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Wed Dec 16
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Gary_7vn Gary_7vn
    12/15/09

    In reply to Pedal-Powered OLPC Tested in Afghanistan: Free Power (and Killer Calves) For All
    Spray painting the actual chain rings might have been a bit much.
     Reply
    Gary_7vn was starred Gary_7vn was unstarred
    Image of Gary_7vn Gary_7vn
    12/15/09

    In reply to Pedal-Powered OLPC Tested in Afghanistan: Free Power (and Killer Calves) For All
    This will come in really handy after WWIII. Not so much after WWIV.
     Reply
    Gary_7vn was starred Gary_7vn was unstarred
    Image of almondrickrossroca almondrickrossroca
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    I used to think getting a star was what commenting was all about. Now that I have an account, I see the real meat and potatoes are the grey comment underworld.

    That said: I'm sad that they are bending out of shape at the office but what I really think is that your "Mark Wilson" should STFU and try not to bad mouth the only people in the business attempting altruism.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards promoted this comment almondrickrossroca was starred almondrickrossroca was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    @almondrickrossroca: He's not bad mouthing, he's providing a valid criticism. How can you expect them to survive in the places they are meant for if they can barely survive in the states.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of jrghoull jrghoull
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: "it's a piece of shit" is not a valid criticism. as for "surviving" the machine really hasn't been placed into an area that it can't run in.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards promoted this comment jrghoull was starred jrghoull was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    @jrghoull: Anything can run anywhere. Hell, I could toss it in an active volcano and it would run. He was questioning its durability and stating that it would be hard pressed to last.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of jrghoull jrghoull
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: as is, the machine will withstand much more than the traditional laptop , and might even last longer.

    He can question it all he likes, but as a news reporter of sorts, he should have something to base such statements on. The above was nothing more than a baseless accusation that was stated as a fact.
     Reply
    jrghoull was starred jrghoull was unstarred
    Image of wwing49 wwing49
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    After deploying 100 of these laptops over the summer to kids in Africa, I can say that while they haven't hit the $100 price point, as Americans we see a laptop for purchase. Developing countries also see a laptop but OLPC sees a huge enrichment to a child's education for under $200.

    Trust me, I know the flaws of this computer and have written a paper about it but the benefits are beyond checking Giz to see Steve Job's every move.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards promoted this comment wwing49 was starred wwing49 was unstarred
    Image of TonyWonder TonyWonder
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    I don't seem to remember him mentioning this during his spot on 60 Minutes...
     Reply
    TonyWonder was starred TonyWonder was unstarred
    Image of Arken Arken
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    Nicholas Negroponte and Tony Blair: separated at birth?
     Reply
    Jesus Diaz promoted this comment Arken was starred Arken was unstarred
    Image of Jesus Diaz Jesus Diaz
    12/04/09

    @Arken: He actually reminds me of Sir Elton John.
     Reply
    Jesus Diaz was starred Jesus Diaz was unstarred
    Image of Segador Segador
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    "he said you can't build it for a hundred dollars, and my answer was oh yes I can."

    Clown nose?
     Reply
    Segador was starred Segador was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    Well, of course Steve Jobs is going to promote the healthy development of children in poor countries. Which other population do you think he will use to farm for organs as he ages? Plus, if theres one thing more rejuvenating than the blood of virgins, it's the blood of orphans.
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of Michael Crider Michael Crider
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    The Jobs helps us all, Jesus. He helps us simply by His presence on this (His) Earth. If more people realized that taking advice from The Jobs is a good, good thing, our economy would stabilize, world peace would be achieved, and no one would ever have to suffer through generic WinTel boxes again.
     Reply
    NorwoodIsMyHero promoted this comment Michael Crider was starred Michael Crider was unstarred
    Image of NorwoodIsMyHero NorwoodIsMyHero
    12/04/09

    @Michael Crider: Jobs will never realize his full potential until you his great prophet suffer the same fate as the great prophet that came before Jesus, John the Baptist.
     Reply
    NorwoodIsMyHero was starred NorwoodIsMyHero was unstarred
    Image of Nandan Desai Nandan Desai
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    and now... how about making those hilariously overpriced mac's cheaper?
     Reply
    Nandan Desai was starred Nandan Desai was unstarred
    Image of Minimum91 Minimum91
    12/04/09

    @Nandan Desai: And why don't other companies who built as-good products as Apple lower their prices? Hh that's right, because it costs money to build a good computer. Doh!
     Reply
    Segador promoted this comment Minimum91 was starred Minimum91 was unstarred
    Image of trevisol trevisol
    12/04/09

    In reply to Steve Jobs Helped Negroponte With the OLPC Laptop
    I didn't know Charles Grodin was the head of OLPC. . . .
     Reply
    Curves promoted this comment trevisol was starred trevisol was unstarred
    Image of Curves Curves
    12/04/09

    @trevisol: Just his hair.
     Reply
    Curves was starred Curves was unstarred
    Image of SigmundTheSeaMonster SigmundTheSeaMonster
    12/04/09

    @Curves: Charles Grodin's Hair® approves this comment
     Reply
    SigmundTheSeaMonster was starred SigmundTheSeaMonster was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    12/04/09

    @trevisol: I don't know. That guy looks like the Grynch physically manifested in real life.
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of Markarian Markarian
    11/04/09

    In reply to Rest In Peace, Ridiculous Dual-Screen OLPC XO-2
    I'm really not surprised. The concept shown above is the kind of product a Chinese megafacturer could sell at $400 wholesale. There's no way it would have been half as economical as the XO. OLED and eInk, flexible displays, are about at the stage that LCD computer monitors were in early-to-mid 90s. You see it Popular Science and on the Discovery channel, but it'll be a good decade before it's really prevalent in your home.

    And yes, my prognostication may be quite a bit off. But let's face it, they've been demoing this stuff for the last five years and we have only a dozen or so consumer products to show for it. And they sure aren't cheap enough for the average Ugandan 4th grader.
     Reply
    fuchikoma promoted this comment Edited by Markarian at 11/04/09 5:23 AM Markarian was starred Markarian was unstarred
    Image of fuchikoma fuchikoma
    11/05/09

    @Markarian: Exactly. I have an XO-1 and it's great for what it is. I'd be totally up for a transflective waterproof tablet like they're talking about, but the dualscreen XO idea just baffled me - it's like they went from trying to make a laptop for under $100 to giving up on that and trying to compete with Apple for the next slickest gadget. #olpcxo2
     Reply
    fuchikoma was starred fuchikoma was unstarred
    Image of Bokusatsu_Tenshi Bokusatsu_Tenshi
    10/13/09

    In reply to Pedal-Powered OLPC Tested in Afghanistan: Free Power (and Killer Calves) For All
    So, what happens when those kids finds out about porn?
    HUGE HULK legs, that's what...
     Reply
    Bokusatsu_Tenshi was starred Bokusatsu_Tenshi was unstarred
    Image of Electp33 Electp33
    10/13/09

    In reply to Pedal-Powered OLPC Tested in Afghanistan: Free Power (and Killer Calves) For All
    Actually, we have GPRS in most major cities here in Afghanistan through at least 3 providers, so a tethered cell phone would get them 15kbps download speed for about $40 a month.
     Reply
    Danny Allen approved this comment Electp33 was starred Electp33 was unstarred
    Image of Bertone77 Bertone77
    10/13/09

    In reply to Pedal-Powered OLPC Tested in Afghanistan: Free Power (and Killer Calves) For All
    These guys need the help of a good engineer.

    From what I can see it seems like they are only stepping down a small bit to increase the rotation of the top shaft making the pedaling somewhat more productive.

    But if they added a few more steps they could probably get that top shaft wizzing fast enough to power two or more laptops.
     Reply
    Bertone77 was starred Bertone77 was unstarred
    Image of Curves Curves
    10/13/09

    @Bullet77: I am not an engineer, but I am wondering why 2 foot pedals and not one pedal like on my grandmothers old sewing machine, which would seem easier, less shakey and can be powered (if needed) by one foot.
     Reply
    Curves was starred Curves was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_My Brute Dojo CDIAFIFE GitEmSteveDave_My Brute Dojo CDIAFIFE
    10/13/09

    @Curves: The "treadle" is good for power, like driving the needle of a sewing machine, but it can also be very tiring. This set up requires minimal power vs. a treadle.
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_My Brute Dojo CDIAFIFE was starred GitEmSteveDave_My Brute Dojo CDIAFIFE was unstarred
    Image of met2art met2art
    10/13/09

    @Curves: A treadle could be easily implemented, even with the pedal design. I would imagine that the design was based largely on available salvage. A treadle design would also be more difficult with a chain, as it would require a ratcheting sprocket design on the "up take" to avoid hitching (for those slow on the uptake), and possibly introduce more mechanical drag. A belt would work but introduce slippage and "wow" over time, as well as requiring a large flywheel to maintain the high speed necessary in the step-up (as the large iron flywheel on the side of the sewing machine did, or the large wooden wheel of treadle spinning wheels).
     Reply
    Curves promoted this comment met2art was starred met2art was unstarred
    Image of MaQ MaQ
    10/13/09

    @Curves: I was planing, and still am, on doing just that, just for fun.

    I got all I need so it's only the question of when I'll do it.
     Reply
    MaQ was starred MaQ was unstarred
    Image of Curves Curves
    10/13/09

    @met2art: I love engineers......and whats so nice at Giz is that no matter what I ask, SOMEONE has the answer. Thank you.
     Reply
    Curves was starred Curves was unstarred
    Image of Curves Curves
    10/13/09

    @MaQ: lol@ for fun. Will you salvage an old Singer or start from square 1?
     Reply
    Curves was starred Curves was unstarred
    Image of MaQ MaQ
    10/15/09

    @Curves: I'll start from a Singer and see if I could use it as is,

    I aim to make it practical and disturb it as least as possible.

    I'll post the results

    ^__^

    The origin of the idea is from a while back, when I was considering how to keep my lifestyle in case of some horrific disaster, which would leave us without el. power for indefinite period of time.

    Solar power is cool but this came up as the ultimate idea and totally practical, and as you said:
    " seem easier, less shakey and can be powered (if needed) by one foot."

    so you could take turns and keep it going.

    It seams being practical has nothing to do with the engineering degree,
    (:though I'm getting mine soon:)

    :) #pedalpoweredolpcbeingtestedina...
     Reply
    MaQ was starred MaQ was unstarred
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