OLPC has some new qualitative features set out for the launch of its new XO-3 Tablet, which is rumoured to include solar charging and satellite internet.
A fresh model of XO-3 tablet is getting ready for launch by One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) and this time, not with Windows OS. The company had worked with Microsoft Windows in its previous XO laptop products. But now, OLPC has smoothly decided to move on to Google Android and Chrome OS Linux based operating systems for its new XO-3 product.
Besides a new OS, OLPC has other attractions lined up for its latest tablet. Some new features planned by the company would involve satellite internet and solar charging. This seems enough to raise consumer curiosity. But added to this, OLPC plans on designing a rubber back cover for protection and external keyboard capabilities, as reported by the chairman, Nicholas Negroponte. Other functions of the tablet involve 2.0 USB ports, front camera, headphone jack and a microphone which will be located in the bezel under the screen.
OLPC is concentrating hard on developing the tablet as a user friendly production for school children. This can be confirmed with the company’s approach towards making the XO-3 display screen
e-ink rich. It wants to provide a transflective screen to the tablet and enable it to absorb light and reduce the intake of power. Along with that, the addition of LCD function is also expected with the e-ink mode. And this can be made possible with the use of spin-off Pixel Qi’s hybrid screen which OLPC plans on utilizing. Such decisions concerning the screen are keeping the production of the tablet pending. But I’m sure OLPC is just looking for the best interest of its consumers and wishes to give them that after all the delay.
As for the change of OS, I guess that is aimed for the best interest of the users as well. Negroponte must have been disappointed in Microsoft when it asked the software developers in 2009 to create a version of Windows OS compatible on ARM chips and they refused. Microsoft might have devised a Windows 8 version that works on both x86 chips and ARM chips now. But too late for that as OLPC has now moved on to other operating systems and lost interest in working with Microsoft for its XO-3 tablet. Whether we see the two companies making peace in the future is yet to be seen. For now, the solar charging and satellite internet featuring OLPC XO-3 tablet is expected to release sometime next year with a price range probably under $100.
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