OLPC Australia: XO targeting education and definitely NO Windows

By Stan Beer
Friday, 09 May 2008 08:14

Opinion and Analysis

The obvious first query is why an endorsed office of OLPC has been opened in Australia, which is very much a wealthy first world country? Are there specific pockets of the community, such as marginalised indigenous Australians being targeted? If so, why is the XO a better solution than other similarly priced commercial laptops which would arguably serviced by a more professional support infrastructure? Or if Australia itself isn't the target market, is OLPC Australia aiming to serve as a base for marketing the XO to poorer neighbouring nations such as Fiji, other Pacific Island nations and parts of South East Asia?

The answer to this query, according to Waugh, is clear cut - OLPC Australia is targeting the education market.

"This is 100% an education project not a laptop project," says Waugh.

"In terms of what happens here in Australia, there's primary schools and there's also communities, whether they be remote communities or things like homes for children. Then there is the Pacific as well. Part of the reason we have an organisation is to support the region."

If the XO is going to be sold in Australia, what will be the price point? With the Australian dollar getting close to parity with the US dollar, can we expect to see the XO selling in Australia at not too much more than AUD$200? After all, OLPC is a not-for-profit organisation so the XO shouldn't attract import duties (or will it?).

According to Waugh, OLPC Australia simply doesn't have an answer to that question yet. "We haven't yet announced a model and usually when people ask that they're interested in how can an individual consumer buy an XO. It's highly unlikely that we're going to have anything like the get-one give-one program in the US," says Waugh. CONTINUED