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The laptop with the human heart

Posted Jan 14, 2010

Years ago a tin man was desperately wishing for a human heart; decades later this feat was accomplished by a laptop, the XO or $100 laptop. The laptop that was slowly going to enter every child's home and unlock the doors to education. Technology is getting sentimental...

 

It sometimes feel good not to be cynical. And while we may occasionally be guilty of that there are other occasions on which we genuinely just enjoy something because it's right...To create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning; such is the project thought up by two ambitious dreamers.... and it has been going strong for three years now!

The facts straight from the cat's mouth:

 Already the laptop's first version has been getting around and changing the educational landscape in the developing world. Over the years various upgrades have been increasing its price to $188. Which is why the One Laptop Per Child organisation and the original designer Yves Behar have recently unveiled a plan to built the next generation's tablet laptop, the XO-3 (set to be released around 2012) which ideally would retail around an unbelievable $75; with a sturdier case and semi-flexible screen. All of it while using interactivity and touch-sensitivity to enhance the learning experience.

 

Does it all feel a little too good to ever come true? OLPC founder reckons it might be good enough if their dream laptop could drive the industry to lower prices and offer children an access to technology without needing to build a cheap computer ad hoc. That being said we are just too impatient to see how the $75 tablet will turn out!

Aurelie Bellavigna

Want to support the project? Visit their page on laptop.org.

Source and photo credits: Designboom