OLPC Laptop from October

The first low-cost laptops produced under the One Laptop per Child Project will reach kids in developing countries by October 2007. OLPC was conceived by tech guru Nicholas Negroponte in 2002 and he has faced both bouquets and brickbats for the idea. The XO laptop he designed is a rugged green coloured machine which can survive the heat and dust of a third world existence. It is priced at $100, has a flash memory of 1 GB and a pared down operating system which will fit the needs of school kids. Most importantly, it is energy efficient and can be charged with solar power or even a foot pump. This innovative design did not earn the praise of corporates. Intel, for instance, called it a gadget and Microsoft said its screen was way too small. Negroponte, however, pointed out sagely that it was just an educational tool for poor kids.