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OLPC XO: yes, it plays Doom
What good is another bonafide learning tool without a dash of fun beneath the hood? While OLPC XOs have just recently started rolling off production lines (and heading to eBay, most likely), it seems a few folks with a thing for 1992 have put the long-awaited machine to its best use yet. While Quanta Computer is slated to start a "test production" of these gizmos any day now, these bandits tested out its compatibility with a retro classic by installing (and successfully playing) the original Doom. Although this title has been the focal point of quite a few ports throughout the years, we'd say this rendition is definitely vying for king of them all, so be sure to continue on for the YouTube presentation.
OLPC's XO-1 gets its first "unboxing"
Sure, the unboxing of a hand-assembled kind-sorta prototype might not totally count as an "unboxing" in the proper sense, but it's fun to watch all the same, and it's definite proof that the little machine from OLPC is really coming along. Hit the read link for the whole gallery, complete with action shots of adults completely dwarfing the "B1" (yeah, we thought it was called the XO-1 now, maybe B1 stands for Beta 1 -- we can only hope), or keep reading for the juicy box-related pics.
Third time's a charm: OLPC notebook now called XO
Now we love hugs and kisses as much as the next guy -- wait, that didn't come out right -- but when it comes to naming computing devices that will be used by millions of children worldwide, we think that the esteemed Nicholas Negroponte could have come up with a better one for his beloved machine than "XO." Like CM1, for instance. Or 2B1. Oh wait, those names for the string-powered OLPC notebook have already been tried and discarded -- NickNeg may be a whiz at marketing "The Children's Machine" to developing countries, but it seems that he could still use a lesson or two in branding. For the third time in only two months, the product-formerly-known-as-the-hundred-dollar-laptop has undergone yet another name change, with Fortune's senior editor now referring to it as the XO -- a title so new, it hasn't even made it to the OLPC wiki page yet. No explanation is given as to why this device has undergone such an unusual number of rebrandings -- especially for a non-commercial product -- and we imagine that more than a few people are getting confused by the habitual changes in its specs and titles. Still, the major issue here is not what it's called but what it could be able to achieve -- well that, and avoiding anymore price hikes, because if these little wonders get much more expensive, Qadaffi and friends might be better off buying a Dell, dude.[Via OLPC News]
Quanta Computer to start a test production of OLPC's 2B1
Last we heard from NickNeg's OLPC, the organization had just signed a big deal to sell 1.2 million laptops to Libya. Today, we've just found out that Quanta Computer is readying to start a "test production" of those laptops, with sample units to be available starting in November. According to DigiTimes, Quanta said it expects to start making these cute green machines by early 2007 and will have shipped 10 million units by early 2008. Fanfare aside, DigiTimes also cited unnamed "sources within Taiwan's IC design sector" that there are doubts as to what countries are going to actually buy these machines, with only one country (Libya) having confirmed an order so far. Or as OLPC News put it: "Would Libya be your first round draft pick if you were thinking warm and fuzzy thoughts about helping developing world children through information and communication technologies?" Touché, OLPC News. Your response, OLPC?[Via OLPC News]
NickNeg signs up Libya for 1.2 million 2B1 laptops
Now it's really on. Sure, plenty of countries have expressed interest, and Nigeria, Brazil, Argentina, and Thailand have all tentatively agreed to snap up 1 million laptops each, but Libya has just reached an agreement with the OLPC foundation to lay down $250 million for 1.2 million of the cute little 2B1 units -- one for every schoolchild in Libya. That price also includes one server per school, a team of tech advisers to help with setup, satellite internet and other infrastructure to help make the laptops more than attractive paperweights. In Negroponte's talks with Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, there were also mentions of Libya financing laptop purchases in poorer African nations such as Chad, Niger and Rwanda. Sounds like a big win for team OLPC, and Libya just might become the first nation in the world to have all its school-age children hooked up to the internets on educational computers, according to Nick, though the rollout is targeted for completion by June 2008, and a lot can happen in two years.[Via Smart Mobs]
Negroponte announces OLPC for eBay, shows off pull-string
For half the people we talk to, it seems like they could care less if the OLPC project ends world hunger or raises up a new generation of computer-savvy children in third world countries -- they just want to talk about how totally awesome the pull-string generator is. We admit, the idea of having a younger sibling revving up your battery while you try to install Doom is a truly confident leap into the 21st century, and now we've finally got an idea of what the pull-string unit will look like, thanks to a recent presentation by Negroponte. In other, possibly more relevant news, it looks like the 2B1 laptop will be available for sale to the western world, via eBay of all places. The laptops are expected to go for $450, with a $350 tax deduction, and the surplus would go towards buying a machine for needy children. All we ask is that they include the generator with that package, 'cause it's really half the fun.[Via OLPC News]
Office Depot sold $100 HP PC over Labor Day
So while Nicholas Negroponte was noodling around with his pet project -- the computer formerly known as the $100 Laptop, and now called the 2B1 -- spending precious hours changing every aspect of it from the name to whether or not it had a hand crank, Office Depot went and beat him to the punch, sorta. Ok, sure, the initial outlay was more than a hundred bucks, but after $330 in mail-in rebates, this past Labor Day weekend Office Depot sold an HP minitower with a Celeron D 352 (3.2GHz), 256MB of RAM, 80GB hard drive, CD burner, a 16-inch CRT and an F380 printer for the low low price of a century bill. Although it may not come it bright colors, assuming you do get your rebates you'll be spending far less than the $130-$140 that NickNeg's cute creation will cost you. Oh yeah, and there isn't a minimum order of one million, either.
OLPC now called the 2B1, still The Children's Machine
There's great news afoot in the world of Nicholas Negroponte, and his favorite little toy-green (or yellow, or orange, etc.) laptop: it's now apparently called the 2B1. This comes after the named CM1, which was preceded by the One Laptop Per Child (now the name of the organization), which was preceded by the $100(ish) Laptop. Of course, given that news of this comes from the ultra-reliable technology known as a wiki, it's totally possible that this is just a prank, or yet another baby step on the road to production. Either way, Engadget is going to be drawing up some fake Ministry of Education stationary any day now so that we can get our hands on a million of these things.[Via OLPC News]
