Talk:Hardware ideas

Smartphone idea from USer:Php5.

There is an interesting presentation of how the prototype was produced.

http://www.dcontinuum.com/content/

http://www.dcontinuum.com/content/show.php?id=4

On the above page, clicking on the next>> moves to the next frame in a sequence.

RAM is cheap

The laptop's RAM cannot be expanded in the field. As DRAM can't be added, it could be a limiting factor to a child's learning experience. I know when I was learning to program I made some really ugly routines that wasted huge amounts of RAM. I think that 256 MB would be worth the costs.

Buying higher-density chips on the spot market to get 256 MB appears to raise costs by less then $3. It looks like the 128 Mb chips are $2.05 and the 256 Mb chips are $2.39 so the price difference for 8 chips is just $2.72.

(I think if someone was willing to register they could get more info here dramexchange[1])

Display Size in mm

The Display of the laptop will be 7.5" diagonal display (6"×4.5"). 1mm is 7.9155673 Pixel. Everybody (except USA) is using the metric system.

Why not use "dot per mm", "mm per pixel",... that would be much easier to understand.

   150mm * 106mm , 1500 pixel * 1060 pixel 

would be much easier.

Branching out already

This is good to think such medical services could be accessed by poor people in remote areas. The one laptop per child is already turning into cheap laptops for all. And really, that's how technology should be; a good laptop is the equivalent of a pen and paper of the past. An essential part of a productive life. Bihni Jawboot

I would like to suggest a touch screen for this new laptop, I currently own a Psion netbook (yes very old) but it works well and the touchscreen is considerably better solution than any touchpad

Can I suggest using a touchscreen in preference to a touchpad, I currently use a Psion netbook, which is now quite old. A touchscreen is far easier to use and is also very useful for drawing diagrams, pictures etc

Do you actually use the touchscreen, or is the screen still unscratched? AlbertCahalan 18:44, 2 March 2007 (EST)

Keyboard layouts

Why are we still teaching " Q-W-E-R-T-Y "

The Davorak layout has been around for so many years now Why not teach it! (I still have an Apple-IIc c.1985 and much preferred it's switchable keyboard layout).

Teaching kids whom have never seen a computer or even a typewriter an outdated keyboard layout does not make much sense to me, though it may be easier for their teachers who learned it in their own studies!

--Chief Mike 09:25, 5 January 2007 (EST)

Alternative Peripherals

I find the idea that the laptop is meant to be hand operated to be very interesting. Wouldn't it be possible to produce USB peripherals that have an important community use but not necessarily be entwined with the laptop itself? However, running the laptop while running said peripherals would be a waste of wear and tear on the internal laptop components. Would it be possible to separate the handcrank and battery system from the laptop. Thus, one could create a hand-cranked light. Furthermore, it would allow future peripherals to be created and then distributed in the future after the laptop itself had been distributed.

Okita 5:07 PM, 13 April 2007 (EST)

Screen & posture

Lots of us, students and kids are on their computers for hours and hours. As a former instructor I taught my students healthy computer habits, including posture. Hours of looking down at a screen is worrisome for anyone – especially for kids whose bodies are developing. My suggestion: Make the screen removable and able to stand on its own. This way a child could place the screen higher, at eye level, keeping her/his neck & back straight. Children would also be able to place the screen closer or further away (depending on their eyesight) while still having the keyboard in a comfortable position.

I have no idea if this is possible without making cables or some other parts vulnerable. I am an animator, not a product designer, but I often wish I could detach the screen from my ibook...

Agree with above... ergo survey and evaluation...

I've been using the XO Laptop as a night time reading material, before I fall asleep.

The "sitting in bed" position, is tough with the XO Laptop. The buttons are hard to use with it pressing against stomach (wish I could use the 'Hands' buttons for right-button click). And view of screen is sometimes awkward.

Now.. I know that it's not a typical viewing/using position. But at least some food for thought. :)

Note: Sometimes I use a USB mouse or USB keyboard for better control and ergo environment. It looks awfly weird sitting in bed, with all the cables around to this small green box. :)

--ixo 21:51, 30 December 2007 (EST)

Directional pad and game keys locations

If the directional and controller buttons were at the top (as opposed to the bottom) they would be easily accessible when the laptops are held vertically, which would be very useful for the hand-held mode. Given the rotation of the screen, they would be optimal for both left and right handers. It's crucial that the buttons remap when the screen rotates (eg. the triangle becomes right -instead of up- when in portrait layout with the bottom of the screen near the controller buttons).

Copied from Talk:OLPC_Human_Interface_Guidelines/The_Sugar_Interface#Directional_pad_and_game_keys_locations. Something to evaluate for XO-2. --FGrose 16:19, 19 March 2008 (EDT)