OLPC XO Buy-One, Give-One program underway: $399

Got $399 and a semi-altruistic tendency? Good, the OLPC "Buy One, Give One" program just launched allowing you to BOGO a kid in a developing nation for just $399. Bonus: the program entitles you to a free year of T-Mobile HotSpots. Now best get to dialing 1-877-70-LAPTOP as the offer only runs though November 26th.

P.S. Valid for North Americans only.

[Thanks, Jazzpad]

[Jonathan Allen @ Nov 12th 2007 5:03AM]

How can that Linux PC at Wal-Mart sell for $200 and yet OLPC can't get their price down?

[ThePete @ Nov 12th 2007 5:11AM]

Jonathan, you might try reading the post or going to the XOgiving.org site--the XO does run $200 but for $400 you get one *and* you pay for a 3rd World kid to get one also. So, their price *is* down.

Also, we've got another hour, or so, before they start taking orders. 3AM for the fellow nitpickers awake this time of the middle-of-the-night. Just sayin'!

[D.L. @ Nov 12th 2007 5:20AM]

Laptops cost more to make than desktops.

[Jonathan Allen @ Nov 12th 2007 6:53AM]

I understand that this is a buy one, give one. I am just saying that (even a desktop vs. laptop) if there is a way for whoever makes that PC sold at WalMart to sell for $200, there has to be a way for this OLPC to go for less than $188.

[N30 G30 @ Nov 12th 2007 7:25AM]

Why don't you do it then?

Anyway...
The Tmobile HotSpots deal could be worth $400 by itself. Finally, I can get internet from a StarBucks just like all those yuppies.

[perfectionist @ Nov 12th 2007 2:22PM]

The Walmart computer is BYODKM.
An LCD panel costs money. Same with a keyboard and mouse.
The engineering to make it rugged and simple costs money.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Nov 13th 2007 12:36AM]

The Wally Mart special is produced in mass numbers and the motherboard it is produced in even larger quantities. Meanwhile the OLPC aka XO is barely in production, but once those numbers increase the costs should drop down to $100-125 USD.

To Engadget:
This news story has been around for a while. It's announcement was made way back in september.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14654144

[cmonkey @ Nov 12th 2007 5:32AM]

Jumped the gun a bit there. 6AM EST is when it starts.

[j @ Nov 12th 2007 6:14AM]

One more failed international charity tech project: remember when these were supposed to be $100 and all those developing countries supposedly pledged to buy them for their students? But now they're $200 and no one over there thinks they're worth spending $200 so we're supposed to buy them for them. Great.

[Magallanes @ Nov 12th 2007 12:02PM]

Agreed, also in a third world country you can buy a inexpensive p-3 for less that $100.

[ifthenwhat @ Nov 12th 2007 6:25AM]

1st! to do it that is. Took a while to answer all the questions but worth it I guess. Unfortunately they were unable to tell me an ETA for either the donation or the "get one"
Any one know?

[ifthenwhat @ Nov 12th 2007 6:26AM]

sub 100 as I remember

[No1 @ Nov 12th 2007 6:31AM]

I'd rather just buy an Asus Eee and donate 100 bucks, and seeing as I'm european, that seems to be all the choice I get.

[Chuck @ Nov 12th 2007 7:13AM]

It only comes with a 30 day warranty?!

6. The XO laptop that you receive will be subject to a 30-day Limited Warranty. Please click here to review the Warranty terms.

[PATRICK @ Nov 12th 2007 7:27AM]

100 dollars is the goal, if you actually go to there site and read up on it you can see they want to eventually get the price down to 100. as for the walmart computer, there laptop is going to be 300 about and it will not have some of the neat features on the OLPC.

[Samo @ Nov 12th 2007 7:31AM]

Dang! I wanted to participate until I read the post script... I wanted to get one for my friend in Cuba! Stupid not available for UK peeps clause...

[dpjax @ Nov 12th 2007 9:15AM]

cool. i jumped.

my 7 year old should enjoy this.

[rahat @ Nov 12th 2007 10:04AM]

most of you are goddamn idiots. how many commercially available laptops have to ability to be self charged for use in 3rd world countries?

plus these have special OSs that are designed to be learning tools, not fodder for more child labor.

seriously, this is a good effort, but when queers like you complain and showcase your own stupidity, everyone suffers.

[senyl @ Nov 12th 2007 10:20AM]

"BOGO a kid in a developing nation for just $399"
Wow, 2 kids for $400. That's cheap.

[Wilder.K.Wight @ Nov 12th 2007 11:54AM]

If I had the extra cash, I'd do it.

Unfortunately, the timing sucks. It's almost Xmas, I have too many other gadgets, and I don't have the extra budget to do something like this AND continue to eat this month.

But if they do outside the holiday season, I'm there.

[dazepro @ Nov 12th 2007 8:16PM]

Hey man, just remember that you can donate a computer at anytime. It's just the FREE WiFi that is going on during this time frame. Or, if you have $200, you can donate a computer without getting one yourself. This is a great idea and I hope everyone would donate. Heck, X-mas is coming up, and most of us get money, so be a selfless this X-mas and donate something to a child who doesnt have running water or a true house over their head.

[Superevil @ Nov 12th 2007 1:09PM]

Can I choose to give one to a struggling American kid instead of one from a thrid world country?

[Jacob Rose @ Nov 12th 2007 4:34PM]

Sure, you can send the one you get to anyone you like...

[Superevil @ Nov 12th 2007 10:35PM]

not quite what I meant.

[au @ Nov 12th 2007 2:30PM]

From the Official Website on Warranty, I quote directly
"This limited warranty does not cover cosmetic damage or damage due to acts of God, " hahahahahahahahahahahahahah

[Alex Padilla @ Nov 12th 2007 2:43PM]

no offense, but I fail to see the comedic aspect of that statement. that's what most warranties usually say...

(btw, au, "acts of god" usually means weather or random ass circumstances out of anyone's control)

[meeko @ Nov 12th 2007 2:55PM]

I'm pretty sure my Powerbook warranty didn't mention god. So what isn't an act of god? doesn't this render the warranty completely useless?

[bryware @ Nov 12th 2007 6:07PM]

It's a step in the right direction.

[cmebu @ Nov 13th 2007 12:56AM]

I find it a little weird that the article doesn't mention the $200 tax refund that you can get since you are donating something to a charity. (In essence, you're only paying $200 for 2 computers).
Oh, and don't forget the amazing capabilities such as can survive 3rd world conditions (including rain, dust, etc), can write/draw on it (kids will love that), has a video camera/microphone directly on it, better wifi than most laptop's on the market, and finally multiple power sources (ranging from sunlight, hand crank, a foot-pedal or of course AC). In essence, you could not even know what electricity is and still be able to use this.
I must admit, I'm quite jealous, and wish they would come up with an adult version of this in America for even like 2-3 times as much.

[Michael Geary @ Nov 13th 2007 1:39AM]

It's a tax *deduction*, not a tax *credit*. Big difference.

[OddManOut @ Nov 13th 2007 1:36AM]

"Got $399 and a semi-altruistic tendency?"

The answer to both is the same. I did until the EeePC came out...

[Michael Geary @ Nov 13th 2007 2:24AM]

Don't feel bad about mixing up the tax deduction vs. tax credit. A lot of people do. Be thankful that you don't have to worry about it yet. :-)

A tax credit works the way you were thinking: A $200 tax credit means you get $200 back.

A tax deduction reduces your taxable income, so it may reduce your taxes, but only according to your tax rate. Suppose your marginal tax rate (the tax rate you pay on the next dollar you earn, federal and state combined) is 40%. Then a $200 tax deduction would be worth $80 to you ($200 x 40%).

[cmebu @ Nov 14th 2007 5:59AM]

Oops, I'm only a student (as you can see by me still being up), so I don't really understand taxes yet and I kinda looked really quickly at the site. However, there's a good NYTimes article about it that talks about all the other things it has here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/technology/circuits/04pogue.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1191677876-fOSMs3sQvlI/nggC+bTIHA
Another article even calls it a product as revolutionary as the iPhone.
Ultimately, I feel like for a kid, though, who has never really seen/used a computer and especially with all the webapps out there, this could really be like the best present ever. (I mean come-on, your teacher can help you with your homework WHILE you're doing it, that's like genius).