Intel and the OLPC: Not Just a “Gadget” Anymore

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The OLPC program. A great example of efficiency, technology, and education coming together in a simple and economic package to assist the world’s less fortunate. Standing for “One Laptop per Child”, the OLPC program is a joint, non-profit effort to, as it says, put a low-cost, simple-yet-effective laptop in the hands of the developing world’s children. These laptops will allow developing children access to technology and educational materials to help with their development in the modern world. The effort, headed by Nicholas Negroponte, has backing from major manufacturers and research groups, such as Intel rival AMD and groups operating out of MIT, yet AMD has hailed the Intel move as a “welcome change in heart” to bring this technology to the forefront.

You see, the OLPC is a rather ingenious piece of hardware; one that I’ve been following on-and-off for the past few months. As an almost-fully functioning laptop, it carries the incredibly low price of $135-$175 as of this post, but the goal is to reduce the price further through larger-scale production and improved manufacturing. The target price of the OLPC XO-1? $100 dollars flat. Through features like a Linux operating system, extremely low power consumption, a lack of moving parts, and expedient and capable manufacturing processes, the XO-1 can be practically given away to children to augment their entertainment and learning experiences.

Recently, Intel Chairman Craig Barrett stated the OLPC XO-1 was nothing more than a “gadget”, although the recent move has signaled a change in attitude at Intel. It will now provide the chips to operate the OLPC servers and the hardware that backs up the data on the XO systems, as well as the possibility to supplying chipsets to run future renditions of the XO laptop. Ironically, their rival AMD said it best: “Intel’s apparent change of heart is welcome, and we’re sure they can make a positive contribution to this very worthy project for the benefit of children all over the world.” Benefit, indeed.

Picture courtesy of: Wikipedia

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