When the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) first started, they had an incredibly innovative idea: create cheap laptops for children in developing countries. Unfortunately, the program hit to major stumbling blocks: First, the laptop they came out with cost twice as much as had been planned. Second, everyone else started making cheap laptops, too.

Given the difficulties the OLPC project and the economy are facing, the critical thing for them right now is to reduce the costs of their laptop. Instead, though, they have just announced a new version 1.5 with upgraded hardware. They say they will try to meet the XO-1’s price point, while switching to components that will fall in price over the long term. It’s been years, though, and they still can’t hit the original goal of a $100 laptop, even when $300 machines are being sold as mass-market devices?

it seems critical that the OLPC project manages to reduce their prices. With the economy getting worse, I can’t imagine schools in developing countries to be looking for faster machines over a better price.

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