A modular laptop called the XO-Infinity is in the works by One Education, a spinoff of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) global initiative.
It has replaceable and optional parts so that it can be updated with newer and better hardware such as the processor, battery, screen and keyboard. Its ultimate aim is to extend the life of the laptop to 10 years instead of becoming obsolete in merely two years.
As an example, One Education says a preschool child can use the XO-Infinity in a tablet form (no physical keyboard attached) with an Android compatible chip and touch enabled display. He can then learn his abc’s using educational apps.
An older kid can also use the XO-Infinity but in its laptop form by attaching a keyboard. The CPU can also be swapped into a Windows or Linux compatible chip while the display can be downgraded to a non-touch panel.
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| Pupils in Sarawak, Borneo tests a newly given XO laptop from OLPC. |
The XO-Infinity will be distributed to the disadvantaged children in Australia. It’s not yet clear if the project will reach other countries.
A crowdsourcing campaign will also be launched this year in order to mass produce the XO-Infinity and finally launch it by the middle of 2016.
