News.com reports that OLPC is finally starting to think about power - power for the WiFi networks that is. They still are thinking hand crank, foot pedals, strings to power the actual laptop.

For WiFi power, they're seed funding Green WiFi to produce and test prototype nodes, recognizing that wireless connectivity over long distances without grid power is a major challenge. To quote one of the Green WiFi founders in the News.com article:

"We've heard that the strongest criticism they get when they evangelize their laptop is 'What do you do about the network?' If you have a computer but no Internet, you can play games and do spreadsheets, but accessing the world's information is really where the value is."

So true, so true. The OLPC will be a great paperweight if its not connected to the Internet or at least a national net. These guys seem up to the challenge, they are both Sun Microsystems heavyweights and they're thinking right from the get go: make it rugged, make it cheap, make it from off the shelf components.

Green Wi-Fi is planning on a full-scale pilot at three schools in Northern India this fall. Good luck!