Playpower.org

Flash memory is incredibly important for our educational TV computer.   This would enable us to keep hundreds of high quality games on one cartridge, and we might even able to remove the flash memory so it is easy to put new content on the machine.

Additionally, Flash is necessary if you want people to be able to save their work.  Imagine writing BASIC programs, but not having a place to store it!

What’s a first step, in terms of figuring out how to build this ourselves?  Here is a useful wiki page about the issue.

Flash Memory Cartridge
http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?productID=133

Tools for NES hacking, including FLASH cartridges
http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?categoryID=86
Make a FLASH cart
http://ameba.lpt.fi/~hataarto/nes/

Playing Double Dragon in North Korea

Lev Manovich sent me this picture: a ‘computer lab’ in North Korea, where groups of children play 8-bit video games on the “MicroGenius” (a famicom clone).  The devices used by these students don’t have keyboards–but the hardware is otherwise identical to the $12 Playpower platform.

I wish I knew more about what was going on here.  This is North Korea, so I can’t exactly praise it.  However…

I love the idea of large numbers of children in a room, playing video games and using 8-bit computers.  There is immense potential for peer learning and problem solving in situations like this.  Considering that a 15 station computer lab costs only $1000 ($200 for the computers and $750 for the TVs), this is a model that could provide early computer experience to millions of children.  Look at how many children can use one computer… or chair, for that matter…!

Link