Comments on: The $100 laptop http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/ Tom Raftery, social media consultant, speaker, blogger and podcaster Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:17:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: k. d. http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-109902 k. d. Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:14:07 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-109902 I was wondering if these are ever going to be on sale to the public... I heard on 60 MIN. that they will be but that you have to buy two one for you and the other for a child in another country. which my mom agreeded to.I really wanted my own laptop but everything was to expensive, when i heard about this I got really excited!!!! I was just wondering if you had a date planned out on when you're going to sell them to the public. I also wanted to coment on the program. I tought it was a really cool idea. I've always wanted to make a diffrence in the world. Something that would really change peoples lives so far I haven't come up with anything, but I'll keep looking for a good idea. I don't know, mabye I'll join the peace core, or explore the unexplored regions, or mabye find a cure to cancer or some other illness. You guys have really inspired me and probaly many others aswell. k. d. I was wondering if these are ever going to be on sale to the public… I heard on 60 MIN. that they will be but that you have to buy two one for you and the other for a child in another country. which my mom agreeded to.I really wanted my own laptop but everything was to expensive, when i heard about this I got really excited!!!! I was just wondering if you had a date planned out on when you’re going to sell them to the public. I also wanted to coment on the program. I tought it was a really cool idea. I’ve always wanted to make a diffrence in the world. Something that would really change peoples lives so far I haven’t come up with anything, but I’ll keep looking for a good idea. I don’t know, mabye I’ll join the peace core, or explore the unexplored regions, or mabye find a cure to cancer or some other illness. You guys have really inspired me and probaly many others aswell. k. d.

]]> By: MacManX.com | Blogroll Dive: 6/18/07 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106537 MacManX.com | Blogroll Dive: 6/18/07 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:24:36 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106537 [...] Tom discussed the One Laptop per Child [...] [...] Tom discussed the One Laptop per Child [...]

]]> By: eoin http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106325 eoin Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:23:44 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106325 Plenty of information on the battery and power setup on the wiki; http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Battery_and_power Plenty of information on the battery and power setup on the wiki; http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Battery_and_power

]]> By: Triona Carey http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106324 Triona Carey Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:51:29 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106324 There was a very interesting article about this in last week's Independent (the UK one) at http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2618226.ece - well worth the read. It looks like a project with powerful potential. BTW Tom, I'm trying contact you regarding something else - I requested your contact on Skype. :) There was a very interesting article about this in last week’s Independent (the UK one) at http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article2618226.ece - well worth the read. It looks like a project with powerful potential. BTW Tom, I’m trying contact you regarding something else - I requested your contact on Skype. :)

]]> By: Tom Raftery http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106323 Tom Raftery Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:42:06 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106323 I'm delighted to see that most of my concerns have been already addressed (power and internet access) - *note to self* do more reading around before posting Tom! I still think funding will be an issue though. I can see in poorer countries that maybe there <em>might</em> be funding for one laptop per school (which would bring them up to roughly the standard available currently in Ireland!) but one laptop per child won't happen unless someone comes in to fund it. Hello <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates">Bill</a>? Then there's the running costs of mobile internet access to be paid... I’m delighted to see that most of my concerns have been already addressed (power and internet access) - *note to self* do more reading around before posting Tom!

I still think funding will be an issue though. I can see in poorer countries that maybe there might be funding for one laptop per school (which would bring them up to roughly the standard available currently in Ireland!) but one laptop per child won’t happen unless someone comes in to fund it. Hello Bill?

Then there’s the running costs of mobile internet access to be paid…

]]> By: Joe Harris http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106322 Joe Harris Mon, 11 Jun 2007 10:25:30 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106322 Tom, Have a look at some of the figures for foreign aid. $100 per child is actually a relatively small amount of money in this context. Clearly internet access is an issue... but have you seen the figures for mobile penetration in Africa. They are suprisingly high. So there is a potential to piggy back on this infrastructure. Finally, in the UK the government spends roughly £14k per child per year. I have no doubt that we could reallocate $100 or find another $100 if needed. I'd be suprised if Ireland is that different. BTW thanks for the podcasts. Keep up the great work. Joe Tom,

Have a look at some of the figures for foreign aid. $100 per child is actually a relatively small amount of money in this context.

Clearly internet access is an issue… but have you seen the figures for mobile penetration in Africa. They are suprisingly high. So there is a potential to piggy back on this infrastructure.

Finally, in the UK the government spends roughly £14k per child per year. I have no doubt that we could reallocate $100 or find another $100 if needed. I’d be suprised if Ireland is that different.

BTW thanks for the podcasts. Keep up the great work.

Joe

]]> By: Branedy http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106303 Branedy Sun, 10 Jun 2007 20:01:32 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106303 <i>where do kids in poorer countries get electricity</i> Maybe that's why it has a built-in generator with a pull string. And the system is designed to build a adhoc grid network linking any of the computers in the grid access to the internet through any single node that does have interet access. But as for the Irish government spending ANY money on computers for schools you are dead on. where do kids in poorer countries get electricity

Maybe that’s why it has a built-in generator with a pull string. And the system is designed to build a adhoc grid network linking any of the computers in the grid access to the internet through any single node that does have interet access.

But as for the Irish government spending ANY money on computers for schools you are dead on.

]]> By: David Doran http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106302 David Doran Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:59:48 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106302 One of the most basic and integral aspects of the laptop is that it is self-powering in that there will be a winder or foot peddle to power the devices (I'm not sure what this model has but I was following development and these were the main power options) As for internet connectivity that is not really such a high priority initially. The laptops come with a special version of wikipedia selected for accurary, relevancy and on a range of topics. Also, the laptops are wireless so callaboration between them in classes and between peers will be a major focus. After that, there are many companies who would jump at the opportunity to provide a wireless/wired internet network in these areas if the need was there and, of course the funds. One of the most basic and integral aspects of the laptop is that it is self-powering in that there will be a winder or foot peddle to power the devices (I’m not sure what this model has but I was following development and these were the main power options)

As for internet connectivity that is not really such a high priority initially. The laptops come with a special version of wikipedia selected for accurary, relevancy and on a range of topics. Also, the laptops are wireless so callaboration between them in classes and between peers will be a major focus.

After that, there are many companies who would jump at the opportunity to provide a wireless/wired internet network in these areas if the need was there and, of course the funds.

]]> By: Angsuman Chakraborty http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106301 Angsuman Chakraborty Sun, 10 Jun 2007 19:34:12 +0000 http://www.tomrafteryit.net/the-100-laptop/#comment-106301 > Then, where do kids in poorer countries get electricity and Internet access, even if they do somehow get enough money to buy a laptop? Solar power is one alternative. I have heard about hand / bicycle powered power sources / generators used in villages. Internet access will be useful but not necessary to use the laptop. Also nowadays internet access is almost ubiquitous with wireless access points. It will be relatively easy to setup cheap network of wireless access points. > Then, where do kids in poorer countries get electricity and Internet access, even if they do somehow get enough money to buy a laptop?

Solar power is one alternative. I have heard about hand / bicycle powered power sources / generators used in villages.

Internet access will be useful but not necessary to use the laptop. Also nowadays internet access is almost ubiquitous with wireless access points. It will be relatively easy to setup cheap network of wireless access points.

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