Intel has said that it'll work with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, a distinct turnaround from having referred to it in the past as a gadget, and refusing to have anything to do with it.
OLPC is a project aiming to deliver laptops for $100 each to children in developing countries, where power, durability, functionality and of course cost, are serious issues. Currently, the project is taking orders at $175 a pop, but is still aiming to get down to $100 as order volumes increase.
The processor inside the current "XO-1" machine designed by the project, is an AMD Geode. That remains the case for now, with the Associated Press reporting that Intel "might seek ways" to package its until now competing Classmate PC with the XO-1 so that the products can then be delivered to suitable locations. The Classmate PC, for example, is a battery-less device, more suited to towns and cities, whereas the wind-up XO-1 can work well in rural areas. Interestingly, Intel will still consider its Classmate PC a competitor to the XO-1.
The AP also suggests that "without a doubt, Intel would love to oust AMD as the chip supplier", which seems like a fair assumption. AMD however has welcomed Intel's "change of heart" towards the OLPC project.
With Intel in on the project now, it'll be interesting to see if the project can drive the XO-1's price down closer to the $100 mark, and if doing so involves any CPU swapping.
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Intel to join '$100 laptop' project - AP article on CNN