OLPC has joined forces with Marvell Technology Group to develop tablet PCs based on its Moby platform. Glass screen versions could be ready in 2011. Tablets with semi-flexible plastic screens should be available in 2012, running under Linux and designed to be both backlit and usable in daylight.
Moby uses a low-power Marvell Armada 610 application processor, has Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/FM/GPS connectivity, and supports multiple software standards including Adobe Flash, Android, Windows Mobile and Ubuntu.daylight.
IIJ view: OLPC’s X0-3 tablets will mainly be for use by children in developed countries initially but a cheap, basic Kindle-iPad-style combination product could also disrupt the consumer IT market.
OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte outlines his plans for the X0-3 tablet in this video posted on Youtube by IDG. The toughest job will be making it all-plastic, he says.
“What a problem is at the moment when will we get plastic? Because we really want this to be 100% plastic, unbreakable and almost extruded from a machine. CES 2012 we’ll probably see that. CES 2011 it’ll be glass.”
With all the children-proof items on the market, making plastic, unbreakable device shouldn’t be a significant problem. As I can imagine, main issues should be with displays. Plastic Logic, UK based company, managed to deal with it in their device – Que eReader.
“So is there anything special about the gadget?
Well it uses unbreakable flexible plastic electronic displays as opposed to glass. The Que also works entirely by touch, no buttons to press.”
Now, the problem for me is not making it all plastic – the problem is with making it 75$ price tag. Those unbreakable displays are quite expensive, and as Nick Barber – IDG News reporter – points in the video, OLPC had problems in the past with hitting promised price.
“Now, the problem for me is not making it all plastic – the problem is with making it 75$ price tag. Those unbreakable displays are quite expensive, and as Nick Barber – IDG News reporter – points in the video, OLPC had problems in the past with hitting promised price.”
Actually, the unbreakable plastic displays are not expensive, when we talk about mass production. Here’s an article that reveals this:
“These flexible electronic displays could be applied to electronic paper and signage. Mass production could enable the displays to be put to use in notebook computers, smart phones and other electronic devices at a much lower cost than conventional display devices. From an environmental point of view, another major advantage is that these flexible displays use only 10% of materials utilized in current display production: Saving the environment and creating lighter devices for our pockets.”
Clearly, it’s ideal for OLPC’s plan as an affordable alternative for a kid’s PC. The question now lies with the product’s distribution and availability once it is made.
Thanks for the link Rob, although I can’t find anything about those displays from HP being cheap. It only states about using less materials in the production cycle, less power consumed by this kind of displays and so on – which, undeniably, is very important, but won’t help OFC to hit their promised price tag.
Another issue that I see here – how resistant and child – proof would those PC tablets be? Ok, they won’t break as easily as standard ones – but on the other hand, would be more easily scratched, which you have to consider when giving these products to children? Or maybe this plastic would be unbreakable and scratch – proof?
I wasn’t able to find any information on how cheap or expensive the displays are, however I did find some information about the durability of the XO-3.
They plan on making it waterproof and highly-durable.
But perhaps OLPC should elaborate further on how they plan to make the Xo-3 durable enough to withstand the daily use of a child in a third world country. For example, touch screens are notorious fo having a limited functional life. Sure, 75 dollars is a cheap price to pay for a laptop, but they should factor in how long it’s actually going to last. Traditional laptops have a shelf-life of five years and under. Secondly, can the battery be easily replaced? And will replacing the battery be more cost-effective than buying a new XO-3?
What Negroponte said in an interview with Forbes magazine bothers me more than these questions. He stated, “”We don’t necessarily need to build it, we just need to threaten to build it.” So are we just speculating about something that may never actually happen, despite OLPC’s reassurances to the contrary?
Exactly Meg, this caught my attention as well. To someone from outside, it just looks like Negroponte is trying to play safe now, knowing his plans may not work out like intended?
These OLPC laptops need be really durable to last for fair amount of time, especially with kids using them daily. Same with the batteries – you ask about changing them after some time, which is a good point, but also they need to have a proper capacity to last for long, as there might be problems with charging them often in parts of third world countries. And if you want to have a durable, long lasting battery – it costs. And bumps your overall price of laptop, which is not what OLPC is after.
It might be interesting to see how they plan to deliver, according to their plans released in the video from the article.
Perhaps OLPC can keep well under the price tag of $75 if they stick to the basics. The recipients of these laptops don’t need all the bells and whistles such as a touch screen and HD capability. OLPC appears to have lost sight of its original mission, which was to help provide a modern education to children from third-world countries, bridge the digital divide and finally, eradicate poverty, not to provide these same kids with the kiddie equivalent of an iPad.
The concept design is definitely revolutionary, and will probably attract the attention of cappuccino-drinking laptop and tablet enthusiasts as well as the heads of developing nations, but why not stick to the existing X0 models’ design and concentrate on improving it? The Intel Classmate PC and the PeeWee Pivot Tablet are both durable and functional, their only fault being their expensive price tags.
It appears that OLPC can’t see the forest for the trees.
In the video, Nicholas Negroponte says:
“What a problem is at the moment when will we get plastic? Because we really want this to be 100% plastic, unbreakable and almost extruded from a machine. CES 2012 we’ll probably see that. CES 2011 it’ll be glass.”
With all the children-proof items on the market, making plastic, unbreakable device shouldn’t be a significant problem. As I can imagine, main issues should be with displays. Plastic Logic, UK based company, managed to deal with it in their device – Que eReader.
“So is there anything special about the gadget?
Well it uses unbreakable flexible plastic electronic displays as opposed to glass. The Que also works entirely by touch, no buttons to press.”
http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/plastic-logic%E2%80%99s-ereader-is-cool-but-pricey
Now, the problem for me is not making it all plastic – the problem is with making it 75$ price tag. Those unbreakable displays are quite expensive, and as Nick Barber – IDG News reporter – points in the video, OLPC had problems in the past with hitting promised price.
@GregP’s comment:
“Now, the problem for me is not making it all plastic – the problem is with making it 75$ price tag. Those unbreakable displays are quite expensive, and as Nick Barber – IDG News reporter – points in the video, OLPC had problems in the past with hitting promised price.”
Actually, the unbreakable plastic displays are not expensive, when we talk about mass production. Here’s an article that reveals this:
http://thefutureofthings.com/news/6245/hps-unbreakable-flexible-display.html
“These flexible electronic displays could be applied to electronic paper and signage. Mass production could enable the displays to be put to use in notebook computers, smart phones and other electronic devices at a much lower cost than conventional display devices. From an environmental point of view, another major advantage is that these flexible displays use only 10% of materials utilized in current display production: Saving the environment and creating lighter devices for our pockets.”
Clearly, it’s ideal for OLPC’s plan as an affordable alternative for a kid’s PC. The question now lies with the product’s distribution and availability once it is made.
Thanks for the link Rob, although I can’t find anything about those displays from HP being cheap. It only states about using less materials in the production cycle, less power consumed by this kind of displays and so on – which, undeniably, is very important, but won’t help OFC to hit their promised price tag.
Another issue that I see here – how resistant and child – proof would those PC tablets be? Ok, they won’t break as easily as standard ones – but on the other hand, would be more easily scratched, which you have to consider when giving these products to children? Or maybe this plastic would be unbreakable and scratch – proof?
I wasn’t able to find any information on how cheap or expensive the displays are, however I did find some information about the durability of the XO-3.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/12/22/tablet-computer-negroponte-technology-cio-network-olpc.html
They plan on making it waterproof and highly-durable.
But perhaps OLPC should elaborate further on how they plan to make the Xo-3 durable enough to withstand the daily use of a child in a third world country. For example, touch screens are notorious fo having a limited functional life. Sure, 75 dollars is a cheap price to pay for a laptop, but they should factor in how long it’s actually going to last. Traditional laptops have a shelf-life of five years and under. Secondly, can the battery be easily replaced? And will replacing the battery be more cost-effective than buying a new XO-3?
What Negroponte said in an interview with Forbes magazine bothers me more than these questions. He stated, “”We don’t necessarily need to build it, we just need to threaten to build it.” So are we just speculating about something that may never actually happen, despite OLPC’s reassurances to the contrary?
Exactly Meg, this caught my attention as well. To someone from outside, it just looks like Negroponte is trying to play safe now, knowing his plans may not work out like intended?
These OLPC laptops need be really durable to last for fair amount of time, especially with kids using them daily. Same with the batteries – you ask about changing them after some time, which is a good point, but also they need to have a proper capacity to last for long, as there might be problems with charging them often in parts of third world countries. And if you want to have a durable, long lasting battery – it costs. And bumps your overall price of laptop, which is not what OLPC is after.
It might be interesting to see how they plan to deliver, according to their plans released in the video from the article.
Perhaps OLPC can keep well under the price tag of $75 if they stick to the basics. The recipients of these laptops don’t need all the bells and whistles such as a touch screen and HD capability. OLPC appears to have lost sight of its original mission, which was to help provide a modern education to children from third-world countries, bridge the digital divide and finally, eradicate poverty, not to provide these same kids with the kiddie equivalent of an iPad.
The concept design is definitely revolutionary, and will probably attract the attention of cappuccino-drinking laptop and tablet enthusiasts as well as the heads of developing nations, but why not stick to the existing X0 models’ design and concentrate on improving it? The Intel Classmate PC and the PeeWee Pivot Tablet are both durable and functional, their only fault being their expensive price tags.
It appears that OLPC can’t see the forest for the trees.