4 ms·

We've had cheap computers in every generation, remember the Sinclair ZX81 ? ($100 when a PC was $1500+) What sparks tinkering and innovation is open minds and

by ck2 11y ago

We've had cheap computers in every generation, remember the Sinclair ZX81 ? ($100 when a PC was $1500+) What sparks tinkering and innovation is open minds and creative thought processes. (as well as laws that don't get in the way of tinkering) Those kinds of minds find the tools, not the other way around.

protomyth 11y ago
> We've had cheap computers in every generation, remember the Sinclair ZX81 ? I would dispute that. That was the 8-bit era. An entry level programmable computer in the sub $100 price range has been missing for a long time.
- ck2 11y ago
  A $10 smartphone today is as powerful if not more powerful than most of these attempts at low end computing. Just needs a keyboard and HDMI output.
  - ghkbrew 11y ago
    Do $10 smartphones exist today?
    - shiftpgdn 11y ago
      On the second hand market, as a locked down android phone, absolutely.
    - ck2 11y ago
      In the USA there is a $10 smartphone sale practically every week of one brand or another. This week: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/tracfone-alcatel-onetouch-pixi-glitz-no-contract-cell-phone-black/4427501.p http://www.bestbuy.com/site/tracfone-alcatel-onetouch-pixi-g... It's very low end for a smartphone but can run almost any android apk and use wifi even without airtime. Some $10 phones can be rooted and then you almost have a full linux-like system. For $20 you can get quad-core with 1GB of ram: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-LG-Prepaid-Destiny-L21G-Smartphone/45822123 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-LG-Prepaid-Destiny-L...
      - protomyth 11y ago
        I'm not sure a $10 smartphone is going to be bought for a elementary school child to learn to program on. Nontechnical parents are not going to buy something like that, root it, and teach their child to program. The glory of the 8-bit era was the ready to go nature of the programming environment and the cheap price.

by ck2 11y ago

protomyth 11y ago

> We've had cheap computers in every generation, remember the Sinclair ZX81 ? I would dispute that. That was the 8-bit era. An entry level programmable computer in the sub $100 price range has been missing for a long time.

ck2 11y ago
A $10 smartphone today is as powerful if not more powerful than most of these attempts at low end computing. Just needs a keyboard and HDMI output.
- ghkbrew 11y ago
  Do $10 smartphones exist today?
  - shiftpgdn 11y ago
    On the second hand market, as a locked down android phone, absolutely.
  - ck2 11y ago
    In the USA there is a $10 smartphone sale practically every week of one brand or another. This week: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/tracfone-alcatel-onetouch-pixi-glitz-no-contract-cell-phone-black/4427501.p http://www.bestbuy.com/site/tracfone-alcatel-onetouch-pixi-g... It's very low end for a smartphone but can run almost any android apk and use wifi even without airtime. Some $10 phones can be rooted and then you almost have a full linux-like system. For $20 you can get quad-core with 1GB of ram: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-LG-Prepaid-Destiny-L21G-Smartphone/45822123 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Straight-Talk-LG-Prepaid-Destiny-L...
    - protomyth 11y ago
      I'm not sure a $10 smartphone is going to be bought for a elementary school child to learn to program on. Nontechnical parents are not going to buy something like that, root it, and teach their child to program. The glory of the 8-bit era was the ready to go nature of the programming environment and the cheap price.