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from the of-course-it-is-impossible-to-get-online-using-a-desktop dept.
US Laptop Shortage Could Derail Remote Learning:
As students and teachers prepare for a return to in-person learning for at least some of the time this fall, many of the nation's schools are facing shortages and delays for laptops and tablets needed for online learning, an Associated Press investigation revealed.
Lenovo, HP and Dell, the nation's largest computer companies, have informed school districts that they are short nearly five million laptops.
[...] Last month, at the request of President Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Commerce imposed sanctions on 11 Chinese companies, including Lenovo, AP reported. School administrators have asked the Trump administration to devise a solution because remote learning without laptops is impossible.
Lenovo has informed school districts of the supply chain delays and the trade controls set by the Commerce Department, which would cause another slowdown. Lenovo declined to respond to an inquiry from AP.
Have any Soylentils run into this?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Sunday August 30 2020, @02:44PM (9 children)
Isn't education supposed to be accessible to everybody, rich and poor?
I'd imagine purchasing a laptop and having a fast-enough internet connection to attend classes is not an insignificant strain on the poorest in society. What's done to help them, is what I keep wondering.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Tokolosh on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:03PM (3 children)
I' keep wondering what they are doing to help themselves?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:14PM
Don't be callous. Many poor people are not in a position to help themselves, even when they're willing and in good enough health to give it a try.
But education is meant to give these people's kids opportunities, and a way out of poverty. If education is less accessible to the poor, that chance is taken away from them.
(Score: 4, Touché) by JoeMerchant on Sunday August 30 2020, @04:42PM
>what they are doing to help themselves?
Attending school, for one thing.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @06:46PM
Voting Democrat.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:21PM
https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/10/21173534/fcc-broadband-rural-funding-limits-ajit-pai-chuck-schumer-gillibrand [theverge.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:32PM
I posted this up-thread: our school district is trying to buy cheap Chromebooks for all of the students so poor families and unemployed people don't get slammed with the costs, but they can't find enough supply.
That doesn't help families that can't afford a good internet connection, they're still fucked. But at least it's not an extra financial burden.
My wife and I lucked out with the timing of COVID-19, our youngest kid is 10 and the older ones can watch her. My wife can do her medical job and I can do mine, and the kids are okay. But for families with younger kids, many are fucked - most of the daycares aren't opening, so the parents can't work because they have to watch their kids. My employer has been incredibly nice to my coworkers with young kids, they're letting them draw full time salaries while they work half time and quarter time with noisy toddlers under their care. I love my kids more than anything, but if I was trying to work while watching them at a preschool age I would go insane.
(Score: 4, Informative) by JoeMerchant on Sunday August 30 2020, @04:36PM
In our district, if you need a laptop for school you basically raise your hand and get one. It's not a particularly great laptop, probably wouldn't pawn for $50, but they do just hand them out when need is indicated, and they're good enough to do lessons on.
All but the poorest in our district do seem to have nice newish phones, and many of the kids are accessing online school through their phones most of the time - even if they also have a laptop.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Sunday August 30 2020, @08:21PM (1 child)
You'd think that smartphones have been powerful enough for 5-8 years at this point to double as laptops in a pinch, if only an external monitor protocol was standardized on them. Add a Bluetooth or even wired mouse and keyboard (at least on Android) and shouldn't you be able to do a lot on them?
Even without the monitor, a trip to the library or the neighbor to ask if you can use their Wi-Fi until your kids can go back to school, you should be able to get at least some things done on your phone -- maybe not in the best way, but it's something.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Sunday August 30 2020, @09:33PM
Some schools are setting up access points in the neighbourhoods with the least amount of internet access. Others are handling out SIM cards for smart phone access.
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