A device for Twitter for the developing world... | Hacker News Reader

A device for Twitter for the developing world...

7 pointskarpj14 comments

I've started a new project and I would like to get the HN community's thoughts.

I'm creating a device for using Twitter that:

1) is totally self-contained, 2) uses solar / hand crank power, and 3) uses satellites for connectivity (so it can be used anywhere on Earth).

The device will take different form factors, i.e. one version will be a tablet, one will be a large, free standing unit that a crowd could congregate around, etc.

I'm going to give these devices to people who live in the developing world, and who do not have access to Twitter, the internet, or to the "global conversation."

My intent is to circumvent poverty, lack of technical infrastructure, and government control by giving anyone, anywhere, the ability to communicate on Twitter.

This is a not-for-profit project (it's going to be based out of a large university in Chicago).

I'm hoping that people will use the device for social, political, and practical, bi-directional communication.

The devices will run a custom Twitter client with normal client functionality.

However, we will also route (and translate) all applicable messages to communities of people who have agreed to help with the project, i.e. farming questions in Africa will be routed to a collection of farmers and agriculture PhD's; political issues will be sent to a collection of people at the United Nations, etc.

The basic idea is to open lines of communication into societies where there are none, and in doing so, increase cultural understanding and encourage peace.

Thoughts?

Thanks, @jkarp

The so called "developing world" is developing. It's doing it's thing, you know, just progressing along some path of least resistance. You are coming in with no idea at all how their world is developing, and trying to impose an idea that developed along the path of least resistance in YOUR WORLD, into THEIR world.

A farmer does not know how to read well, and he does not know how to read the complicated stuff that is written in the west about farming.

The people in the developing world who use twitter are not using it for research or anything like that, they are usuing it to see what Chris Brown and Lady Gaga are up to. Yes, seriously, go on twitter and search for your appropriate third world members.

You know why? It's because this is a young person medium. Some dude who has been farming his whole life is not going to start twittering suddenly. Young people will, but then they will look for what young people care about.

Your idea is idealistic, but ultimately pointless. The 3rd world is developing but they are interested in messaging (Blackberry Bold), SMS, mobile pages. Not really in twitter or in talking to some people who barely understand them, or reading some academic papers they don't understand.

I don't think you understand your audience. You really think a person who is advanced enough to understand twitter needs a hand-crank? That's a bit silly, is it not? The third world has power supplies - how are all those billions of mobile phones being charged?

jeb,

Thanks for the (sort of harsh) comment.

The use of Twitter in what I'm doing is not for idle fun - it's to give people a way to communicate to the outside world that doesn't depend on anyone else.

A farmer will be able to ask a question about crop rotation; a college student can ask about what it's like to attend a Western institution - a tribal leader can tell the world about how aid workers are raping women in their remote village. Right now, it simple isn't possible to expose the world to what's happening. Five billion people on earth do not have internet access, and communication is not the same via cell phone.

> it's to give people a way to communicate to the outside world that doesn't depend on anyone else.

Well, it depends on Twitter itself, which doesn't have the best availability record.

Frankly, Twitter is a poor place to actually have an extended conversation, which all your examples would really benefit from.

Dude - Good Initiative. I am from the developing world. Smart choices- via sat.

Need to think about- 1. whose gonna pay for these devices? If the cost of device exceeds 50$ an year, it has no market - at least via free markets. Tie ups with govts are likely.

2. What's the interface? People in developing countries are illiterate- They can't read their mother tounge too. Forget about English. So the tweets have to be voice based.

I have personally been interested in a device for illiterate people (more than 1 bill of them in the world - my guesstimate). It has to be only images that are very intuitive. There are ATM machines that are made for the illiterate, maybe you can learn something from their design.

Good luck man.

rameshnid,

Thanks for the comment.

We're working out all of those issues, including the possibility of providing a hieroglyphics based communication mechanism for bi-directional picture story telling via Twitter.

I don't understand where the negative comments are coming from.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the OP is not working on a "social network" for the developing world, but rather something to replace mobile phones. By opening up the communication it would allow for observers to make more informed decisions.

A simple google search reveals just what a huge impact wireless communication has had in Africa: http://www.google.com/search?q=mobile+phones+africa

I have to applaud this project, and wish you the greatest of success.

A self contained, 3rd party twitter appliance for basic communication?

What happens if twitter is down? Or if twitter changes its API?

narkee,

Thanks for the comment.

I suppose the same thing will happen that happens in the US...

zmmz,

Thank you very much!

Instead of building a Twitter-centric device, why not put in a Web browser? It will open a whole range of possibilities, including Twitter streams.

So, perhaps I'm way off base here, and there is some actual need, but I just having a hard time seeing Twitter as something more than a luxury. I can't help but wonder how much it would be used in developing nations, honestly, but my gut feeling is 'close to none'.

Can you enlighten me as to how you feel this would benefit people?

More to the point though, I worry that something so single-purposed is far less useful than something like OLPC program, or in somehow making a greener, solar/hand-crank powered general computing device, as they would then have not only twitter, but lots of other tools.

The required time and materials to build something JUST for twitter seems excessive when that same device should easily work for Facebook, Gmail, etc?

bmelton,

Thanks for your comment!

Five billion people on earth have no internet access. Many are living in complete poverty, without any infrastructure, and/or under an oppressive government.

The benefit is to give these people a way to communicate with, learn from, and contribute to, the rest of the world - we hope to give a voice to the voiceless.

I picked Twitter b/c messages can be moved efficiently via satellite, and there is an existing global network of contributors to answer questions and to help.

"The benefit is to give these people a way to communicate with, learn from, and contribute to, the rest of the world - we hope to give a voice to the voiceless."

All this with 140 characters?

sorry but so called developing world like india and africa has better cell connectivity than downtown new york (where i work) plus a cell phone with sms service coasts about 5$ month.

So you should rather work on mobile based implementation rather than creating a new device, also rather than web based tweet submission. you should use sms based submission.

but dont underestimate power of mobile in india africa and other places. mobile infrastructure is in very very good shape. though not 3g or data services.

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