Intel quits One Laptop Per Child program

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 for
long believed that there is no single solution to the needs of children in
emerging and under­developed markets. We have always said that there will be
many solutions but the 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 more the solution providers 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, 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.