Just hours ago we reported that the One Laptop Per Child project was going to unveil their $US100 tablet at CES. And now we have some of the first official photos of the highly affordable, yet extremely durable device.
As with the original OLPC, plastic is the preferred choice of materials here, keeping the target price down. But the 8-inch display appears to be protected with a soft silicone cover. The OLPC project is of course targeted at kids, so while the XO 3.0 is nowhere near as thin as the iPad 2, its chunky form factor does give it the appearance of being Tonka tough.
Nicholas
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 2:27 PMLooks like a re-usable graph pad.
Commander Shepard
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 2:57 PMso its not 1mm thick like the concept pics showed.
Ozoneocean
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 3:16 PMThat’s an impressive achievement! I hope these guys continue to succeed in this worthy project!
What’s the OS on these devices? I had the impression that the laptops were going to be Windows and some were Linux…. So are these a custom Linux setup or something like Android? -which is Linux too I suppose but pretty specific and limited in a lot of ways compared to a PC oriented OS.
DarthDVD
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 3:36 PMmaybe the solar cell is a optional extra for doners to fork out for… like the buy a OLPC and one will be given to a child in a 3rd world country. but this will be buy a OLPC tablet and one will be given to a child in a 3rd world country and with a extra $XX they will also get this set of steak knifes…. no wait… solar cell.
JohnnyP
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 6:07 PMIll take my $99 touchpad over the OLPC
Franz
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 10:13 PMBecause books aren’t good enough for the 3rd world…
Matt
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 8:46 AMWhat a disgraceful thing to say, Franz. Even in jest.
The 3rd world doesn’t have all that much access to books or to information readily. OLPC potentially means thousands of books on one device, along with a multitude of apps and educational games for Children.
The OLPC project is truly amazing.
light487
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 9:39 AMI want one!!! :)
It’s just so awesome looking :)
Inquisitorsz
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 10:29 AMI commend what the project is trying to achieve, and it is a fantastic goal. However I think the 3rd world has far greater problems than access to technology.
Education is one thing but I think issues such as famine, disease, sanitation, violence, poverty, population control and human rights are more important.
Although I guess some tablets are easier than solving the food and water problems or stoping years of civil war. It’s a step in the right direction i guess.
Josh
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 12:13 PMInquisitorsz, knowledge is power! You can throw all the money, blankets, food, medicine, etc etc at these people as you like, but nothing will change without education.
Inquisitorsz
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 1:04 PMTrust me, that’s one of my favorite quotes! However the rest of the quote is “Guard it well”.
I agree the education is extremely important but at the same time there are alot of cultural, social and religeous issues that affect education in the 3rd world. For example education for women.
Honestly I’m affraid of what will happen to a small child with one of these shiny tablets when he comes across a group of children without one…
I know it sounds like a playground problem, but that’s the sort of thing a project like this has to overcome. Jealousy and corruption are one of the biggest problems that any outside aid organisation has to deal with. There are countries in Africa that steal all the aid supplies from the people and give to the elite…
It’s no different wether is education and knowlege or food and water.
Inquisitorsz
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 1:06 PMWhat I’m trying to say is there alot of issues to do with education that are alot more basic than limited access to technology. If there is a lack of teachers or support or a government that frowns upon education of a certain race, gender, age, whatever…. then some shiny new tablets arn’t going to help.