OLPC XO-2 Brings New, Smaller Form Factor with Dual Touchscreens

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has been a bit of a revolution in terms of laptop computing. Starting with a form factor and price point designed developing nations rather than computing-elites, it has spawned a renewed interest for both software and hardware development.

At the OLPC Global Country Workshop, OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte announced details of the second generation of the XO laptop, starting with a changed form factor in the shape of a folding, dual-touchscreened device.

Dual Touchscreens

One of the louder complaints of the original XO laptop was its membrane-based keyboard. Designed to repel the elements more than create speedy typists, users and analysts alike heavily critiqued the performance of the keyboard compared to conventional equivalents.

The second generation of the XO laptop will feature a dual-screened arrangement, in which the second screen will act as the keyboard. The dual-touchscreen arrangement, pioneered by former OLPC CTO Mary Lou Jepsen, will be designed to perform for both indoor and sunlight settings.

In addition, the dual touchscreen arrangement will feature a right/left vertical format; a hinged horizontal arrangement similar to modern laptops; and a flat, continuous surface for pure tablet computing.

The new XO will be half the size of the current version, leading to an easier posture when reading and writing.

Goals of XO-2

XO-2 is slated to be a considerable advancement over the first XO. In addition to the dual touchscreens, goals include lowering power consumption to 1 watt from the current 2-4 watts.

There has been no mention of the Linux OS and Sugar UI which was designed exclusively for the first XO laptop. Since its introduction, the XO laptop has seen several operating systems hacked onto its hardware, including Windows XP.

The focus on this iteration of the XO is to create a device that is more like a book in respect to form factor and function. By imitating the form factor and size of a book, but with the versatility of a digital device, the OLPC project looks to be more effective in meeting its worldwide target audience.

Pricing

The goal for the XO-2 is for a final price of $75. This is said to be possible because of the low cost of the screen -- $20 at current prices as they are used in commercial DVD players.

The XO-2 is scheduled to be released in 2010.

More Information

• OLPC XO Review at Notebook Review

Via Gizmodo