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OLPC working on XO laptop telescope and microscope peripherals (hands-on)
So much of what children are taught in the sciences amounts to abstractions. It's a shame, really -- concepts of the universe are so much easier to extrapolate when we can see them for ourselves. OLPC's looking to give the classrooms it serves more access to the very big and very small with two new attachments that we had the opportunity to check out on a recent visit to the company's Miami office. First off is a telescope that secures to the side of its XO-4 laptop with a vice grip, utilizing the device's built-in camera. There's also a microscope that sits atop a swiveling base and plugs directly into one of the laptop's USB ports. Both peripherals run on Fedora-based software designed by the company. OLPC will be bringing these out as soon as it can get the price down through manufacturing. For the France-designed telescope, the company is aiming for $10, with a potentially lower price on the microscope. The idea is to get one of each in a classroom, rather than the one-to-one approach of its XO line.
OLPC XO-4 surfaces at the FCC, right on cue
The One Laptop Per Child team hasn't always been punctual -- see the XO 3.0, née XO-3 -- but it should be right on time with the XO-4. In step with March production plans, the ARM-based portable has passed through the FCC's approval in both conventional and touchscreen flavors. All models share 5GHz-capable 802.11n WiFi as well as Bluetooth; there's no cellular surprise lurking underneath, if you're curious. More than anything, the filing is good news for students in the developing world, who are that much closer to touchscreen laptops at a time when the technology is still fresh for just about everyone.
OLPC XO-4 to sell starting at $206, production commencing March
We were told we wouldn't be hearing any pricing or availability information about the OLPC XO-4 until later in the week, but it didn't take the One Laptop Per Child folks too long to let us know a little more about their gameplan. Just a short while ago, OLPC let us know that its recently announced XO-4 kid-friendly laptop will sell for $206 per unit with a minimum purchase of 10,000 units, while pricing is said to be lowered with a greater volume order. Additionally, the company noted that it's planning on meeting its own expectations and starting mass production in March, which should be more than enough time for interested parties to start figuring out just how many OLPC XO-4 orders they will be placing. Oh, and in case you're interested, we also got some hands-on video earlier today -- you can check that out right after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
