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So many new machines are coming out about the size of the XO laptop. I’ve heard that 50 distinct different laptop models will be introduced at Computex (in Taiwan) alone in early June. These machines use screens between 7-10″ diagonals - and have been slapped together rather quickly to capitalize on the momentum first created by One Laptop per Child. The problem: these are expensive laptops - the least expensive of the lot is more than twice the price of the XO laptop from OLPC. Now, I know the detailed cost structure of these laptops, they use commodity parts, and find it quite surprising that an effort to make low cost laptops would arrive here (at the moment) with huge profit margins north of 50%. But with so much competition for this space, the high prices shouldn’t last long.
At the very least, we should have extremely low-power, sunlight readable, high resolution screens in these and other laptops. Pixel Qi is working towards this and we will announce some of our partners soon.
Quote:
“But with so much competition for this space, the high prices shouldn’t last long.”
I tend to think that the high prices will not be coming down anytime soon. I’ve seen specials with some pretty competitive pricing, like the ASUS Eee Surf for $299.00. They seem to of prodded the bottom of the price market and are now settling in on a price and configuration that they are comfortable with.
Granted OLPC can still influence this, if their new XO, (to be displayed on the 20th of May 2008) has some compelling new features.
Any insights you would like to share about the new XO ???
ASUS Eee PC 2G Surf - Pure White Eee PC Intel processor 7″ Wide VGA 512MB Memory 2GB HDD Integrated Graphics - Retail $299.00 plus $12.25 for 3 day S&H.
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I have an XO that I use primarily as an ebook reader outside. Truly spectacular. I’ve shown it to friends from here (NH, USA) to Amsterdam, and all of them are impressed to. (I could stand something a little less garish to carry around though.
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I can’t wait for a sunlight-readable cell phone screen. Laptops as well, but the cell phone is the killer. And I’m buying the first mass-market-paperback-sized ebook reader that has your screen and no DRM.
To contribute to your question, then: please do whatever gets your technology into the mainstream faster!
Re ThatTallGuy, “I could stand something a little less garish to carry around though”
It’s only garish as long as not everybody else has those cute thingies as well