OLPC hit by production problems

According to ITPRO -



The OLPC has admitted that a production delay would cause a shortage of its XO computers available as part of a Christmas giving launch scheme. The XO was scheduled to go into production by Quanta in October ahead of a retail launch in November, but it is now slated to begin by 12 November. An October launch would have given the group time to produce and ship tens of thousands of laptops to Peru and Uruguay, the first two countries to order the laptops.

It would now be tough to get those laptops to South America by December, in time for kids to use them over their summer vacation, and also meet orders for the foundation's Give 1 Get 1 scheme for people in the United States and Canada.

For $400, the Give 1 Get 1 scheme provides buyers with a laptop of their own plus a second machine to a poor child overseas.

The foundation will accept orders on its website, www.laptopgiving.org, starting November 12.