Started a year or two ago, a project with the aim of providing "One laptop per child" for children in developing countries: from the wikipedia entry...
The XO-1, previously known as the "$100 Laptop" or "Children's Machine", is an inexpensive laptop computer designed to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world,[31] to provide them with access to knowledge, and opportunities to "explore, experiment and express themselves" (constructionist learning).[32] The laptop is developed by the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) organization, and manufactured by the Taiwanese computer company, Quanta Computer.
The rugged, low-power computers uses flash memory instead of a hard drive, run the Linux operating system and use the Sugar user interface.[33] Mobile ad-hoc networking based on the 802.11s wireless mesh network protocol allows students to collaborate on Activities and to share Internet access from one connection. The wireless networking has much greater range than typical consumer laptops. The XO-1 has also been designed to be lower cost and much longer lived than typical laptops.
Rumors about an XO-1 laptop running a modified version of Windows XP circulated,,[34][35] and it was revealed in May of 2008 that Windows XP will be available for an additional cost of 10 dollars per laptop.[36]
Lee Felsenstein criticized the centralized, top-down, design and distribution of the OLPC, calling it "imperialistic”.[37]
I've been semi-following it for a while (I think it would make an interesting anthropology PhD project!!). On the one hand it is quite nice, trying to break down the digital divide. On the other hand of course it sparks (as the good knee-jerk-reaction anthropologist I am) some ambivalence, for obvious reasons.
And it seems like a great example of global assemblages! Linking corporations, MIT geeks, big media, postcolonial states, and little kids...
PS, Proposal writers of the world... relax!
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I want one of these but for myself! haha
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