Mps Are Told Of Troubles With Computer Tablets: Thailand

[webfact]

MPs are told of troubles with tablets

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The are many problems with the government's "One Tablet Per Student" initiative for Prathom 1 students, a Democrat member of the House's ICT committee said yesterday.

Songkhla MP Sirichok Sopa said only 700 out of 30,000 schools have wireless Internet connections for the tablets. Students aren't allowed to take the tablets home and they are only allowed to use them two hours a day. The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

The TOT spent Bt200 million to hire a private company to make software to prevent the children from accessing to pornographic sites, the panel was told.

Some tablets were broken, mainly due to incomplete operating systems. They were sent for repairs, but the exact number of broken tablets was not known.

-- The Nation 2012-10-12

[Moruya]

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. Poor choice of hardware

[JurgenG]

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. Poor choice of hardware

Poor choice of hardware ? Could you please explain ?

I don't say you're wrong, I just would like to have more details about this deal and why do you think the hardware should be considered as the cause of the troubles.

[Buchholz]

The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

That's rather disconcerting.

.

[Thai at Heart]

The TOT spent Bt200 million to hire a private company to make software to prevent the children from accessing to pornographic sites, the panel was told.

How come this little caveat was hiding. Of course, if the things are only many to be used at school, a network based solution could have been more than feasible.

[LuckyLew]

and no one saw this coming

You get a larger order of cheap tablets from China

What were people expecting?

On another note, seems pretty stupid to give

them to students then tell them they can only use them

for 2 hours a day and that you cannot take them home.

Perhaps the two hour a day limit was imposed because

they Gov't new they would not last long

[MikeOboe57]

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. Poor choice of hardware

Poor choice of hardware ? Could you please explain ?

I don't say you're wrong, I just would like to have more details about this deal and why do you think the hardware should be considered as the cause of the troubles.

Hope this helps:

[...] battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

[Buchholz]

only 700 out of 30,000 schools have wireless Internet connections for the tablets

What happened to the 30 Billion Baht spent for free nation-wide WiFi?

.

.

[colinneil]

Good idea that children cannot take tablets home (big brother give it to me i want to use BREAK) keep them at school 2 hours a day enough for class 1 students.

[ratcatcher]

The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

That's rather disconcerting.

.

"disconcerting"? Heck it could be fatal.

[KireB]

200 million spend on software to block pornography? How much was spend on educational software?

[dcutman]

200 million spend on software to block pornography? How much was spend on educational software?

100 baht, Pantip Plaza?

[jerrysteve]

you always get what you pay for...thats the bottom line...they bought substandard computers and thats what they got.

mickey mouse computers...what goes around comes around...better to leave the computers at school, and lettem take home books; good old

fashion books...

[whybother]

If they're only using them 2 hours a day, why do they need one each. Can't they share?

Sent from my HTC phone.

[OzMick]

Are 6yo's interested in pornography? Would I be surprised if the developer was ShinSoft (or similar)?

Is the 2 hours use/day related to battery life?

[virtualtraveller]

It's just a 3,000 baht vote buying toy, what do you expect. We are all pretty naive to not see through the tongue in cheek effort here.

[Buchholz]

Are 6yo's interested in pornography? Would I be surprised if the developer was ShinSoft (or similar)?

Is the 2 hours use/day related to battery life?

A Chinese tablet manufacturer would be familiar with the biggest blocking country's techniques.

There's also Chalerm's ICT Ministry War Room available for local points on its blocking techniques.

The batteries are insufficient, some don't even get but an hour out of them.

Article in the other paper this morning is reporting on problems with the tablet's battery life not measuring up to advertised specs.

Numerous students in the classroom are having to power down and share a tablet with another student when theirs runs down.

A teacher explained they are unable to recharge all the tablets at the same time because the school doesn't have enough electrical outlets to do so and it takes 5 hours to fully charge the tablets.

They knew this BEFORE they ordered.. the battery size which is 3,000 mah I believe is too small.. on the Samsung WIFI tab i have, the battery is 4,400mah and it lasts approx 6-7 hours with NORMAL usage ( internet, occasional youtube etc) the smaller battery on the Scope would last about 3-5 hours.

Today's article referred to a teacher limiting their student's ScoPad's use to one hour of classroom time a day because of battery and charging issues.

[Buchholz]

If they're only using them 2 hours a day, why do they need one each. Can't they share?

As per the above article, sometimes they have to share their ScoPads in the classroom.

.

[JurgenG]

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. Poor choice of hardware

Poor choice of hardware ? Could you please explain ?

I don't say you're wrong, I just would like to have more details about this deal and why do you think the hardware should be considered as the cause of the troubles.

Hope this helps:

[...] battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

Not really. This is referred as "also" so obviously not the main problem.

But thanks for trying to help.

[rubl]

Students aren't allowed to take the tablets home

Do I remember correctly that we had a recent article saying parents had to sign for the tabletPCs ?

[TommoPhysicist]

The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

That's rather disconcerting.

.

So in Thailand that 5V charging cables are a danger of shock!

[rubl]

The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

That's rather disconcerting.

So in Thailand that 5V charging cables are a danger of shock!

There's this piece of wire going from power outlet to charger, maybe that was meant ?

[Buchholz]

Students aren't allowed to take the tablets home

Do I remember correctly that we had a recent article saying parents had to sign for the tabletPCs ?

That was a different school. There are schools that the ScoPads aren't allowed to be taken home and some that are.

Same as the varying times spent on them in the classroom, eg. at the school you mentioned, they use them only for one hour per day. At that school it is by choice of the teacher; while at other schools that limitation is made by battery and charging issues.

.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Buchholz

[TommoPhysicist]

The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

That's rather disconcerting.

So in Thailand that 5V charging cables are a danger of shock!

There's this piece of wire going from power outlet to charger, maybe that was meant ?

It's a molded PSU plug, like all the other phones and tablets, the only way you could get a shock is to plug it in with your finger between the prongs and the wall outlet.

[hellodolly]

The TOT spent Bt200 million to hire a private company to make software to prevent the children from accessing to pornographic sites, the panel was told.

How come this little caveat was hiding. Of course, if the things are only many to be used at school, a network based solution could have been more than feasible.

Wouldent the money have been better spent making safe recharging cords.

Come on Folks these are Prathom 1 students under supposed supervision.

[hellodolly]

only 700 out of 30,000 schools have wireless Internet connections for the tablets

What happened to the 30 Billion Baht spent for free nation-wide WiFi?

.

.

Check the closets of the MPs

[x5david]

The TOT spent Bt200 million to hire a private company to make software to prevent the children from accessing to pornographic sites, the panel was told.

How come this little caveat was hiding. Of course, if the things are only many to be used at school, a network based solution could have been more than feasible.

True but then the school staff wouldn't be able to continue their porn surfing...

[hellodolly]

Students aren't allowed to take the tablets home

Do I remember correctly that we had a recent article saying parents had to sign for the tabletPCs ?

That was a different school. There are schools that the ScoPads aren't allowed to be taken home and some that are.

Same as the varying times spent on them in the classroom, eg. at the school you mentioned, they use them only for one hour per day. At that school it is by choice of the teacher; while at other schools that limitation is made by battery and charging issues.

.

Depends on the closeness to a pawn shop.

[OzMick]

It's a molded PSU plug, like all the other phones and tablets, the only way you could get a shock is to plug it in with your finger between the prongs and the wall outlet.

While a 6yo's fingers are possibly capable of doing this, if you think that a rectifier/regulator made with cheap and nasty components (cheapest available) couldn't possibly break down and allow 220VAC to the cord, then you are sadly mistaken and have little idea of the wiring diagram. Stick to physics.

[moe666]

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. Poor choice of hardware

Poor choice of hardware ? Could you please explain ?

I don't say you're wrong, I just would like to have more details about this deal and why do you think the hardware should be considered as the cause of the troubles.

It sounds like the battery is a problem that is a piece of hardware