I have untangled the initial misunderstanding I had of OLPC's new efforts and how Sugar fits in with them. I write to spare others the same confusion.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130108005887/en/Laptop-Child-Association-Release-Products-CES tells the story in detail. It writes in part: "One Laptop per Child Association (OLPCA)... announced today that it will introduce at CES three new products. OLPCA will unveil for the first time the XO Learning System, an Android compatible software suite for child-centric learning, which is available by license to computer manufacturers, governments, NGOs and content providers such as book publishers. Tablets under such a license will be called the XO Tablet, the second product announcement. Third, OLPCA will show the fourth generation of its iconic green and white laptop with both a keyboard and a multi-touch screen using Neonode technology." The last announcement is the continuation of the XO laptop line, the XO-4, and is discussed at http://blog.laptop.org/tag/xo-4/ . I am delighted to see them continue this form factor, featuring a non-virtual keyboard which doubles as a rugged, sealing screen protector, and other aspects which recommend it to many challenging places in the DEVELOPING world. Notably, the XO-4 will continue to fully support the FREE legacy Sugar software technology. The first two announcements therefore constitute introduction of a second, parallel, hardware and software line, aimed at the "bottom of the pyramid" in the DEVELOPED world. Rather than develop free software, OLPC will "curate" COMMERCIAL software. We read that "The content in XO Learning has been curated and selected for age-appropriateness and learning value by OLPCA, in collaboration with Common Sense Media, the leading non-profit organization dedicated to helping parents and teachers make informed decisions about media... Other XO Learning partners include Sesame Street, MyCityWay and Little Pim among others. OLPCA is currently in negotiations with many other of the world’s leading companies to provide unique experiences through XO Learning in time for the product introduction in May 2013." One gets a very good idea about the new XO Learning System and XO Tablet via the video at http://olpc.tv/2013/01/24/olpc-xo-tablet-xo-learning-system-launched/ featuring "Giulia D’Amico, Vice President of Business Development at One Laptop per Child Association." The video includes a demo using a virtual keyboard, but no talk of any physical keyboard accessory. The only ruggedization is a rubber perimeter bumper around the machine. The Tablet features up to three child accounts with parental controls and auditing, plus alternate use as a conventional Android tablet for adults. I think this "switch-hitting" ability should help sales a lot. D’Amico stated the Tablet embraced the Constructivist school of educational theory, but did not provide enough evidence to persuade me that this was so. Ron _______________________________________________ Marketing mailing list [email protected] http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/marketing
