Cybiko

I have fond memories of the Cybiko handheld computer. Originally priced at $200, and eventually being available in mass quantities for less than $70, the Cybiko was a PDA designed for teens and tweens. It was my first introduction to serious programming, and I programmed for it in CyBASIC, C, and B2C (a BASIC-to-C converter created by Greg Smith).

It particularly reminds me of olpc because it had mesh networking capability (over 900 MHz) over which you could send messages, transfer files, and play games wirelessly. There was also a web browser created by the 3rd-party Community. Furthermore, the device has a full QWERTY keyboard and directional arrows that can be used for controlling a cursor. It was released in 2000; I got one in 2001 for $130; I worked on it for about two to three years.

The Cybiko was the One Laptop for me and my childhood. It changed my life for the better. It serves as an example of how I know OLPC can definitely become a reality for millions (billions?) of kids around the world.

Elliot Lee