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xbox gets school’d in japan

TOKYO — Classrooms in Japan wil be getting some Xboxes, but not for their typical purpose of playing games. Microsoft announced today that it will be donating Xbox consoles enabled with video chat capabilities to all elementary and junior high schools in Tokyo's Suginami ward for educational purposes, starting in late June.

A total of 80 Xbox units will be given out to 44 grade schools, 23 junior high schools, and eight other public facilities in Suginami. Microsoft hopes that its donations will help educate the children to become more IT literate. The consoles will allow Microsoft to teach the students how to use videoconferencing to take online classes and communicate with other Xbox Live-enabled schools.
— News at GameSpot: Xbox schooling Japan
80 Xboxes?! That is great news; in one pass MS will increase the number of Xboxen in use by 1600%!

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