Updates on the XO front

What's going on with you and your XOs? Have you... Connected and collaborated with another XO user? Decided you want to buy another XO now? Tested the apps? Used as a plain old computer? Put in kids hands and watched what happens? Signed up for your year of free TMobile Hotspot access? Spent time in the OLPC Wiki mining gems or news we all need? Used it as a book reader? Wondered when Negroponte says he wants a "Zero Dollar Laptop"? Wondered what's going on with the Birmingham, AL district-wide deployment (the only US one I know of)? Know about the new US school purchasing scheme? Used your mad linux skills to change the machine? Updated software and firmware yet? Shown others the XO, discussed what it represents and how it works? Compared the XO to EeePC or Classmate or Spark? Learned about the OLPC deployment and what's going on now that XOs are in the hands of something like 200,000 kids? Know you'll never use the thing and wonder the best way to give it away? (I can help.)
What can you contribute to our shared understanding, experience? What else are you wondering?

Tags: XO

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Samuel Charles Sennott on April 4, 2008 at 1:22pm

Hi,

On the Augmentative and Alternative Communication front, there has been some steps. The Text to Speech application Speak is very cool: http://alltogether.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/the-olpc-computer-as-an...

and then taking it one step further IconSpeak, built on the same architecture holds great possibility.
http://alltogether.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/iconspeak-for-the-xo/

From,

Sam

Permalink Reply by Bud Hunt on April 4, 2008 at 2:12pm

Jane,

I've been having a great time working one on one with a seven year old student who won an XO in a raffle via my district. We're working our way through the applications - right now we're about to do some serious programming/building/creating with eToys. Software like eToys/Squeak could really change EVERYTHING about education as we know it - but we'd hae to change a great deal to get there.

We're blogging what we're learning as we're learning it - feel free to stop by and leave a comment.

Permalink Reply by Jane Krauss on May 17, 2008 at 4:47pm

Hi Bud! I'm really curious about your use with the computer science apps on the XO. I'll visit your blog right away. ALSO, Suzie Boss pointed out your Bud the Teacher podcast where you mention how you'll put our book to work. There are multiple communities of practice forming among co-located and virtual groups who are reading/using the book... I'll enjoy following your adventures.

Permalink Reply by fwc on May 24, 2008 at 11:17pm

I am a new eugene Oregon OLPC owner and developer.

my interest in the olpc has placed me at the weekly EUGLUG meetings..

I hope to develop the olpc wireless mesh networking, into a centralized, local wireless communications network..

so we essentially hope to take an olpc, add several usb wi fi modules, and add very high gain antennas, hook all of into a weather - proof enclosure, and add a few sola panels, and a rechargeable battery//

now any aid organization ( such as my friends, who teach rocket stove construction - see http://aiduganda.home.comcast.net/~aiduganda/ -- scroll down to the rocket stove section..)

can take this entire system, into any refugee aid camp, place it up on a pole, and now any aid member with a laptop, etc, can communicate with anyone else, with a laptop..locally

also, the katrina hurricane event, mesh networking was THE ONLY communications for entire area.. initially (a sober reflection..)

@@@

we are now doing modifications to the olpc, and getting ready to add the wireless equipment, and software (to test for wireless connections, etc) we hope to make the olpc wireless networking platform, and be able to turn them into powerful local file servers!

at this point I have added flash card, and usb flash drive, as well as, a flexible usb keyboard.. soon I will add a small usb hub, and us (-to-) ps2 converter connector to add common mice, trackballs, keyboards etc..

we did a fire fox installed, and have tried to get "full" abiword installed, our first attempt to add open office failed, but we will very soon try again..

the best thing we did was get an use an "adult" keyboard, and an optical mouse..

I do have NORMAL cat 5 ethernet connection on my olpc as well.. ( I do not run a wireless network, as of yet.. soon, very soon..)

my overall "geek" impression, is that for the money, it has considerable potential.. I have no doubt, that within 3 years time, they will be well developed by then.. we will never imagine what this thing can do..

it will usher in a new era of efficient coding.. we will soon see, coders concentrating on efficient programming..

I hope they release an IDE ( programming tools) so that a lot of people can start writing apps for this machine..

it is perfect for learning the linux command prompt.. it is forcing me, to concentrate, on this right now!

I think someday, these will collectors items.. the ones that got the ball rolling..

fwc

Permalink Reply by Samuel Charles Sennott on May 26, 2008 at 3:16pm

Hello. I recently posted about the 2nd Generation OLPC Laptop having Dual Touchscreens. These look very cool.