Working OLPC prototype gets its close-up

We still miss the crank, and had sort of gotten used to the lime green color scheme. But we have to admit that seeing an actual working prototype of the computer from Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child initiative beats all of the mockups we've been looking at for the past year or so. We don't have any specs (other than the fact that it's clearly running Fedora Linux), but from the looks of it, Negroponte has clearly done a decent job at making this kid-friendly. And the keyboard, while small, doesn't look a whole lot worse than the one on the new MacBook. If this puppy can be outfitted with WiFi, one of Samsung's new NAND drives and a couple of USB ports, customers from the industrial world may just order enough of them to subsidize that $100 price tag for developing countries (if Negroponte is willing to let us buy them, that is).

[Via BoingBoing]

Update: We also heard from a reliable source that final versions of the PCshouldprobably have a more fleshed out Red Hat build installed, and will have WiFi. We'll let you know more as we do!

[Nick @ May 23rd 2006 1:46PM]

That's awesome, it looks like a little demon. It just needs a tail.

[Otter @ May 23rd 2006 1:55PM]

I want one of these cute little demons!

[bob @ May 23rd 2006 1:58PM]

one on the left seriously looks like its running osx

[blurry @ May 23rd 2006 1:59PM]

Will they release it on June 6th by chance?

(Actually to me it looks like it's waving its arms in the air 'cos it's a true playah, beyotch)

[oshean @ May 23rd 2006 2:00PM]

The bull horns appear to be the wifi antennae that can flipped down to cover input ports when not in use.

Now Linux can take the market share for personal home computers!.... at least in 3rd world countries.

Also laptop.org mentions that some models will be wind-up.

Sign me up for ten of them.

[craptacular @ May 23rd 2006 2:00PM]

z0mG!fedora r0x0rzz!!!

[Navigation Blog @ May 23rd 2006 2:05PM]

Oh wow those things are ugly

[buck @ May 23rd 2006 2:07PM]

what the hell? orange? no crank?

come on!

[Alex Quant @ May 23rd 2006 2:09PM]

^ .. yes, so ugly they aren't attractive to steal, which is probably an intended part of the design ;-)

[oshean @ May 23rd 2006 2:17PM]

One more thing... the one on the left can transform into a tablet like mode.... see the cursor pads and screen swivel joint. ouuuuu ahhhhh

[Alex @ May 23rd 2006 2:20PM]

>so ugly they aren't attractive to steal

Yeah, that idea is that if you see an adult with a bunch of them, you know they stole from children.

[Evil @ May 23rd 2006 2:21PM]

Very neat little lappy. If it were released all over, this would be a great little entry-level laptop, perfect for young kids, and a great little second pc for carrying around town.

[jsis @ May 23rd 2006 2:25PM]

". yes, so ugly they aren't attractive to steal, which is probably an intended part of the design ;-)"

Dell is uglier.

[hamburglar @ May 23rd 2006 2:28PM]

"It's like stealing OLPC from a baby"

[Dank @ May 23rd 2006 2:32PM]

Will the linux version have shortcut keys disabled? My kids come up with the craziest key combos that make the pc do things you didn't even know it could do!

[cracka @ May 23rd 2006 2:36PM]

OLPC FANBOYS TO YOUR BATTLESTATIONS!!!

omg it's so overpriced!!! integrated graphics!!!!111!1!!!111!1!! and look at the keyboard - it's ugly and why is the screen so horrible and omg it's gonna burn the skin of the little 3rd world kids because it runs so hot!!!!!!!!!

*gasping for air*

[DanWesnor @ May 23rd 2006 2:51PM]

I would drop $200 for one of these without hesitation. They could use the extra $100 give one to some kid free.

[tekdemon @ May 23rd 2006 3:00PM]

lol after reading about some Nigerian scammer millionaire teenager in the New York Times I'm starting to think that this plan will just result in many many many more nigerian scammers.

[will chen @ May 23rd 2006 3:03PM]

"14. OLPC FANBOYS TO YOUR BATTLESTATIONS!!!

omg it's so overpriced!!! integrated graphics!!!!111!1!!!111!1!! and look at the keyboard - it's ugly and why is the screen so horrible and omg it's gonna burn the skin of the little 3rd world kids because it runs so hot!!!!!!!!!

*gasping for air*"

Maybe you got this confused with a Macbook :/

[Jeremy Trask @ May 23rd 2006 3:06PM]

Hmmmm,

No DVD player? Small screen? Will this thing even run my MP3 maker?

I doubt I'd walk into Best Buy and just buy this thing.

[VQH @ May 23rd 2006 3:11PM]

Yea, its ugly. But who cares. I prefer they not waste R&D money on the design for this kind of project.

[Poopmaster @ May 23rd 2006 3:15PM]

This is a computer, right? It does serious computer-y things, right? What's up with the Fisher-Price look? Sure maybe 6-year olds will like them, but what about teenagers? Or will there be a different model for them? I'm sure that they will need to be skinnable, because who knows what orange means in the local cultures? Yeah yeah I know, stop asking questions...

[Scabrous Vermicelli @ May 23rd 2006 3:16PM]

If you click through to the Flickr photos...the keyboard looks to be similar in construction to those roll-up waterproof ones. Feh.

Other than that...it's a Newton eMate without the curves!

[starpause @ May 23rd 2006 3:26PM]

this project is really amazing! a working prototype is very exciting :)

they are still considering what human-powered option to include, it might be a crank, it might not. but human-powered isn't dropped.

it might be worth including a link to olpc's faq next time it pops up (hopefully soon ;)

http://wiki.laptop.org/index.php/OLPC_FAQ

[cuby @ May 23rd 2006 3:54PM]

seriously, won't those families in highly religious developing nations (which is to say, all of them), take some issue with the DEMON HORNS on these? i'm pretty sure most religions associate horn iconography with evil, much the same as we associate the windows logo ...

[ben @ May 23rd 2006 4:00PM]

wasn't the wide touchpad patented by apple, it said on here or gizmodo?Law suit!!!!
nice little devel though.
hope you can buy then in canada (on the flickr page someone had an idea pay 200$ and one will be sent off to a the kids who need em.

[blurry @ May 23rd 2006 4:16PM]

Well, on one hand if they go with any micro$oft OS the demon horns are way more than appropriate.

To me they looked like re-desigend speak-and-spells with that color scheme. Yikes. (but can you trick them into pronouncing dirty words is what I want to know)

[DS @ May 23rd 2006 4:25PM]

The OLPC group really dropped the ball when they refused to integrate OS X into the system as the primary OS. Steve Jobs offered this for free. they declined. NOT a good project if you ask me....

DS

[sfeng1 @ May 23rd 2006 5:06PM]

first of all, the OLPC laptop will most likely *not* be commercially sold, definitely not at $100/piece - perhaps even double that. The only way Negroponte can sell it for such a cheap price is through massive volume purchases, and this can only be achieved through large governmental subsidies (such as those in developing African countries, etc.). It has been criticized by some as a way to "finally make money off of poor nations".

Also, as far as i see it, the OLPC is rather simplistic, and really nothing but a gadget. for a real portable laptop, try looking at legacy HPCs, like the HP Jornada 720 or 680, which can be cheaply picked up for under $100 on eBay.

[Karl Viklund @ May 23rd 2006 5:10PM]

Wow. Looks pretty cool. I think I want one, and 100 dollar isn't much :)

[starpause @ May 23rd 2006 5:18PM]

DS: they haven't finalized the OS they are using yet. the only thing for sure is that the OS will be free as in open, and steve jobs offer was free as in beer (learn the difference :)

[APerson @ May 23rd 2006 5:21PM]

Overhyped crap. Please if you're going to release the f*cking thing then do it. If you're going to sit around and continue to "design" it, by the time you do relase it HP will have a full fleged laptop for the same price. Personally I think this was a fantastic way for Negroponte to make a name for himself and highten his career (even if this POS lappy never makes it to a bunch of starving kids).

[The Jeremy @ May 23rd 2006 5:28PM]

Looks like an Atari STacy with a custom paint-job if you ask me...

[APerson @ May 23rd 2006 5:37PM]

In fact what the hell is Negroponte doing making an OLPC? He needs to be working on a OLXBOX or an OLPS. You get to turn the crank for 15 minutes to play 5 minutes of Halo. The OLPC is for nothing more than looking at third world pornography. What these starving kids really want to do is play video games.

[Mark @ May 23rd 2006 6:10PM]

Is it just me or the OLPC on the left looks like its running OSX?

[Paul @ May 23rd 2006 6:28PM]

I don't really understand why they are marketing these for Kids, when grown ups all over Africa don't even have computers, and would need some really bad to make thei economy boom. Just think of the possibilities that these children will have and all of the opportunities that grown ups will take from their children:
Like selling their jewellery, hats, caps, home made bags, and so on...
Now, a new child labor is going to be born: Geek Child Labor (you know how to use this computer? Now, work my child... Work!)

[trev @ May 23rd 2006 6:31PM]

"27. The OLPC group really dropped the ball when they refused to integrate OS X into the system as the primary OS. Steve Jobs offered this for free. they declined. NOT a good project if you ask me....

DS"

There is probably a good reason for that, this thing needs to be cheap, hence using Linux (I know they offered it for free but wait). I assume that OSX would require more powerful components to run which would make it more expensive and in turn shorten battery life - not good if you life somewhere with little or no access to electricity and have to use the crank attachment to juice it.

"31. Overhyped crap. Please if you're going to release the f*cking thing then do it. If you're going to sit around and continue to "design" it, by the time you do relase it HP will have a full fleged laptop for the same price. Personally I think this was a fantastic way for Negroponte to make a name for himself and highten his career (even if this POS lappy never makes it to a bunch of starving kids)."

Yeah they could buy old laptops or even new ones, but they wouldnt be as reliable or as robust. These are designed to take a good bit of abuse - the likes of the port covers and sealed keyboard to keep out dirt and water. Also what looks to be think abs plastic for the case.

As for the design not appealing to teenagers, well if its this or nothing I don't think they would be too concerned.

[anon @ May 23rd 2006 6:52PM]

From Article :: " If this puppy can be outfitted with WiFi, one of Samsung's new NAND drives and a couple of USB ports"

Wi-Fi + NAND = >$100


To all the peopel complaining about the size, color, monitor, lack of this or that OS or feature...

It's a project to get One Laptop Per Child (OLPC, not just a coincidence) a reality. That is worldwide, that means a very low cost system. If I hear about how can't play WoW on it I'm going to hunt you down and beat you with a Speak-n-Spell!

To Hamburglar, very funny comment. :-)

[Tim @ May 23rd 2006 7:16PM]

I understand that it probably wont be sold commerically for $100 bucks, but I bet it wouldn't cost anywhere near a stupid UMPC...

Does the OLPC on the right have a 16:9 aspect ratio or dost thine eyes deceive me?

[cracka @ May 23rd 2006 8:03PM]

the larger question remains:

what are we gonna do when these 3rd world kids can use a computer? i mean, great, they can type. is this going to interrupt their time down in the diamond mines, sweater factories, etc? and what about cost? are they gonna demand 6c/day instead of 5c/day because of their new skillset?

[timbobsteve @ May 23rd 2006 9:16PM]

I can't believe the reactions from some of the posters here. You act like the OLPC is supposed to be a competitor to Sony and Toshiba. Its not! It is meant to be an educational PC for third-world countries where learning materials are few and far between.

Alot of developing countries are only just entering the 20th centrury, let alone the 21st century, and they would greatly benefit from the cheap, mass-produced devices to help teach their populations and hopefully bring their culture and countries up to a quality of lifestyle that so many of us take for granted.

We take our technology for granted, these people have no technology to speak of. So what if it doesn't have a SSHDD (solid-state HDD) or an nVidia X7900... its not supposed to. So many of you comment on the asthetics of this device while overlooking the core purpose of it.

Grow up and see that this device is a good thing for the people who really need it. Its not meant for you or your kids... your kids probably already have an Xbox and 2 gaming PC's and you have a laptop supplied by your employers on Wall Street.

Not all of you, but most some posters on this board make me sick to my stomach... think about something other than yourself for once.

@ DS (#27): Take your mac fan-boyism somewhere else. The whole idea of this product is not market saturation and profit, it is functionality.

[HeroreV @ May 23rd 2006 11:43PM]

Ironically, Ubuntu is changing their color scheme from brown to orange. It's like even the god of computer technology thinks this thing should be running Ubuntu.

OMG Ubuntu pwns Fedora Core times infinity.

[Frank Daley @ May 24th 2006 12:02AM]

We also need these in Australia because we're a 3rd world country. Two generations of kids have been force fed on a Microsoft diet and there are now millions of Australian kids with a malnourished IT diet.

[dhi @ May 27th 2006 12:00AM]

This is such a lame idea.

Give everyone a mobile phone instead. That would be a much better $100 investment. No need to be literate to use a phone. You can get all the market information that you need to improve the return on your crops / fish / products.

SMS and near as damn it email - and you can do email on most phones anyway.

Make the phones use the Cell when in a cell zone, or in a walkie-talkie pass the connection mode to extend the Cell at the edges. Ad hoc network style. In this way you don't have to roll out expensive networks, and thus feed corruption in government.

$100 laptop for kids in third word countries? - where they don't get much schooling? - where $100 is a large chunk of their yearly income? So damn lame - someone should tell Negroponte he's freaking out of his mind and wasting resources. And I agree with APerson - overhyped crap.

[Finalzone @ May 29th 2006 5:22PM]

Mobile phone is bad idea too because you will have to pay connection fee and more stuffs. At the same time, the OLPC screen will be actually 12 inch.
As for Fedora, it is actually a stripped down versioni with all unecessary tools/application removed. As for the spec, it is an AMD x86 500Mhz with 1298MB and 500 MB flash storage.

This Fedora version use an internface called Sugar http://www.eschoolnews.com/eti/2006/05/001414.php

[Sanders @ Nov 28th 2006 6:52AM]

All I can say is that I want one for my daughter, because of the rugeddized design this is perfect for kids.

I only wish that this pesky negroponte of ours will allow us to buy the laptop too.