One Tablet Per Child – the XO-3

If you haven’t heard of the One Laptop Per Child, OLPC program and their device from 2007, you can read up at Laptop.org. Now we have some new information on their next idea. The original XO-1 has been a success in so many ways for children in developing countries receiving them. I have the laptop somewhere in the closet from the G1G1 days.  In some ways the device is killer, in others it’s disappointing. A few expected features were never turned on that I know of. Does the stylus portion of the touch pad work yet?  The promised battery life is NOWHERE NEAR what was stated. They said something like 12 hours when reality was about 2.5 hours. The operating system had some good points, but it was clunky with the journal and was slow to organize things. You could have hundreds of unneeded journal entries and you’d have to delete them one thing at a time. Feels like ancient history.

My summary of the various sources of this press release this tablet and the initiative:

• OLPC are partnering with Marvell
• ARM Processor (Armada 600)
• Aiming for $75 – $100
• Probably running Android, but definitely running an open OS
• Eventually sporting a plastic screen, not likely immediately
• Dual Mode Display – (Pixel Qi for reflective and backlit mode)
• Hi def video encoder
• 3D graphics
• Multi-touch
• Camera

I hate to say this, but I’m skeptical we will get something close to their graphical mockup prototype in the time frame given.  But since I’m not privy to the plastic display technology coming out near term, I could be wrong.  In the video below, Nicholas Negroponte talks about a working prototype for CES in 2011. That’s about 8 months away. And he says plastic is expected for 2012.  He’s certain about the price point though. I’m not sure I would be so certain though.  When you look at the ecosystem, the pieces of this puzzle seem to be there. Not at this price point though. The Google Nexus One phone, arguably the most powerful smartphone right now, is about the right thickness and capability.  It won’t do 1080 video but the 3D is pretty capable. The screen is much smaller, I’m not sure of the battery life with the system playing video, but let’s say 4 hours. If we could drop the power requirements for the screens, the Nexus One would be a pretty capable tablet. More battery could be distributed across and still maintain a decent weight. But again the Nexus One is $529 and most smartphones, even if seemingly priced well such as a $99 iPhone at Wal-Mart, are still hiding their actual cost within the data plans.