One Laptop per Child hits problems

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 24 Oct 2007 at 08:57

The One Laptop per Child (OLPC) group, which has developed an ultra low cost laptop for developing nations, says that production delays could cause shortages in the US and Canada, according to Reuters.

The laptop was originally intended for sale only in developing nations, however, as part of its "buy one, get one" program running over the Christmas holidays, OLPC allowed US and Canadian customers to buy two machines for $400, one for themselves and one for a poor child in another country.

The program was made feasible by its productions dates, which would have put the machine into mass production in October. However, a series of delays have pushed that date back to November, making it impossible for the company to build enough machines to fulfil its commitments to Peru and Uruguay, which are due to receive the first batch in December, as well as the US and Canada.

According to Reuters, OLPC will be offering a limited number of laptops in the US and Canada before Christmas on a "first come, first served basis."

The laptop includes many innovative features, including the fact it's waterproof, uses around 10% of the power of a normal laptop and can be recharged by the sun (or by hand with a crank).

It also sports a built in Wi-Fi connection, a Linux-powered, child-friendly interface and separate indoor and outdoor settings so that it can be used in direct sunlight.

Though originally conceived as a $100 laptop, the green and white machine has so far risen in price to $188.