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<\/a><\/p>\nVery few people here use a computer or have access to the net.<\/p>\n
But Mr Bahar and Mr Imbesi want to change that with their Keepod USB stick.<\/p>\n
It will allow old, discarded and potentially non-functional PCs to be revived, while allowing each user to have ownership of their own “personal http:\/\/www.buyativanstore.com<\/a> computer” experience – with their chosen desktop layout, programs and data – at a fraction of the cost of providing a unique laptop, tablet or other machine to each person.<\/p>\n In addition, the project avoids a problem experienced by some other recycled PC schemes that resulted in machines becoming “clogged up” and running at a snail’s pace after multiple users had saved different things to a single hard drive.<\/p>\n The two men hope to get up to 150,000 people signed up to their idea in the country.<\/p>\n Day One<\/strong><\/p>\n To do so, the pair have teamed up with LiveInSlums – a non-governmental organisation operating in Mathare – to introduce the flash drives to students and staff at WhyNot Academy.<\/p>\n Like other schools in East Africa, the school uses text books and chalk boards to teach.<\/p>\n Two years ago it was connected to the electricity supply.<\/p>\n During a visit to the school in March, Mr Bahar and Mr Imbesi decided to buy a router and a Sim card to hook the classrooms up to the internet.<\/p>\n Their solution involved hanging the router in a carrier bag nailed next to one of two plug sockets in the school.<\/p>\n It looked makeshift, but that didn’t prevent the children cheering when it was announced the academy had gone online.<\/p>\n The pair also brought five old laptops with their hard disks removed to the school.<\/p>\n As they gave each child one of the Keepod USB sticks to keep, they explained the second-hand computers would boot up directly from the flash drives.<\/p>\n In fact, any computer with a screen, keyboard and basic processor should play a perfect host because each Keepod stick comes with a unique desktop version of Google’s Android 4.4 operating system on board.<\/p>\n The effect is to make any laptop or PC as simple to use as a smartphone, with icons displayed for each task or saved website that the user may want to see.<\/p>\n Each Keepod remembers its owner’s settings, passwords and websites visited.<\/p>\n It stores any files or programs downloaded on the other half of its 8GB storage capacity. The information can be encrypted and is protected by a password needed for operation when it’s plugged in.<\/p>\n “It makes it possible for anyone with a Keepod to use any computer and get the same experience,” says Mr Bahar.<\/p>\n “Each child will see their own files and apps appear in exactly the same way each time, without the need to remember lots of passwords.”<\/p>\n The amazement and excitement at seeing these old laptops come to life was palpable inside the classroom.<\/p>\n