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Power Scheme for OLPC Project Falling Into Place
robotrachel writes "According to Technology Review, the $100 laptop intended for children in the developing world will be powered in much the same way that you might start an outboard motor on a boat. The new power system will 'make the laptop much easier to power than it would be with a hand crank, in part, because the users will be able to operate the generator in a variety of ways, including holding the device (the size of two hockey pucks) in one hand and pulling the string with the other, or clamping the generator to a desk, attaching the string to one foot, and using leg power.'" There are plenty of sewing machine treadles in the world, too -- I hope someone can figure out a way to combine them with the new design.
Ok, $30 for something that can temporely power a cell phone. Assume 4X for the power requirements of the $100PC, giving a $120 to power the PC.
Ok, after spening $120 for the solar cells, how much is left over for the $100 PC?
Or, if you decide to only use 3 of these cells (for $90), you have $10 for the rest of the PC. I'm sure that can make a useful PC for less than the cost of a cheap calculator.
Heck, 1 of these is almost 1/3 the price of the entire $100 PC. And then it will only work during clear daylight hours. If you add batteries for continuous work, then you will have to leave your PC out in the sun when you go to work. Good opportunity for someone to collect up several of these (theft) sitting out in the open. Even if the theif only got $1.00 for each one of these he stole, that is still *very* good money in many of the countries being targeted, where the average wage is often less than $40 per year (less than $1.00/week).
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
Well you know the old saying about the man and the fish.
Sure you can give them food and water, but if you also try and get them computers to learn then they might be able to pull future generations out of poverty and improve the overall living conditions of everyone in the area.
Probably not ...
... this is the $100 laptop).
1) Doesn't work in the dark.
2) Expensive (that little one, only powerful enough to charge a cell phone battery, $30
"Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking