[school-discuss] simputers

["Gordon J. Holtslander" <holtslander@sask.usask.ca>]

Hi:

I have been following the development of the simputer.  The simputer is a 
inexpensive compact handheld linux computer.

Its intended to be used by people in third-world countries with little 
education.  They all use linux and a variety of open-source software.

I'm curious to see if anyone has considered using this in an educational 
context.  

It has two advantages for education; its inexpensive, ($240 to $480) and its 
easy to use.  It does not require a keyboard, but uses a touch-sensitive 
screen.  It could be thought of a very inexpensive tablet computer.

I've thought using a keyboard limits what can be done with computers in 
primary grades, when children have not developed adequate keyboarding skills.

I know of two companies producing simputers:

A company in India is producing  a new version of this called an amida.  

http://amidasimputer.com/

Scientific American reviews it here:

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000454AE-7675-1D7E-90FB809EC5880000&pageNumber=2&catID=2


Another simputer is made by Encore:
http://www.ncoretech.com/simputer/

Both are based on a prototype design of simputer.  The Simputer Trust has 
produced an open-source hardware specification that any company can use to 
design and make their own simputer
http://www.simputer.org/simputer/license/

More on simputer: http://www.simputer.org

Gord
-- 
Gordon J. Holtslander	/	Department of Biology
holtslander@sask.usask.ca /	University of Saskatchewan
Tel 306 966-4433	/	112 Science Place
Fax 306 966-4461	/	Saskatoon SK S7N 5E2
					Canada