XO: A small machine with a big mission.

Folowing up my last post about the way the internet (and therefore IT) is changing YOUR life. I want to talk to you about an intersting project that will probably change the next generation relationship with the machine.
In order to have access to the "Matrix", you need an interface, a machine. Thats where problems start! We're obviously not equal in terms of material and knowledge even in western countries.

What is XO: The Children's Machine
The XO is a potent learning tool designed and built especially for children in developing countries, living in some of the most remote environments. It’s about the size of a small textbook. It has built-in wireless and a unique screen that is readable under direct sunlight for children who go to school outdoors. It’s extremely durable, brilliantly functional, energy-efficient, and fun. 

The laptop was designed collaboratively by experts from both academia and industry, bringing to bear both extraordinary talent and many decades of collective field experience in every aspect of this non-profit humanitarian project.

 

 

XO Laptop Handout

The result is a unique harmony of form and function; a flexible, ultra low-cost, power-efficient, responsive, and durable machine with which nations of the emerging world can leapfrog decades of development—immediately transforming the content and quality of their children’s learning.

Free software

To enhance performance and reliability while containing costs, The laptop is not burdened by the bloat of excess code, the “feature-itis” that is responsible for much of the clumsiness, unreliability, and expense of many modern laptops. We intend for laptop to start up in an instant—faster than any commercial laptop now available—and move briskly through its operations.

The laptop is an open-source machine: free software gives children the opportunity to fully own the machine in every sense. While we don't expect every child to become a programmer, we don't want any ceiling imposed on those children who choose to modify their machines. We are using open document formats for much the same reason: transparency is empowering. The children—and their teachers—will have the freedom to reshape, reinvent, and reapply their software, hardware, and content.

http://laptop.org/en/vision

As always, feel free to leave a comment.





Last Updated on Friday, 19 March 2010 19:44