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Organizations have put a strong emphasis on giving people in developing regions of the world access to both technology and the Internet

A fleet of buses and motorcycles equipped with wi-fi Internet are helping villages and towns located in developing nations have access to the Internet.  United Villages, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based organization uses a caravan to tour select locations in Cambodia, Rwanda, Paraguay and India.  

Users of a village computer in a town can request specific information that will be updated before the bus and motorcycle caravan leave the village.  The bus will then update the information after re-entering the village.  Users in India without an Internet connection can now pay a small fee to be able to surf the Internet -- users can also spend a few extra rupees and make special requests to get additional information on a subject or topic that has not been introduced before.

The vehicles equipped with wi-fi have the ability to deliver and collect e-mails.  

The people in the village also utilize the technology to order items such as fertilizers, medicine and books.  "What we've done is created a catalogue of those products that they can order at the kiosk and get them delivered the next day via the bus," said Amir Hassan, founder of United Villages.

Companies and non-profit organizations are attempting to help developing nations bridge the technological gap in numerous ways.  The One Laptop Per Child group announced last month that the organization has 1 million XO notebook units ready to ship, with nations in both South America and Africa showing interest in the low-cost notebooks.  Intel also has shown interest in both offering an OLPC rival along with creating Internet access in remote regions of the world.

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Reminds me of UUCP
By Targon on 3/30/2007 5:14:07 PM , Rating: 3
Back in the early days of the Internet, businesses and other networks would be able to send and receive Internet e-mail and usenet feeds by uploading and downloading the information in batches. This story strikes me as using that concept, but using a less sophisticated system to do the transfer of data.




RE: Reminds me of UUCP
By Zoomer on 4/2/2007 1:32:23 PM , Rating: 2
User to bus: http://google.com/
Bus to user: <Google logo>, <textbox> (+1 day)
User to bus: nekked women <enter>
Bus to user: <Google logo>, <textbox>, 10 of 100732 trillion results. Or did you mean "naked women"? (+1 day)
User to bus: Click "naked women"
Bus to user: <Google logo>, <textbox>, 10 of 100732 trillion results. (+1 day)
User to bus: Click <result 1>
Bus to user: If you are over 18, click to enter site! (+1 day)
User to bus: Click enter site
Bus to user: Sex! Sex! Sex! <image palceholder> <image placeholder> <image placeholder> (+1 day)
User: Fxxxx! This $^#%&#$&#$#@ thing doesn't support images!!!

All within 5 days.


By Larrymon2000 on 3/30/2007 8:54:13 PM , Rating: 2
Don't say I didn't warn you so... people in these areas would kill to be able to go from point A to point B.




By bbomb on 3/30/2007 11:36:24 PM , Rating: 2
I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking the exact same thing.


Waste of Money
By crystal clear on 3/31/2007 2:23:07 AM , Rating: 2
"United Villages, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based organization uses a caravan to tour select locations in Cambodia, Rwanda, Paraguay "

These locations or villages need-

Electricity,Clean drinking water,Health services,Access roads & infratructure,Communications(basic),Agriculture assistance,Basic Education etc.

Try visiting these remote locations (villiages)-then they
will know whats NEEDED URGENTLY.

In such locations, women delivery babies NOT in Hospitals but....
at HOME !!! in extremely unhygenic conditions.(there is NO doctor around).
This -just an example of many more !!!!




RE: Waste of Money
By Nyu on 3/31/2007 4:26:17 AM , Rating: 1
What they need first is a brainwash and get them rid of stupid religions so they stop killing each other and giving AIDS to virgins. Maybe then they will have any chance at developing.


RE: Waste of Money
By crystal clear on 4/1/2007 6:42:26 AM , Rating: 1
People dont need religion to kill each other-They kill just for anything,even in the developed countries like yours & mine.
For money,power,jealousy,land,business,women,-just name it & many a times for NO REASON-in the developed WEST.

So your argument is not VALID.

Where, there is a WILL THERE IS A WAY-dont reject them outright.


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