Intel quits from One Laptop Per Child program

Manisha K

Gurgaon

January 14th, 2008

Intel has announced that it has quit from the 'One Laptop Per Child' (OLPC)
program, citing disagreements with the organization. This comes as a big blow to
the project, which aimed to bring millions of low-cost laptops to children in
developing countries.

Intel is no longer a member of the OLPC or its Board of Directors. OLPC,
through its chairman Nicholas Negroponte, had asked Intel to end its support for
non-OLPC platforms including the Classmate PC and to focus its support
exclusively on the OLPC system the XO.

On being asked the reason behind quitting the program Dr Camille Miranda
Gonsalves, Head-Public Relations, Intel South Asia said, "Intel concluded
that it could not accommodate the OLPC request for two reasons. First, Intel has
long believed that there is no single solution to the needs of children in
emerging and underdeveloped markets. We have always said there will be many
solutions but the most important priority is to serve the need. Secondly, if
Intel were to exclusively support the XO over other platforms it would force us
to abandon our relationships with many local OEMs and suppliers. Enabling a
localized solution in developing countries is a core value in Intel's efforts
because it reaches beyond just the children beneficiaries to create homegrown
businesses and entrepreneurship. We believe that the more solution providers
there are in this area the more quickly and efficiently the benefits will
spread."

Gonsalves further added that as one of the key pillars of the World Ahead
program, Intel is committed to continue to support classmate PC designs by the
OEM partners. "We believe a complete solution for education consists of the
PC, education software and localized content, connectivity solutions, support
infrastructure, and trained teachers to deliver a complete solution for
educating children through technology," she said.

Nicholas Negroponte, former media lab director at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, founded the OLPC program in 2005. The original concept was to
offer a $100 laptop, but the green-and-white low-power XO computer now costs
$188. It runs on a Linux operating system and a chip made by Intel rival
Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

The fallout ends a long-simmering spat that began even before the Santa
Clara-based chipmaker joined the OLPC board in July, agreeing to contribute
money and technical expertise. It also comes only a few days before the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where a prototype of an OLPC-designed laptop
using an Intel chip was slated to debut.