olpc design analysis

OLPC DESIGN ANALYSIS

“One laptop per child”

2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4292854.stm

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

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http://www.coroflot.com/michel_alvarez/Hundred-Dollar-Laptop-OLPC

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Pictures

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Pictures

http://news.cnet.com/2300-11386_3-10012657-7.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqTYksKK-M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqTYksKK-M

2006

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Pictureshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pete/sets/72057594143224765/with/152123539/

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Pictures

http://www.fuseproject.com/press/low_res%20versions/Curve%20Issue%2022_email.pdf

http://www.fuseproject.com/pdf/OLPC%20Case%20Study.pdf

2007

http://www.deeshaa.org/2007/04/23/ieee-spectrum-on-the-olpc/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-P5LsFfaro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-P5LsFfaro

http://www.flickr.com/photos/knightfoundation/6771617469/http://www.flickr.com/photos/olpc/page74/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieter-bidia/2925665693/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9qLLc4w-OE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5IfownwdWk

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/latest-update-on-negropontes-100-laptop/3635http://www.technologyreview.com/news/406141/powering-the-100-laptop/

http://www.olpcnews.com/hardware/power_supply/string_power_to_the_1.html

http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/hardware/the-laptop-crusade/0http://www.technologyreview.com/news/406141/powering-the-100-laptop/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dvdOoXfHwI

Members of the OLPC team, working with product design firm Squid Labs, in

Alameda, Calif., found that a small child, using her arms to power a hand crank,

could produce only 5 to 10 watts for a few minutes before her arms got tired. It would take about 10 minutes of cranking out 5 W to power the machine for 20 minutes in its

color graphics mode.

The OLPC designers considered solar cells but rejected them as too expensive. They

then turned to Squid Labs, which came up with an ingenious solution: a

microgenerator powered by a pull string, similar to the assembly used to start a lawn

mower.

http://www.slideshare.net/satishjha/2011-why-olpc#btnNext

http://hijinksensue.com/2007/11/26/when-you-can-see-the-giraffes-eyes-its-already-too-late/

http://notebooks.com/2007/11/29/funny-olpc-comic/

http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1054.html

http://boards.core77.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12621

I believe feature-wise, and its purpose is bang on. However I tend to question the aesthetic. What I question is does it match the device's purpose?... Having been to areas where this is intended to be used

the aesthetic doesn't match. For a lack of better word, it is over-stylized. Will something that looks "cool" become a beacon for theft?

Functionally, there are 4 hinges (if you count each antenna "ear" as each having a hinge). Africa in

particular is innundated with pervasive red dirt. The stuff gets EVERYWHERE.

Tweet: jonwinebrenner

you're absolutely correct, it appears to have no connection to its stated purpose. I think most of these designed items for the 3rd

world, "bringing technology to the worlds kids", are design and media exercises for their creators.

by pier » April 11th, 2007

http://boards.core77.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12621

it's designerly aesthetic seems

remarkably similar to this: except not as

cool...

i just want to see how the power crank works...

twitter.com/madhero101

by yo » April 10th, 2007

Unless there is an armed guard these things are a beacon

for theft. Tweet: jonwinebrenner

I keep thinking of the Apple eMate circa 1997

by cg » April 11th, 2007

If this thing is durable, but looks like a toy, is

that a good design decision?

Tweet: jonwinebrenner

http://inhabitat.com/fuseprojects-award-winning-xo-laptop/

So my concern is more the design of the product. This thing is slick and very modern looking. It LOOKS better and more expensive than $130. Even if

these devices get into children’s hands, is having them look the way they do going to attract more attention? I suppose 1M units going to Nigeria could effectively flood the market and make this point moot. But I still question the aesthetic of a product that looks like it should be sitting on my desk

next to my iPod in the environment that it is going to.

http://www.aialone.com/

you're absolutely correct, it appears to have no connection to its stated purpose. I think most of these designed items for the 3rd

world, "bringing technology to the worlds kids", are design and media exercises for their creators.

by pier » April 11th, 2007

http://www.fuseproject.com/category-1-product-652008

http://www.intel.sg/content/www/us/en/intel-learning-series/technology-to-classroom.html

http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2007/09/its_time_to_call_one_laptop_per_child_a_failure.htmlhttp://www.hackeducation.com/2012/04/09/the-failure-of-olpc/

http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/peru/who_is_to_blame_for_olpc_peru.html

“OLPC… broke the most important design rule from the very beginning of the project. Design from the bottom up, not top down. This was, almost in every way, a traditional top down product development”