New from OLPC?

The BBC reports the latest planned device from OLPC BBC News - OLPC unveils slimline tablet PC. Turns out that the last proposal, for a sort of hinged design (XO-2) has been scrapped in favour of a tablet design (XO-3).  They are aiming for launch in 2012.  But in two years' time, what will the tech landscape be like?

And, despite my admiration for the aims of OLPC, might this not just turn into vapourware?  I do note that the BBC report says

OLPC recently said that the organisation would just focus on promoting its concepts and educational aims, rather than manufacturing laptops.

"We are not a laptop company," said Mr Brouwer. "Manufacturing a laptop is not such a big deal. The bigger appeal for us is deploying them and integrating them with education systems to transform a society."

Apparently there will be an interim design (XO-1.75) to be launched in 2011.  The BBC page has a nice gallery showing the evolution of the various OLPC designs - though it has to be said that the designs of the XO-2 and XO-3 seem to rest too much on Star Trek than on reality and are clearly design mockups rather than prototypes.

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