OLPC Aims to Sell the XOXO Laptop for Just $75
One Laptop Per Child is aiming low this time… very low. It plans to put a $75 laptop computer with touchscreen and low power footprint on the market, by 2010.
Many extras have been suggested, but so far the front runners seem to be a touch screen on both sides of the clamshell, a more efficient networking mechanism, a smaller footprint, even lower energy requirements and a reduction in weight.
Those seem like small things, but the difference will be huge.
You can start simple for the little kids or customize it for a specific language or project. With a smaller footprint and lighter unit, you will be able to read books on the screen rather than trying to acquire them via paper sources.
With lower energy requirements at just 1 watt, that is cutting their previous results in half. It is good for the environment and people can use them where energy is scarce. With an efficient way to connect children together, they can use a power source that will recharge them at school via an ethernet-like connection. We could really use that here too!
They will be available in the United States no earlier than 2010, as a means to get funds to make them for the children in the impoverished countries. Don’t expect the price tag to be $75 just yet. For now the set will have a projected cost of $188. Now there will be a great bargain! Donate to a good cause while you’re picking up the least expensive computer on the market!
