digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

See the original image at news.bbc.co.uk

'$100 laptop' unveils new design

news.bbc.co.uk — The wraps have been taken off the new version of the XO laptop designed for schoolchildren in developing countries. The revamped machine created by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project looks like an e-book and has had its price slashed to $75 per device.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • nick9000, on 05/22/2008, -7/+83I really can't make up my mind about the OLPC project. Would the money be better spent on teachers and basic school equipment, or will a laptop be a better investment in the end? It will be interesting to re-visit the children who have got these machines in ten years time to see how well they have fared.
    • argylesocks, on 05/22/2008, -5/+44Considering it costs as much as 2 or 3 textbooks I say the laptop. In addition the laptop can carry limitless free and open textbooks as well as internet access for virtually unlimited resources... so its win win.
      • oxdeltaxo, on 05/22/2008, -12/+2What text books are you buying? The ones my school bought during high school cost upwards of $75, the ones I bought in college cost upwards of $125.
        • bryanwebster, on 05/22/2008, -4/+5Well they are probably not at college level....their text books will say 1 + 1 = 2 etc


        • Lionhart, on 05/22/2008, -0/+10Low income countries have much cheaper textbooks. in fact most College textbooks have "international versions" which are usually 25% or less the cost of a US version. They are also illegal to sell in the US since they are the same books but a lot cheaper.
        • oxdeltaxo, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2The ones at elementary level cost upwards of $60, just sayin.
        • SolitarySoviet, on 05/22/2008, -4/+1what text books are YOU BUYING?

          http://avaxsphere.com/
        • sexybobo, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3@Lionhart
          It is not illegal to sell "international versions" in the USA. That is what most books at half.com and the like are. The text book manufacturers won't sell them in the USA for obvious reasons and a few colleges will not let you use them because it violates the agreement they have with the Textbook companies. But it is not illegal to import/sell them
        • romistrub, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2"the ones I bought in college cost upwards of $125."

          Lucky bitch. Mine are around 170-190.
      • rohan1234, on 05/22/2008, -0/+72-3? Not in poor countries. There you could get at least 20 books for that price.
        • YoctoYotta, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3Yeah, the U.S. is rapetown for text books because the publishers know their products are either being paid for by the government at primary and intermediary education levels or paid for by rich/loan indebted college students. Some places around the world, particularly South Asia, are much more reasonable about text book prices, though that's perhaps because the piracy rate is extraordinary.
        • Culyt, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1Depending on the country you can get a lot for 'free' (or for a dollar). Books can be traded just as easy as mp3s or Movies. In fact for the size of a dvd you can get a practical library (google 13130, although there fiction). Mostly its fiction or computer books that are around.

          Project Gutenburg will ship DVD's with 17,500 books free (although donations are encouraged), don't know how useful 70 year old books will be though but its not like everything will have changed completely, particularly the non-science texts, and the fiction doesn't age too much (well some sci-fi is fairly aged with rocket ships prior to 2000 and no computers but it can just be considered retro).

          And as another source of free fiction there is the baencd library: http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/

          Although for non-English it would be harder to find decent books but then again they become a great resources for learning English.
      • mjw2025, on 05/22/2008, -5/+2If education is the goal what can one learn from that laptop? I think that textbooks would have more value.
        • Envark, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1Wow, that is short-sighted.
          You can learn a hell of a lot from a laptop.
        • championchap, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1Laptop = WoW on the move to mjw2025 obviously.
    • GawtMilk, on 05/22/2008, -3/+18I don't think it's such a great project. Who are we to live our technology-centered middle-class lives and look at people significantly poorer than us and think that the thing they need most is a laptop?

      Textbooks in third-world countries do not cost $75. Our textbooks cost $75 because we can afford them, and the textbook companies know that is a price they can charge and still get away with. An organization like Books For Africa will ship 35,000 books for under $10,000. They do rely on donations and sponsorships for the books themselves though.

      FTFA : "Currently developing nations such as China and Brazil are spending $19 per student per year on books," he said.

      The $75 spent on a laptop could better be spent on safe well water, proper housing, etc. While education is paramount to better living conditions in the future, giving a class of twenty $100 laptops isn't as good of a learning tool as hiring a teacher for $2,000 a year.

      It's great that the laptops can be built this cheaply, and for a project that costs the kids nothing and is done out of the charitable nature of humans at no profit towards a single company, it's great. However, who are we to say "these Moroccans need laptops", when education itself is not their utmost priority [after violence, water, food, housing, etc] and the laptop isn't the best or cheapest method of education?
      • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/22/2008, -0/+8A laptop can't replace clean water, food, or a living teacher. And no-one claims it does.
        But this the largest ever attempt to put super-affordable informaion technology in the hands of the poor, and it starts where it should: With kids that are young and need to learn as much as they can to shape their own future.
        If the success of Western societies is built on information and using it effectively, giving children in developing countries a chance to enter the information age is the best you can do for them once basic needs are met. These machines can network, they allow self-education when no teacher is around, and they encourage competition in the subnotebook market, which is good for everyone. Even Microsoft is on board.
        • AgentVladimir, on 05/22/2008, -0/+6"If the success of Western societies is built on information and using it effectively, giving children in developing countries a chance to enter the information age is the best you can do for them once basic needs are met."

          Definitely. Dugg.
        • rlvis, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1So are you saying that western societies only became successful in the last 10 or so years? What about before we all had computers and the internet? Think of the engineering accomplishments of western societies before 1960. Modern technology is not required to build roads, water and sewer systems, and develop a local economy.
      • warriorscot, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2A class of twenty with laptops can share a teacher with many more children, and it would let teachers from western nations have the ability to teach children using technology in the laptops. And on the textbook front the laptop is a good buy as it does allow access to a greater quantity of information including textbooks for allot less money for both the governments in question and the companies that make the textbook as giving away an electronic version is better for them.

        Also on the clean water and food front allot of what these people need to get those things is knowledge and expertise as much as actual resources, using the laptop you can get that out there and let people in the developing world help themselves.

        The laptops are a tool to let people get out of poverty themselves, they are pretty cost effective as well they serve a large number of functions and are the cheapest way to get a little education to a allot of people. And education is the best way to solve more severe problems in the long term.
      • unpolloloco, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1At $19/yr, the cost of the laptop would be made up in 4 years. Also, this puts information on how to get clean drinking water into peoples' hands. Instead of putting in a system that the people don't understand nor feel any value towards that will break in 10 years, the laptops give the people themselves the ability to construct a system that they feel is their own work and are more likely to maintain it.
    • 1aPowerDigger, on 05/22/2008, -3/+11The goal of the project is great. The problem is that they (for some wacky reason) have decided that all historic design and interface decisions should be called into question and tossed out the window in favor of "new" international and "easy to understand" interface options.

      I've played with an OLPC laptop. I was lost! I found it to be extremely difficult to use, and had to wonder: if the goal is to teach kids how to use computers -- WHY NOT TEACH THEM HOW TO USE A STANDARD OS? The question is further compounded by the fact that they include Firefox as their browser of choice, which of course uses a 'standard' menu interface. (So why run in fear of standard interfaces for your OS, but embrace them for applications?)

      Sure, make linux "lite" -- that's a great idea.... but don't change the fundamental rules of GUI operating systems because kids around the world are supposedly "different".

      I haven't played with the new design, but touchscreen keyboards? No. No that's just dumb.

      • Rizmaster, on 05/22/2008, -1/+8That's some serious nitpicking considering these children are so poor they die of starvation.

        I don't think we need to worry about their ability to use Windows should they ever make it to the US, get enough money for a new computer, and buy one with Vista on it. That's so astronomically low on their list of problems/priorities that the fact that you even spent that much time talking about it is absurd.
      • Nevotraz, on 05/22/2008, -0/+6I've messed around with it too, and while I certainly wouldn't choose it for myself, I think the interface is just fine.

        We have to remember that we're comfortable with the 'standard interface' because it's all we've ever used. Windows and Linux seem fairly intuitive to us, but if you throw something that daunting in front of a kid who's never even used a cellphone before, it might be a bit much. Some of these kids aren't inexperienced with digital technology the way your parents are, they're inexperienced with digital technology in the way that people 100 years ago were.
      • hiPpymIck, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3RMS (who has just started using one as his main machine) recently issued a plea to the open source movement to rescue OLPC
        http://digg.com/linux_unix/Can_we_rescue_OLPC_from ...
    • ElbowGeek, on 05/22/2008, -3/+1I'd honestly argue that a computer *is* basic learning equipment; not only that, but with an internet connection, the student can become their own teacher, thus relieving the burden of needing human teachers to some extent.
    • Sharky35, on 05/22/2008, -4/+5They will have them in their backpack next to their AK-47s. That way the warlord of the week can e-mail them commands.
    • Fritz, on 05/22/2008, -0/+2Why do you think that if the one laptop program didn't exist that the money would suddenly go to textbooks instead?
    • chuckDontSurf, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1They should have used it to design the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer instead. Then children could educate themselves and rise up against oppressive governments.
  • yetAnotherCroc, on 05/22/2008, -8/+61Man that book design looks fantastic. I want one. And at 75 rock bottom dollars it shouldn't even be a question. Hope they do a G1G1 deal on this one as well.
    • godzillaWax, on 05/22/2008, -13/+3Dugg down for not reading the article.
      • yetAnotherCroc, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2I did read. The article isnt exactly clear on when the XO2 will be launched and if the new G1G1 deal applies to the old XO or the new XO2.
    • KingGorilla, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4I think the first one is $75 and this new one coming out in 2010 is going to cost $188
    • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/22/2008, -1/+3"The revamped machine [...] has had its price slashed to $75 per device."
      This makes it sounds like it were already there, at this price.
      Actually, if you read other articles released yesterday, they showed a *prototype* (the hi-res photos I saw were not even from a working machine, but a mock-up).
      And they *hope* that due to price changes, they might be able to offer it for $75 in 2010.
      I wish this project all the success in the world, but with the current trend in oil prices (which affects computer production as well), I don't see this happening.
      This is sensationalist or at least sloppy reporting. The BBC normally does a better job.
  • shanesemler, on 05/22/2008, -26/+13They are using Windows now. Lame. Buried.
    • 000dom000, on 05/22/2008, -5/+8I doubt the book version (XO2) will run with windows. Probably some sort of modified linux.
    • argylesocks, on 05/22/2008, -4/+8I agree that the use of Windows kills the spirit of this project.
    • oxdeltaxo, on 05/22/2008, -3/+9Proprietary software will only give these children the wrong message in the end.
    • duckyinc, on 05/22/2008, -1/+3Erm yeah they will care.. Hi kids look at this LINUX is installed in your laptops!!!! You can guess they won't dance around.
    • unorthodoxor, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4Wow you guys are so right, I rather let those children learn nothing at all and let the country education level go lower and lower than letting them use Windows.
      They should also reject all the donations and help from Gates Foundation too, because that really give these children the wrong message, they better die than using the money indirectly or directly from Microsoft.
      • cheerybounce, on 05/22/2008, -2/+2They do not get any benefits from having Windows in those machines because linux comes with bunch of freedom-software along. Also it does not make financial sense to use windows anywhere anyway.

        It's always better to give more than less, especially if you make savings along the way. It is a fact that by giving them windows, you are giving less.

        Only reason MS is pushing windows to XO is because they want to keep up their obsolete business models and obsolete operating systems.

        Also they'll save an removal/installation time from me if they'd use linux. :) You may not realise, but the majority of people who will buy XO-2 perhaps be europeans. Anyway, it'll be the first ebook which can actually do other things than just show books for you.

        Oh, and btw. Free (as in freedom) software is teh future!
        • GawtMilk, on 05/22/2008, -3/+3freedom-software? nice term.

          The countries buying the XO laptops DON'T WANT LINUX. The project lead said sales were slow in many countries "because they didn't have XP".

          FTFA : "Many countries have been reluctant to buy the machines because they did not run Microsoft's Windows operating system. In mid-May OLPC announced a deal with Microsoft to make Windows available on the XO machine. Previously the machines used a version of open source Linux operating system. "There is no question that demand goes up when you offer dual boot," said Professor Negroponte."

          "Only reason MS is pushing windows to XO is because they want to keep up their obsolete business models and obsolete operating systems."

          Well what's the reason the Linux crowd are pushing their system on the XO? To help the children? Because I'm not sure about Linus's charitable programs, but the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation gives tons of money -- so does Microsoft, as a corporation.

          http://www.microsoft.com/About/CorporateCitizenshi ...
          - Look for "Software Donations". What do you know, XP can be free too.

          http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/18479/ga ...

          https://members.microsoft.com/careers/mslife/benef ...
          - Look for "Matching Charitable Donations"
  • ninja0, on 05/22/2008, -3/+9Looks nice, I think.
  • Kingoftherings, on 05/22/2008, -93/+25If it runs Linux I'll buy one
    If it runs Windows I won't buy one.
    If there is even a Windows version at all, then I probably won't buy it.
    • solidus636, on 05/22/2008, -19/+47Only liking Linux doesn't make you cool.
    • santaliqueur, on 05/22/2008, -4/+43If you knew ANYTHING about this laptop, you'd realize your post was unnecessary.
    • duckyinc, on 05/22/2008, -17/+2I wouldn't buy it anyway, it's for kids who can't afford a REAL desktop and can't figure out how to pirate windows.
      • DigitalPioneer, on 05/22/2008, -10/+9Only idiots pirate windows. If you're dumb enough to steal a crappy OS, then you should be wondering if you're smart enough to use a computer at all.
        • pjsk8, on 05/22/2008, -0/+7...Because PAYING for a crappy OS is definitely a much smarter choice?
        • sexypeon, on 05/22/2008, -0/+2What is wrong with XP?
        • Nereus90, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1itt: reverse circle jerking
    • kutateli, on 05/22/2008, -6/+40You're an idiot.
    • richashby, on 05/22/2008, -1/+31The OS is irrelevant in this context. What's more important is people have access to computers. If you want to be sniffy about Windows when you live in a developed country that's your choice, but I'm sure a kid from Africa isn't really that bothered about the fact it's not running Ubuntu. They just need a machine.
      • sealbeater, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1The problem is that having windows on it predisposes the kids to learn windows which will only end up enslaving them. I'm far free'er for learning and having linux and I believe that a child would be far better served learning linux than windows. If this is a requirement it's an artificial requirement designed to insert mindshare for certain peoples products. Microsoft was pushing from day 1 to have this thing run their OS, do you really think it's because they think their OS is the best for a developmental country? No, it's because they know that if you start people young, you can shape their development. I personally think Africa and her children as well as other 3rd world nations would be better served having their children learn and become proficient in a free OS than a commercial one.
      • kineticarl, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1I think it's worth noting that learning Windows is advantageous because that's what the majority of the rest of the world is using. Sure, Linux is great, I enjoy it. Pragmatically, however, if I were a representative of the government who was dealing with the OLPC program, and if MS is offering Windows at no cost, then yeah, I would want my people to gain experience on an OS that nearly everyone else uses, rather than a relatively obscure one that is free but is not, comparatively, widely used.

        Forget this "enslaving" BS. Get them on Windows now so their progress isn't hampered later on by having to learn a new OS, when their time could be better spent learning other skills.

        If they want to learn linux later on and have that luxury, great for them.
        • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0This would be a brilliant argument if Microsoft were offering a current OS that they would maintain, but they aren't. They're offering XP and they have no intention of supporting it. This is a ploy on MS side to garner users. Frankly I think it sucks. If Intel hadn't pulled it's support, OX wouldn't have had to go to Microsoft for financial help. All of this is moot anyway. Both systems will be on the new OX-2.
    • foofightrs777, on 05/22/2008, -2/+8You know that you can install a different OS than the one a machine ships with, right? But this appears to be different than a traditional PC experience so I'd imagine it'd have a custom OS.
    • Hangly, on 05/22/2008, -10/+6Windows has cooties.
    • WomensUnderwear, on 05/22/2008, -9/+2you guys are all idiots
    • mjw2025, on 05/22/2008, -5/+2Other than the most generic applications what can you do with Linux?
      • Narrwald, on 05/22/2008, -3/+2Have an inflated sense of importance and intelligence, I think.
    • razei, on 05/22/2008, -1/+3You're really cool, I mean really, really cool.
  • wittylama, on 05/22/2008, -5/+18It's unfortunate it runs Windows but this is the requirement that has been placed on the OLPC team by many countries e.g. Egypt.
    The OS for the OLPC is definitely kid-centric and Windows is definitely not. So, though the Windows compatibility might be the feature that gets the governments to sign-on and actually buy them it will be the native OS that actually gets used.
    They're working on the same principle as Mac OS now being able to dual boot. It lowers the barrier to entry.
    • 1aPowerDigger, on 05/22/2008, -0/+7Couldn't disagree more... have you tried OLPC's flavor of Linux? It looks like it was designed by Aliens. As a devout Linux user, who grew up with Windows I was utterly lost on OLPC linux.

      Foreign governments aren't just being Windows-centric -- they're thumbing their noses at the semi-retarded OS-design decisions made by the OLPC team.
      • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0Just because you got lost on their flavor of Linux doesn't mean it was bad code. It just means you haven't gotten used to it yet. I've actually had to learn a total of 9 different operating systems over the years and none of them were God's gift to mankind in the beginning, but once I got used to them I lost my prejudice against them.

        And, the governments STATED they wouldn't let them in unless there was a Windows operating system on them.
  • Shabow, on 05/22/2008, -14/+22I'll believe it when I see it with a $100 price tag.

    Until then, *****.
    • tama00, on 05/22/2008, -1/+4Your right they have lied about the price twice before. I can expect that again.
      • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0They didn't lie. They had a projected price of $100. The actual price became $188. This is not a lie. This is like you saying, "I hope he's knock dead gorgeous." and he turns out to be a dog. It's two different times.

        You don't say that the gas stations lied to you when they were charging $3.00 a gallon and now it's $3.20. Get real.
  • TheWindBlows, on 05/22/2008, -2/+14"It has taken a year to make XP compatible with the XO"

    Chances are the new design are going to be more native to a customized linux.
  • thewump, on 05/22/2008, -4/+49I'm confused - so the $100 laptop, is stated to be $75 - but usually comes out at $299. I think they need some marketing help.
    • tama00, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4The old design was originally going to be $100 costs went up to about $180 something. Then Microsoft stepped their ass in and they had to resigned it, buy X86 compatible hardware and now the price is shockingly high!

      Cache is to get a Linux version of the old design will now cost another $7 more than just having Windows on it! They say its because of the additional hardware. But you know Microsoft just stomped on them and said make the Linux version cost more than the Windows one.

      ***** OLPC. No way is it Non-profit anymore. Its a ***** scam. The guy who originally had the idea has left the project anyways cause its so ***** up.
      • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0You've got your statistics a bit off. The original design's projected cost was $100. It's actual cost was $188. It has been distributed for that price for the last year. (600,000 units)

        They began designing a new laptop called the OXOX or OX-2. It is THIS computer that Microsoft is "helping" with. The new price target is $75 but they are already saying realistically they're looking at about $100. In part this is because MS redesigned XP to fit in the OX-2. To do this OLPC had to increase the capacity of memory to accommodate BOTH the XP operating system and the Linux system. It will be a dual boot. There will not be a Linux version and a MS Windows version.
  • Evolutuon, on 05/22/2008, -9/+4I thought the Hundred-Dollar-Laptop was recently raised to $200??
    • nvillalobos, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1"The laptops which originally had a target price of $100 now cost $188 each. "
  • Shrubber, on 05/22/2008, -1/+18Charity-related articles get an automatic digg from me, but I still want to see the tech specs on this new model, and I'll wait and see if it actually releases at $100, let alone $75.
  • kcdstudios, on 05/22/2008, -12/+5Apple, freaking A, how hard is it? There is your design, run with it.
  • carpespasm, on 05/22/2008, -6/+78Holy crap you guys, look at that thing. A peice of technology in the hands of a child that puts the entire world's processing power of a few decades ago to shame. AND it's going to be used to teach the children of the world and help bring people closer together.... I'd say we're in the future now, but I still can't go buy an electric car on the lot.
    • 1aPowerDigger, on 05/22/2008, -7/+5Tell me: where does electricity come from?

      You do realize that in most of America it comes from coal, right?



      • BlueSkyfish, on 05/22/2008, -0/+9Hey, if you want to keep spending $4 a gallon on gasoline from foreign countries on your car that gets 30mpg, that's fine. But the rest of us would rather spend less than a dollar per 100 mile charge from electricity produced locally from coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric power plants.
      • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0The power plants that burn coal are about 9 times cleaner than the average internal combustion engine.
  • fraul, on 05/22/2008, -1/+30Wow, wait a second ... they expected to sell 100 million of these by the end of 2008 ? And what they did sell is 600,000 ? ... talk about business optimism !!
    • Awspire, on 05/22/2008, -10/+2The next gen with Windows will surely gain far more popularity than the original that runs a Linux desktop. If you want to see a project shelved within months thats intended for the mainstream, then build it around a Linux OS.

      Cant wait to see the Linux fanboys try and spin that OLPC failed cause of a Linux desktop environment.
      • cheerybounce, on 05/22/2008, -0/+2As you wish. MS pretty much ***** up OLPC sales with their offensive marketing politics, because of linux.

        Sure you can believe linux sucks, but hey! You are the one losing...
      • fluxion, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1OLPC failed because they doubled the price and overestimated how much the world actually cares about education

        EeePC is doing just fine with linux
        • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+1OLPC hasn't failed at all! First, they aren't in it for a buck. If they were they wouldn't be accommodating Microsoft. They're going to have to add a bunch of memory to the computer just to handle MS bloat. They're also adding $3 to the cost because Microsoft isn't willing to defray the cost of their "largess".

          Second, they've managed to put 600,000 laptops into the hands of third world children and they did it in ONE YEAR! That's an amazing accomplishment! How many for-profit companies can say they did as well in their first year of sales?
    • Verytastycheese, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1That was their original goal... they're obviously not expecting that anymore.
  • Awspire, on 05/22/2008, -29/+7"Many countries have been reluctant to buy the machines because they did not run Microsoft's Windows operating system."

    lol. Nobody wants Linux as their OS, even with a free hardware giveaway. Good thing Windows will come with the next gen.

    Year of the Linux desktop... Not even if they're giving it away. Oh, and they tried.
    • bxblox, on 05/22/2008, -3/+5beggars cant be choosers
    • dinostabOMG, on 05/22/2008, -1/+8Linux itself? It has always been "given away." The hardware is not free, however. That much should be obvious. $100 apiece can be a lot of money depending on who you're asking.
    • santaliqueur, on 05/22/2008, -3/+18Funny, which OS powers most of the websites you've ever used? Hint: the answer is not Windows.
      • gohoos, on 05/22/2008, -3/+1And how many websites are running on OLPC's?
        Hint: Zero
        • santaliqueur, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1He's knocking Linux, not the OLPC. Stick to the topic.
      • kineticarl, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1and how many of these OLPC recipients will grow up to be server admins? Far fewer than will go on to use computers for a gazillion other tasks, for which some windows knowledge might just come in more handy than knowing linux.
    • foofightrs777, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4I bet your the type of guy who ONLY drives Fords or ONLY buys Nikes or ONLY like windows.

      A closed mind will get you nowhere but where you've already been. And blind consumer loyalty will only lighten your wallet for a product of debatable quality.
      • birdieb23, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3You are right.

        I bought a windows desktop cos it was cheaper than a mac, I bought a macbook because with the student offers I could get I could save compared to a same spec PC (I needed a new iPod too)
      • PleaseJustDie, on 05/22/2008, -1/+3Buying what you like isn't always being closeminded. Case in point, I purchased an Asus motherboard about 10 years ago, I liked it a lot, ran great. I upgraded to an ECS motherboard a few years later, the board was ***** ran horribly and I had nothing but problems with it, and died 6 months later, so I bought another Asus motherboard because I had previously had good experience with them and again my board ran great no problems at all. So when I built my file server I bought a cheap $45 Asus board because I was building the system on a budget and even their cheap board ran phenomenally. So as a result I only buy Asus motherboards because I know, from my prior experience, that they are great motherboards and won't let me down. I'm not closeminded, I just have a brand bias due to prior experience.
    • notantspants, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4I think if you dig deeper, you might find that the Govts. have been bribed by M$ to not accept the product unless it comes with Windooze.

      Oh, wait, how cynical of me to think like that!! M$ bribing government officials, surely that has never happened.
    • FlyinWhee, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3I dugg you up just so others could see your comment and then digg you down.
    • harlemnights, on 05/22/2008, -2/+1Same here...Web 3.0 is the future of all technology, which is based on open source technology such as Linux. Have you not heard of Ubuntu?
  • screwy3333, on 05/22/2008, -2/+15no worries as long as it still boots Ubuntu flawlessly
    • kwilliam, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1Ubuntu will need a good on-screen keyboard to adapt to a purely touch screen interface. Somebody start coding!
  • GregFD3S, on 05/22/2008, -4/+16Why did they stop using Linux?
    • dinostabOMG, on 05/22/2008, -1/+8They're talking about dual booting because some governments have demanded it. It still runs linux.
      • tama00, on 05/22/2008, -2/+1Funny thing is the Linux version now costs $7 more than the Windows one!

        wait thats not funny at all
    • lamiaconfitor, on 05/22/2008, -4/+1People feel bad if Microsoft doesn't make money off of them. + xenophobia.= "Gimme Windows!"
    • Cryoniq, on 05/22/2008, -0/+4Because idiots were put in charge...
  • RedPhalanx, on 05/22/2008, -6/+18"The laptops which originally had a target price of $100 now cost $188 each."

    What happened to $75?
    • slimpip, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3I think the article is referring to $188 as the OLPC's current production cost. Since it isn't supposed to officially "release" until 2010, I think XO's plan is to wait for declines in the current price of materials (LCDs) and hope that a $75 price point in 2010 will be a profitable,
      • slimpip, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1Oh man it's late, switch OLPC's and XO and replace profitable with accurate.... seeing as you know.... OLPC is a NFPO.

        And I think brianperis is right anyway :P haha
    • brianpeiris, on 05/22/2008, -0/+10It should have read:
      "The XO-1 laptops which originally had a target price of $100 now cost $188 each."
      The target price for the XO-2 laptop is $75
  • 9bpm9, on 05/22/2008, -4/+10The idea is for several children to use the device at once,

    Yeah, that's not gonna work.
    • Verytastycheese, on 05/22/2008, -0/+4I could see 2 people collaborating on it across from each other with the 2 screens... or both reading from it. It could work, just needs a custom OS / software
      • 9bpm9, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4But it's not people, it's children. Little kids who usually don't like to share.
        • MasterPain, on 05/22/2008, -0/+2Children from 3rd world countries are different from American kids. They are forced to share everything including shoes.
  • SealandRes1, on 05/22/2008, -2/+7Man, those screens better be high-res, or else you'd have to scroll like mad to read standard page sized PDF files or eBooks.
    • evil-doer, on 05/22/2008, -0/+6wtf are you talking about? pdf isnt a fixed size like a jpeg. its scalable and renders to whatever size.
      • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0Heck! These days jpegs aren't even fixed. On my mac I can zoom them quite big to look at details.
    • Verytastycheese, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3They look like they're at least VGA (640/480) each, which I've had on my axim for years and you can read PDFs fine on those. They'll probably be better by 2010.
  • lazydrumhead, on 05/22/2008, -8/+3hehe, kindle.
  • moschops, on 05/22/2008, -3/+9Yeah, with another LCD I think there is no way that they can avoid $75 becoming $150 or much more given that those panels now have to be touch sensitive. I know they have durability problems with the current keyboard but is another LCD panel used as a touch keyboard really going to be that durable? And what about power consumption from doubling the amount of LCD... never mind the loss of tactile response by using a touch screen for keyboard input - maybe they just think keyboard input isn't that important any more?

    With this design "revamp" and the switch to supporting Windows perhaps this is the death knell for the OLPC project? Why not just give them all an iPhone :-)
    • Verytastycheese, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1I imagine they'll have USB ports for when you want to actually type...
    • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3I see your points - especially non-tactile keyboards are a pain in the butt.
      But if you *had* two rugged displays that are readable at sunlight (and it seems they can pull this off), you could do a lot of things: Customize the (virtual) keyboard layout for whatever market, display palettes for graphic programs instead of keys and finally use the thing as a two-page ebook or a high resolution screen.
      I'm not saying it's perfect, but even at $300, I would prefer this to the iPhone, which in my eyes is too much of a compromise in every regard.
      • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0You left out customize the keyboard to very small children so they can adapt to the lack of sensation that has us bollixed!
  • Netik09, on 05/22/2008, -3/+4Another product none of us will ever see here.
  • davethewebb, on 05/22/2008, -3/+2At the moment, unfortunately, Microsoft still maintains the hold over the desktop market, and have managed to execute some leverage to get XP packaged on the XOs. But look at the good side - the fact that Microsoft has spent all the time and effort preparing XP for these laptops means that they are *really* worried about Linux being used. If linux is worthwhile Microsoft worrying about, it's certainly got something right, and it's only a matter of time before people start to demand choice and open standards.
  • roytam1, on 05/22/2008, -4/+7Powered by Nintendo(TM).
  • budser, on 05/22/2008, -0/+6As the article says, flat panel screens are the most expensive laptop component. So when your $100 OLPC is selling for $188, clearly the problem is...not enough screens. This has got to be a bad sign for the project.
  • D1ggy, on 05/22/2008, -3/+1I can not wait till they come out with the 100$ flat screen plasma or lcd =)
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0LOL! I love these remarks! I imagine when the OLED starts showing up you may be able to get one on Craig's list or a garage sale for that amount.
  • kovac9478, on 05/22/2008, -7/+2um.... it costs $129 and can be bought at any electronics store, its called a nintendo ds.
    • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/22/2008, -2/+4Woah, funny.
      How about educating yourself before posting such nonsense?
      The DS is a toy. Look up the specs of the XO-1 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OLPC_XO-1.
      All those numbers might be a little confusing, but maybe you see these machines have nothing in common.
      But then, you just wanted your five seconds in the spotlight and not *learn* something; right?
      • MrBeaver, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1That page took me to an error and said to search for it.
        • kovac9478, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1lol.. maybe you were supposed to "learn" something
  • WoollyMittens, on 05/22/2008, -0/+19I'm glad they stepped away from the Fisherprice design.
  • thomasprebble, on 05/22/2008, -1/+10The OLPC initiative a.k.a Microsoft's equivalent to tobacco's "hook em while they're young".
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0It's not the OLPC initiative. It's OLPC an independent non-profit organization. It's not Microsoft's anything, nor will it ever be. A for-profit entity cannot "acquire" a non-profit organization.
  • zonovo, on 05/22/2008, -0/+4Pure, light and clean.
  • brianpeiris, on 05/22/2008, -0/+3Can you hear that? It's the sound of thousands of early adopter children cursing because they received their XO-1 just days ago. :P
    I love my XO-1, and looks like Negroponte has set yet another high bar with the XO-2. I can't wait to see it come to fruition.
  • foofightrs777, on 05/22/2008, -1/+9I don't understand why these countries require XP on a laptop for school children. Last time I checked TCP/IP, word processing, and multimedia were not Windows exclusive. Sounds like MS filled a bunch of hapless bureaucrats heads with propaganda.
    • tama00, on 05/22/2008, -2/+0its not true at all. That's just the excuse they have given.
    • MiddleOfNowhere, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2Maybe. Maybe it's the result of 20 years of brainwashing, bribes, threats ...
      What matters in the end is that affordable information technology is given into the hands of kids, so they can learn how to change their situation. XP is pretty cheap on these machines. I love Open-source as much as anyone, but if they need/want the ability to run (cracked) MS Office in Urugay and Brazil, so be it.
    • tf23, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1It's about choice. if the machine can run Windows great. If it can run Linux great.

      If the owner thinks their kid(s) needs to learn one, or the other, or both, then it's available to do so without having to purchase a new machine.

      And in all reality, the kids should grow up being familiar with both. Mine did.
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0Not that I don't think that Microsoft didn't fill those bureaucratic heads with bushwah, but the decision was made for another reason. Many of the governments were refusing the aid because without MS Windows the kids wouldn't be able to work in most of the jobs available.
  • taizoshiozaki, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1All their credits should go to Alan Kay.
  • backbyter, on 05/22/2008, -2/+0I question the comment about the previous G1G1 allowing OLPC to donate 30,000 laptops. I was under the impression that 80,000+ XO's were bought under the first G1G1 program.
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0The 30,000 laptops were to a specific area. The 80,000 were definitely given out along with 520,000 others.
  • chapter78, on 05/22/2008, -1/+3The new design does not look very robust or sturdy. Whilst the XO-1 looked a bit retarded, it was sure to survive a few knocks or falls. The XO-2 however, at least from the mockup, looks like it would be destroyed within minutes of the children receiving it. Lets face it, it will never release for $75. They are far too optimistic with their estimates, I wonder how they would be received on Dragon's Den!
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0I don't exactly know what Dragon's Den is, but keep in mind, these aren't even mockups. Mostly they're fixing photos. I wouldn't look too closely yet. There's a long way to go before this thing is released.
  • luckyguy2000, on 05/22/2008, -8/+1as long as i cant buy it and do stuff with it its useless to me. now digg me down.
  • caleb4mj, on 05/22/2008, -7/+3This won't work. They will need to double the price adding biometric security, as I'm sure MS can fill them in on all the security related concerns we all have and help us keep these kids safe. Child porn is a huge problem, everywhere. If they don't run XP they probably support terrorism, and drugs. Won't somebody think of the children?!?
  • MasterPain, on 05/22/2008, -3/+0Looks like an over sized Nintendo DS.
  • JasonCox, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1If Dell and Apple cant get touchscreen prices that low I have a hard time believing that OLPC is going to.
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0First, they have two years to make it happen. Second, with the new OLED technology coming out everything is about to get less expensive and thinner! Third, non-profit organizations have ways to defray costs that ordinary companies don't. ...at least not legally!
  • depro9, on 05/22/2008, -2/+1Can't wait for this im hyped!
  • proverbs17, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2Wow, that looks really cool. Looks like tablet computer to me. I'd gladly pay $200 for one. Why can't Dell make this?
    • sack36, on 05/26/2008, -0/+0LOL! Dell can't make this because Dell doesn't have people donating time to develop, build, test, distribute, and advertise it. ...or grants.
  • murph1, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1Better story here clears a couple of things up: http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/20804/
  • GeauxLSU, on 05/22/2008, -2/+3Yeah.....electonic books. Now we need more energy to power all those things. Thank goodness we aren't in the middle of an energy crisis!
  • Woknblues, on 05/22/2008, -1/+2my problem with the windows thing is just that as far as I know, windows has an overwhelming majority of compatible software products that COST MONEY. Whereas, linux based OS have the majority of software products that are FREE. If the goal of this project is to put affordable laptops into the hands of poor kids, why on earth would you go with a Windows product knowing that supporting and expanding this product will eventually cost the end user in terms of money that they don't have, or (more likely) productivity as in a POS virus bugged / incompatible paperweight that got that way due to the user not being able to afford the latest $39 dollar anti-virus / office suite / etc....
    • unpolloloco, on 05/22/2008, -0/+1There are a couple of problems with your logic. 1) that there isn't free/open source software for windows (AVG for example) 2) that people will BUY non-free software
      I've managed to not buy any software in the past couple of years (on several windows-based machines) because I just use open source and/or get it from my school. And for the products that I get free from my school (photoshop, office, XP), all of them can be acquired through *ahem*....other.... means. Photoshop is something like 60% pirated in the US. MS hasn't really sold any appreciable number of copies in China.

      p.s. if you pay $40 for a year's subscription to AV software, you are an idiot. Also, viruses can be dealt with pretty easily: "rm -rf/" in linux or "format c:" in windows. Reload the OS, and the virus is no more
      • Woknblues, on 05/23/2008, -0/+1with all due respect, I have problems with yours...

        I used the term "overwhelming majority", not entirely. "the other means" that you refer to will not likely be available in the form of bandwidth for the countries that are set to deploy these devices. For example, Bangladesh will have broadband right around the same time that GWB is recognized as the best POTUS of all time. Also, the fact that you acquire free software "from your school" is not related to the scope of the OLPC project, (I'll assume that you are from some developed country). Further, the fact that piracy of photoshop/XP et al is rampant in China really has no bearing on whether or not a child in Bhutan or Zimbabwe will get any use out of a heavily modded e-book running a stagnant stripped down version of a 10 year old operating system. Finally, most 3rd world children are not as adept at reinstalling software to remove viruses from a non optical drive e-book style laptop, while helping their father's milk the small herd of pygmy goats at 4:30AM before the 10 kilometer hike to their morning classes. Thanks for the lesson in removing the virus using "rm -rf/" I actually use "the linux" myself..... hey, I think I will try that right now! .... ooops!
  • kittynipples, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1The phrase "pie in the sky" comes to mind.
  • thedreaming1, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1I just hope that Microsoft doesn't strong arm windows on it. I've seen pictures of xp running on the present model and my first thought was, "Are you kidding?" Why would a kid from some 3rd world nation want a laptop with xp on it? So they can get spyware? With the original OS the first model had the kids where instantly using the machine the modem they turned it on without even been coached, why take that away?
  • xEn1gma, on 05/22/2008, -3/+1They should also offer this deal to poor college kids such as myself.
  • Wakuko, on 05/22/2008, -9/+2***** NEGROPONTE!!!1!
  • Terrin, on 05/22/2008, -1/+1Old news is old
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 71 of 71 discussions
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.