Negroponte Outlines OLPC XO-2

The OLPC project has had its share of stumbling blocks, but MIT's Nicholas Negroponte is already talking about the XO-2 notebook, a dual-screened, one-Watt wonder.

The One Laptop Per Child program has a laudable goal—bring low-cost computing to schools in developing nations around the world so entire generations of children don’t get left out of the technology revolution. And while the OLPC program has had its share of challenges—including failing to meet its $100 price point, unexpected competition from the likes of Acer and Intel, recent departures of key personnel, organizational changes, and a philosophy shift that’s bringing Windows XP to the XO laptop&dmash;OLPC chairman Nicholas Negroponte is wasting no time expanding on the OLPC vision. At a conference sponsored by the OLPC project, Negroponte unveiled a design for the organizations’ next laptop: a dual-screened, one-Watt wonder that will be half the size of the current XO—and which Negroponte hopes can get to market by 2010 for $75 each.

“Based on feedback from governments, educators and most important, from the children themselves, we are aggressively working to lower the cost, power, and size of the XO laptop so that it is more affordable and useable by the world’s poorest children,” said Negroponte in a statement. “The delivery of the first generation XO laptop has sparked tremendous global interest in the project and provided valuable input on how to make the XO laptop an even better learning tool moving forward.”

The OLPC XO-2 will feature a dual touch-sensitive displays and function as an ebook reader that can display vertical right and left pages while acting as a hinged notebook computer in a horizontal format. As a notebook, one of the touchscreens will display a keyboard: younger children will be able to interact with applications using a simplified keyboard, while older students will be able to load up more sophisticated keyboards for particular applications. The dual touch-screen design is being developed by Pixel Qi—headed by former OLPC technology officer Mary Lou Jepson.

Negroponte freely admits OLPC is banking on new hardware developments and advances in hardware and display technology will made the XO-2 possible; he also wants the unit to operate using a scant one Watt of power so the device can be powered by a hand crank if necessary. OLPC hopes the unit will get into production by 2010, with an eventual market price of $75.

So far, the design of the OLPC XO-2 has been greeted with muted enthusiasm, and speculation that the OLPC won’t be able to come through with the hardware design, or match that $75 price point—which, considering the XO was supposed to cost $100 and currently costs $188, may be a valid criticism. Industry watchers also wonder about the durability of a dual touch screen display: even at sizes smaller than the current XO notebook, the displays may not be able to take much abuse.

The OLPC also announced it plans to start up the Give 1, Get 1 program again later this year, enabling consumers in developed countries to get their hands on an OLPC XO 1 while funding the purchase of another laptop for distribution to a child in a developing country.