Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[OLPC XO 1.5 now shipping with Sugar Learning Platform and GNOME Desktop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/olpc-xo-1-5-now-shipping-with-sugar-learning-platform-and-gnome/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/olpc-xo-1-5-now-shipping-with-sugar-learning-platform-and-gnome/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/olpc-xo-1-5-now-shipping-with-sugar-learning-platform-and-gnome/#comments
OLPC may still not have any completely new hardware ready to roll out, but it is now giving its slightly improved XO 1.5 laptop a bit of a boost. The organization has just announced that the laptop will now be shipping with both the simplified Sugar Learning Platform and the more full-fledged GNOME Desktop for some added productivity. What's more, the organization has also confirmed that its forthcoming XO-HS (with a new keyboard more suitable for high school students) will come with the same dual-boot option as well, and will be launched first in Uruguay this September. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading OLPC XO 1.5 now shipping with Sugar Learning Platform and GNOME Desktop

OLPC XO 1.5 now shipping with Sugar Learning Platform and GNOME Desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gnomegnome desktopGnomeDesktopolpcolpc xoolpc xo 1.5olpc xo-hsOlpcXoOlpcXo-hsOlpcXo1.5one laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildsugarsugar learning platformSugarLearningPlatformxoxo 1.5xo-hsXo1.5Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Sugar on a Stick hits 3.0, teaches us about a new kind of fruit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/11/sugar-on-a-stick-hits-3-0-teaches-us-about-a-new-kind-of-fruit/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/11/sugar-on-a-stick-hits-3-0-teaches-us-about-a-new-kind-of-fruit/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/11/sugar-on-a-stick-hits-3-0-teaches-us-about-a-new-kind-of-fruit/#commentsSugar on a Stick hits 3.0, teaches us about a new kind of fruit Strawberries go great with shortcake. Blueberries? They make one heck of a pie. But, when we learned about the latest release of the Sugar Learning Platform, we had to go look up just what a Mirabelle is. Turns out it's a small, orange plum that really has nothing to do with Sugar's Fedora underpinnings, but certainly sounds healthier than Google's versioning schemes. Mirabelle has just been given the Sugar on a Stick treatment, and as with previous releases this one can be loaded to DVD or thumb drive and booted to give a taste of XO without requiring any repartitioning. Sugar on a Stick is now an official Fedora spin, distributed on the Fedora site in both 32- and 64-bit flavors at the other end of that source link below.

Continue reading Sugar on a Stick hits 3.0, teaches us about a new kind of fruit

Sugar on a Stick hits 3.0, teaches us about a new kind of fruit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fedoralinuxoperating systemOperatingSystemossugarsugar on a sticksugar on a stick osSugarOnAStickSugarOnAStickOsxoFri, 11 Jun 2010 10:24:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC should have an XO-3 prototype ready by the end of the year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/olpc-should-have-an-xo-3-prototype-ready-by-the-end-of-the-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/olpc-should-have-an-xo-3-prototype-ready-by-the-end-of-the-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/olpc-should-have-an-xo-3-prototype-ready-by-the-end-of-the-year/#comments Last time we spied the XO-3 tablet concept from OLPC, we were told to expect the thing to ship in the far-distant year 2012. Much has changed since then in the tablet arena, however, and Nicholas Negroponte, the project's founder, is saying they'll have a working prototype ready by December of this year, to be shown off at CES in January of 2011. Many details are still up in the air, but the initial device will be designed for use by children in the oft-neglected developed world, "testing many of the things that combine a laptop, an iPad and a Kindle." Word is they'll be starting with that Marvell Moby reference design, with a 9-inch-ish dual mode LCD for outdoor readability (thanks to Pixel Qi, presumably). The prototype will have a glass screen, but the goal is "100 percent plastic, unbreakable and almost extruded out of a machine," said Negroponte, something that won't happen until 2012 most likely. The best, and possibly wildest, claim of all is the $75 price tag that they hope to slap on this thing when all is said and done. We suppose the veracity of that claim will come down to how long this actually takes to make it from prototype to production. There's video of NickNeg discussing it after the break.

Continue reading OLPC should have an XO-3 prototype ready by the end of the year

OLPC should have an XO-3 prototype ready by the end of the year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidarmlinuxmarvell mobyMarvellMobymobymoby tabletMobyTabletNicholas NegroponteNicholasNegropontenick negNickNegolpcolpc xo-3OlpcXo-3tabletxoxo-3Thu, 27 May 2010 10:21:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC sees bandwagon, hops on with XO tablet based on Marvell Moby design]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/olpc-sees-bandwagon-hops-on-with-xo-tablet-based-on-marvell-mob/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/olpc-sees-bandwagon-hops-on-with-xo-tablet-based-on-marvell-mob/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/olpc-sees-bandwagon-hops-on-with-xo-tablet-based-on-marvell-mob/#comments Eh, those kiddos don't need no physical keyboards and power cranks, right? Right! In a presumed effort to both keep with the times and take advantage of what's being served to them on a silver platter, the philanthropic souls over at One Laptop Per Child have teamed with Marvell in order to develop the next OLPC -- which, predictably, will be a tablet. The forthcoming range of XO tablets will be based on Marvell's newly loosed 'Moby' reference design (which we recently toyed with), and given that purported $99 price tag, you can see why the tie-up makes sense. The slate will require but one watt of power to operate (compared to ~five watts on the existing XO laptop), and it'll include a multilingual soft keyboard with touch feedback in order to serve various regions of the globe. As for specs, we're told that the device will boast an ARMADA 610 application processor, "gigahertz processor speed," 1080p encode / decode capabilities, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio support, a GPS module and the ability to play back 3D graphics and Adobe Flash videos (zing!). There's also an integrated camera for live video conferencing, not to mention Moby's ability to support Android, Windows Mobile and / or Ubuntu. All we're told about battery life is that it's designed "expressly" to last a good, long while, and scarily enough, there's no confirmation anywhere that these will actually cost less than a Benjamin whenever they ship. Fingers crossed, though.

Continue reading OLPC sees bandwagon, hops on with XO tablet based on Marvell Moby design

OLPC sees bandwagon, hops on with XO tablet based on Marvell Moby design originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080padobeadobe flashAdobeFlashandroidARMADAARMADA 610Armada610educationflashlaptoplow-cost laptopLow-costLaptopmarvellmobyMobylizeolpcOLPC XOOLPC XO tabletOlpcXoOlpcXoTabletslatetablettablet pcTabletPcubuntuwindows mobileWindowsMobilexoThu, 27 May 2010 09:39:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO 1.5 gets the FCC's seal of approval]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/olpc-xo-1-5-gets-the-fccs-seal-of-approval/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/olpc-xo-1-5-gets-the-fccs-seal-of-approval/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/olpc-xo-1-5-gets-the-fccs-seal-of-approval/#comments
We've been seeing the OLPC XO 1.5 out in the wild for quite a few months now, but it looks like it's just now finally cleared the all-important FCC hurdle. Unfortunately, most of the details beyond the basic formalities are being kept under wraps for the time being (along with any pictures, internal or otherwise), but we have heard previously that it packs a faster VIA C7-M processor, along with an upgraded VX855 chipset to better handle things like 3D graphics and HD video. It is also something of a stopgap measure, however, with the real upgrades seemingly planned for the ARM-based OLPC XO 1.75 -- which itself will supposedly be followed by the OLPC XO 3.0 sometime in 2012.

OLPC XO 1.5 gets the FCC's seal of approval originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fccfcc approvalFccApprovalolpcolpc xo 1.5OlpcXo1.5xoxo 1.5Xo1.5Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:29:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC shows off absurdly thin XO-3 concept tablet for 2012 (update: XO-1.5 and XO-1.75 coming first)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/22/olpc-shows-off-absurdly-thin-xo-3-concept-tablet-for-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/22/olpc-shows-off-absurdly-thin-xo-3-concept-tablet-for-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/22/olpc-shows-off-absurdly-thin-xo-3-concept-tablet-for-2012/#comments
Still have a bit of faith left for the OLPC project? Good, you're gonna need it: designer Yves Behar has unveiled his latest concept design for the now-aiming-for-$75 vision, and it's all screen. Keeping with the newfound trend toward tablets, the XO-3 is an 8.5 x 11 touchscreen, coupled with a little folding ring in the corner for grip and a camera in the back. To keep things minimal the plan is to use Palm Pre-style induction charging, and less than a watt of power to keep an "8 gigaherz [sic]" (800MHz?) processor and a Pixel Qi screen powered. At half the thickness of an iPhone, this vision is obviously banking heavily on presumed technology advances by 2012 (the projected release date), but it's not too hard to see somebody making this form factor happen by then-ish. Nick Neg isn't all hubris, however: "Sure, if I were a commercial entity coming to you for investment, and I'd made the projections I had in the past, you wouldn't invest again, but we're not a commercial operation. If we only achieve half of what we're setting out to do, it could have very big consequences."

Update: According to our man Nicholas Negroponte, who took time out of his busy schedule to email us with the info, there are two other variations of the XO headed our way before we see the XO-3. Nick says we'll see the XO-1.5 appear in January for around $200 -- an update to the current version. As we'd heard before, the 1.5 iteration will swap a VIA CPU for the current AMD one, and will double the speed as well as quadruple both the DRAM and Flash memory of the current version. Furthermore, he says that in early 2011 the XO-1.75 (replacing that psychotically awesome 2.0 dual screen model) will make its appearance, and will sport rubber bumpers on the outer casing, an 8.9-inch touchscreen display inside, and will run atop a Marvell ARM processor which will enable two times the speed at a quarter of the power usage. That version will sell for somewhere in the $175 range. Then, no 2.0... straight on to the XO-3.0!

Gallery: OLPC XO3 Gallery



[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

OLPC shows off absurdly thin XO-3 concept tablet for 2012 (update: XO-1.5 and XO-1.75 coming first) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conceptNicholas NegroponteNicholasNegroponteolpcolpc xo-1.5olpc xo-1.75OlpcXo-1.5OlpcXo-1.75one laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildtabletxoxo 1.5xo 1.75xo-1.5xo-3Xo1.5Xo1.75yves beharYvesBeharTue, 22 Dec 2009 23:49:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC shakeup: dual-screen XO-2 out, ARM-based XO 1.75 in]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/olpc-shakeup-dual-screen-xo-2-out-arm-based-xo-1-75-in/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/olpc-shakeup-dual-screen-xo-2-out-arm-based-xo-1-75-in/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/olpc-shakeup-dual-screen-xo-2-out-arm-based-xo-1-75-in/#comments
OLPC's plans for a dual-screen XO-2 laptop / tablet always seemed a little... ambitious, and it looks like even Nicholas Negroponte himself has now realized that it may be more than the organization is able to pull off at the moment. That word comes from a recent interview with Xconomy, where Negroponte confirms that OLPC has indeed scrapped plans for the dual-screen XO-2, and says it will instead focus on a "model 1.75" that has a design similar to the current OPLC XO but gets a boost from a faster ARM processor. Negroponte isn't completely giving up on the idea of a revamped OLPC, however, and says that model 3.0 will have a "totally different industrial design, more like a sheet of paper." That model apparently also includes "aspirational aspects" like an unbreakable, waterproof enclosure that's just a quarter inch thick, a full color, reflective and transmissive display with no bezel, 1W of power consumption, and (here's the real kicker) a $75 price tag by 2012.

Filed under: ,

OLPC shakeup: dual-screen XO-2 out, ARM-based XO 1.75 in originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>negropontenicholas negroponteNicholasNegroponteolpcolpc xoolpc xo-2OlpcXoOlpcXo-2xoxo-2Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Uruguay becomes first nation to provide a laptop for every primary school student]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/18/uruguay-becomes-first-nation-to-provide-a-laptop-for-every-prima/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/18/uruguay-becomes-first-nation-to-provide-a-laptop-for-every-prima/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/18/uruguay-becomes-first-nation-to-provide-a-laptop-for-every-prima/#comments
Uruguay's been a huge fan of the One Laptop Per Child initiative for quite some time, and while we're still unsure if it's the entity's biggest customer, the aforesaid nation is certainly doing some serious business with Nicholas Negroponte and Company. After the first swath of youngsters received their green and white XOs back in May of 2007, the final smattering of kids have now joined the proud group of laptop-toting tots in the country's circuit of primary schools. You heard right -- every last pupil in Uruguay's primary school system now has a laptop and a growing love for Linux, and we're told that the whole thing cost the country less than five percent of its entire education budget. So, who's next?

[Via Digg, image courtesy of oso]

Filed under:

Uruguay becomes first nation to provide a laptop for every primary school student originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrencountryeducationEducation ConnectEducationConnectlaptoplearnlearningLinuxlow cost laptoplow-cost laptopLow-costLaptopLowCostLaptopNicholas NegroponteNicholasNegroponteolpcolpc xoOlpcXoOne Laptop Per ChildOneLaptopPerChildopen sourceOpenSourcePlan CeibalPlanCeibalpublic schoolPublicSchoolschoolsugarUruguayxoSun, 18 Oct 2009 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC gets microwaved, molded into stunning piece of art]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/18/olpc-gets-microwaved-molded-into-stunning-piece-of-art/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/18/olpc-gets-microwaved-molded-into-stunning-piece-of-art/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/18/olpc-gets-microwaved-molded-into-stunning-piece-of-art/#comments
We've seen quite a few a) laptops and b) masterpieces in our day, but it's hard to recall the last time that we saw both in the same instance. Have a look at the object above, which is undoubtedly one of the most amazing pieces of laptop art this planet has ever had the pleasure of seeing. Kenny Irwin, known for his post-microwave creations, decided to zap one of the low-cost PCs and then mold it into the OLPCSlug while things were still gooey, all in the name of good publicity and charity. You see, the buyer of this lovely piece will see 80 percent of the proceeds head straight to OLPC, and given that it will also "help keep you safe from forest beasts of unimaginable size," those currently situated in backwoods retreats have an extra reason to plunk down. The only problem? That $26,001 asking price. A can't-miss demo video is after the break.

[Thanks, Robert]

Continue reading OLPC gets microwaved, molded into stunning piece of art

Filed under:

OLPC gets microwaved, molded into stunning piece of art originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artauctionebayfor saleForSalelaptoplow-cost laptopLow-costLaptopmicrowavemicrowave artMicrowaveArtmutantnetbookolpcolpc xoOLPCSlugOlpcXoon saleOnSalexoFri, 18 Sep 2009 09:41:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop dances from GNOME to Sugar, on video!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/olpcs-xo-generation-1-5-laptop-dances-from-gnome-to-sugar-on-v/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/olpcs-xo-generation-1-5-laptop-dances-from-gnome-to-sugar-on-v/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/olpcs-xo-generation-1-5-laptop-dances-from-gnome-to-sugar-on-v/#comments
We know how thrilled you were when you first witnessed the XO 1.5 outpace an overclocked XO 1.0 earlier this month. Still, there's no doubt in our mind that even that level of excitement will soon be overshadowed by the insane craziness you are about to experience in the form of a video showing the newest OLPC machine as it glides softly from GNOME to Sugar Linux environments... and back again. Wild, right? Don't let us spoil it for you -- you can peep the 1GHz powered ultraportable in all its glory after the break.

Update: Whoa, boy. Liliputing was able to get a peek at this unit's motherboard, and they were even kind enough to take us all on a video tour. Enjoy!

Continue reading OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop dances from GNOME to Sugar, on video!

Filed under:

OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop dances from GNOME to Sugar, on video! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>generation 1.5Generation1.5motherboardolpcolpc 1.5Olpc1.5viavia c7-mViaC7-mxoxo 1.5xo generation 1.5Xo1.5XoGeneration1.5Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:44:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop handled, speed tested - on video!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/olpcs-xo-generation-1-5-laptop-handled-speed-tested-on-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/olpcs-xo-generation-1-5-laptop-handled-speed-tested-on-video/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/09/olpcs-xo-generation-1-5-laptop-handled-speed-tested-on-video/#comments
The lucky kids at the OLPC Learning Club DC got paid a visit by a man sporting a beefed up XO 1.5 laptop recently and was kind enough to put on a little show for the group. Featuring a VIA C7-M 1GHz variable speed processor, the update to the classic XO machine promises full screen video playback, faster eToys and scratch animation, more storage for a larger offline library, better image capture and remixing, and an all-around better Java experience. In an admittedly unscientific (but still pretty sweet) side by side comparison, the XO 1.5 (left) was able to boot up and launch eToys (a real memory hog) before the XO 1.0 had booted up all the way -- this despite the fact that the 1.5 was started a little later, and that the 1.0 is overclocked to 500MHz. We're looking forward to seeing more red hot XO 1.5 action as the release date grows nigh -- in the meantime, the video below will have to tide us over. Enjoy!

Continue reading OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop handled, speed tested - on video!

Filed under:

OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop handled, speed tested - on video! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>generation 1.5Generation1.5olpcolpc 1.5Olpc1.5viavia c7-mViaC7-mxoxo 1.5xo generation 1.5Xo1.5XoGeneration1.5Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Oddly humble Negroponte lists OLPC's failures, calls Sugar a 'mistake']]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/oddly-humble-negroponte-lists-olpcs-failures-calls-sugar-a-mi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/oddly-humble-negroponte-lists-olpcs-failures-calls-sugar-a-mi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/21/oddly-humble-negroponte-lists-olpcs-failures-calls-sugar-a-mi/#commentsOddly humble Negroponte lists OLPC's failures, calls Sugar a 'mistake'
The noble goal of a $100 laptop for developing nations has come to fruition -- but of course at a higher cost and later date than expected. One Laptop Per Child has succeeded in delivering 900,000 XO laptops into the hands of kids, but that's a far cry from the many millions expected and Chairman Nicholas Negroponte is pulling no punches in describing what went wrong. He's still bitter at Intel, claiming it worked to "spoil the market," and angry about many nations cutting back on large deals. But, he isn't just lashing outwardly, calling the custom Linux-based operating system that runs the XO, a "mistake," saying "Sugar should have been an application" of the sort it has now morphed to be with Sugar on a Stick. Too little too late? OLPC has already made massive staff cuts and sales from the Give One, Get One program dropped 90 percent last year. With machines like the EduBook selling for $160 to institutions and able to run common operating systems, we're not seeing the future get any more bright for this little green guy.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under:

Oddly humble Negroponte lists OLPC's failures, calls Sugar a 'mistake' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 07:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>negropontenicholad negroponteNicholadNegroponteolpcone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildsugarsugar on a stickSugarOnAStickxoxo laptopXoLaptopTue, 21 Jul 2009 07:14:00 EST<![CDATA[PeeWee debuts drop and spill-resistant Pivot Tablet Laptop ]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/29/peewee-debuts-drop-and-spill-resistant-pivot-tablet-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/29/peewee-debuts-drop-and-spill-resistant-pivot-tablet-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/29/peewee-debuts-drop-and-spill-resistant-pivot-tablet-laptop/#comments
At first glance, PeeWee PC's Pivot Tablet Laptop is a formidable rival to the long-standing OLPC XO. Unfortunately, the lofty price tag puts it in a class of its own, but it's still a solid machine for those looking to a learn a bit (or just give their kids a wholesome distraction). Debuting today, the three pound convertible tablet boasts a spill and drop-resistant shell, a carry handle, a presumed 10-inch touchscreen display and a 6-cell Li-ion battery. Within, you'll find a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, two USB 2.0 ports, a 60GB HDD, 1.3 megapixel camera, Ethernet, WiFi, Windows XP Home, a proprietary security suite to keep kids from picking up a new favorite stalker and ten age appropriate software and game titles. If your kid's been bugging you for a new netbook, you can quell the squealing by snapping one of these up today starting at $599.99. Full release is after the break.

Gallery: PeeWee debuts drop and spill-resistant Pivot Tablet Laptop

Continue reading PeeWee debuts drop and spill-resistant Pivot Tablet Laptop

Filed under:

PeeWee debuts drop and spill-resistant Pivot Tablet Laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atomatom n270AtomN270convertible tabletconvertible tablet pcConvertibleTabletConvertibleTabletPceducationeducationaleducational pcEducationalPclaptoplearninglow cost laptoplow-cost laptopLow-costLaptopLowCostLaptopn270olpcolpc xoOlpcXoPCPeeWeePeeWee PCPeeWee PivotPeeWee Pivot Tablet LaptopPeeweePcPeeweePivotPeeweePivotTabletLaptoptablettablet pcTabletPcwindows xpWindowsXpxoWed, 29 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[India bids mythical $10 laptop adieu, turns to OLPC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/28/india-bids-mythical-10-laptop-adieu-turns-to-olpc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/28/india-bids-mythical-10-laptop-adieu-turns-to-olpc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/28/india-bids-mythical-10-laptop-adieu-turns-to-olpc/#commentsIndia bids mythical $10 laptop adieu, turns to OLPC
What's worse than a $10 laptop that winds up costing $30? A $10 $30 laptop that's not really a laptop at all. India is shrugging off the disappointment surrounding its apparent failure to bring home-grown tech to its youth, but thankfully isn't giving up on the kids, ordering a whopping 250,000 OLPC XO laptops. Waiting this long to drink the Negroponte Kool Aid means 1,500 schools will get the latest and greatest models, featuring VIA C7-M processors and bumped up storage. The plan is for a total of three million portable computers for Indian schools this year, and while it's unclear just how many will be little, green, and different, that's a whole lot of lappys regardless.

Filed under:

India bids mythical $10 laptop adieu, turns to OLPC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indiaolpcolpc xoolpc xo laptopOlpcXoOlpcXoLaptopviavia c7-mViaC7-mxoxo laptopXoLaptopTue, 28 Apr 2009 07:54:00 EST<![CDATA[XO Generation 1.5 promises some beefed up internals while we wait for XO-2 to change everything]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/18/xo-generation-1-5-promises-some-beefed-up-internals-while-we-wai/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/18/xo-generation-1-5-promises-some-beefed-up-internals-while-we-wai/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/18/xo-generation-1-5-promises-some-beefed-up-internals-while-we-wai/#comments
We're pretty stoked to see that upcoming dual-screen sequel to the XO, OLPC's promised XO-2. Until then, OLPC is sprucing up the insides of its current design with a new VIA C7-M processor that can be clocked between 400MHz and 1GHz depending on the task at hand. Alongside the new processor the "Generation 1.5" model will sport a hot new VX855 chipset that can handle 3D graphics, HD video, and general management duties, and should be able to do it with a smaller footprint and less power consumption. The screen will likely remain the same, but might be tweaked slightly to improve brightness and efficiency, and the whole package should be built with components that will be more likely to drop in price. Developers should get the main board by May, with prototypes for testing going out in August and we suppose wide availability sometime after that.

Filed under:

XO Generation 1.5 promises some beefed up internals while we wait for XO-2 to change everything originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>generation 1.5Generation1.5olpcolpc 1.5Olpc1.5viavia c7-mViaC7-mxoxo 1.5Xo1.5Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Negroponte raps about OLPC 2: 'designed as if we were Google']]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/negroponte-raps-about-olpc-2-designed-as-if-we-were-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/negroponte-raps-about-olpc-2-designed-as-if-we-were-google/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/negroponte-raps-about-olpc-2-designed-as-if-we-were-google/#comments
Well, our interest was certainly piqued by that OLPC XO-2 mockup that surfaced yesterday, and now the Guardian is saying that the hardware development will take place open source. This is certainly fitting with the company's idealistic ethos, and it'll be interesting to see what other companies bring to the table as the reportedly $75 dual-screen device gets closer to real reality. "The XO-1 was really designed as if we were Apple," Nicholas Negroponte says in the interview. "The XO-2 will be designed as if we were Google - we'll want people to copy it. We'll make the constituent parts available. We'll try and get it out there using the exact opposite approach that we did with the XO-1." He let a few details slip too, saying that it will be dual touchscreen, with one of the displays featuring a touch-sensitive, force-feedback, haptic keyboard. When asked how he feels about the possibility that other companies might profit from all this hard work developing the laptop of tomorrow? "I wouldn't complain." Class act, that one. Bravo.

[Via Make]

Filed under:

Negroponte raps about OLPC 2: 'designed as if we were Google' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleblurrycamdual touchscreenDualTouchscreengooglehaptichaptic touchscreenHapticTouchscreennegropontenicholas negroponteNicholasNegroponteolpcolpc 2olpc 2.0Olpc2Olpc2.0open sourceopensourcetouchscreenxoxo-1xo-2Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:31:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC "refocuses" its mission, cuts staff by 50%]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/olpc-refocuses-its-mission-cuts-staff-by-50/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/olpc-refocuses-its-mission-cuts-staff-by-50/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/olpc-refocuses-its-mission-cuts-staff-by-50/#comments
We've already seen quite a few shakeups at OLPC, but it looks like things have taken a considerably more drastic turn today, with Nicholas Negroponte himself announcing that the organization is "refocusing its mission" by cutting its staff by about 50% and giving the remaining 32 folks a cut in pay. But that's not all, OLPC will also apparently be "passing on the development" of the Sugar OS to the community, and it'll be increasingly shifting its focus toward the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Northwestern Pakistan as it spins off its operations in Latin America and Africa. Negroponte does say, however, that OLPC will continue to focus on the development of its second generation platform, and it apparently even hopes to bring the cost of the laptop down to zero for the least developed countries. Hit up the link below for the complete announcement.

[Via OLPC News]

Filed under:

OLPC "refocuses" its mission, cuts staff by 50% originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>negroponteolpcolpc xoOlpcXoxoWed, 07 Jan 2009 20:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon's Give 1, Get 1 OLPC XO program now live]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/17/amazons-give-1-get-1-olpc-xo-program-now-live/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/17/amazons-give-1-get-1-olpc-xo-program-now-live/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/17/amazons-give-1-get-1-olpc-xo-program-now-live/#comments
You know the drill: for $399 you buy one OLPC XO laptop and a second is sent to a child somewhere in the developing world. Same deal as last year only now with the help of Amazon's powerful retail reach. Devices begin shipping in about 30 days -- a bit longer outside the US. Naturally you can also just gift the $199 laptop direct to a kid of OLPC's choosing. About the quickest way to become a donor short of meeting a hotel stranger in possession of roofies and a bathtub full of ice.

[Via PC World]

Read -- US site (live)
Read -- UK site for rest of world (limbo)

Filed under:

Amazon's Give 1, Get 1 OLPC XO program now live originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>g1g1give one get oneGiveOneGetOneolpcxoMon, 17 Nov 2008 03:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Europe also getting a taste of OLPC sugar on Monday]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/14/europe-also-getting-a-taste-of-olpc-sugar-on-monday/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/14/europe-also-getting-a-taste-of-olpc-sugar-on-monday/http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/14/europe-also-getting-a-taste-of-olpc-sugar-on-monday/#comments
The OLPC, Give One Get One program is heading to Europe on November 17th -- the same day the deal kicks off in the US. Thanks to the Amazon hook-up, 27 EU nations as well as Switzerland, Russia, and Turkey can grab an XO laptop at a cost of about £268 / €313. That's one XO running Sugar (not XP) for you and one for a child in a developing nation... other than your own.

Filed under:

Europe also getting a taste of OLPC sugar on Monday originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazong1g1olpcsugarxoFri, 14 Nov 2008 07:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed: Kids like Sugar better than XP]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/24/confirmed-kids-like-sugar-better-than-xp/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/24/confirmed-kids-like-sugar-better-than-xp/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/24/confirmed-kids-like-sugar-better-than-xp/#comments
It's hardly a scientific test, but when a Cnet editor's 8 year old daughter was given the choice between an OLPC XO laptop running Windows XP or the Linux-based Sugar UI, Sugar was the winner. As Cnet points out, either OS when properly incorporated into the teaching curriculum should serve the children of developing nations equally well. Only one, however, promises to prepare our youth for middle management.

P.S. Amazon's Give One, Get One program will be limited to Linux according to Cnet and confirmed in the OLPC Wiki -- no dual-boot for you Santa.

[Thanks, Justin G.]

Filed under:

Confirmed: Kids like Sugar better than XP originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazong1g1give one get oneGiveOneGetOnegogoolpcsugarxoxpFri, 24 Oct 2008 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Brazilian exhibition shows off low-cost laptop prototypes of old]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/14/brazilian-exhibition-shows-off-low-cost-laptop-prototypes/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/14/brazilian-exhibition-shows-off-low-cost-laptop-prototypes/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/14/brazilian-exhibition-shows-off-low-cost-laptop-prototypes/#comments
Hard to believe it's been over two years since we wrapped our noodles around the Intel Eduwise and the OLPC XO, and while the average Atom-powered netbook has practically swiped the limelight, the low-cost laptop still holds a special place in our hearts. So it's with great joy that we present this mystical tour through the genealogy of the Classmate PC. On hand are a number of prototypes, a non-working mockup and a version of the Eduwise that actually retains the bulk of its hardware in the rear of the LCD. Heck, there's even a bright blue convertible in there that could probably give Doom a run for its money. Unfortunately, the writeup is in translated English, but chances are the images will do the bulk of the speaking to your soul.

Filed under:

Brazilian exhibition shows off low-cost laptop prototypes of old originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brazilClassmate PCClassmatePceduwiseFundacao BradescoFundacaoBradescointellow-cost laptopLow-costLaptopOLPCXOTue, 14 Oct 2008 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC's Give One, Get One returns to Amazon on November 17]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/30/olpcs-give-one-get-one-returns-to-amazon-on-november-17/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/30/olpcs-give-one-get-one-returns-to-amazon-on-november-17/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/30/olpcs-give-one-get-one-returns-to-amazon-on-november-17/#comments
We knew we'd be seeing a comeback of the Give One, Get One program this year, and now OLPC has confirmed a November 17 date -- just in time for the holidays, how convenient for everyone! We're still not certain on a price, but $399 is quite likely. It's not like they're doing the volume right now to drive those costs down, and the component-reduced XO 1.5, which is supposed to actually get close to hitting OLPC's $100 laptop goals, won't be landing until next spring. Dual-booting to XP is still unconfirmed.

[Thanks, Charbax]

Filed under:

OLPC's Give One, Get One returns to Amazon on November 17 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>g1g1give one get oneGiveOneGetOneolpcxoTue, 30 Sep 2008 09:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Peru receives first Windows based OLPC XO laptops]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/17/peru-receives-first-windows-based-olpc-xo-laptops/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/17/peru-receives-first-windows-based-olpc-xo-laptops/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/17/peru-receives-first-windows-based-olpc-xo-laptops/#comments
The long wait is up, and Peru is first in line to receive the new Windows flavored XO through the OLPC program. Though not as cute as the bubbly Sugar interface, it will pack more of a real world punch where apps are concerned -- each XO is fitted out with an assortment of MS goodies, including Office 2003 and Learning Essentials 1.0 for Office, served on a bed of XP Pro. Now before you get all teary eyed, keep in mind that Sugar lives on, and there's an emulator out there with your name on it.

[Thanks, Patrick]

Filed under:

Peru receives first Windows based OLPC XO laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftolpcone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildPeruperuvianwindowsxoWed, 17 Sep 2008 23:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon to offer OLPC's Give One, Get One Program later this year (update: possibly dual-boot)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/04/amazon-to-offer-olpcs-give-one-get-program-later-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/04/amazon-to-offer-olpcs-give-one-get-program-later-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/04/amazon-to-offer-olpcs-give-one-get-program-later-this-year/#comments
Now that OLPC has met its One Laptop Per Child goal (in uh, Niue) it's time to go whole-hog retail. According to Matt Keller, OLPC chief in EMEA, OLPC will resurrect its Give One, Get One XO program in late November with the help of Amazon's big retail guns. Prices haven't been disclosed nor has the nimble Sugar or poky XP OS selection. But if history serves, we'll be looking at $399 for the Sugary pair just like last year.

Update: As it turns out, OLPC says that a dual-boot XP and Sugar OS XO will be shipping in the "next month of so." Happy pappie?

Filed under:

Amazon to offer OLPC's Give One, Get One Program later this year (update: possibly dual-boot) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>give one get oneGiveOneGetOnegogoolpcsugarwindows xpWindowsXpxoxpThu, 04 Sep 2008 03:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows XP tested on the OLPC XO, as slow as you'd expect]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/06/windows-xp-tested-on-the-olpc-xo-as-slow-as-youd-expect/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/06/windows-xp-tested-on-the-olpc-xo-as-slow-as-youd-expect/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/06/windows-xp-tested-on-the-olpc-xo-as-slow-as-youd-expect/#comments
Here's the surprise of the century: Windows XP runs excruciatingly slowly on the OLPC XO. We're shocked, simply shocked. The folks at Laptop Mag got to kick the tires on this fruit of the XO and Microsoft partnership, and while to their credit they've manage to build a computer that works and runs real-world applications, it's not a pretty sight. Sure, most of the hardware is (or will be) supported just fine, though Sugar's mesh networking is absent, but boot time off of the 4GB SD card is 1 minute and 24 seconds, and once booted into XP you don't have access to the data on the XO's 1GB of internal storage. Internet Explorer 6 took a mere 5 seconds to start, but Word 2003 takes 42 seconds of thumb twiddling. Even more disconcerting is that the system is pretty much locked to running one app at a time, since things just get too sluggish after that. The upshot of this is that the OLPC folks are considering a new edition of the original machine with more RAM and a new processor, but we certainly feel sorry for kids to who this existing machine will be their first taste of computing. Well, only a little bit. Back in our day...

Filed under:

Windows XP tested on the OLPC XO, as slow as you'd expect originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftolpcolpc xoOlpcXowindows xpWindowsXpxoxpWed, 06 Aug 2008 09:37:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC unveils first prototype of XO 2.0]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/olpc-unveils-first-prototype-of-xo-2-0/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/olpc-unveils-first-prototype-of-xo-2-0/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/20/olpc-unveils-first-prototype-of-xo-2-0/#comments
Just when it looked like OLPC was finally getting at least one foot firmly grounded in reality with the upcoming Windows XP version of its low-priced XO, Nick Neg takes things back into the stratosphere with the unveiling of the XO 2.0. Due in 2010, the new laptop will employ dual sunlight-readable touchscreen displays in a smaller, folding e-book form factor. Sure, it looks totally amazing, but we'll believe it when we see it. As if that weren't ambitious enough, Nick calls a $20 pricepoint per display not out of the question, thanks to the ubiquity of LCD screens for DVD players, with a final laptop price of $75. Sure Nick, but 2010? Let's work on getting the XO down to $100 first, shall we? Oh, and speaking of the XO, the Give 1 Get 1 program will be started back up in August or September of this year. There's just never a dull moment with these folks.

Filed under:

OLPC unveils first prototype of XO 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 May 2008 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsgive 1 get 1Give1Get1olpcxoxo2xxTue, 20 May 2008 12:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Displaced by XP, Sugar Labs goes it alone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/16/displaced-by-xp-sugar-labs-goes-it-alone/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/16/displaced-by-xp-sugar-labs-goes-it-alone/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/16/displaced-by-xp-sugar-labs-goes-it-alone/#comments
While OLPC tries to wise up to the real demands of the market and build a cheap laptop that people actually want -- which means Windows XP for most -- Walter Bender, OLPC's former president of software and content for the project is taking his open source Linux-based Sugar OS and has started up a new non-profit to aid its development. Bender still has the vision of an open source learning OS, and plans to give Sugar full support for other low-cost platforms like the Eee PC. Ooh, burn.

Filed under:

Displaced by XP, Sugar Labs goes it alone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 May 2008 09:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcsugarsugar labssugar osSugarLabsSugarOswalter benderWalterBenderxoFri, 16 May 2008 09:47:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO officially gets Windows XP, children of the world to be assimilated]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/olpc-xo-officially-gets-windows-xp-children-of-the-world-to-be/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/olpc-xo-officially-gets-windows-xp-children-of-the-world-to-be/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/15/olpc-xo-officially-gets-windows-xp-children-of-the-world-to-be/#comments
It's been a controversial decision, but it looks like the OLPC XO has completed its transition from revolutionary education project to just another tiny Windows laptop with a useless keyboard -- albeit one with a pleasantly whimsical design. Yep, it's official: Microsoft and OLPC just put out a joint press release saying that XP-loaded XOs will be available starting in August or September, with some countries to get the machines as soon as next month. Users will get all the regular functionality of XP -- it's basically the same build as on the Eee and other ultraportables -- but Microsoft's spent over a year developing specialized drivers for the XO's various features like e-book mode, the writing pad, and camera. (We're pretty certain that doesn't include mesh networking, but WiFi is supported.) XP is too big for the built-in 1GB flash chip, so it'll come preloaded on a 2GB SD card, leaving just about 1.5GB free total for apps and media. It seems like Microsoft is thrilled about this partnership, but it's a not going to make NickNeg's search for new vision at the top any easier. As for Sugar? You'll still be able to get it, but we have a sinking feeling about its future. Demo video after the break.

Continue reading OLPC XO officially gets Windows XP, children of the world to be assimilated

Filed under:

OLPC XO officially gets Windows XP, children of the world to be assimilated originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 May 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsmicrosoftolpcolpc xoOlpcXoultraportablewindowswindows xpWindowsXpxoxpThu, 15 May 2008 20:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Are OLPC XO keyboards having widespread problems?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/20/are-olpc-xo-keyboards-having-widespread-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/20/are-olpc-xo-keyboards-having-widespread-problems/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/20/are-olpc-xo-keyboards-having-widespread-problems/#comments
The OLPC XO -- it's all rainbows, hugging, and laser beams of learning, right? Maybe not, kind reader. Apparently, users of the diminutive, educationally themed laptop are experiencing a rash of "stuck key" issues which are causing tons of headaches (and possibly some heartbreak as well). It seems that keys are becoming stuck in activated positions, and / or are being triggered by key presses nearby. The company is aware of the problem, but can't pinpoint a single cause, as the components are made by a variety of manufacturers. For now OLPC is asking customers to RMA the laptops so they can get the repairs they so desperately need, though we're not sure how this is going to play out in the developing areas where the XOs are being rolled out. Well, they can probably just take them to the hospital.

Filed under:

Are OLPC XO keyboards having widespread problems? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>issueskeyboardolpcolpc xoOlpcXoproblemsstuck keyStuckKeyxoSun, 20 Apr 2008 20:04:00 EST<![CDATA[The OLPC XO gets overclocked, loses its innocence]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/27/the-olpc-xo-gets-overclocked-loses-its-innocence/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/27/the-olpc-xo-gets-overclocked-loses-its-innocence/http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/27/the-olpc-xo-gets-overclocked-loses-its-innocence/#comments
It's safe to assume that if you're using one of OLPC's XO laptops, you're not exactly a speed demon. Still, you probably wouldn't mind squeezing a little more power out of that innocuous Geode CPU -- and now there's a way to do it. The cats and kittens over at OLPC News have discovered a way to (relatively) safely overclock your system using a shortcut at the open firmware prompt. At least one reader reports a 21.8 percent boost in system speed, and claims that bumping the 433MHz processor to 588MHz, and the 166MHz RAM to 233MHz has resulted in a much smoother ride with Ubuntu. Of course, if you decide to try this, keep in mind that just like overclocking the big boys, you could explode your system, restart the Cold War, or attract tons of vampires.

Filed under:

The OLPC XO gets overclocked, loses its innocence originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geodeolpcone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildoverclockoverclockingxoThu, 27 Mar 2008 02:02:00 EST<![CDATA[5-year-olds repair OLPC laptops at Nigerian "hospital"]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/03/5-year-olds-repair-olpc-laptops-at-nigerian-hospital/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/03/5-year-olds-repair-olpc-laptops-at-nigerian-hospital/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/03/5-year-olds-repair-olpc-laptops-at-nigerian-hospital/#comments
During the recent Greener Gadgets Conference in New York, former OLPC CTO (and XO challenger) Mary Lou Jepsen discussed the real-world difficulties with using the kid-friendly laptops, including the creation of an XO "hospital" used to repair broken computers. Apparently, in the crowded conditions of schools in places like Nigeria, the little green laptops have a tendency to be jostled around and even knocked on the floor from time to time. As there's typically no repair shops nearby, the kids have learned to fix the systems themselves, setting up a "laptop hospital" where they can repair what's broken using simple tools and cheap replacement parts. Mary Lou says the company designed the systems to be easily fixable, including extra screws embedded in the computers themselves, and allowing for quick changes of the LCD backlight and other components. The in-house repairs cut down on shipping, promote reuse, and increase kids' understanding of ownership and responsibility, thus furthering the OLPC mission, and making everyone generally want to hug.

[Image courtesy NotebookReview / Kevin O'Brien]

Filed under:

5-year-olds repair OLPC laptops at Nigerian "hospital" originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 03 Feb 2008 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrenhospitalkidslaptop hospitalLaptopHospitalmary lou jepsenMaryLouJepsennigeriaolpcrepairxoSun, 03 Feb 2008 11:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Birmingham, AL totally confused by OLPC purchase]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/23/birmingham-al-totally-confused-by-olpc-purchase/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/23/birmingham-al-totally-confused-by-olpc-purchase/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/23/birmingham-al-totally-confused-by-olpc-purchase/#commentsWe knew we were in for some rough chuckles when Birmingham, Alabama signed up to provide an OLPC XO to every K-8 student last December, but we didn't think they'd be this silly from the get-go: apparently the mayor's office, which negotiated the deal, is now saying the school board needs to add WiFi to every school for the laptops to work. That's news to us -- the mesh-networking XO was designed to be used in rural parts of the developing world, after all -- but we're still puzzling out what mayoral advisors John Katopodis and Bob McKenna meant when they said they're "trying to make the whole city WiFi," or where they got a quote of $39 per school to enable wireless access. Of course, the only response from the school board was one member who worried about students accessing porn -- which seems to be a real theme with the XO -- but for some reason we're not at all surprised that bureaucratic officials have totally missed the point of the OLPC project.

[Thanks, Jay]

Filed under:

Birmingham, AL totally confused by OLPC purchase originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alabamabirminghambirmingham alabamaBirminghamAlabamaOLPColpc xoOlpcXoXOWed, 23 Jan 2008 18:34:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC America will bring XO to the US]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/13/olpc-america-will-bring-xo-to-the-us/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/13/olpc-america-will-bring-xo-to-the-us/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/13/olpc-america-will-bring-xo-to-the-us/#comments Proving once again that he's still got love for the home team, Nick Negroponte has announced the impending launch of OLPC America, a division of the organization with its own director and chairman that will bring low-cost laptops to US students. According to an IDG interview with Negroponte, distributing the XO stateside has always been in the plans, arguing that "to have the United States be the only country that's not in the OLPC agenda would be kind of ridiculous." Besides helping out kids at home, NickNeg anticipates that a domestic deployment will accelerate the project to critical mass in terms of adoption, software, and developer support. OLPC America will reportedly work with individual state governments to handle the details of the disbursement, although specifics of the plan will remain under wraps until the official launch later this year.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under:

OLPC America will bring XO to the US originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>laptopslow-cost computingLow-costComputingnicholas negroponteNicholasNegropontenotebooksolpcolpc americaOlpcAmericaxoSun, 13 Jan 2008 13:18:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft sez no OLPC dual-boot, still committed to XP on XO]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/11/microsoft-sez-no-olpc-dual-boot-still-committed-to-xp-on-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/11/microsoft-sez-no-olpc-dual-boot-still-committed-to-xp-on-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/11/microsoft-sez-no-olpc-dual-boot-still-committed-to-xp-on-xo/#commentsThose of you who participated in OLPC's "Give One, Get One" program will probably be disappointed to learn that, despite earlier reports to the contrary, Microsoft has no intention of developing dual-boot Windows / Linux support for the XO laptop. According to a statement sent to BetaNews, Redmond flat out denied any work on such a project, instead claiming that it "plans to publish formal design guidelines early this year that will assist [any] flash-based device manufacturers in designing machines that enable a high-quality Windows experience." The blurb goes on to say that the company will be conducting limited XP-on-XO field tests later this month, although BetaNews notes that notebook's hardware limitations have proven problematic for the software giant, which may be forced to offer the OS on an SD card -- a move that would require a new BIOS for the XO to enable booting from removable storage.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under:

Microsoft sez no OLPC dual-boot, still committed to XP on XO originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dual-bootlinuxmicrosoftolpcoperating systemOperatingSystemossoftwarewindowswindows xpWindowsXpxoFri, 11 Jan 2008 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC spin-off plans $75 laptop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/10/olpc-spin-off-plans-75-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/10/olpc-spin-off-plans-75-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/10/olpc-spin-off-plans-75-laptop/#comments
According to a report in the New York Times today, a spin-off of OLPC is planning to launch a competitor to the company's $200 XO laptop. Mary Lou Jepsen, former CTO of the Nicholas Negroponte-led company, claims that her new organization, Pixel Qi, can do it cheaper and better. "Spinning out from OLPC enables the development of a new machine, beyond the XO [laptop], while leveraging a larger market for new technologies," Jepsen wrote on the company's website, adding, "Besides, I need that extra $125 for laundry and stuff." Jepsen claims that the cost of a device like the XO can be reduced by, "Allowing multiple uses of key technology advances." If you'll recall, the original target price for the XO was $100, back in the hazy, optimistic days of 2005. Using an advanced abacus coupled with a complex system of levers and pulleys, we've determined that when and if the Pixel Qi laptop makes it to market, the cost will be no less than $150, and Nicholas Negroponte will say something crazy about it.

Filed under:

OLPC spin-off plans $75 laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>$75 laptop$75Laptopbreaking newsBreakingNewsmary jo jensenMaryJoJensennicholas negroponteNicholasNegroponteolpcone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildpixel qiPixelQixoThu, 10 Jan 2008 11:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Nigerian firm wins interim injunction against OLPC, asks for $20M in damages]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/02/nigerian-firm-wins-interim-injunction-against-olpc-asks-for-20/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/02/nigerian-firm-wins-interim-injunction-against-olpc-asks-for-20/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/02/nigerian-firm-wins-interim-injunction-against-olpc-asks-for-20/#comments Well, it looks like that Nigerian keyboard patent infringement case against OLPC is underway, and it hasn't started out too well for Nick Neg and co.: the court has granted LANCOR's motion for an interim injunction against OLPC, meaning the XO can't be imported or sold in Nigeria. On top of that, LANCOR is now asking for $20M in damages, and has been searching the offices of OLPC-affiliated organizations in Nigeria for "evidence." All of this currently going down with zero input from OLPC's lawyers, but we're told the organization is preparing an "aggressive" response. Check the read link for an exhaustive summary of the case to date over at Groklaw.

[Via CNet]

Filed under:

Nigerian firm wins interim injunction against OLPC, asks for $20M in damages originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lancorlawsuitolpcpatentxoWed, 02 Jan 2008 14:33:00 EST<![CDATA[How would you change the OLPC XO?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/how-would-you-change-the-olpc-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/how-would-you-change-the-olpc-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/how-would-you-change-the-olpc-xo/#comments
Don't adjust your screens folks, as this actually isn't a year-end case of déjà vu. Rather, we're looking to give you an(other) imaginary shot at tweaking the OLPC XO now that it has moved beyond the initiative phase and been productized for the general consumer. In case you've been parked squarely under a rock for the last few months, you should know that the XO's journey through production has been quite a lengthy one, and while a few countries have made substantial bulk purchases to inject these machines into their respective school systems, we're interested in seeing how the average joe / jane located in a developed nation sees things.

Needless to say, One Laptop Per Child's "Give One, Get One" program has been quite the success, and by now, we're confident that some of you have already received your own. 'Course, we're sure there's at least a few of you that chose this over that other low-cost laptop (and many that chose it over this), and we're curious to know how you'd improve the newly commercialized XO now that it actually has a rival. Yeah, we too would love an even skimpier price tag, but beyond that, what hardware / software changes would you like to see on the next version? Could you stand to have a few more megabytes of RAM? Still yearning for dual-boot capability out of the box? How's about a design scheme that doesn't involve opaque white and bright green? As stated, we're well aware that these things weren't designed with LAN partiers in mind, but now that NickNeg is offering 'em up to these very citizens -- not to mention every other type of user in North America -- why not toss out a few suggestions for making it more suitable for you?

Filed under:

How would you change the OLPC XO? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featureshow would you changeHowWouldYouChangehwycolpcolpc xoOlpcXoxoFri, 28 Dec 2007 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Quanta shipping only 10,000 OLPC XO's per month? Try 100k]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/14/quanta-manufacturing-only-10-000-olpc-xos-per-month/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/14/quanta-manufacturing-only-10-000-olpc-xos-per-month/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/14/quanta-manufacturing-only-10-000-olpc-xos-per-month/#commentsSomething doesn't add up. Either the Economic Daily News has bad manufacturing numbers or OLPC's claims of $2 Million worth of "donations" each day (more than 10,000 XOs per day!) under the $399 G1G1 program are highly exaggerated. The Chinese-language report says that Quanta expects to ship 15,000 XOs in all of December and only around 8-10k units each month into the future. This according to the paper's "component maker" sources. Of course, OLPC could be multi-sourcing laptops from Foxconn, Compal, or some other Guangdong Province factory -- though that would be news to us. Regardless, with 15,000 XOs heading to Alabama, 260,000 heading to Peru, and countless others in the queue from G1G1, well, our children might be waiting a long, long time for delivery.

Update: According to reader Hao, DigiTimes incorrectly translated the production quantity. EDN is reporting 150,000 XOs shipping in December, then 80k to 100k each month thereafter. That certainly sounds more reasonable. Here's the EDN piece. Thanks Hao!

Filed under:

Quanta shipping only 10,000 OLPC XO's per month? Try 100k originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 06:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcquantarumorxoFri, 14 Dec 2007 06:31:00 EST<![CDATA[First OLPC XOs from G1G1 ship today]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/10/first-olpc-xos-from-g1g1-ship-today/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/10/first-olpc-xos-from-g1g1-ship-today/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/10/first-olpc-xos-from-g1g1-ship-today/#commentsAt the nexus of selfishness and altruism sits the OLPC Give One, Get One program. Today marks the first day of shipping for those of you who placed a G1G1 order during the program's November 12th launch date. Each XO ships with new OLPC Ship.2 Build (650) software which introduces a network-based OLPC-update and more robust wireless networking in addition to the same (great) Sugar UI and easy-to-use application suite we've seen. They'll also arrive touting the latest Q2D07 firmware which fixes a critical bug bricking some XOs in manufacturing. As noted earlier, these units should arrive before Christmas while the second XO heads to less-fortunates in early 2008. As it should be, eh you greedy/selfless bastage.

[Via OLPC News, thanks Wayan]

Read -- OLPC Ship.2 release notes
Read -- OLPC G1G1 shipping

Filed under:

First OLPC XOs from G1G1 ship today originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>g1g1give one get oneGiveOneGetOneolpcq2d07ship.2ship.2 build (650)Ship.2Build(650)xoMon, 10 Dec 2007 03:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft to test out Windows XP on OLPC XO]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/06/microsoft-to-test-out-windows-xp-on-olpc-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/06/microsoft-to-test-out-windows-xp-on-olpc-xo/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/06/microsoft-to-test-out-windows-xp-on-olpc-xo/#commentsDon't fret, that feeling you've just been overcome with is nothing more than a harmless dose of déjà vu. Nearly a year ago to the day, we were hearing these same types of talks, and while the whole "XP on XO" conversation has been one of on-again / off-again nature, the switch has apparently been flipped to "go" once more. According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is slated to test out Windows XP on OLPC XO laptops starting next month in the US, India and possibly Romania. James Utzschneider, general manager of Microsoft's Unlimited Potential Group, noted that it "wanted Windows to run on the XO and [that it was] investing significant energy and talent" to make sure it happened. Granted, Microsoft will have to be mighty pleased with the results before any of this goes commercial, as Mr. Utzschneider concluded by stating that the company "wants to [ensure] a quality experience before [making a] commitment to governments."

[Via PCWorld]

Filed under:

Microsoft to test out Windows XP on OLPC XO originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftolpcolpc xoOlpcXoone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildsoftwarewindowswindows xpWindowsXpxoThu, 06 Dec 2007 08:04:00 EST