Low-Cost Laptops For Third-World Reviewed

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An editor for the Associated Press decided to take the Classmate PC and the OLPC XO and do some real world testing by giving them to his kids. You might be a bit surprised at the overall user experience.

Within a few weeks, however, both computers were barely being used, benched, as it were, by lackluster performance and frustrating bugs. The problems were bad enough to turn off our kids.
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Thats what they get for assuming kids would be tolerant of shitty hardware. Kids are even more impatient than us adults, you think they'll sit down for some laptop instability? Hell no. They'll throw it away and go play basketball or soccer with their buddies.
 
NKDietrich said:
Thats what they get for assuming kids would be tolerant of shitty hardware. Kids are even more impatient than us adults, you think they'll sit down for some laptop instability? Hell no. They'll throw it away and go play basketball or soccer with their buddies.
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You have to remember though that many of this children that are receiving or being able to use this "low cost" laptops have never seen a computer in their life. They have no knowledge of what is fast or not, to them it the greatest thing ever.
 
Where is the ASUS EEEPC in this comparison? I have owned it for a month now and it is great at what it does. Connects reliably to wireless or wired, boots quickly and is responsive even with multiple webpages running, and has no issues with utube and the like. It has openoffice, pdf support, and plays mp3's from my memorystick without issue. My point is it has NONE of the issues related to this article, except adding programs is a little challenging.

Cheers!
 
I'm not really surprised by this test. Now, had it been giving to 3rd world kids and they never used it then that would be something. But as stated, most people are use to faster machines that can do a lot more, thus going to something like this would be like you going back to the computer you ran in 1995 with windows 3.1 and trying to do stuff on it.

What I do find surprising is the need to rebuild the OS to get it working. Or the fact that they even give instructions for doing so almost as if they knew this was a problem and didn't care to fix it.
 
The author's definition of real-world testing is a slight bit off considering the purpose of the laptops. Sure, it was ideal to give them to kids to mess with, but the kids need to be in third world countries.

Kids in developed countries are too spoiled by modern technology to be tolerant of low budget gimmicks.
 
Why are we sending laptops to third world countries when there are children in here in the U.S who can't afford computers. Heck there are even school districts who can't afford them.
 
Come on, this is all BS. The entry level $499 core2 duo laptop that crops up on sales at different places is really only worth $150, they could crank that shit out by the bajillions to the 3rd world if they really wanted to... with plenty of pep for 99% of uses.

How exactly is all the OTHER infrastructure suposed to happen? Where is the nationwide internet access in random 3rd world countries? What would they use it for without all the other technology needed to make it go... swat mosquito's?

Meantime, just what the world needs, email scams from the rest of the 3rd world.... Uganda, Zimbabwai, Burma, East FukmeAstan. :eek::rolleyes::p
 
theDreamer said:
You have to remember though that many of this children that are receiving or being able to use this "low cost" laptops have never seen a computer in their life. They have no knowledge of what is fast or not, to them it the greatest thing ever.
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They aren't cave people. They know when something "isnt working", and are likely to be disappointed with it.

The industry needs to just stop being so cheap and provide these kids with real schools and real computers. And how about we start with here in the West, where many schools still have operational 486s, and precious few of those.

Everyone always wanted to throw assistance overseas without even thinking about the poor within our own "1st world" countries.
 
Why do they need new hardware if all they are going to do on the computer is read and use it for learning. It's not like it has to power games or something like that.
 
tacosareveryyummy said:
Why are we sending laptops to third world countries when there are children in here in the U.S who can't afford computers. Heck there are even school districts who can't afford them.
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On a similar note, wouldn't it be more beneficial to them if we sent them, you know...food, or clothing?
 
sliverjazz said:
Give A Man A Fish, Feed Him For A Day. Teach A Man To Fish, Feed Him For A Lifetime
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Unfortuntly the UN will not allow western companies into these countries with modern farming equiptment because farming will "destroy" the enviroment..

So let them eat dirt and drink the same water they shit in, as long as the Earth is safe...
 
There are other that do the food/clothing. This is for the mind, to try and get the kids some sort of education.
There are a lot of places that have no schools, they are to far to walk daily or schools get burned down.
Having this means that they can stay at home, learn and during breaks go and do the work that keeps the family fed.

That last one also means that being at home they can go straight to work, and if they are on the edge which a lot of families are, they are not gone so much and crops can be tended to right away
 
Forgot to ad that these are meant to go to those who have never seen a computer, or owned one.
Of course if you give them to any developed world kid, they have something to compare it to being their OWN computer.

This is not meant to be a gaming system, but just something to get 3rd world kids up and running and to make it a virtual school.

I look at this thing HERE in the US as filling something along the lines as an Ebook reader, or a slightly higher PDA with a better screen
 
once again I bring up the question that was brought up earlier... why are we sending comps to other places when schools in this country need them? I am so sick of helping other people.... not that it is a bad thing, but i think we should take care of our problems first before we try to solve others....
 
watertown28 said:
once again I bring up the question that was brought up earlier... why are we sending comps to other places when schools in this country need them? I am so sick of helping other people.... not that it is a bad thing, but i think we should take care of our problems first before we try to solve others....
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Exactly WHEN did the US become the world's fucking welfare provider? We have a high percentage of homeless and illiterate in this country, yet we send billions of dollars to other nations every year. Then, when other countries feel it isn't enough, they bitch that we're selfish (see Thailand after the Tsunami). We won't win. I say cut all ties and take care of the homefront first.
 
Kil4Thril said:
Exactly WHEN did the US become the world's fucking welfare provider? We have a high percentage of homeless and illiterate in this country, yet we send billions of dollars to other nations every year. Then, when other countries feel it isn't enough, they bitch that we're selfish (see Thailand after the Tsunami). We won't win. I say cut all ties and take care of the homefront first.
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amen.

I hate how we have to give a shit about every other fucking country. We got our own problems and interests. All other countries can all go screw themselves and find solutions to their own problems.
 
Kil4Thril said:
Exactly WHEN did the US become the world's fucking welfare provider? We have a high percentage of homeless and illiterate in this country, yet we send billions of dollars to other nations every year. Then, when other countries feel it isn't enough, they bitch that we're selfish (see Thailand after the Tsunami). We won't win. I say cut all ties and take care of the homefront first.
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Well the real kicker is when you have schools in the US that cant EVEN GET NEW BOOKS for our kids and yet we are helping other countries with stuff like this.

its like going to the food pantry and then complaining that you didnt get enough name brand food or something.... man the balls some people have.
 
NKDietrich said:
The industry needs to just stop being so cheap and provide these kids with real schools and real computers. And how about we start with here in the West, where many schools still have operational 486s, and precious few of those.
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LOL, wtf? Since when is the industry obligated to provide poors with "real computers"? These aren't charities, they're shareholder owned businesses.
 
Kil4Thril said:
Exactly WHEN did the US become the world's fucking welfare provider? We have a high percentage of homeless and illiterate in this country, yet we send billions of dollars to other nations every year. Then, when other countries feel it isn't enough, they bitch that we're selfish (see Thailand after the Tsunami). We won't win. I say cut all ties and take care of the homefront first.
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There are many countries that get pissed when the US gets into their business. Believe me, the US just goes to where they see the business or where they can get own benefits by helping, I doubt there is any kind of charity for real from the US to an outside country, I would suggest you to do more research on politics and business and re-searching about other countries before saying anything.

colinstu said:
amen.

I hate how we have to give a shit about every other fucking country. We got our own problems and interests. All other countries can all go screw themselves and find solutions to their own problems.
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A lot of countries actually want to do that, but the US is sticking their nose on how they can get benefits from it. If you really see this, then you should try and vote for someone that will actually mind their own business.

By the way, this laptop per child crap is nothing more than a guy trying to get rich by acting like they are "helping" and having other countries PRESIDENTS or CORPORATIONS buy this laptops cause they think they'll help when they are actually bad as hell.

It's all about business, nobody will buy $200 laptop just for their child. Developing countries have other priorities for their people. There is also the fact that not all countries are interested in having 100% knowledge computer, they don't need it, they do the things themselves, paper and pencil.

There is so much to the topic to add. All I am saying is both of your attitudes are completely wrong and before saying shit like this, you should think a little, and actually re-search, even go to other countries and see how much people don't need all this crappy "laptops".
 
Since when is taking care of your own a crappy attitude? Do you think that any other country will step in and help us in a time of need? Don't tell me to research, what would I read? Published media? It is all politically slanted to the point of completely untrue as it stands. You can find information showing both sides of the fence as "fact", it's all on which you choose to believe.
I do agree, however, that we stick our noses where it doesn't belong. Hell, look at the entire middle east situation and that proves that point.
 
tacosareveryyummy said:
Why are we sending laptops to third world countries when there are children in here in the U.S who can't afford computers. Heck there are even school districts who can't afford them.
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Children here who don't have computers can at least find free access in libraries...etc. The children in the third-world countries don't have any access at all.

xX_Jack_Carver_Xx said:
Meantime, just what the world needs, email scams from the rest of the 3rd world.... Uganda, Zimbabwai, Burma, East FukmeAstan. :eek::rolleyes::p
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I thought we all agreed that technology for a good purpose shouldn't be shut down because it can be used for a bad purpose? Geez, people on this forum like to change their minds a lot. I guess now you think MySpace should be shut down because it helps pedophiles and video games should be illegal because they cause violence.

NKDietrich said:
They aren't cave people. They know when something "isnt working", and are likely to be disappointed with it.

The industry needs to just stop being so cheap and provide these kids with real schools and real computers. And how about we start with here in the West, where many schools still have operational 486s, and precious few of those.

Everyone always wanted to throw assistance overseas without even thinking about the poor within our own "1st world" countries.
Click to expand...

Be thankful they are giving what they are to the children. It is awful to criticize a charitable effort. Before OLPC, no one was giving cheap laptops to third-world countries, and no one was clamoring "give kids laptops!" either. Now, after these companies take the time to develop a cheap laptop and sell it to the third-world countries, you complain that they aren't "real" laptop. That's terrible.

sliverjazz said:
Why do they need new hardware if all they are going to do on the computer is read and use it for learning. It's not like it has to power games or something like that.
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QFT! In fact, better hardware would discourage learning since it would allow the kids to play games and such.

Blackjack988 said:
On a similar note, wouldn't it be more beneficial to them if we sent them, you know...food, or clothing?
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Judging by your presence on this site, you've bought a computer. Wouldn't it have been more beneficial for you to spend that money on food for hungry children rather than a computer for yourself? I mean, surely preventing someone's starvation is more important than being able to play Crysis at high settings! :rolleyes:

OLPC is one charity effort. There are many others that take care of food. This one takes care of technology.

LucasG said:
There are many countries that get pissed when the US gets into their business. Believe me, the US just goes to where they see the business or where they can get own benefits by helping, I doubt there is any kind of charity for real from the US to an outside country, I would suggest you to do more research on politics and business and re-searching about other countries before saying anything.



A lot of countries actually want to do that, but the US is sticking their nose on how they can get benefits from it. If you really see this, then you should try and vote for someone that will actually mind their own business.

By the way, this laptop per child crap is nothing more than a guy trying to get rich by acting like they are "helping" and having other countries PRESIDENTS or CORPORATIONS buy this laptops cause they think they'll help when they are actually bad as hell.

It's all about business, nobody will buy $200 laptop just for their child. Developing countries have other priorities for their people. There is also the fact that not all countries are interested in having 100% knowledge computer, they don't need it, they do the things themselves, paper and pencil.

There is so much to the topic to add. All I am saying is both of your attitudes are completely wrong and before saying shit like this, you should think a little, and actually re-search, even go to other countries and see how much people don't need all this crappy "laptops".
Click to expand...

Wow. With an opinion like that I can only suggest that you leave the United States if you live here. It would be awful to pay taxes to such a terrible government. I'm not even going to try to convince you of the fallacies in your arguments. When someone becomes paranoid about government and assumes that everything is a plot to put more money in officials' pockets, there's not much anyone can do to convince him otherwise.
 
HOCP4ME said:
Children here who don't have computers can at least find free access in libraries...etc. The children in the third-world countries don't have any access at all.



I thought we all agreed that technology for a good purpose shouldn't be shut down because it can be used for a bad purpose? Geez, people on this forum like to change their minds a lot. I guess now you think MySpace should be shut down because it helps pedophiles and video games should be illegal because they cause violence.



Be thankful they are giving what they are to the children. It is awful to criticize a charitable effort. Before OLPC, no one was giving cheap laptops to third-world countries, and no one was clamoring "give kids laptops!" either. Now, after these companies take the time to develop a cheap laptop and sell it to the third-world countries, you complain that they aren't "real" laptop. That's terrible.



QFT! In fact, better hardware would discourage learning since it would allow the kids to play games and such.



Judging by your presence on this site, you've bought a computer. Wouldn't it have been more beneficial for you to spend that money on food for hungry children rather than a computer for yourself? I mean, surely preventing someone's starvation is more important than being able to play Crysis at high settings! :rolleyes:

OLPC is one charity effort. There are many others that take care of food. This one takes care of technology.



Wow. With an opinion like that I can only suggest that you leave the United States if you live here. It would be awful to pay taxes to such a terrible government. I'm not even going to try to convince you of the fallacies in your arguments. When someone becomes paranoid about government and assumes that everything is a plot to put more money in officials' pockets, there's not much anyone can do to convince him otherwise.
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Do you really think any other country would help the US if it came to a time when this country needed help? The US is probually one of the most hated country in the world thansk to the politicians. When asking the people why they dislike the US most say its not the people that live here that they dont like , but in fact its the government
 
watertown28 said:
Do you really think any other country would help the US if it came to a time when this country needed help?
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No, they wouldn't. But we still help them when they need it, and whether they appreciate it or not, that's the morally right thing to do. We are the only country in the world the follows the Golden Rule and I'm proud of that.
 
VanQuiShEr said:
It astounds me to see how selfish some people are!
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heck yes i am selfish! you know why? BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN COUNTRY FIRST BEFORE WE Give to poops about other countries! I am so sorry if im trying to look out for my own country...if that makes me selfish, so be it
 
watertown28 said:
heck yes i am selfish! you know why? BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN COUNTRY FIRST BEFORE WE Give to poops about other countries! I am so sorry if im trying to look out for my own country...if that makes me selfish, so be it
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So get off your ass, turn your computer off, and get out there and help the unfortunate people. Otherwise you're no better. It's easy to play armchair general, isn't it?

A country's border is an imaginary line for politicians to play their games. We're better than that. We are a global community where one man is no different from another man, especially in the eyes of.. well, lets not get into that debate.

I'm a patriot, but I'm also a man who knows no boundary when I see a man in need of aid.

Here in {H]ard|OCP you have people from all over the world. Canada, UK, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Australia, Asia and so on. We're all friends, aren't we? We would all help each other if we could, wouldn't we? Why is Africa any different? Or South America or Mexico? They're no more human than you are.
 
watertown28 said:
heck yes i am selfish! you know why? BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN COUNTRY FIRST BEFORE WE Give to poops about other countries! I am so sorry if im trying to look out for my own country...if that makes me selfish, so be it
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But our country is already sooo much better off than some of the others out there. I do agree that we need to take care of our own country, and there are many programs such as social security, medicare, medicade, unemployment, food stamps...etc. that do that. But we have clean water, sanitation, electricity, schools, and free government. Some of our money should be spent to help those who drink water from the same place the dump their sewage, have never seen a television or computer, have no school to go to at all, and do not enjoy basic civil liberties and democratic government.

Before we spend money raising our country from 90% perfect to 100% perfect, we should spend money raising other countries from 10% perfect to 20% perfect.

Or, to put it another way: we are 9% perfect, third-world countries are 10% perfect. Therefore, third-world countries should get 90% of our public service money.

The number isn't really that large, nor should it be, but you get my point. Our current balance of internal and external public service spending is working fine IMO.
 
and how much do other counties help others? O and the UN is a joke anyways, you want nothing done...have the UN involved.

I do my part every day and then some. I pay taxes for it only to go and help some other country ( and dont get me started on illegal imigration cuz ill get banned, not racist by no means , i work side by side with a ton of minorities daily )

But why should we help other people when the county cant even solve its own issues?
 
HOCP4ME said:
But our country is already sooo much better off than some of the others out there. I do agree that we need to take care of our own country, and there are many programs such as social security, medicare, medicade, unemployment, food stamps...etc. that do that. But we have clean water, sanitation, electricity, schools, and free government. Some of our money should be spent to help those who drink water from the same place the dump their sewage, have never seen a television or computer, have no school to go to at all, and do not enjoy basic civil liberties and democratic government.

Before we spend money raising our country from 90% perfect to 100% perfect, we should spend money raising other countries from 10% perfect to 20% perfect.

Or, to put it another way: we are 9% perfect, third-world countries are 10% perfect. Therefore, third-world countries should get 90% of our public service money.

The number isn't really that large, nor should it be, but you get my point. Our current balance of internal and external public service spending is working fine IMO.
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When was the last time you tried to get food stamps? Its not easy and you pretty much need to give an arm to get any kind of help .

Guys really I dont care if CHARITIES want to help other countries, thats why people Donate money to them. I know alot of countries have it worse, but that does not mean we put our problems on the back burner and try to do all these other things.
 
watertown28 said:
and how much do other counties help others? O and the UN is a joke anyways, you want nothing done...have the UN involved.

I do my part every day and then some. I pay taxes for it only to go and help some other country ( and dont get me started on illegal imigration cuz ill get banned, not racist by no means , i work side by side with a ton of minorities daily )

But why should we help other people when the county cant even solve its own issues?
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Whether the other country helps others or not has nothing to do with it. Even if the wealthy executives of those countries are corrupt, when their innocent citizens suffer, we should still help them.
 
I'm wondering why laptops are being given away to regions with subpar (even unstable) educational systems. :confused:

They need a foundation of sorts, first, if any help is to be useful.
 
watertown28 said:
When was the last time you tried to get food stamps? Its not easy and you pretty much need to give an arm to get any kind of help .

Guys really I dont care if CHARITIES want to help other countries, thats why people Donate money to them. I know alot of countries have it worse, but that does not mean we put our problems on the back burner and try to do all these other things.
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Well, what's you definition of "helping ourselves", then?

Some people believe we should do away with welfare and food stamps because they encourage people not to work. I completely disagree with that view, but it is a pretty popular one.

I'm just saying that a balance exists between domestic and foreign aid programs. When foreign nations need help, they deserve the exact same amount of help we give our own citizens, as they are no less human than us. Right now, foreign countries need more help than us, so we allocate a larger portion of funds to them. After 9/11 and Katrina, our own country needed help, so we used a larger portion of funds for ourselves.

Basically, the entire balance hinges on our ability to recognize that innocent citizens of other countries are no less human than Americans and were not able to control their place of birth, so they deserve the same amount of assistance as Americans. Ideally, other nations would apply the same reasoning and help us when we need it. They don't, but I'm proud that we still do the right thing and help those in need.
 
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