Monday, January 26, 2009

OLPC Continues

We have long supported the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, which develops low-cost education-oriented mobile computers to sell to governments in developing countries. Today the organisation through the United Nations Relief Workers Agency (UNRWA) has donated 5,000 units of its flagship XO laptop to Palestinian children in the Gaza strip.

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, which developed the low-cost XO education laptop for developing countries, has already revealed plans for its next-generation mobile computing device. The clamshell design of the new laptop is modelled after a book and the new system is to sell for $75 per unit and will be available in 2010. It is planned that the system will be smaller and lighter than the XO and can also be opened up completely flat to provide a single continuous touch-screen surface Like the XO, it will use unique dual-mode display which is readable under direct sunlight.

However, OLPC is experiencing difficulties and founder Nicholas Negroponte has revealed that the organization cutting half of its staff and significantly scaling back its software development efforts. The organization is said to have experienced significant internal disputes which have led to the departure of several participants and there are now questions being raised whether even the organization will last long enough to deliver the new system.

Whatever the outcome OLPC has pushed many boundaries and demonstrated that costs can still be cut without sacrificing innovation. We hope that the programme moves forward.

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