Samantha, a software engineering student with a son who has love for all things technology, recently wrote in with this compelling question:
I have seen many stories on the OLPC and the XO tablet. I have desperately been searching for a place to buy these types of products for my child. He is 4 years old and really loves technology. My question is about the XO tablet, will anyone be able to buy one?
I don't have an answer to her question in reference to the XO-3. Only Nicholas Negropotne does, and I'm sure the answer changes by the day and the incentive. We'll have to wait for Marvell to put the XO-3 on the market to see.
In the mean time, I do have an alternative that may be better, and can surely be bought for her son today:
In short: No, you won't be able to buy an XO-3 tablet.
OLPC will do the exact same, stupid distribution strategy they are doing now (until they go bankrupt): They will only try to sell their wares in volume to educational ministries of poor countries who cannot afford to buy them.
They will certainly NOT sell XOs in the developed world where they are actually affordable and would be welcome. They will certainly not allow ad-hoc grassroots movements to have access to XOs.
hopefully they'll make it available to us too. maybe through a "buy 1 give 1" program, like they did with the previous model.
if the price they talked about becomes reality (75$), that would bring it to only 150$
heck I would buy 2 for that price! have you ever seen a waterproof low-power multi-touch crank-rechargeable tablet computer for that price? or for any price? this is a revolution if it works out!
message to OLPC: if you organize such a program, please make if available in Europe too this time (not just the US)!
I live in Switzerland and know many people that would be interested (even at 150$)
I'm interested about this OLPC.
If I wanted to give laptops to my child's school, what are the requirements?
How many (minimum) units am I going to give?
How much per (set) unit?