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[m1garand]

Hello, I am joining the Peace Corps in Togo and was considering purchasing the XO laptop to stay in touch with people back home. I had a couple of questions about the XO I was hoping you could help me with:

1. Power - I have no idea if I will be in an area with electricity. Is there a cheap handcrank that I can buy to power the XO? I looked around in the accessories forum and it didn't seem like there was a small handcrank that could just fit right into the XO.

2. Internet Connection - Do I have to be in range of a WiFi network to connect to the internet? I was under the impression that the XO connected to its own global network from anywhere but I have not really seen any information about this.

Overall do you users think the XO laptop is a suitable way to stay connected with people back home while in the PC? All I basically need is a way to send and receive email.

Thanks for your help!

[AuntiMame]

m1garand,

the hand crank doesn't exist but you can get solar panels (http://xoexplosion.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=16_17&products_id=52) Full disclosure: I'm the person selling the solar panels.

Yes, you need to be within range of a WiFi network. The XOs can communicate with each other, but only within radio range (like WiFi) -- sorry no global network 

The XO is low-power and daylight-readable. You can use Firefox or Opera to access Yahoo or Gmail.


Aunti

[Dinky]

An ordinary internet connection works -- if you can find one.  Is there a larger town within travel distance?   You might be surprised where they show up.

The global network is the Jabber servers:

http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Community_Jabber_Servers

[Mokurai]

Hello, I am joining the Peace Corps in Togo and was considering purchasing the XO laptop to stay in touch with people back home.

Thanks for your help!

Excellent. I was in the Peace Corps in Korea when the government there was buying its first computer, an IBM 360.

I am working on a project in Ghana, just west of Togo. Perhaps some of us can visit sometime.

Do you know where in Togo you will be? I may be able to put you in touch with an NGO that can provide a point-to-point wireless connection 100 km or so out from the nearest access point. Looking at the map, I see that Togo is less than 100 km wide, and the major cities are less than 100 km apart, north to south.

The appropriate electrical supply depends on the terrain and climate. Solar is great in the tropics in open country but not in rain forest, unless somebody knows how to mount panels above the forest understory.

The yoyo charger has been demonstrated, but is not on the market. Perhaps if the Peace Corps decided to order a few thousand units a year to send out with volunteers, Potenco would start production. Would you see if your project management can get that question up the chain to Washington?

Do you know what sort of project you will be working on? If it has anything to do with education, we can help. We can get donations of used computers for any school in Africa where somebody can manage them and teach the teachers how to use them effectively. It isn't as nice as having XOs, but it is better than nothing. We propose to give students a computer at school and another at home, with a USB flash drive to carry work with them. For the schools, we are looking at adapting the Playpump, a schoolyard merry-go-round with a pump mechanism, to be an electrial generator instead. Homes can use storage batteries charged at the school once a week or so.

[Wayan Vota]

Ah Togo!  I think the XO would be a great hit there.  And I think you'll enjoy your time there too.  I know I loved my Togo weekend.

[m1garand]

Thanks for the replies!
I will actually have no idea where the PC is sending me within Togo until after I have started my three month training there first. Therefore there is no way to know if I will be in a place with electricity or with access to a wireless network. I have also shied away from the solar panel option because it involves leaving the laptop/battery outside in the sun to charge so it could be stolen.

I will be doing AIDS/Health education, so not quite school teaching in that sense. Hopefully it means I will be in a city with internet cafes though.

As there isn't any good hand crank on the market and there is no guarantee I will be near a wireless network I think I will opt out of the XO for the moment (unless you all can still convince me otherwise!). I was also considering just a general PDA or cell phone to send email but I have no idea how much it would cost to get a network there and if I could even receive reception. Plus it would still require charging...