‘$100 Laptop’ Gets Windows XP

via Gizmodo UK


Microsoft and the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation have ended their spat and all new XO laptops will start offering Windows XP.

The alliance is seen as a way to help boost sales of the worthy, but slow-selling, XO laptop to under-developed countries. It’s speculated that certain countries wanted Windows XP over the Linux-based OS the XO currently uses before they’d flash the cash. It's good that Microsoft has finally stepped up since there's no love lost between OLPC and Intel.

Microsoft has modified XP to run on the XO, with customised drivers that allow it support the laptop’s e-book reading mode, standard Wi-Fi networking, camera, writing pad and custom keys, as well as the power-saving and other features of the XO hardware. Essentially, it now means that ‘hundreds of thousands of third-party applications and devices available for Windows will now be compatible with the XO laptop’.

Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of OLPC, said:

“From the beginning, the goal of OLPC has been to use technology to transform education by bringing connectivity and constructionist learning to the poorest children throughout the world. Today’s announcement, coupled with future plans for a dual boot version of the XO laptop, enhances our ability to deliver on this vision. In addition, OLPC will work with third parties to port its user interface, called ‘Sugar,’ to Windows.”

Windows-based XO laptops will be available from next month.