Whiz Kids - Wi-Fi Global Village
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Whiz Kids
Wi-Fi Global Village
One Laptop per Child Foundation is on a mission to ensure that all school-aged children in developing countries are able to network with the world and learn via their own laptop. It’s an astonishing experiment aimed to hand out five million XO laptops by the end of this year. Their ultimate vision is to reach 1 billion children.
The cool XO computer manufactured by Quanta Computer in Taiwan for just over $100 is being sold to cooperating governments for distribution. Its slew of innovations include a super-high-resolution screen that reads clearly outdoors, super-low power consumption, and rugged water- and dirt-resistant casing housing Linux open-source software. Children can browse endless subjects, read and discuss books online, and share photos, video, music/audio and text over local "mesh networks."
The computers forego rote learning exercises to promote more creative methods. "One of the misconceptions about computers and kids is that kids need training, that they need to be taught how to use a computer," says Walter Bender, head of One Laptop per Child software and content development. But he says that 40 years of evidence prove otherwise. In the absence of classes and trainers, "kids teach each other."
Support the cause at Laptop.org. Source: The Christian Science Monitor
