The big news is that OLPC founder Nicholas Negrponte has just unveiled the design for the foundation’s second-generation laptop, which isn’t really a laptop at all but a double-screened, fold-up electronic book.

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Negroponte says the cost of this 2nd-generation device, which uses dual-touch screens with 16:9 aspect ratios, will be kept to $75. (Compare that to the $188 cost of the foundation’s current first-generation XO laptop.) Costs will be kept down in part by using screens built for portable DVD players, which are rapidly coming down in price, Negroponte says. “The reason you can have the audacity to do this is that the 16:9 displays on DVD players are so inexpensive that to anticipate them costing $20 each is not out of the question,” he says.

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Negroponte said the foundation plans to bring out the second-generation device by 2010. By that time, he added, the cost of the original XO Laptop will also have been brought below $100.


http://www.xconomy.com/2008/05/20/negroponte-unveils-2nd-generation-olpc-laptop-its-an-e-book/

http://www.xconomy.com/2008/05/20/negroponte-unveils-2nd-generation-olpc-laptop-its-an-e-book/

I assume it will be Sugar free too. Didn't the guy who designed and devlop the Sugar OS leave the OLPC foundation to start his own dealio?

BOb

I assume it will be Sugar free too. Didn't the guy who designed and devlop the Sugar OS leave the OLPC foundation to start his own dealio?

BOb

That's all I know. What makes me happy is that on one photo you can see one touch screen made into a keyboard. This means some advanced input. The only thing I'm worried about:

screens built for portable DVD players

What does it mean ? Not e-paper, right ?

What does it mean ? Not e-paper, right ?

I would say, that is NOT eInk but color LCD. Although perhaps it could be transreflexive screen so it could be read in sunlight as well as darkness.

BOb

http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/05/xolaptop20.jpg

http://gizmodo.com/assets/images/gallery/4/2008/05/smallish_2509285108_c979718e35_o.jpg http://gizmodo.com/assets/images/gallery/4/2008/05/smallish_2509285146_456e0da378_o.jpg

Here are some pictures from the write up I saw on Gizmodo. (http://gizmodo.com/392060/olpc-xo-laptop-20-has-dual-touchscreens-looks-amazing-and-future+y)

Very cool but my neighbour can eat his arm if they get anywhere near that price with a proper quality device and proper OS+BIOS.

I would say, that is NOT eInk but color LCD. Although perhaps it could be transreflexive screen so it could be read in sunlight as well as darkness.

BOb
The current OLPC uses a screen has a monochromatic mode for daylight usage. Presumably the screens that this uses will be the same.

The only problem I see is that two screens means more power drain, and two touchscreens mean even more power drain. Seeing that the OLPC was intended for developing countries, wouldn't the added drain make it less practical?

These are the dual indoor-and-sunlight displays, as on the existing XO-1 laptop.

The target total power consumption is quoted as 1 watt. The XO-1 was supposed to need 2-3 watts, but it actually needs more (5-8 watts?).

These are the dual indoor-and-sunlight displays, as on the existing XO-1 laptop.

The target total power consumption is quoted as 1 watt. The XO-1 was supposed to need 2-3 watts, but it actually needs more (5-8 watts?).

No, these are "proposed" to be dual indoor-outdoor displays. We've not seen any in real use. Heck, until we can order them for development purposes, they barely qualify as "not vaporware".

I like the concept of a full-color, touch-sensitive, indoor/sunlight display that draws less than 1 Watt of power, but until I or others can actually *purchase* one, I'll hold off on jumping up and down with excitement.

(Yes, I *did* ask the people at Pixel-Qi if I could buy a couple of panels.)

Derek

The one article I read noted that the project would be leveraging off quantities of scale for screens used in small portable DVD players (expecting them to get down to $20 ea.) --- anyone know what sorts of screens are available? I've seen LCDs, but have often wondered if there were any w/ OLEDs.

William

The one article I read noted that the project would be leveraging off quantities of scale for screens used in small portable DVD players (expecting them to get down to $20 ea.) --- anyone know what sorts of screens are available? I've seen LCDs, but have often wondered if there were any w/ OLEDs.

William

Certainly not at that price.

Dale

From what I've heard - OLEDs are a bit overhyped. They're a promising technology, but currently notorious for burning out rather quickly. They're still looking for new materials to make them more durable.

Looks promising, maybe this will light a fire under Dell to make less expensive laptops :)

From what I've heard - OLEDs are a bit overhyped. They're a promising technology, but currently notorious for burning out rather quickly. They're still looking for new materials to make them more durable.

They're also highly succeptible to damage from water.

No, these are "proposed" to be dual indoor-outdoor displays. We've not seen any in real use. Heck, until we can order them for development purposes, they barely qualify as "not vaporware".

I like the concept of a full-color, touch-sensitive, indoor/sunlight display that draws less than 1 Watt of power, but until I or others can actually *purchase* one, I'll hold off on jumping up and down with excitement.

(Yes, I *did* ask the people at Pixel-Qi if I could buy a couple of panels.)

Derek

Have to agree with you on this point. The original OLPC XO laptops were projected at being just under a 100USD and ended up costing 188USD to produce. They were then offered to the general public under a "get one give one" program, so we did could not see them for at least 400USD. I would imagine that something very similar is going to happen with the second generation XO laptops.

Also, given the fact that these are expected to become a reality in 2010, e-ink technology is surely going to improve with time, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect cheaper, faster, better, "greener", and more durable ebook readers by then.

Just take a look at what ASUS was able to do. Shortly after the XO laptop became available they released a sub-notebook with a processor that is twice as fast, twice the amount of ram, twice the storage space, and sell it commercially for 299USD. I wonder what it costs them to make it. Granted it does not have the dual-purpose screen.

They're also highly succeptible to damage from water.

True, but isn't anything on a laptop susceptible to water damage?

True, but isn't anything on a laptop susceptible to water damage?

Normally it's not the water directly, but rather the shorts that it can cause. That's why it's advised that you take the battery out and let it dry. It's different with OLEDs... if even a little moisture leaks into the inner layers, it can cause the organic molecules to break down.

Have to agree with you on this point. The original OLPC XO laptops were projected at being just under a 100USD and ended up costing 188USD to produce.


From Wikipedia:
The project originally aimed for a price of 100 United States dollars. In May 2006, Negroponte told the Red Hat's annual user summit: “It is a floating price. We are a nonprofit organization. We have a target of $100 by 2008, but probably it will be $135, maybe $140. That is a start price, but what we have to do is with every release make it cheaper and cheaper— we are promising that the price will go down.”

(...)

The laptops can be sold to governments and issued to children by schools on a basis of one laptop per child. Pricing is currently set to start at US$188 and the goal is to reach the $100 mark in 2008.


No contradiction here. 2008 is still the current year, and it's still possible to bring the price down to $100.
By the way, xo-1.5 is planned in 2009:

XO 1.5 will be released in the spring of 2009 with the same design as the first generation but with fewer physical parts and at lower cost than XO 1.0.
http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/9379.html


Also, given the fact that these are expected to become a reality in 2010, e-ink technology is surely going to improve with time, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect cheaper, faster, better, "greener", and more durable ebook readers by then.


Semi-related:
Interestingly, in this clip from Laptop Mag, Negroponte says that part of the reason they're unveiling the design so early is that they're hoping people will copy it
So Nicholas Negroponte is not exactly afraid that someone's going to beat him at his own game. :-)


Just take a look at what ASUS was able to do. Shortly after the XO laptop became available they released a sub-notebook with a processor that is twice as fast, twice the amount of ram, twice the storage space, and sell it commercially for 299USD. I wonder what it costs them to make it. Granted it does not have the dual-purpose screen.

That's not the whole story.
EEE pc may costs a bit more in absolute terms, but in relative terms it costs 59% more.
With backlight off and some small tweaks, XO-1 can last up to 10 hours of use without recharge. In this mode it's also readable in full sunlight. 4-6 hours of heavy use with backlight on.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13512_3-9768920-23.html
EEE pc is 3.5 hours.
XO-1 (OLPC) is capable of mesh networking. That means only 1 machine with "proper" internet, and the rest can forward the internet to each other. EEE PC can't do such thing, to my knowledge.
OLPC is very rugged - it's very dust-resistant, and easily survives 5ft(1.524m) drop.
OLPC does have a camera whereas in EEE PC it's optional.
Screen resolution: OLPC has 1200 x 900 @ 200 DPI. Cheapest EEE PC is 800x480 .
OLPC:

Temperature: UL certification planned to 45C in Q32007, pending 50C certification in mid-2008;
Humidity: UL certification planned to IP42 (perhaps higher) when closed, the unit should seal well enough that children walking to and from school need not fear rainstorms and dust;
# Maximum altitude: –15m to 3048m (14.7 to 10.1 PSIA) (operating), –15m to 12192m (14.7 to 4.4 PSIA) (non-operating);
# Shock 125g, 2ms, half-sine (operating) 200g, 2ms, half-sine (non-operating);
# Random vibration: 0.75g zero-to-peak, 10Hz to 500Hz, 0.25 oct/min sweep rate (operating); 1.5g zero-to-peak, 10Hz to 500Hz, 0.5 oct/min sweep rate (nonoperating);

(...)

Simply put, XO-1 is designed for very different environment. It is currently the toughest, most rugged, and durable laptop available. Battery life is, at the moment I'm writing this, unbeatable. All this while keeping the extremely low price.