Intel climbs aboard OLPC program

Stan Beer
Saturday, 14 July 2007 06:59

Opinion and Analysis

After initially deriding the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative championed by Nicholas Negroponte and his cohorts at MIT, leading chipmaker Intel has decided to throw its weight behind the program, which aims to put cheap laptops into the hands of third world youngsters.

The non-profit OLPC program has developed a US$175 Linux-based laptop called the XO in a colorful ruggedized form factor that be powered up by a hand crank in areas without easy access to electrical power. The OLPC organization wants to sell the laptop to third world governments to distribute freely to children between the ages of 6 and 12. OLPC eventually bring the cost of its laptop down to US$100.

The move by Intel comes as a surprise because the giant chipmaker appeared to be doing its best to derail the OLPC program. Like other detractors, Intel believed the OLPC laptop could not be used to do any useful real world work. In response Intel released its own low-end competitor called the Classmate, which runs a cut down version of Windows for US$200 - a move which angered OLPC.

However, that all appears to be water under a third world bridge as Intel and OLPC are now projecting an image of smiles, cooperation and synergy.

As the joint announcement says: "Intel and One Laptop per Child (OLPC) today announced they have agreed to work together to bring the benefits of technology to the developing world through synergy of their respective programs. Under the agreement, Intel and OLPC will explore collaborations involving technology and educational content. Intel will also join the board of OLPC."

The move by Intel to join OLPC suggests a realization by giant chipmaker that the movement is gaining some traction. In addition, with rival AMD already on the OLPC board, the negative PR of being seen to be at loggerheads with a philanthropic organization that its chief rival supports was obvious.

Microsoft has already flagged the third world as the market where it sees the next billion computers being sold. Intel obviously intends to play a big role in that and, despite the motherhood statements about synergy its own program with OLPC, the announcement suggests that the world's largest chipmaker wants its cards in every deck.