Uruguay has become the first country to provide a laptop for every child in state primary school.

[onehandle]

President Tabaré Vázquez presented the final XO model laptops to pupils at a school in Montevideo on 13 October.

Over the last two years 362,000 pupils and 18,000 teachers have been involved in the scheme.

The "Plan Ceibal" (Education Connect) project has allowed many families access to the world of computers and the internet for the first time.

Uruguay is part of the One Laptop Per Child scheme, an organisation set up by internet pioneer Nicholas Negroponte. His original vision was to provide laptops at $100 (£61) but they proved more expensive.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8309583.stm

America. Ever falling behind.

[BlueJazz]

1. Ha ! Typical

1. Cost to much
2. Socialists
3. They'll play games on them.
4. They will give up reading
5. The people who make the money should get to keep it.

I was just thinking of what the repugs will say. :)

[Joanne98]

2. Leftist President Vazquez also authorized civil unions for gays.

Uruguay, a nation of some 3.5 million people, already authorized gay civil unions last year in a departure from its more conservative neighbors in the region.

Vazquez, the first leftist leader in Uruguayan history, also opened access for homosexuals to military schools in May despite huge opposition from the country's religious leaders and some right-wing politicians.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5it9NT4_MzPR73Wi9R-L1cFM7cMyg

Equality and education for the poor. What a great guy.

[Oregone]

3. Sweet. More consumers of online porn and penis enhancement meds

[nyc 4 Biden]

13. True. But it also means more DUers.

:D

[struggle4progress]

4. Left Alliance Retains Strong Lead in Uruguay (Angus-Reid 15 Oct)

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Uruguay’s Progressive Encounter - Broad Front (EP-FA) is heading to this month’s elections with a solid advantage, according to a poll by Factum. 44 per cent of respondents would vote for the governing alliance of left-wing parties, unchanged since September.

The opposition National Party-Whites (PN-B) are second with 29 per cent—down three points in a month—followed by the Red Party (PC) with 11 per cent, the Independent Party (PI) with three per cent, and the People’s Assembly (AP) with only one per cent. The results of this survey suggest that a presidential run-off will be required.

Tabaré Vázquez—nominee for the EP-FA—won the October 2004 election with 50.45 per cent of the vote, becoming the first Uruguayan president to represent a political organization other than the PC and the PN-B.

The president officially took over in March 2005, and began his government with majorities in the Chamber of Deputies—with 52 lawmakers in the 99-seat lower house—and the Chamber of Senators—with 18 legislators in the 31-seat upper house. Vázquez is constitutionally barred from seeking a second consecutive term ...

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/34294/left_alliance_retains_strong_lead_in_uruguay/

[Colobo]

5. Uruguay is very progressive, except when it comes to improving the conditions of

Afro-Uruguayans...

[struggle4progress]

6. Playing with a Sugar emulation | March 2009 (Running Sugar in Sun Virtual Box)

http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2009/03/15/playing-with-a-sugar-emulation-xo-laptop-operating-system/

[Vidar]

7. Bravo Uruguay!

[struggle4progress]

8. XO Laptop Specs (2007)

http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2007/12/19/xo-laptop-specs-for-those-interested/

[struggle4progress]

9. OLPC XO Laptop 1.5 with VIA processor demoed – Video

http://www.liliputing.com/2009/09/olpc-xo-laptop-1-5-with-via-processor-demoed-video.html

[n2doc]

10. When I visited there they told me Uruguay had the flattest wealth distribution

of any SA country. I could believe it, the countryside was beautiful and Montevideo had little apparent crime. Nice place.

[Odin2005]

11. While here in the US we have entrenched intrests that dismiss technology in education as a gimmick.

[ensho]

12. kick

nt