March
2008
Good ol’ pc.0
Source: Flickr
Isn’t this just the cutest little laptop? This is the XO laptop. It was presented in my e-learning class last thursday, and after a while of attentive listening, it hit me that I’ve actually seen and used one of these little gadgets before! For more information about XO laptops and the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) organisation, I implore you look at the main site. It’s even got a wiki!
At the time, I didn’t think much of it, and the person that owned it (he had access to a pre-production model somehow) explained to me about how it was being distributed in third-world countries for a relatively affordable price. I feel that’s a great way to spread the wonders of technology to children who might have otherwise never laid eyes on a computer!
Playing with it was interesting. It was definitely the kind of laptop fit for a child to use, considering the incredibly small keyboard. As you can see in the picture, I was trying to draw, but failing miserably at it. It’s pretty clunky, but I’d imagine this is just the beginning.
I don’t want to seem like I’m fawning over this thing too much – I’m sure there are going to be problems with it. But it sounds like an inventive, interesting tool for kids to use. For instance, it apparently has a socket on the side of it that puts out some kind of adjustable voltage that allows those using it to experiment with electricity. I think it is ideas like this that truly make it an educational device, and hint at the possibilities these these kinds of multipurpose devices could have in schools everywhere.
One thing’s for sure, though. I can’t help getting the image of Shrek in my head when I look at the thing.
