OLPC BOGO and Foneros

For the longest time I couldn't figure out what BOGO was, they'd talk about it in Payless Shoe ads all the time and I'd go nuts trying to figure it out. I don't remember when I finally figured out it stood for "buy one get one", but now I see it everywhere. Usually I could care less about BOGO deals, it seems like it's just a way to get more of something than you need, but today I found a BOGO deal I'm totally wound up about.

You know those OLPC laptops? My first thought when I saw them was a little less than philanthropic. I thought, "I want one!" I was bitterly disappointed when I found out they would ONLY be available to children in developing nations. Why do THEY get the really cool laptop? Life is sooo not fair!!! (Irony here people.)

Well, I must not be the only person who was thinking more about how *I* would like one of them more than how great it would be for some kid in a developing nation to have one, because they are going to be offering a limited time BOGO starting in November! You buy one to be sent to some kid in a developing nation, and they will let you buy one for yourself, too. Okay, technically maybe that isn't BOGO, it's more like "buy two keep only one", but "BTKOO" doesn't make a cute, easily pronounceable acronym.

I am so totally going to get one of these laptops. Then I can ride around on the train using one while everyone looks at it covetously while simultaneously thinking I am a jerk for owning one and keeping it for myself. Seriously, check this puppy out. You can power it by hand, it has built in wifi, yadda, yadda, yadda. The only thing that would make it better, because they network to each other, would be if someone else I knew had one. Maybe I should move to a developing nation and start hanging out with children.

And on another cool techie note, I was just reading about Fon today in Business Week. You buy a $40 Fon router and that automatically makes you a Fon member and you get access to the WiFi of every other Fon member. That doesn't sound THAT exciting maybe until you realize that there are about 200,000 current "traditional" WiFi hotspots scattered around the globe and Fon already has 280,000. It looks like it won't be long before they have a million hotspots - all free to members.

Sometimes I have problems with my Internet connection so I am interested in this as a way to connect closer to 100% of the time. I NEED that net connection. Sounds great for traveling, too. My current wireless router is totally unsecure right now anyway, so I might as well get some benefit from other people being able to use my WiFi. The site has a handy map so you can see if there are any Foneros in your area. I see a couple spots near me, but then I am in Silicon Valley so it's not that surprising.

I totally want a Fon router. Too bad I spent all my discretionary income on baking supplies! Dang, I think I was reading about this service last year when it was in beta and only cost $5 for the router. Why didn't I jump on it then????