Many (unfortunately) wouldn't read, ebook or paper back. There's still more who would love to read but don't have sufficient books. I wonder whether this would work in Kenya (I have my doubts): http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2011/10/14/public_bookshelves_spread... -- Josiah Mugambi On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 1:29 PM, <ashok+skunkworks@parliaments.info> wrote:
Laban --
You make many good points about how it could be done better -- but as you can see there are many ifs-buts related to either technology being immature/unsuitable, absence of infrastructure and of course the problem of obsolescence and use ("ebook reader has a problem. cannot be fixed, we stopped making that model 2 years ago. buy a new one" ) .
Since the goal is to "make kids read more" rather than "make them read more on an e-reader" , i wonder why a dead-tree book isnt considered a good solution (someone actually asked me "are you serious" with exclamations) - unbreakable, easily fixed, not prone to obsolescence. A library with a 1000 books is more difficult to achieve ?
On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 12:12 PM, Laban Mwangi <lmwangi@gmail.com> wrote:
Lets start with the idea of a ebook reader -- it requires :
1* electricity - to charge the ebook reader
Ebook readers sip power. Modding them to use embedded solar panels may actually work
2* a computer - to add/remove books, update the software etc.
Or comes equiped with 3G and accesses your library in school or.... pay a small fee to a business that runs book rentals and you have access to their entire library.
3* cost - ~ $100 / ebook reader (if it drops, it breaks - yes, i have broken a kindle myself in that simple way ) ,
True. I broke my ebook reader's substrate by placing my elbow on it... The eink substrate can be ruined easily. They can be hardened though.. Thicker glass perhaps? http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77420&page=2&langid=2
~ $300 cheap computer laptop ,
Not necessary.. Use 3g
~ running cost - electricity (fuel)
the link mentioned that the project provided a generator to charge the ebook readers.
project cycles are dependent on funding -- anywhere between quarterly cycles to yearly. very very few projects extend into having a vision beyond a funding cycle or in terms of time -- lets say "a decade".
this thing doesnt look sustainable once the project cycle runs out. they could as well have dropped money from an aeroplane.
Solar cells on the ebook reader or a community solar charger would also work. And, it would outlive the ebook reader. A solar panel can easily last 20 years.
Here's some math (Caveat: These are estimates.): Used to own a pocketbook 302: http://www.pocketbookreader.com/PocketBook_302.html It could easily go for a month on a single charge and I could read a book in direct sunlight. Battery capacity: 2050 mAh Drains in 4 weeks assuming 6 hours use for 5 days =>
In [6]: 2.050/(4*6*5) Out[6]: 0.017083333333333332 That's 170 milliamperes
Assuming a battery that produces 3.7 volts, we are sucking (Watts = volts*amps) from the batt In [7]: 3.7*2.050/(4*6*5) Out[7]: 0.06320833333333334 0.06 watts.
Assuming we have 50% loss from the circuitry, battery charging etc, we need to replenish the number above * 2 to be on the safe side 0.12 watts.
That should be easily covered by a solar charger
Here's a 10 USD 1 watt solar panel: http://www.adafruit.com/products/262
See: http://www.ladyada.net/make/solarlipo/
http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2010/03/how-to/how-to-make-your-own-... http://www.solideas.com/solrcell/english.html http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/donutsolar/
Or maybe, we should wait for Mirasol - http://www.mirasoldisplays.com/kyobo
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke