[NYTr] Production Begins on the $100 Laptop Project

[nytr at olm.blythe-systems.com]

[BBC is a bit behind the 8-ball here, but they've just caught up with
the $100 laptop idea. This has been discussed by both Cubans and
Venezuelans, and the project includes, naturally, a non-Windoze Open
Source OS, and solar-powered batteries. Both these BBC stories are full
of gee-whiz graphics and gizmos that require Javascript. Only the
text is reproduced here. Though it reads more like an advertisement for
the machine, it's the most complete description we've seen.-NY Transfer]


BBC News - Jul 22, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6908946.stm

'$100 laptop' production begins

By Jonathan Fildes
Science and technology reporter

Five years after the concept was first proposed, the so-called $100
laptop is poised to go into mass production.

Hardware suppliers have been given the green light to ramp-up production
of all of the components needed to build millions of the low-cost
machines.

Previously, the organisation behind the scheme said that it required
orders for 3m laptops to make production viable.

The first machines should be ready to put into the hands of children in
developing countries in October 2007.

"There's still some software to write, but this is a big step for us,"
Walter Bender, head of software development at One Laptop per Child
(OLPC), told the BBC News website.

The organisation has not said which countries have bought the first
machines.

Silencing critics

Getting the $100 laptop to this stage has been a turbulent journey for
the organisation and its founder Nicholas Negroponte.

Since the idea was first put forward in 2002, the low-cost laptop has
been both lauded and ridiculed.

Intel chairman Craig Barret famously described it as a "$100 gadget"
whilst Microsoft founder Bill Gates questioned its design, particularly
the lack of hard drive and its "tiny screen".

Other critics asked whether there was a need for a laptop in countries
which, they said, had more pressing needs such as sanitation, water and
health care.

Professor Negroponte's response has always been the same: "It's an
education project, not a laptop project."

The view was shared by Kofi Annan, ex-secretary General of the UN. In
2005, he described the laptop as an "expression of global solidarity"
that would "open up new fronts" for children's education.

And as time passed, even some of the critics have changed their stance.
Earlier this month, Intel, which manufactures what was considered a
rival machine, the Classmate PC, joined forces with OLPC.

Functional design

The innovative design of the XO machine has also drawn praise from the
technical community.

Using open source software, OLPC have developed a stripped-down
operating system which fits comfortably on the machine's 1GB of memory.

"We made a set of trade-offs which may not be an office worker's needs
but are more than adequate for what kids need for learning, exploring
and having fun," said Professor Bender.

The XO is built to cope with the harsh and remote conditions found in
areas where it may be used, such as the deserts of Libya or the
mountains of Peru.

Professor Negroponte first proposed the laptop in 2002

For example, it has a rugged, waterproof case and is as energy efficient
as possible.

"The laptop needs an order of magnitude less power than a typical
laptop," said Professor Bender. "That means you can power it by solar or
human power."

Governments that sign up for the scheme can purchase solar, foot-pump or
pull-string powered chargers for the laptop.

And because it may be used in villages without access to a classroom, it
has also been designed to work outside. In particular, the green and
white machines feature a sunlight-readable display.

"For a lot of these children it's their only book and we want them to
have a first class reading experience," said Professor Bender.

Name drop

The XO will be produced in Taiwan by Quanta, the world's largest laptop
manufacturer.

The final design will bring together more than 800 parts from multiple
suppliers such as chip-maker AMD, which supplies the low-power processor
at the heart of the machine.

"This is the moment we have all been waiting for," Gustavo Arenas of AMD
told the BBC News website.

"We certainly believe very strongly in the mission and vision of OLPC so
finally starting to see it come to fruition is not only gratifying, it
is also rewarding."

Test machines, on which the final design is based, are currently being
put through their paces by OLPC.

"We keep laptops in the oven at 50 degrees and they keep on running,"
said Professor Bender.

Field testing is also being done in countries such as Nigeria and
Brazil.

However, the names of the governments that have purchased the first lots
of machines have not been released.

The XO currently costs $176 (#90) although the eventual aim is to sell
the machines to governments for $100 (#50).

                            ***

BBC News - Jul 23, 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6679431.stm

The One Laptop Per Child Project - BBC Report

The One Laptop Per Child project is one step closer to releasing the
completed machine to millions of schoolchildren in the developing world.
But what makes the computer so unique?

Internal Hardware

To ensure the laptop is robust and can be maintained as easily as
possible it omits all moving parts. It has no hard drive, CD or DVD
drive. As it also packs a low power processor it has no cooling fans.

Storage: Instead of a large hard drive the laptop has 1GB of flash
memory, similar to that used in some digital cameras.

The memory can be expanded using an SD memory card slot underneath the
screen or by plugging in peripheral devices through the USB ports.

Files can also be backed up on to a "school server" - a larger computer
installed in a classroom - or via an online system provided by search
giant Google.

Processor: The chip, made by AMD, is much slower than most in today's
PCs, operating at a speed of just 433Mhz. In comparison , some of
today's high performance machines have multiple chips with speeds of up
to 3GHz.

The off-the-shelf processor is designed to be energy efficient. Unlike
a standard chip, which remains active even when nothing changes on
screen, the AMD processor is able to shut itself down, only waking when
it is needed. It has an inbuilt graphics card.

Wi-fi: To conserve as much battery power as possible the wi-fi adapter
can operate even when the main processor is switched off or asleep. It
is able to do this by having its own in-built low power chip. The
adapter supports standard wireless protocols used in most homes and
offices.

Software

The laptop has a bespoke Linux operating system (OS) developed by
leading open source software company Red Hat.

In contrast to sometimes costly proprietary software, open source
software is free and allows users to access and alter the code. OLPC
hopes some children will tinker with the code to develop new programs.

In comparison to standard operating systems (OS), it is very small when
compressed, taking up just 130MB of space. By comparison, Windows XP
takes up around ten times that amount, requiring 1.5GB of hard drive
space.

Its user interface is known as Sugar. At the centre of the screen is a
customised icon surrounded by a white circle known as the "doughnut".
As different programs are opened icons appear in the doughnut.

Different programs take up different amounts of space on the ring
depending on their size and system requirements. Because of the
machine's limited memory, when the doughnut is full, no more programs
can be opened.

It includes standard programs such as a web browser based on Firefox; a
word processor able to handle most common document types, including
Microsoft formats; a PDF reader and media player. In addition, it comes
with games, a music creation tool and drawing programs.

WI-FI

One of the most recognisable features of the laptop is the dual wi-fi
antennas, known affectionately as "rabbit ears". These boost the range
of the wireless connection by between two-and three-times the normal
range.

A test done in the outback of Australia under ideal conditions showed
that two laptops could communicate more than 2km (1.2 miles) apart. In
reality, the range will be much shorter than this.

Using standard wireless protocols, the laptops are automatically able
to form a "mesh network" where each machine acts as both laptop and
router, able to pass information between computers.

If one laptop is switched on in range of an internet connection
(usually at a local school) all other laptops on the network can share
the access.

Those computers furthest from the connection will have the lowest
internet speeds. If there is no internet access, the laptops can still
share data, video and information through the mesh.

It does not have an Ethernet port for use with wired internet
connections 

Screen

The laptop has a low power dual-mode display, allowing children to
toggle between colour and black-and-white screens.

Designed for use in outdoor classrooms, the full-colour transmissive
mode is similar to any other Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), but in ultra
low-power black-and-white mode the screen is readable in direct
sunlight.

Many companies are interested in using the technology in standard
laptop displays.
 
The screen can also swivel around to convert the laptop into an e-book
or a games console.

It is also easily maintained. For example, a faulty backlight - a
common complaint on aging laptops - can be replaced by undoing two
screws.

Power Supply

A range of power supplies are available to countries buying the laptop.
Two choices of rechargeable battery are offered with different
chemistries. Both cost $10 (£5) to replace and hold their charge for at
least four-times the amount of time as a normal laptop battery,
according to OLPC.

For areas with an electricity supply, the computer can be used with an
18W power adapter.

In areas without access to the grid, various contraptions have been
designed to plug directly into the laptop including a solar panel, a
hand crank (similar to those used on wind-up radios), a foot pedal and
a pull-string recharger, similar to a starter chord on a lawnmower.

The pull-string gives 10 minutes of charge for every minute of pulling.
Group recharging stations can also be bought for schools where multiple
batteries can be hooked up to solar panels or car batteries. 

Keyboard

The sealed green rubber keyboard is waterproof and its size is designed
for a child's hands. As well as being offered in a standard QWERTY
layout it has various configurations for different languages such as
Thai, Arabic, Spanish, and Urdu.

In addition, the keyboard does away with low-use keys such as Caps
Lock. In their place are new buttons such as the "geek key" or "view
source", which allows children to quickly see the underlying code used
to write the program running on screen.

A "grab" key allows children to pan and scroll around the screen while
a slider key on the top left-hand-side of the keyboard allows users to
quickly see who else is part of the mesh network, who they are working
with on collaborative projects and which of their friends are online.

Keys either side of the screen below the inbuilt speakers are used for
gaming and reading e-books. A touchpad allows children to control the
cursor and can be used as a drawing tablet using a stylus or the back
of a pen.

Plastic Case

The hard-wearing green and white plastic case is designed to be as
waterproof and dustproof as possible for children walking to and from
school.

When it is closed the wi-fi antennas lock the laptop and cover the only
external openings, the data ports.

The laptop has been dropped from 1.6m (5ft), with the antennas up, with
no breakages. According to OLPC, the laptop keyboard has also been
dunked in water for 10 minutes with no effect.

The entire package is approximately half the weight and size of a
standard laptop. Holes either side of the carry handle allow children
to tie a scarf or string to the laptop so it can be carried over the
shoulder.

It also features a coloured XO on the back cover. There are 400
different colour combinations so that children can easily distinguish
their laptop.

In the future, the plastic case may be swapped for durable rubber.

Video Camera

Situated on the right hand side of the screen, the still and motion
capture camera allows video chat across the mesh network and the
internet.

With a resolution of 640x480, the colour camera can also be used to
take photographs or as a light meter for school projects.

Data Ports

Three USB ports will make it possible to connect a variety of
peripherals including a mouse or larger keyboard. A microphone input
and a line output will allow children to play music through external
speakers and record sounds.

All of the ports are covered by the wi-fi antennas when the laptop is
closed, preventing water and dust getting inside.

An SD memory card slot, underneath the screen can be used to expand the
memory capacity or to load new software.