OLPC XO-1 (One Laptop Per Child) review

What you need to know

Reviewed by: Mark Harris

Reviewed on: 7 January 2008

Tags: OLPC, OLPC XO-1 (One Laptop Per Child), LCD, maps, brightness

We like:

Powerful; simple wireless networking; bullet-proof build; open source programs

We don't like:

Sluggish graphical user interface; over-complex file handling

You might also need:

A USB key is essential to transfer files, and a mouse might help with the grumpy touchpad. Watch out for hand-crank power adaptors coming soon

CNET UK judgement:

The OLPC XO-1 isn't a substitute for your current laptop -- it's a digital lifeline for children on the margins of our connected world. The fact that it's as cool, fun and flexible as it is educational only shows how much thought has gone into its revolutionary design

Full review:

Why should rich Western kids get all the cool kit? Nicolas Negroponte's ambitious plan to bridge the global digital divide has borne fruit at last. The XO-1 costs twice as much -- $200 (£100) -- as he'd originally hoped for, and lacks the hand-powered crank that would have freed it from the grid completely. But otherwise it's a cyber-hippy's dream come true: a simple, practical wireless laptop packed with cool new technologies and stuffed with open-source software. Continue Reading...