http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/ Engadget Comments for Third time's a charm: OLPC notebook now called XO http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
The idea of the XO or whatnot is great, however, I am generally disappointed by most things coming out of MIT's media lab. This project should be scrapped due to repeated mismanagement and the exodus of viable technical partners. Asus has already gotten closer to the target price point and it doesn't look like the media lab has any surprises left. ]]>Nov 29th 2009 11:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
Anyway I still want one of these things... whatever they're called.]]>Oct 24th 2006 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/Oct 24th 2006 11:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
Of course food and medicine are needed desperately in the third world, but just sending them supplies doesn't solve anything. This project is aimed at educating and hopefully enlightening the younger generation. Truthfully only they can help trigger and end to the cycle of poverty and violence.

Hopefully the cost is pushed down with the help of government subsidies, etc....but that's unlikely.
]]>Oct 24th 2006 12:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
Yes, we all know everyone in the third world lives in mud huts while having no medicine or something to eat.]]>Oct 24th 2006 1:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
I can't say I get the mentality behind any of these programs. We finally get a breakthrough in the quest for an HIV vaccine and people are spending millions of dollars shipping laptops to Africa when they could be putting money towards improving the vaccine. What's the point of a laptop if you're gonna die of AIDS? That sound harsh, but think about it.]]>Dec 3rd 2009 10:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
But just sending them laptops will? Remember that the minimum order for these things is 1 million units. Even at $100 each, that's a USD $100MM budget item, which is not a figure to laugh at if you're already a debt-strapped developing nation. And then what do you get? Your country, which has just paid out $100MM, gets a million laptops. They won't distribute themselves, they won't automatically train teachers and community leaders, they won't automatically create Internet connections. Sure, the idea is for a device for children to self-teach, the old "fire" theory of education, but I posit that some structure, some mediation and guidance will be needed, or these will mostly end up gathering dust, or on the black market. So on top of that $100MM, you still need to create some ways to encourage diffusion and usage of the laptops - some training (probably training of trainers, who then go out and train more), creation and support of local "communities of practice" for cross-training/self-help among peers, and some locally relevant content and a distribution method for said content. Textbooks, music, movies, children's stories/production; these are inherently network devices and benefit greatly, exponentially even, from increased network size - even if that network is a 28.8kbps GPRS connection or a sneakernet.

Don't get me wrong, I think the OLPC guys have done a fantastic job at developing a machine that's useful in developing-world situations (I've done ICT and Dev work, I've seen many of the challenges, and the OLPC addresses an impressive swath of them), but this attention to detail can't stop when they roll off the production line, there has to be a diffusion strategy that's tailored to country- and local- situation-specfic challenges and opportunities.]]>Oct 24th 2006 1:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/Oct 24th 2006 12:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/Oct 24th 2006 12:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.0xdeadbeef.com/weblog/]Christopher Blizzard's page[/url] and the [url=http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Home]OLPC Wiki[/url] and things are looking good, it's amazing to see the weekly changes, and seeing the Sugar interface coming together.]]>Oct 24th 2006 12:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/Oct 24th 2006 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
They're $208 per laptop with implmentation according to the Libya deal: http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/libya/one_laptop_per_libyan_child.html but if you calc those numbers for Argentina or worse, Nigera, its budget-busting no matter what you count. One laptop per Nigerian child would be 73% of the entire government budget! http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/nigeria/olpc_in_nigeria_budget.html

Maybe is was supposed to be $0, instead of XO, all that's left in the government budget after an OLPC purchase.]]>Oct 24th 2006 1:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
Yes, food, medicine, and basic education are extremely important but not everything we do HAS TO BE the highest priority. Again with the animal analogy: (this is true) I used to scorn the activity of people that ran animal shelters when there are CHILDREN that need sheltering. While children ARE more important than animals, I eventually realized not everyone has to be in the specific "business" of sheltering children, and the animal-shelterers are doing something good. Maybe not the "most important" thing, but they see a need in the world and they are seeking to address it. NickNeg sees a need in the world and he is seeking to address it. Maybe not the most important need, but it is good, and it may have potential to help a lot in long run.

Another thing is that it is the governments' responsibilities to decide if this is a good way to use their resources. In other words, if you scorn, do so towards Libya for actually doing this to its people, not Negroponte for simply offering them an opportunity.

Lastly, there are already numerous world-wide organizations (such as World Vision) that focus on providing the basic needs-for-life in poverty stricken countries. And they make it very easy for people like you and me to participate.

I hope you see my point; cheers!]]>Oct 24th 2006 2:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
If they dont release it sooner than later theyre probably just going to say screw it and market it for kids in the USA at a $300 price tag, with Dora the Explorer games.]]>Oct 24th 2006 4:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/Oct 24th 2006 5:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/Oct 24th 2006 6:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/24/third-times-a-charm-olpc-notebook-now-called-xo/
"It's an education project, not a laptop project."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC


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