#keepod

Keepod overcomes most of the traditional constraints that are preventing personal computing for children around the world. Instead of trying to manufacture cheap PCs, they reuse old ones that are thrown away and are widely available.

Começa na África a revolução do acesso ao computador pessoal usando um pen-drive. 

Worst of all, if you read Keepod’s Indegogo page, you might think that Keepods alone will “create new economic opportunities that will in turn allow the people [Mathare slum, Nairobi, Kenya] to solve other problems”. As if waving a few LiveUSB sticks over the populace will automagically erase land rights issues, low education levels, discrimination, pollution, and sanitation problems.

Please repeat yet again, “technology is not a silver bullet,” and remember it’s a supporting actor to human intention and capacity for change.

Great article debunking the "Keepod" and outlining the actual steps we need to narrow the digital divide in developing countries:

Following up on my recent post about the CloudPC, I've just learned about a new project which is much closer to my original proposal, but with a twist. A very good twist.

The Keepod is a USB stick that contains a simple operating system and storage. As explained in this BBC article about the Keepod, the goal is to give people in the developing world their own personal and portable computing environment. They simply take their Keepod with all their programs and data on it, and plug it into any available networked computer. For the Keepod's target base, that's likely to be an old or recycled PC. When they're done using it, they unplug the Keepod and the next user takes their place.

No one needs to own expensive hardware, everyone gets their own private environment with all their own information on it. It has a lot in common with my original idea, except that where I was thinking about what a privileged Westerner (me) might need, the Keepod inventors are thinking about the needs of people in the rest of the world.

Recently, a startup called Keepod launched a new product, a simple flashdrive with a bootable Linux operating system incorporated, allowing everyone to have proprietary access to computing resources.

Keepod recently raised over $40,000 against a goal of just $38,000 on Indiegogo.

According to the company, "Globally there are 5 billion people who still do not have access to personal computing. There are many great initiatives that try to bridge the digital divide, but with little success thus far. By separating the Software from the Hardware, Keepod manages to overcome most of the traditional constraints that were preventing personal computing from many."

On Thursday, April 10 at 11:00 Eastern, Keepod co-founder and CEO Nissan Bahar will join me for a live chat about his innovative new product.

Tune in here then to watch the interview live.

About Keepod:

Our secure and lightweight operating system, Keepod OS, is designed for users to have their own portable OS, using any PC as nothing more than an empty shell.

Keepod OS runs from any USB drive, eliminating the dependency on one computer, and was developed emphasizing privacy protection, user choice and digital freedom.

We believe that computing should be accessible to everyone as well as being more secure and fun.

Keepod Ltd is registered in the UK and employs staff around the world. Our team is located in: London, Tel Aviv, Milan, Paris, Frankfurt and St. Petersburg.