One Laptop Per Child - Comments Page 2

Flash memory is the best thing about my Psion Series 5 handheld computer. I am writing a travel book in Europe and Africa and the word processor on the Psion 5 is ideal. It runs on two AA batteries for about thre weeks. This 100 dollar laptop is very interesting for out and about, robust users like myself. Why is it I have such a pool of discontent about the conventional hard drive and Windows based personal computer, whereas nothing of that animosity exists with my Psion 5? In answer I say it's the amount a conventional computer promises and how that rarely matches up with it's performance. How many hours per day do I spend rebooting and sparring with "Illegal operations" on Windows system? About a thirds of my computing time. The Psion 5 does what it says on the tin - a word processor, a nice searchable "notes" application and a filing system, plus expandable with Compact Flash memory. Bring on the 100 dollar laptop in the shops I want one - simple.

Great comments! Aside from the ironic consequences by John Howard Oxley I am all for Martins suggestion. The Mesh Network functionality in a urban U.S. city environment is seriously intriguing! Just think Mesh networking for all cell phones and all mobile computing devices all connected within a single city! That is some major connectivity available to all!(any of the major laptop Cell phone manufacturers out there listening?) Sell them here in America for $250. One for the customer and one for the kids overseas!

100-Dollar Laptop: UN Secretary General’s Office shouldn’t be used for exploiting the poor...

My eyes were stuck to the news that the UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan, while launching a 100-Dollar Laptop, on the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunis, Tunisia, said “the invention is an impressive technical achievement. The project promises to provide flexible technology that can be used in any place, even in the desert without energy supply”. It is also reported that the U.N. is backing the project even with financial support thinking that it could help to promote education in the Third World. A professor and his team mates of MIT (USA) have claimed the credit for the project and the invention (!).

At the very outset, let me state certain hard facts, which I believe will largely explain the title of today’s write-up. Long 31 years ago, in 1975, I invented the Free-play Radio technology and demonstrated a working model in a jam-packed press conference on 23 July 1975 in Dhaka. The news came out in almost all the news papers in the country in addition to an editorial the following day. Raymond Lee Organization, Inc.(USA) wanted to take initiatives for patenting the invention and marketing the product (Receipt No.71001, dated 13 February 76 ) when I contacted them from the then West Germany. On the request of Bangladesh Science Museum, a working model was presented to them in 1978. The invention, although apparently a simple (addition of storage facility to a hand generator) one, was never conceived and publicly demonstrated by anyone on this earth before 23 July1975. It opened the gate for free playing and playing low-powered electrical gadgets and equipments in remote and yet vast electricity-less areas of the world.. Thus the technology is especially handy for mass communication, mass literacy, emergency weather forecasting or as a life-saving communications tool following a natural disaster ( be it in the coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal or New Orleans city), mass-scale low-powered emergency medical equipments etc.

Read more in : http://www.stefanhayden.com/blog/2006/04/04/100-dollar-laptop/

Written by: Nazmul Huda, 38/10 Siddheswari Road, Dhaka-1217, Bangladesh. E-mail : nazinvbd@yahoo.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: In fairness, I don't think the folks at MIT are claiming credit merely for a hand-cranked laptop. It's common knowledge that hand-cranked radios have been around for decades, and this was just one feature of the innovative machine they developed.

I was wondering how I can get a free laptop for my two granddaughters.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I've heard that the "Give 1 Get 1" program is still open. Check the link above...

Uruguay was the first country in the world to buy and distribute these laptops to all elementary school children. Over 280,000 laptops were distributed. The total cost was less than 5% of the country's education budget for elementary schools. The laptops have an annual maintenance cost of approx. $21, which includes internet access.