Coffee with Donna, my long-time friend and digital buddy is always interesting. Last week, she reached into her ever-present large bag and with a triumphant smile, lofted a "one Laptop Per Child" computer. It is very cool. It is small, wireless, waterproof, energy efficient, Open Source, networkable and doubles as a nightlight! She was one of the first to order the machines.
You buy two: one is donated to a child; you get the second one for yourself. It's quite the technical marvel and we were able to access this blog in the coffee shop on the OLPC's maiden voyage into the Dupont Circle. It's lightweight, practical and is a "best of technology" product in my mind. If you are interested, you can check it out at the "One Laptop Per Child" site.
According to the site info, the OLPC "runs on Linux, a free and open-source operating system. OLPC’s commitment to software freedom gives children the opportunity to use their laptops on their own terms. The children—and their teachers—have the freedom to reshape, reinvent, and reapply their software, hardware, and content. There’s even a button located on the keyboard that allows children to view the programming behind certain applications. The XO laptop’s revolutionary interface, Sugar, also promotes sharing and learning." Have a look. I doubt we'll be transmitting images from it but then again, it's actually more sophisticated and powerful than our early imaging machines. It's also upgradeable. In fact, it's one of the first really cool technological devices I've seen in a long time.
