbers...
Please support our advertisers:
intel is in on the game too, and selling theirs at cost.
and yeah the laptops are built for third world conditions ie they are water, sand, dust and dirt resistant as there are no holes or opening.
also accdg to the one laptop per child, the laptop shuts down when the laptop gets stolen from the child.
cool. the report say that it will be commercially available but you have to buy two. one for you and one for a child in an impoverished country
Please support our advertisers:
ness
19 yrs ago
With schools like South Island moving towards a laptop for every kid for next school year perhaps you should contact them regards getting the kid involved in some fund raising for you - or a some synergy with their laptop providers.... they will be using standard laptops not the robust ones mentioned in articles above but perhaps worth a thought. They are one of the pilot schools, but many of the primary schools like Peak also have at least 6 laptops for every class now. We do lots of fundraising for reading programs and books for kids in places like Cambodia but perhaps there is a change in how we support learning for children in less fortunate circumstances.
Please support our advertisers:
Ed
19 yrs ago
Thanks - as with the school we actually prefer to pay for the machines so will hold until these low cost ones become available. Alternatively perhaps a company like Dell, Sony or IBM will step in and sponsor this...
Please support our advertisers:
Ed, you can contact HR of these MNCs for sponsorship.
Please support our advertisers:
the question is - will Dell,Sony, or IBM sponsor a product that is not theirs?
Please support our advertisers:
The MNCs sponsorship will be their PCs, not the $100 product.
Please support our advertisers:
Ed
19 yrs ago
Well - we'd ask them to donate machines...
Please support our advertisers:
Ed,
Whilst it is a positive thing to have some Indonesian kids learn about computers there are many many who fail to get a basic education (the 3 'Rs') and many who never get to go to the next year at school as they can't afford the fee necessary to 'pass' the year. I am not saying what is right or wrong but after buying one PC for the school would it perhaps be better to spend in a manner that benefits the most kids ie on the basics so that more kids can benefit from schooling?
Please support our advertisers:
the computer serves as a learning tool because the kids are able to access information online - that's the point.
they can learn a language, do maths etc., improve reading skills etc.
from the one laptop one child website
experience strongly suggests that an incremental increase of “more of the same”—building schools, hiring teachers, buying books and equipment—is a laudable but insufficient response to the problem of bringing true learning possibilities to the vast numbers of children in the developing world.
Please support our advertisers:
Ed
19 yrs ago
They are learning english too
Please support our advertisers:
ed, english is a language too :D
Please support our advertisers:
I wonder: a few kids learning English better than lots of kids learning past the age of 11 or so? No money = no follow on year at school and hence a life stuck in a non skilled job, a life of poverty and struggle. PC skills and access to the internet are great but the 3Rs are still in my mind more important in life; one US$100 PC is equal to maybe 10-20 kids getting the chance to attend school for a year. Subjective and my last post on this issue!
Please support our advertisers:
what is your point katana? do you have a better idea how we could help? should we sponsor kids through world vision or something to make sure they get food instead?
Please support our advertisers:
You must be logged in to be able to reply.
Login now
Copy Link
Facebook
Gmail
Mail