The OLPC has been making a few pre-review circuits and turning heads.  The OLPC (One Laptop per Child) project makes the XO laptop which is designed for use in third world countries and harsh environments that a traditional laptop would dare not tread.  The laptop will be available for purchase starting November 12 for a period of two weeks to residents of North Amercia.

The XO laptop is water and dirt resistant, uses a cheap, yet long lasting battery, has a high resolution 7.5 inch 1200 x 900 display with high contrast daylight mode and costs just under $200 but not if you, dear reader, want to purchase one.

Most people reading this post will have to pay $400 to get one laptop though you do get a tax deduction and the laptop.  You buy one laptop and one is sent to a child in a third world country.  I think there are a few other things that need fixed in certain countries before the developed nations of the world begin sending laptops to them but that’s just my opinion.

Also, the laptops will only be available to the general population for two weeks in November.  I might have been able to swallow the “buy one, send one” program if it was a long term rather than a short term deal.

As for the “give one, get one” program, it should be optional.  I know there are people out there that don’t want to help and that’s fine, I won’t hold it against them but the point is, no one should be forced to take part in the program just to be able to purchase the laptop.

People should be able to purchase one laptop for themselves and send additional units as an option and get the tax deduction.  Tax deductions do me almost no good because most of the time the government owes me money but that’s another story.

I’d be tempted to check one out for $200 but at $400 I find myself second guessing it as it is merely a “toy” and does not necessarily warrant the $400 price tag.  Previews (or reviews) have shown the laptop takes a full two minutes to boot, thanks to the slow processor but once loaded, it is adequate but is slow at multitasking between programs.

I’m not knocking it, but those are things to be aware of, I think of it as a poor man’s Toughbook.

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Entry was posted on Saturday, October 6th, 2007 at 11:49 am under Uncategorized.

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