Donate One Laptop per Child, Get One
Fri Nov 2, 2007 8:42AM EDT
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Starting Monday, Nov. 12, Americans and Canadians will have the chance to add charity and innovation to holiday shopping lists. The One Laptop Per Child organization is offering the chance to purchase two XO laptops—one to be given to a child in the developing world, the other to keep or donate locally.
It's called "Give 1 Get 1" and the $399 offer is good for two weeks. The XO laptops are durable laptops designed for education and connecting kids in developing nations who have never worked with computers.
The One Laptop Per Child Organization has had verbal agreements from many developing country governments to purchase the laptops in bulk, but concrete, signed orders have not been as forthcoming as project founder and chairman Nicholas Negroponte had hoped. So the group has opened up the sale of the laptops from Nov. 12 to Nov. 26 to Americans and Canadians in an effort to spark worldwide sales. They will be delivered by Christmas.
The energy-efficient computers have high-resolution screens, cameras, and peer-to-peer wireless communication capability built in. They run on free open-source software. There are no moving parts—no CD or DVD drive, and no hard drive—just 1GB flash memory and a low-power processor so it can be easily maintained. It can be powered by solar energy, a foot pump, or pull-string powered chargers, and the screen is readable in full sunlight.
The New York Times reports that some members of the laptop project were understandably concerned that if American children were to use them, they would be highly critical when comparing them to Macs and PCs. But focus groups with kids ages 7 to 11 turned in high praise, so they moved ahead with the one-for-one program. For a good look at the XO laptop, check out David Pogue's review in the Times.
Affordable laptops for kids have been top of the news lately. Asus' $400 Eee PC is getting some good early reviews, while Intel announced its $400 flash-memory "Classmate PC" will be tested by the Brazilian government alongside OLPC's XO Laptop.
Whether families keep the second OLPC computer for their kids, Give 1 Get 1 is about the giving. "The main thing is to get this thing started," Negroponte says in the Times piece.
Interested? What would you do with the second laptop if you decide to make the $400 donation?
LINKS:www.xogiving.org
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67 Posted by chris_carrier on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:25PM EDT Report Abuse
It's not $399 for a laptop. They're using Americans' fascination and inevitable desire to buy one of these (at less than $200) to force them to buy one for a child in need. It's quite brilliant.
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68 Posted by hdparris@sbcglobal.net on Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:01AM EDT Report Abuse
What is it that blinds people to the fact that you must take care of your own home before you can branch out to others? Come on...
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69 Posted by chris_carrier on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:25PM EDT Report Abuse
Even the poorest children in the US have access to computers in libraries and schools (don't tell me there are schools without computers in the US). Children in the developing countries do not. There is no comparison to the opportunities and resources that poor children have here. Also, I don't believe this is solely funded by US tax dollars. Those of you who are Christians -- did Jesus say to help those only in your backyard?
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70 Posted by crystallakeins@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:31PM EDT Report Abuse
Access to the internet a priority? The internet is fantasy land for adults.Filled with Nazi like propaganda from the left and narcist You Tubers, only people that believe Wikipedia is a real encyclopedia will buy into this. I'd be on board with this project if every single computer was embedded with Federalist Papers so that the poor of other nations would learn the foundations of this nation and then could dream of power by the people. Freedom and opportunity comes from the overthrow of tyrants and despots, not brightly colored CPU's. What we have here are free toys for kids indoctrinated in their schools and by the adults in their lives to hate anything western. If the great satan gives you a free laptop, can it be good? Give 'em free PSP's instead so they can be turned into mind numbed dumb dumbs dispossesed of any critical thinking skills, waiting for the next fix of flickering colorful images and ear pleasing melodies, like our youth. I wonder-Will these kiddie computers in the interest of free speach have full access to the world wide web of filth? Or will they be filtered, unlike American computers in our schools and libraries?
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71 Posted by jules_blaine on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:44PM EDT Report Abuse
American children have resources that children in underdeveloped countries have no access to. We have a government that makes it a law that every child MUST receive an education. In underdeveloped countries only children with money can go to school. Do you know how many children in underdeveloped countries have money? Practically none. We have free education in public schools. We have libraries filled with books and computer labs. Our government gives out grants to go to college that never have to be paid back. We have loans for college that aren't based on your credit, but on your need instead. I am so, so tired of whiney, spoiled Americans who constantly have their hand out for something free. Our government gives out free food to those who can't afford it. We have housing programs, medicaid, headstart..the list goes on. Do we have problems that need addressing? YES! I won't deny that. But why do people with every opportunity to succeed given to them still whine that they do not have enough? If your children are not succeeding in a country where almost anyone with a brain can succeed, then maybe YOU as the guardian are doing something wrong!!!! And please remember...we are ALL citizens of the same planet. An educated world people benefits us all.
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72 Posted by vangelos@sbcglobal.net on Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:24AM EDT Report Abuse
Jules, you said it all. You took the words right out of my mouth.
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73 Posted by tom_criswell@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:16PM EDT Report Abuse
somehow I thought that my position would be in the minority, it's refreshing to see that I'm not the only one who sees that "charity begins at home". We cannot neglect our own for the sake of others. We need to get ourselves up to speed first! Our math scores are continually falling behind the rest of the world as well as some of the other subjects. Let's help ourselves first.
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74 Posted by myirishbutterfly on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:31PM EDT Report Abuse
So, we are basically pushing technology on children now? I don't believe that children are benefiting their minds from looking at a screen for hours a day. What ever happened to the wonder of books? I would donate 400 books in a hearbeat but a laptop? Get serious.
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75 Posted by ajacobs5199 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:48PM EDT Report Abuse
What about the starving and less fortunate here in America? What about the homeless here in America that no one seems to care about? What about the abused and neglected here in America? We should take care of what is in our yard before we worry about what is in someone elses yard.
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76 Posted by lorisimonds@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse
I live in the U.S. a widow with two small children who could use a laptop. Can we get one? Or do I have to live outside of the US in order to get one? Why don't we take care of the poor in our neighborhood???
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77 Posted by toasterwater on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:14PM EDT Report Abuse
myirishbutterfly, Post #86: Think about the logistics behind distributing 400 books to each one of these children. First of all, It would cost much more money not only to buy these books, but to ship them to the other side of the world as well... Second, think about where they are going to keep 400 books... It's much easier to find a dry place to keep 1 laptop than it is to store 400 books. Third, 1 laptop connected to the internet has the potential to be worth literally millions of books worth of information. No one here is bashing books, this is just one idea to help a bad situation. :D
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78 Posted by toasterwater on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:14PM EDT Report Abuse
Post #89. Take your kids to a public library. They can use a computer for free there. (Not too many public libraries with computer/internet access in third world countries) Stop being so ----- selfish.
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79 Posted by chris_exactone on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:25PM EDT Report Abuse
OMG. I can't beleive the negativity here, for what is supposed to be an opportunity to help children abroad AND here. They've clearly set it up so you get one to do with as you please - use it yourself, give it to a child, donate it to a local charity. I'm sure MIT has a list of US institutions they'll send the other one to for you. Sheesh. And for those of you ----- ing about helping here at home first - how many of you are vemently anti-illegal alien? A lot, I bet. Have you ever considered that helping children abroad also helps eliminate the situations that drive people to illegally cross our borders in the first place?
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80 Posted by memuff2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:16PM EDT Report Abuse
I agree with opus_125...Charity, eggheads, begins at home! What about the underpriviledged children that live here in the USA? We need to STOP and THINK of our own needy children..why not give them a chance at a better life???
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81 Posted by wpavlik2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse
For those who think it's a negative to donate to 3rd world countries, you are missing the big picture. These laptops provide access to education. These machines are designed to be rugged, they have a hand crank to recharge the battery when it runs down, they have very few moving parts so you don't have to worry about hard drive failures, etc. Yes, American children need access to laptops, books, pens, pencils, paper, Science supplies, art supplies, musicical instruments, etc. When Oprah visits poor areas in America, and ask the children what they need, they always seem to ask for high dollar tennis shoes, or iPods,etc. When she offered educational items, they didn't seem interested. In South Africa, they are so appreciative of her offer of an EDUCATION to help bring them out of poverty. I'm not saying I don't have sympathy for children in our country, I am saying that by helping educate children all around the world, we might be able to break the cycle of poverty in some areas. I would also like to suggest that before you trash the program, you take a moment to research it. This program will do a world of good for many children. Poverty is everywhere, this isn't a handout, it's a hand up.
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82 Posted by dirk_erika@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:43PM EDT Report Abuse
I'm from oversees. I know what is going on in some of those countries. Firt of all there are rich and poor people everywhere. In general , when a shipment like this arrives in those countries , it is not the poor who is lined up to receive the goods, but the top 10,000. They can afford it without Americans helping them. If we want to help the poor they need something else than a laptop what they won't even know what to start with, beside using it the "evil way", wich won't educate them anyway but will make them dull and lazy.Nowdays there are enough rich people in every country who are able to help their own poor just like here in America.
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83 Posted by pwdowling on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:22PM EDT Report Abuse
Sadly, with the "real" price of these now close to $200, and standard laptops falling in price so quickly I think this project will not be successful. If they had managed to get it to $100 it would have worked. As nifty and unusual as these computers are, I don't see folks in the US buying a $400 laptop such as this when they can get a new laptop with Windows Vista, etc. for a couple hundred more. Now if they offered these at $250 instead with the "profit" going to a pool for funding laptops for developing countries then I think they'd sell a lot of these. A fully functional laptop optimized especially for 7 to 11 year olds at $250 would be a good deal.
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84 Posted by ljlashua@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:54PM EDT Report Abuse
from what i've read, the proposal is that the various governments of these countries are actually going to pay for the computers. There is nothing stopping our American government from doing the same.
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85 Posted by i_am_cuckoo@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse
There's tons of poor here. Give them one??? or just overseas!
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66 Posted by toasterwater on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:14PM EDT Report Abuse
Post #71: "There are thousands of children/families in the US that cannot afford laptops and are poor. Schools that do not have budgets for pencils, etc. Why are we not giving to the US poor and needy FIRST?" Do you people know how many charity organizations help kids in America? This is one example of a charity project, and it happens to help kids in other countries. You people act like this project is the only charity project in existance.