p2pnet.net news:- A while back it seemed anyone would be able to buy a One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) XO laptop, as long as they also bought a unit which would be given to a needy child somewhere in the world.

The information turned out to be wrong, but Quanta, the company making the XO laptops, will be selling similar systems for $200 later either this year, or next, says the Financial Times.

Quanta president Michael Wang says concepts developed through the OLPC project could be applied to create commercially viable machines that are cheaper than anything on the market so far, according to the story.

“We will definitely at the right time launch a commercialised product similar to the OLPC,” he told the Financial Times, adding several of Quanta’s customers were seeking to launch such a product.

OLPC backers, “plan to release the machine on general sale next year,” said the BBC. “But customers will have to buy two laptops at once - with the second going to the developing world.”

But, “OLPC has no plans to make the XO laptops available for sale to the general public,” said a statement at the time. “OLPC’s focus is getting XO laptops into the hands of children in developing nations.”

Slashdot it!

Also See:
Financial Times - Quanta launches ultra-low-cost PCs, March 28, 2007
needy child - OLPC reports incorrect, January 14, 2007
BBC - $100 laptop could sell to public, January 9, 2006
statement - One Laptop per Child Has No Plans to Commercialize XO Computer, January 13, 2007

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