Couldn't they have just used an ITouch? Should they have used ITouch?
Reposted from Techlearning.com:
Stanford University’s School of Education and Chicago-based Innovations for Learning (IFL) have partnered up to bring the Teachermate Handheld Computer to underserved indigenous children in Latin America. The computer is a compact mobile learning tool that resembles a hand-held game, and includes interactive features for students such as a built-in microphone they can use to compare their voice recordings to recordings of words on the computer screen. The computer also features math game activities, designed to reinforce basic numeracy skills. IFL launched the Teachermate computer in Chicago last spring, and will be supplying all 500 Chicago elementary schools with the devices over the next two years. Seth Weinberger, Executive Director of IFL, hopes that the computers will “offer schools the ability to affordable provide individualized instruction to every student,” in the U.S. and throughout Latin America.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 10:32AM 
Reader Comments (2)
Once again, the people who write the article don't really get the device. What they're really selling is the software. Reading and math software that's designed to differentiate content based on the individual levels of the students with guidance from the teachers. The hardware is a custom designed system that ONLY works to deliver their custom software. So calling it a hand held computer is really misleading.
Having used it and reviewed it twice(http://www.teach42.com/2008/03/13/teachermate-50-pc-hardly/ and see links in there for the followup) I can honestly say that it's creative, and innovative, but without a doubt an iTouch would be far more flexible. That being said, the software that they're using goes far beyond anything currently available for the iTouch. Where the App store has variety, the Teachermate has some serious depth when it comes to Reading and Math.
So which one is the best purchase? Depends on what the goals of the program are as always...
Excellent comment Steve. I think the depth of this device's software relates to it being developed by a company where the a majority of educational apps for the IPhone tend to be created by individuals. This is anecdotal only as I have not fully done a comprehensive survey.
The power of our NING is trying to bring app developers into contact with educators. This could be very powerful if people give it a chance!