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 1.75 pops up at the FCC]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/16/olpc-xo-1-75-pops-up-at-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/16/olpc-xo-1-75-pops-up-at-the-fcc/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/16/olpc-xo-1-75-pops-up-at-the-fcc/#comments Last time we saw the OLPC XO 1.75, it had its guts exposed for all to see on the CES show floor. This time around, it's being poked and prodded by Uncle Sam at the Federal Communications Commission. There are no photos of the newest OLPC to be found, but unless things have changed, it'll sport the same Celtics colors as its brethren on the outside and a Marvell ARM CPU underneath. As is often the case, additional details about this little laptop are few and far between in the FCC's documents, but feel free to hit the source to get your fill of radiation reports and performance charts.

OLPC XO 1.75 pops up at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armfcclaptopmarvellolpcolpc xoolpc xo 1.75OlpcXoOlpcXo1.75sugarsugar osSugarOsxo 1.75Xo1.75Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:59:00 EST<![CDATA[IRL: Kirby Sentria, Sony bloggie-MHS-FS1 and the OLPC XO laptop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/irl-kirby-sentria-sony-bloggie-mhs-fs1-and-the-olpc-xo-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/irl-kirby-sentria-sony-bloggie-mhs-fs1-and-the-olpc-xo-laptop/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/14/irl-kirby-sentria-sony-bloggie-mhs-fs1-and-the-olpc-xo-laptop/#commentsWelcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment.

Let's just cut to the chase: this week's IRL is a little schizophrenic. On the one hand, you've got Andy singing his bloggie's praises, Terrence waxing philosophical about his unused OLPC XO and Darren ranting about his grandmother's vacuum cleaner. Do you like camcorders that are not a smartphone? Do you despise door-to-door Sentria salesmen? Good. Let's hit it, then.

Continue reading IRL: Kirby Sentria, Sony bloggie-MHS-FS1 and the OLPC XO laptop

IRL: Kirby Sentria, Sony bloggie-MHS-FS1 and the OLPC XO laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Andy BowenAndyBowenbloggieDarren MurphDarrenMurphKirbyKirby SentriaKirbySentriaMHS-FS1OLPCOLPC XOOlpcXopocket camcorderpocket camcordersPocketCamcordersSentriaSonySony bloggie-MHS-FS1sony bmgSony MHS-FS1SonyBloggie-mhs-fs1SonyBmgSonyMhs-fs1Terrence OBrienTerrenceObrienvacuumvacuum cleanersVacuumCleanersvacuumsWed, 14 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Marvell-powered OLPC XO 1.75 only draws two watts of power, finally charges via hand crank]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/marvell-powered-olpc-xo-1-75-only-draws-2-watts-of-power-finall/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/marvell-powered-olpc-xo-1-75-only-draws-2-watts-of-power-finall/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/marvell-powered-olpc-xo-1-75-only-draws-2-watts-of-power-finall/#comments Here's something you may not know -- OLPC's XO hand crank has never really worked to recharge the kiddie laptop. Why? Well, the previous versions were powered by x86 AMD and VIA processors that pulled too much power. However, things are different now with the XO 1.75 since OLPC has baked in Marvell's 1GHz Armada chip. As a result, the entire system now only pulls two watts of power, and thus the battery can be given some more juice with a few turns of that neon green crank. It's not meant to recharge the laptop completely -- actually, according to OLPC's CTO Edward McNierney, it would take about two hours of cranking to top off the system. Other than the fresh ARM CPU, the new model is identical to the previous versions -- it has an outdoor readable PixelQi display, Flash storage, a rubber keyboard, and runs Sugar OS. On a different note, OLPC is hard at work on the tablet version of the XO and, according to McNierney, the only hold up is finding a more durable, plastic display -- converting the current system into a tablet should be fairly easy since all the guts are in the display part already. The tablet is still on track for 2012, while the XO 1.75 should be with the hand-cranking children by the end of the summer.

Gallery: OLPC XO 1.75 hands-on

Marvell-powered OLPC XO 1.75 only draws two watts of power, finally charges via hand crank originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cesces 2011ces2011children laptopChildrenLaptophand crankHandCrankhands-onlaptoplaptopsmarvellOLPCOLPC hand crankolpc xoOLPC XO 1.75OlpcHandCrankOlpcXoOlpcXo1.75sugarsugar osSugarOsxo 1.75Xo1.75Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Marvell shows OLPC some serious love with a $5.6 million grant for XO-3 tablet]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/marvell-shows-olpc-serious-love-with-a-5-6-million-grant-to-dev/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/marvell-shows-olpc-serious-love-with-a-5-6-million-grant-to-dev/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/04/marvell-shows-olpc-serious-love-with-a-5-6-million-grant-to-dev/#commentsMarvell and One Laptop Per Child's close partnership has been no secret, but according to Xconomy, Marvell's about to put a whole lot more green into the XO. The semiconductor company is forking over $5.6 million to fund the creation of the next gen XO-3 tablet, and according to OLPC founder and former Engadget Show guest Nicholas Negroponte, it's still slated for a 2012 release. Obviously, the tablet will be based on Marvell's SoC -- though, there's no telling which version of Armada will be up for grabs by then. Additionally, Marvell and OLPC will be showing another tablet at CES, but this one is apparently for children of the developed world and won't carry OLPC's brand. Our guess is that it'll be something closer to the Android-running Moby than to the plastic, bendable, Pixel Qi-equipped XO-3. It's all sounding rather confusing to us, but hey, at least the kids won't have a shortage of tablets to choose from.

Marvell shows OLPC some serious love with a $5.6 million grant for XO-3 tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MarvellMarvell MobyMarvell Moby TabletMarvell TechnologyMarvellMobyMarvellMobyTabletMarvellTechnologyMobyNicholas NegroponteNicholasNegroponteOLPColpc 2.0olpc xoOLPC xo-3Olpc2.0OlpcXoOlpcXo-3partnershiptablettabletsMon, 04 Oct 2010 19:17:00 EST<![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[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[The Engadget Show tapes tomorrow, with Nicholas Negroponte and PlayStation Move!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/the-engadget-show-tapes-tomorrow-with-nicholas-negroponte-and-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/the-engadget-show-tapes-tomorrow-with-nicholas-negroponte-and-p/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/the-engadget-show-tapes-tomorrow-with-nicholas-negroponte-and-p/#comments
Can't wait for another Engadget Show to roll around? Well you're in luck, friend. It's happening tomorrow at 5:00pm ET. We'll be doing giveaways at the show taping only, so brave the glorious sunshine and join us in person for a chance to win great prizes!

Josh will be sitting down with Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab and the OLPC project to discuss the upcoming XO PC and pontificate about the future of technology.

Sony will also be on hand to demo PlayStation Move motion controller and the company's senior researcher Dr. Richard Marks will be there to give us the behind-the-scenes story. We'll have live demos of stuff never-before-seen on Move, including some hands-on audience demos! Much to our excitement, the usual crew will be joined by Joystiq's very own Christ Grant for the roundtable. You'll also be meeting our new investigative correspondent Rick Karr and we'll have plenty of amazing giveaways at the show. Also expect an out-of-this-world performance from minusbaby complete with stunning visuals from notendo, as well as some other big surprises...

As you may have heard, livestreaming is back by popular demand and so is live Twitter commenting! You will now be able to tweet your comments directly to the livestream! During the show, just include the hashtag "#engadgetshow" and look for your tweet to show up on the ticker at the bottom of the stream. One thing to note, The Engadget Show is a family program, so any single instance of swearing or trolling will force us to turn off the ticker... and it won't come back on. So, keep it clean and have fun!

The Engadget Show is sponsored by Sprint, and will take place at the Times Center, part of The New York Times Building in the heart of New York City at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues (see map after the break). Tickets are -- as always -- free to anyone who would like to attend, but seating is limited, and tickets will be first come, first served... so get there early! Here's all the info you need:
  • There is no admission fee -- tickets are completely free
  • The event is all ages
  • Ticketing will begin at the Times Center at 2:30PM on Saturday, doors will open for seating at 4:30PM, and the show begins at 5PM
  • You cannot collect tickets for friends or family -- anyone who would like to come must be present to get a ticket
  • Seating capacity in the Times Center is about 340, and once we're full, we're full
  • The venue is located at 41st St. between 7th and 8th Avenues in New York City (map after the break)
  • The show length is around an hour
If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

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Continue reading The Engadget Show tapes tomorrow, with Nicholas Negroponte and PlayStation Move!

The Engadget Show tapes tomorrow, with Nicholas Negroponte and PlayStation Move! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Chris GrantChrisGrantengadget showengadgetshowmitNicholas NegroponteNicholasNegroponteOLPColpc xoOlpcXoplaystation moveplaystation move controllerPlayStation Move motion controllerPlaystationMovePlaystationMoveControllerPlaystationMoveMotionControllerSONYSony Playstation 3SonyPlaystation3the engadget showtheengadgetshowTheEngadgetShowLiveFri, 19 Mar 2010 15:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Sugar on a Stick OS goes to 2.0, gets Blueberry coating and creamy Fedora 12 center (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/sugar-on-a-stick-os-goes-to-2-0-gets-blueberry-coating-and-crea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/sugar-on-a-stick-os-goes-to-2-0-gets-blueberry-coating-and-crea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/sugar-on-a-stick-os-goes-to-2-0-gets-blueberry-coating-and-crea/#comments It didn't take long for Sugar on a Stick, the OLPC-free version of the Sugar OS, to go from concept to bootable, and it's only taken a few further months to go from that first version, called "Strawberry," to this twice as fruity "Blueberry" flavor. Updates are evolutionary here, with a core built on Fedora 12 and Sugar .86, adding in Gnash for Flash support as well as a suite of new apps. Most notable is the recently released Open Office 4 Kids, a streamlined version of the suite that probably won't be great for squeezing every character of your resume onto one page but should be good enough to spread a 500(ish) word book report over two. There is a number of other updates included, some demonstrated after the break, all available for your download now. You're just 589MB away from sweet OS simplicity.

Continue reading Sugar on a Stick OS goes to 2.0, gets Blueberry coating and creamy Fedora 12 center (video)

Sugar on a Stick OS goes to 2.0, gets Blueberry coating and creamy Fedora 12 center (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fedorafedora 12Fedora12olpcolpc xoOlpcXoopen office 4 kidsOpenOffice4Kidssugarsugar on a sticksugar osSugarOnAStickSugarOsTue, 08 Dec 2009 08:09:00 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.

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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]

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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

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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[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

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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.

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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[OLPC-toting Rwandan students flock to airport for free WiFi]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/23/olpc-toting-rwandan-students-flock-to-airport-for-free-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/23/olpc-toting-rwandan-students-flock-to-airport-for-free-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/23/olpc-toting-rwandan-students-flock-to-airport-for-free-wifi/#comments
OLPC may be facing some tough times as of late, but there's no denying that the little-laptop-that-could has made an impact where it's been distributed, as evidenced by this latest indication of the project's reach in Rwanda. Apparently, in addition to helping students with their schoolwork, the laptop is also teaching them the fine art of finding free WiFi, and this particular group seems to have quickly discovered that the Kigali International Airport is one of the best spots in town. And just what are they using the laptops to look up in their time outside the classroom? Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme, who, coincidentally, also brings the world together in his own special way.

[Image courtesy Anna Koblanck / DN.se, thanks Jonas]

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OLPC-toting Rwandan students flock to airport for free WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcolpc xoOlpcXorwandawifiMon, 23 Feb 2009 16:33:00 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]

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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[John Lennon eerily returns to push OLPC cause]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/28/john-lennon-eerily-returns-to-push-olpc-cause/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/28/john-lennon-eerily-returns-to-push-olpc-cause/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/28/john-lennon-eerily-returns-to-push-olpc-cause/#comments
John Lennon may have departed this planet 28 years ago, but that's not to say he can't still have an impact. With the assistance of technology and the consent of Yoko Ono, the heralded Beatle has returned in a new OLPC spot. In the ad, the late musician proclaims: "Imagine every child no matter where in the world they were could access a universe of knowledge. They would have a chance to learn, to dream, to achieve anything they want." If this sounds like just the inspiration you needed to get your donation on, hop on past the break to see the vid in its entirety.

[Via Laptop Mag]

Continue reading John Lennon eerily returns to push OLPC cause

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John Lennon eerily returns to push OLPC cause originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adadvertisementbeatlesg1g1give 1 get 1give one get oneGive1Get1GiveOneGetOnejohn lennonJohnLennonOLPCOLPC XOOlpcXothe beatlesTheBeatlesSun, 28 Dec 2008 10:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon OLPC orders in danger of cancellation -- think of the children!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/16/amazon-olpc-orders-in-danger-of-cancellation-think-of-the-chi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/16/amazon-olpc-orders-in-danger-of-cancellation-think-of-the-chi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/16/amazon-olpc-orders-in-danger-of-cancellation-think-of-the-chi/#commentsAmazon OLPC orders in danger of cancellation -- think of the children!
When Amazon got in on the Give 1, Get 1 OLPC plan, where generous lovers of little green machines could chip in $399 to donate one XO to the cause while also getting a new toy for their children (or themselves), it was unclear exactly when the things would be delivered. The answer, according to Amazon at least, is "not soon enough." The company's UK wing is indicating that orders are in danger of being canceled if OLPC doesn't get off its charitable fanny and start mailing 'em. Amazon has a strict policy of shipment within 30 days and has sent out a flurry of warning missives as that period draws to a close. We're inclined to think that this is just an automatic system on Amazon's side and that the company will give an extension prior to dropping the hammer. After all, when it comes to the whole "delivery of product" thing, it hasn't exactly done so well in meeting consumer demand itself.

Update: ChristophD from One Laptop Per Child News commented to let us know that OLPC is shipping some little lappys now, missing Amazon UK's cut-off by one whole day. Nothing like waiting until the last minute!

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Amazon OLPC orders in danger of cancellation -- think of the children! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonamazon ukAmazonUkg1g1give 1 get 1Give1Get1olpcolpc g1g1olpc xoOlpcG1g1OlpcXoTue, 16 Dec 2008 10:05:00 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...

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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[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]

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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[Ubuntu gets squeezed onto the OLPC XO, with details]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/14/unbuntu-gets-squeezed-onto-the-olpc-xo-with-details/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/14/unbuntu-gets-squeezed-onto-the-olpc-xo-with-details/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/14/unbuntu-gets-squeezed-onto-the-olpc-xo-with-details/#comments
Those looking for something a little less nostalgic than the Amiga OS to put on their OLPC XO may want to head over to the always handy OLPC News website, which now has not one but two step-by-step tutorials for installing Ubuntu on the little green laptop. As you might guess, however, neither option is exactly the most straightforward of OS installs, but they should be easy enough for anyone with a little Linux experience under their belt. Of course, given the OLPC's somewhat limited capabilities, you'll also need more than just the laptop and an Ubuntu CD to get things rolling -- namely, a USB drive or SD card with at least 600MB of space and another computer running Linux -- but we're guessing those requirements won't be much of a problem for anyone considering the move to a decidedly less kid-friendly OS.

[Image courtesy of moocapiean]

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Ubuntu gets squeezed onto the OLPC XO, with details originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We already knew Microsoft was at least toying around with putting Windows on the OLPC XO, but it looks like things have just gotten quite a bit more serious, with the OLPC folks now saying that they're working "very closely" with Microsoft to develop a dual-boot Windows / Linux system for the laptop. What's more, Nick Neg himself reportedly said that the version of Windows that's now up and running on the XO is "very fast" and "very, very successful." There's no word just yet as to when we might actually see such a system be released, however, but OLPC is apparently now talking with Microsoft and "possibly" the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation about putting the XO to use in some of the education programs Microsoft runs in developing countries, a possibility that Negroponte says is "really cooking at the moment."

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OLPC, Microsoft working on dual-boot Windows / Linux system originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftolpcolpc xoOlpcXowindowsWed, 09 Jan 2008 12:21:00 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?

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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[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]

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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<![CDATA[Birmingham, Alabama schools getting 15000 OLPC XOs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/05/birmingham-alabama-schools-getting-15000-olpc-xos/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/05/birmingham-alabama-schools-getting-15000-olpc-xos/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/05/birmingham-alabama-schools-getting-15000-olpc-xos/#commentsIf you (or your kiddo) just happens to be a first through eighth grader in Birmingham, Alabama, you (or your offspring) will soon be playing with an XO during regularly scheduled class time. Mayor Larry Langford has recently announced that a $3 million deal was signed in order to bring in one laptop per child for the aforementioned grades, or 15,000 XOs in total. Apparently, the schools will become the first in the nation to receive heaps of the low-cost lappies, which were sold to the district at $200 a pop. As for logistics, students can expect to receive their machine on April 15, 2008, and while pupils will be allowed to take 'em home, the school system can and will disable any that inexplicably "disappear."

[Image courtesy of OLPCNews]

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Birmingham, Alabama schools getting 15000 OLPC XOs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alabamaBirminghamolpcolpc xoOlpcXoOne Laptop Per ChildOneLaptopPerChildschoolunited statesUnitedStatesusxoWed, 05 Dec 2007 07:29:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC Give One, Get One shipping information gets posted]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/02/olpc-give-one-get-one-shipping-information-gets-posted/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/02/olpc-give-one-get-one-shipping-information-gets-posted/http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/02/olpc-give-one-get-one-shipping-information-gets-posted/#commentsWe know quite a few of you out there have participated in OLPC's Give One, Get One program, but if you've been sitting around all uneasy like waiting for some official shipping information, open wide. According to new information posted to the Laptop Giving website, only those in the US who made their purchase / donation by November 12th can expect their machine before Christmas, and any orders placed beyond that date have varying scheduled delivery ranges. Of note, OLPC does say that it's trying to ship out as many laptops as possible before the holidays, but alas, no promises are given out either way. Also, the donated lappies will reported be headed to children in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, Mongolia or Rwanda in early 2008. Keep check on the read link for updated time frames as well as Canadian shipment estimations.

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OLPC Give One, Get One shipping information gets posted originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Dec 2007 06:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>give one get oneGiveOneGetOneolpcolpc xoOlpcXoshipping informationShippingInformationSun, 02 Dec 2007 06:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Nigerian firm sues Negroponte, OLPC for patent infringement]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/28/nigerian-firm-sues-negroponte-olpc-for-patent-infringement/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/28/nigerian-firm-sues-negroponte-olpc-for-patent-infringement/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/28/nigerian-firm-sues-negroponte-olpc-for-patent-infringement/#comments
Just months after a slew of OLPC XOs made their way into Nigeria, a Nigerian-owned company is filing suit against Nicholas Negroponte and the OLPC Association for patent infringement. Lagos Analysis and subsidiary LANCOR filed the lawsuit on November 22nd in Nigeria, claiming that the aforementioned parties willfully and illegally reverse engineered its keyboard driver source codes. Turns out, LANCOR makes its ends by selling region specific-based keyboards that allow for direct access inputting of "accents, symbols and diacritical marks during regular typing," and sure enough, the XO's board looks mighty similar to those offered up by the plaintiff. Additionally, the outfit is in the process of "filing a similar lawsuit against OLPC in a United States Federal Court," so we'd recommend snagging an XO or two before Nik Neg and company are forced to inflate prices to pay off those highfalutin lawyers.

[Image courtesy of Konyin and Digital Crusader]

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Nigerian firm sues Negroponte, OLPC for patent infringement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 07:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>keyboardLagos AnalysisLagosAnalysislancorlawsuitlegalNegroponteNigeriaNigeriannik negNikNegolpcolpc xoOlpcXoPatent InfringementPatentInfringementsuesuitxoWed, 28 Nov 2007 07:10:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC Give One, Get One program extended -- averaging $2M sales per day]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/22/olpc-give-one-get-one-program-extended-averaging-2m-sales-p/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/22/olpc-give-one-get-one-program-extended-averaging-2m-sales-p/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/22/olpc-give-one-get-one-program-extended-averaging-2m-sales-p/#comments
Negroponte's OLPC Buy One, Give One program has been extended to 31 December, 2007 -- well beyond the initial two-weeks originally announced. The deal buys both yourself (or rather, your kid supposedly) and a tot from a developing nation new XOs for just $399. Already, the non-profit claims to be pulling in about $2 Million worth of "donations" each day. They've also opened up bulk buying to schools in quantities of 100-999 ($299 each), 1000-9999 ($249 each), or 10,000 and more ($199). Oh, and the program is now officially renamed "Give One, Get One" (GoGo) -- we presume BoGo'ing the kids sounded too icky.

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OLPC Give One, Get One program extended -- averaging $2M sales per day originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bogogive one get oneGiveOneGetOnegogonegroponteolpcolpc xoOlpcXoxoThu, 22 Nov 2007 07:47:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO and iRobot Create brought together for telepresence hack]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/14/olpc-xo-and-irobot-create-brought-together-for-telepresence-hack/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/14/olpc-xo-and-irobot-create-brought-together-for-telepresence-hack/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/14/olpc-xo-and-irobot-create-brought-together-for-telepresence-hack/#comments
While the project is still classified as "ongoing," Damon Kohler nonetheless looks to have made some considerable progress in his OLPC XO / iRobot Create combo, which together forms a makeshift telepresence robot. Among other things, if you decide to build your own, you'll apparently be able to control the robot via a web interface, and make use of the OLPC's webcam and microphone to monitor its surroundings. Some of the more recent additions include some text-to-speech capabilities to totally freak out your pets, and a high-tech night vision system (pictured above). If that's enough to tempt you, hit up the links below for the complete details on how to put together your own.

Read - Instructables, OLPC Telepresence
Read- Project Blog

[Via Gadget Lab]

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OLPC XO and iRobot Create brought together for telepresence hack originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>irobot createIrobotCreateolpcolpc xoOlpcXoWed, 14 Nov 2007 14:53:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO Buy-One, Give-One program underway: $399]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/12/olpc-xo-buy-one-give-one-program-underway-399/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/12/olpc-xo-buy-one-give-one-program-underway-399/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/12/olpc-xo-buy-one-give-one-program-underway-399/#comments
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]

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OLPC XO Buy-One, Give-One program underway: $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 04:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bogobreaking newsBreakingNewsolpcolpc xoOlpcXoMon, 12 Nov 2007 04:54:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO goes into mass production]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/06/olpc-xo-goes-into-mass-production/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/06/olpc-xo-goes-into-mass-production/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/06/olpc-xo-goes-into-mass-production/#commentsIt's been hit by a few delays, but the OLPC XO has finally gone into mass production. According to Mass High Tech, that long-awaited event officially got underway yesterday morning at Quanta Computer's brand new manufacturing facility in Changshu, China, which is just a two-hour jaunt northwest of Shanghai (in case anyone's planning on doing some sight-seeing). While that's a little later than the original estimate of October that Quanta gave when it first began to gear up for production way back in July, it's actually a few days earlier than the company's most recent indication of a start date, which it had pegged as November 12th just last month. Now, let's just hope this begins the road down to something closer to that mythical $100 price tag.

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OLPC XO goes into mass production originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcolpc xoOlpcXoquantaquanta computerQuantaComputerTue, 06 Nov 2007 13:31:00 EST<![CDATA[India caves to OLPC, gets 22 units to try out]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/24/india-caves-to-olpc-gets-22-units-to-try-out/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/24/india-caves-to-olpc-gets-22-units-to-try-out/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/24/india-caves-to-olpc-gets-22-units-to-try-out/#comments
A lot can change in a year -- tastes, moods, the value of one's currency... -- and apparently, India's stance on One Laptop Per Child has shifted so dramatically from last July that 22 of the low-cost machines have actually arrived for testing. Reportedly, officials didn't give up after being practically rejected by India's education minister, and now 22 lucky youngsters in a one-room school in Maharashtra are getting the chance to participate in a pilot program. Carla Gomez-Monroy, the education consultant who launched the test, stated that OLPC "has learned that working with local partners will be crucial in India, where dozens of languages are spoken." Of course, the far smaller minimum order quantity probably helped matters too, and while there's no commitment from India to buy heaps of XOs anytime soon, Gomez-Monroy suggested that distribution could broaden "as soon as June" of next year.

[Image courtesy of Flickr]

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India caves to OLPC, gets 22 units to try out originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>indiaolpcolpc xoOlpcXoone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildtestsxoWed, 24 Oct 2007 17:27:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO hit with production delays]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/24/olpc-xo-hit-with-production-delays/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/24/olpc-xo-hit-with-production-delays/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/24/olpc-xo-hit-with-production-delays/#commentsIf you were all set to plop down $399 in order to bless some eager kid overseas (and your own inner-child) with an OLPC XO this year, your plans are now in serious jeopardy. Reportedly, some sort of production delay has pushed the approximate start date for manufacturing from this month to November 12th, meaning that it's highly unlikely any significant number of US / Canadian orders will be filled before Christmas. According to Mary Lou Jepsen, chief technology officer for the One Laptop per Child Foundation, it had "some last minute bugs" that have since been resolved, but now it'll be an uphill battle just to fill the initial orders placed by Peru and Uruguay in a timely manner. If it's any consolation, Jepsen did state that some folks in North America would probably get their machines before the year's end, but recommended that you "order early" if you're the totally impatient type normal.

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OLPC XO hit with production delays originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delaydelaysolpcolpc xoOlpcXoone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildproductionxoWed, 24 Oct 2007 06:24:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC goes after deep-pocketed donors]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/olpc-goes-after-deep-pocketed-donors/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/olpc-goes-after-deep-pocketed-donors/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/olpc-goes-after-deep-pocketed-donors/#comments
It looks like those feeling especially generous now have another option at their disposal to help spread the OLPC XO to as many places as possible, with the OLPC Foundation now offering a number of options for those willing to donate 100+, 1,000+, or 10,000+ laptops. Under the so-called "Give Many" program, 100 or more laptops will cost you $299 apiece, and you can designate where you'd like the laptops sent. OLPC will also use $99 from each $299 donated to send an additional 50 XOs to children in the country of its choice. If you're willing to go up to 1,000 or more laptops, they'll cost you $249 each (with the Foundation kicking in an extra 250+ laptops), while 10,000 or more laptops will run you just $200 apiece. If that's the opportunity you've been waiting for, you can hit up the link below to get things started.

[Via OLPC News]

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OLPC goes after deep-pocketed donors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcolpc xoOlpcXoTue, 23 Oct 2007 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Uruguay reportedly set to buy 100,000 OLPC XO laptops]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/04/uruguay-reportedly-set-to-buy-100-000-olpc-xo-laptops/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/04/uruguay-reportedly-set-to-buy-100-000-olpc-xo-laptops/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/04/uruguay-reportedly-set-to-buy-100-000-olpc-xo-laptops/#comments
It looks like students in Uruguay could soon have plenty more to get wildly excited about, as it seems that the country's LATU organization is now set to buy 100,000 OLPC XO laptops, with an option to buy 50,000 more to the tune of $199 apiece. That's a bit less than the $200+ price we had heard Uruguay would be paying, but still well over the mythical $100 price the foundation has long been promising. According to Uruguay's El Pais newspaper, the decision (which has apparently yet to be finalized) follows an evaluation process in which the OLPC competed against Intel's Classmate PC. That ultimately ended with the OLPC narrowly beating out Intel's offering by a score of 56.84 to 53.06, with the OLPC's cheaper price apparently the determining factor.

[Via OLPC News]

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Uruguay reportedly set to buy 100,000 OLPC XO laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcolpc xoOlpcXouruguayThu, 04 Oct 2007 12:28:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC's XO gets previewed in its "final" form]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/19/olpcs-xo-gets-previewed-in-its-final-form/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/19/olpcs-xo-gets-previewed-in-its-final-form/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/19/olpcs-xo-gets-previewed-in-its-final-form/#comments
We've anticipating final production runs of the OLPC XO for who knows how long, but the $188 laptop is finally in production and soon to be landing in the laps of school children the world over. The folks and Laptop Magazine got their hands on what is ostensibly the final production version and put it through its paces. Everything seemed to work as advertised: a dual-mode display providing readability in any light, a solid build that survives drops from four feet and keyboard spills, solar and pull-string charging options for unlimited battery life, and a hefty quantity of quality software for kids, but there were still some slow-down problems in the software, especially when switching between applications or browser tabs. We've still yet to see if the XO is going to enjoy widespread adoption in education, and still a bit bummed that the price has ratcheted up to nearly $200, but otherwise the computer does seem to fulfill a surprising quantity of what was originally promised.

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OLPC's XO gets previewed in its "final" form originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>188hands-onolpcolpc xoOlpcXoxoWed, 19 Sep 2007 11:05:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC XO reviewed... by a twelve-year-old]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/10/olpc-reviewed-by-a-twelve-year-old/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/10/olpc-reviewed-by-a-twelve-year-old/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/10/olpc-reviewed-by-a-twelve-year-old/#comments
Somehow, a twelve-year-old child has been given the opportunity to take the OLPC XO for a test drive, and we've got the blow-by-blow for you. The critic, named "SG," has spent a lifetime using computers, and claims that he / she had low expectations, but the XO took him / her "by surprise," calling the child-centric green laptop "cleverly designed, imaginative, [and] straightforward." The reviewer says that Negroponte's pet-project is "great for first time users," and lauds the PCs games and camera, as well as the "application that allows you to type things." Unfortunately, it's not all cheers for the humanitarian computer, as the critic discovered that applications were slow to open, the system was prone to crashes, and the OS delivers no message before the battery loses charge. "I had to wait two minutes to get onto one application," he / she says, and "it got slower... the longer I went without rebooting it." In the end, however, SG gives the laptop high marks, concluding that the value, build quality, and bundled software outweigh the minor annoyances he / she had with the system, closing the review by simply stating, "This program is truly amazing."

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OLPC XO reviewed... by a twelve-year-old originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nicholas negroponteNicholasNegroponteolpcolpc xoOlpcXoone laptop per childOneLaptopPerChildreviewxoFri, 10 Aug 2007 15:31:00 EST<![CDATA[OLPC expected to dip to $50 by 2009, get WiMAX someday]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/olpc-expected-to-dip-to-50-by-2009-get-wimax-someday/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/olpc-expected-to-dip-to-50-by-2009-get-wimax-someday/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/05/olpc-expected-to-dip-to-50-by-2009-get-wimax-someday/#commentsWhile the OLPC Foundation has long said that it expects its OLPC XO laptop to get cheaper as production ramps up, it looks like they're now getting a bit more specific about it, with OLPC CTO Mary Lou Jepsen reportedly saying she expects the price to dip to just $50 by 2009. Apparently, one of the keys to reaching that rock bottom price is doing something about the cost of the display used in the laptop, although no one seems to be saying exactly how that'll be achieved. Jepsen does seem to have had a bit more to say about the "next-generation OLPC," however, most notably that it'll come with built-in WiMAX connectivity. No ETA on that, of course.

[Via TG Daily]

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OLPC expected to dip to $50 by 2009, get WiMAX someday originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>olpcolpc xoOlpcXowimaxThu, 05 Jul 2007 16:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel and OLPC ready to work together?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/intel-and-olpc-ready-to-work-together/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/intel-and-olpc-ready-to-work-together/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/intel-and-olpc-ready-to-work-together/#comments
As you may have noticed, Intel and Nicholas Negroponte's OLPC Foundation haven't exactly been getting along, with the two not only competing against each other, but even going so far as to take their spat to the national TV level. Now, however, it looks like the two might possibly be ready to put their differences behind them, at least according to a report by BusinessWeek. While details are unsurprisingly light, the magazine says that the two "may be ready to bury the hatchet," and that Intel and OLPC execs are now "in talks regarding how they can work together." Still pretty low on the likelihood meter to be sure, although, as we've seen lately, anything can happen.

[Via The Inquirer]

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Intel and OLPC ready to work together? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classmate pcClassmatePcintelolpcolpc xoOlpcXoMon, 02 Jul 2007 11:01:00 EST