The non-profit OLTPC (One Laptop Per Child) Project is in it’s 5th year of development and is now aiming it’s sites at the tablet market, after the success of Apple’s Ipad. The goal of the project has always rested on providing extreme LEDC’s with cheaper digital devices. The focus is to provide poorer, more digitally starved countries with the devices they lack in order to “bring school children into the computer age.” This was to be done by supplying developing nations with the worlds currently cheapest laptops (around £100), that have been designed with prolonged battery life, and durability in mind.
That being said, it still has impressive features; an LCD screen, HD sound output, and is capable of Bluetooth and wireless Internet browsing. It can double up as an e-book, and is even able to keep track of all other connect XO laptops in the area via an application called ‘neighbourhood’. Also, it flaunts a video camera, sound recorder, and capacitive touch screen.
So far over 2 million laptops have been supplied to the school children of LEDCs, however there are an abundance of improvements to follow with the introduction of their newest model, the XO-1.75 tablet. The battery life has been extended to over 10 hours, whilst remaining thoroughly resistant to dust water, and other physical damage.
The company are hoping to make the XO-3 the next big step in their ‘mission’. By changing the design and user interface the company are continually able to make the device cheaper, tougher, and easier to use. It was said in the accompanying video that “The rotating hinge on the laptop costs $4. Just removing that is a financial improvement.” It is this kind of excess OLTPC would like to trim, in order to improve the cost and functionality of future XO models.
The computing company MARVELL have already pledged $4.6 million towards the product’s development, and released the prototype tablet ‘moby’ (seen below). It’s suspected to cost no more than $99 and will be a big step up for OLTPC once mass produced. The battery life is estimated at 20-30 hours, a 10 inch 1080p screen, and will support Windows mobile. The finished model should be available by 2012.
Interview with OLPC's chief technology officer Ed McNierney:
"A lot of tablets are designed for entertainment and consumption, but that is not what we do," he said.
"We really think the tablet needs to be a fully-functioning educational experience that is designed for creating, sharing, editing, enjoying and collaborating with other children and teachers."
“The XO-3 tablet will have a screen the same size as Apple's popular iPad at 9.7in (25cm).”
Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12144651
http://www.olpcnews.com/laptops/xo-3/first_version_xo-3_laptop_to_b.html
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