Intel joins One Laptop Per Child initiative

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Jul. 13, 2007

The OLPC got a major boost today with the announcement that Intel has joined the organization and will serve on its board of directors. No doubt, Intel wouldn't mind seeing the OLPC's low-cost Linux laptop's AMD Geode processor replaced by one of its own chips.

More specifically, Intel said it expects to "explore collaborations involving technology and educational content."

OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte stated, "Intel joins the OLPC board as a world leader in technology, helping reach the world's children. Collaboration with Intel means that the maximum number of laptops will reach children."

Intel CEO Paul Otellini added, "Joining OLPC is a further example of our commitment to education over the last 20 years and our belief in the role of technology in bringing the opportunities of the 21st century to children around the world."

Competitors?

Intel, meanwhile, has its own competing program -- the Classmate PC -- and boasted earlier this year that its device was "First To Ship In Volume To Emerging Markets," an obvious reference to the competing OLPC devices.

Intel says its "Classmate PC" shipped in volume in March
(Source: Intel)
In contrast to the OLPC's Linux-based laptop, Intel's device currently is offered with a choice of Windows XP Pro or Linux. The device is based on an Intel "Mobile Processor ULV" clocked at 900 MHz, along with the company's 915GMS and ICH6-M chipsets and 256MB of RAM. It sports a 7-inch WVGA (800 x 480) LCD screen, and has an integrated keyboard and touchpad. Other key features include:

1GB/2GB flash solid-state disk
Stereo audio with built-in speakers and microphone
10/100M Ethernet LAN
802.11 b/g WiFi with antenna
6 cell battery for approx. 4 hours operation
Weighs about 3 pounds

Intel says it invests more than $100 million per year in over 50 countries to promote education, and noted its focus on on the emerging markets through its Intel World Ahead program, which aims to "bring technology to everyone, anywhere in the world."

Background on OLPC

The idea behind the OLPC laptop is to provide children with the opportunity to learn about learning itself -- to explore, experiment and express themselves, an OLPC spokesperson said. The laptops will be distributed in schools.

AMD, News Corp, Google, Brightstar, Red Hat Linux, Nortel, Marvell, eBay, Quanta, Chi Mei, SES/Astra, and Citigroup are founding members of OLPC. The United Nations and Inter-American Development Bank are its non-profit partners.

The OLPC project, based at the MIT media lab in Cambridge, Mass., is well into its second year. Recently, the New York Times reported that Libya became the fifth country to express serious interest in the inexpensive student laptop -- the others being Nigeria, Brazil, and Argentina . Brazil and Thailand had expressed some early interest in the project but have since cooled on the idea for various internal reasons.

More about the OLPC Project

For lots of background on the OLPC's Linux-based low-cost laptop project -- including features, specs, and a timeline of announcements -- be sure to peruse our comprehensive OLPC special report:

Hot Topic: The "One Laptop Per Child" project

(Click here for further information)

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Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2009 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.