Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Hands on with the XO Learning Tablet – Has OLPC sold out?

K. T. Bradford
By

Last year the One Laptop Per Child project showed off a slate tablet dubbed the XO 3.0. Hailed as the next logical step in the OLPC mission to bring inexpensive, easy to maintain computers to children in developing countries, the XO 3.0 landed with a lot of fanfare but ultimately never came to fruition. The project went back to focusing on netbook-like tablet convertibles, but the OLPC slate idea didn’t die. This year, the XO tablet is back, though without the accompanying fanfare. Even more interesting, it’s being sold in retail stores and made by one of the biggest manufacturers of low-cost electronics for kids and teens: Vivitar.

In fact, the XO Learning Tablet looks almost identical to the company’s Camelio Android family tablets. OLPC’s tablet has better specs than the Camelio and will cost a bit more. And it looks almost nothing like the XO 3.0 from last year.

Recommended Videos

The 7-inch XO Learning Tablet has a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, front and rear cameras, HDMI out, and runs on Android 4.0. In other words, a pretty standard low-cost Android slate. It comes with a sleeve that makes it look somewhat like the renders of the original XO 3.0 tablet, and that’s where the similarities end. This tablet isn’t rugged, powered by the sun, or even easily fixable like the XO Tablet PC. So, what’s the point?

Related

Price, most likely. The XO will cost $150, according to Vivitar reps, fulfilling the goal of an inexpensive tablet.

Granted, the XO also features OLPC’s learning platform, another key part of the project’s mission. Kids can choose to explore apps via “I Want To Be…” themes or just switch over to regular Android. Some parental controls are available.

What we find interesting is that OLPC decided to team up with a company like Vivitar, a subsidiary of Sakar. This company is known for creating low-end electronics and coating them with licensed brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Hello Kitty, Nickeloedon, and more. Essentially, the XO tablet is just another branded product in Vivitar’s stable destined for retail stores. There are even branded accessories.

Is this an acknowledgment that a tablet like the XO 3.0 just isn’t possible? Or is it a smart way to build up the OLPC coffers so the project has more money to put into development of their more serious computer?

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
K. T. Bradford
K. T. Bradford
Former Digital Trends Contributor
K. T Bradford is a lover of gadgets and all things geek. Prior to writing for Digital Trends she cut her teeth on tech…
Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals: Grab the foldable phone for $700
A person holding a partially open Galaxy Z Fold 4.

While the more recent release of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has turned attention away from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Z Fold 4 is still an incredibly capable smartphone. Newer tech releases often make previous generations much more affordable, and that’s certainly the case with the Z Fold 4. While much of what’s available out there are refurbished models, there’s some huge savings to be had on a Z Fold 4. Retailers like Amazon and Back Market offer great ways to save, and we’ve got all of the information you need to do so. Reading onward you’ll find links to the best Samsung Z Fold 4 deals you can shop right now, as well as a little information on what each retailer has to offer with a purchase.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Best Buy
The Unlocked 512GB model of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is on clearance at Best Buy. The popular retailer is really showing up with this deal, which sees the Z Fold 4 marked down to $700 and makes for nearly $1,300 in savings. Even more savings are available if you have an eligible device trade-in.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals at Amazon
Amazon may currently have the widest variety of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 deals. You’ll find both the 256GB and 512GB models discounted there, as though much of what's available are renewed models. Don't hold back because it's renewed, though, as Amazon has a great return policy should you receive something that doesn't live up to its condition. You can save even more when purchasing a Galaxy Z Fold 4 at Amazon if you have an eligible device to trade-in.

Read more
Best refurbished iPhone deals: Get an iPhone 14 for $513
An iPhone 13 in white color option.

The Apple iPhone is one of the best phones on the market, and because of it they don’t often come cheap. There are some great iPhone deals out there, but it’s rare to find significant discounts on newer models without having to commit to a longterm contract with a carrier, and it’s even less frequent you come across one of the best iPhones with a major price drop. This is where shopping refurbished can come in handy. Refurbished iPhones — for the most part — will come backed with a functionality guarantee or extended return window, making refurbished iPhones as safe of a purchase as shopping new. There are a lot of refurbished iPhone models seeing great price drops right now, which is why we’ve done the heavy lifting of rounding up all of the best refurbished iPhone deals. You’ll find them below, as well as some information on which refurbished iPhone might be best for you.
iPhone XR -- from $136

A refurbished model but one that's unlocked and comes with a full one-year warranty, the Apple iPhone XR is still pretty stylish for its age. It has a large 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792 x 828 resolution with Liquid Retina technology ensuring it looks super sharp. Powered by the A12 Bionic chip, it's starting to show its age but still has potential. There's also a 12MP back camera that can shoot 4K videos while the front-facing camera is 7MP and ideal for selfie-taking.

Read more
The best iPads in 2024: the 5 best ones you should buy
The backs of Apple's iPad Air and iPad Pro, with the tablets place on a table.

Apple's iPad is undoubtedly one of the most popular tablets on the market right now. There are several different models to choose from, but no matter which one you go with, you'll be getting one of the best tablets out there. Still, Apple provides an abundance of choice here, and with so many different versions — and almost annual updates — it can be tricky to know which one is the best to get.

All of Apple's iPads are pretty great, and they're each designed with a slightly different audience in mind, so it's hard to pick a single one as "the best." That's why we've broken this list down by categories; after all, there's an ideal iPad for nearly every situation. Whether you're looking for the best overall iPad, the best iPad on a budget, something in the middle of the pack, or even the best small iPad, we've got you covered.

Read more