I was looking at an article at LLRX.com titled, “Reviewing the XO “$100” Laptop”. After reading the article I gathered some additional resources about this machine.
Here is the Wikipedia entry.
Video at YouTube of Brewster Kahle demonstrating the XO laptop as an e-book.
Another YouTube video: A Librarian Reviews the XO Laptop
YouTube video by librarian in link above: XO Laptop Ebook Reader Demo
I’ve had mine for a month…
I just don’t know what to do with it. I turned it on every day for the first 2 weeks hoping to see another XO in the “neighborhood.” but nothing. so now it sits here like a misfit toy…
And can we stop with the “$100” crap?
$188 is not $100. It’s not even “$100.”
If the local Honda dealer said I could buy a Civic for “$10,000” and the cheapest model on the lot was $18,800, they’d be in trouble with the authorities.
Most of the time I see this, there aren’t even scare quotes. Big Nick said it would be $100, therefore it must be $100 even if it’s $188. Right?
Hoping to use it as an ebook reader
I’m still waiting for mine. Might get on the phone with people tomorrow.
When it comes in, my idea is to try it out as a public domain e-reader. I’ve got a number of PDF public domain books that I can’t really get into on the computer and the XO seemed like a good alternative. Also, my spouse is a fiend for sci-fi fanfic. If I can convince her to read the stuff on the XO, I won’t have to deal with three foot high piles of fanfic stories in my house.
I’ll offer a review of the XO as ebook reader here and at Alaskan Librarian when it finally comes in.
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“No doubt another may also think for me; but it is not therefore desirable that he should do so..” – Thoreau
the xo for ebooks
it connects to wireless easily but the first download was confusing. I don’t remember the particulars, but I think I had to download then go to the journal to open it.
my problem is that the battery life seems very short, just a few hours. but I think that’s because I leave the broadcast on and sometimes forget to lower the screen brighness. you can lower it down to almost nothing and still read ebooks clearly.
don’t forget to take advantage of the t-mobile free access for one year which you need to register for with the customer number from your xo.