OLPC XO vs. Asus Eee PC 701

Laptop Magazine has published a comparative review of the OLPC XO and the Asus Eee PC 701. Significantly while the publication reiterated Asus' line that the Eee PC has a different market than the OLPC XO, a claim refuted by OLPC and the market in general, it saw it fit to match them up in a head-to-head comparison.




At any rate here's how the the two protagonists fared according to Laptop Magazine, plus some comments -

1. Design >> Winner: XO
"The XO's durability more than makes up for its extra weight. Its swivel screen, antennas, and keyboard also make it one of the more visually appealing notebook designs since Apple's PowerBook line."

The XO's design may be functional but I definitely don't consider it visually appealing by itself. It looks like a toy and should appeal to kids, design-wise. But that somehow limits its market to kids. I doubt if adult users would want to be caught dead in the neighborhood Starbucks, digitally socializing with it. Which is a pity, because the XO's meshnet falls right into social networks.

2. User Interface >> The winner: Eee PC 701
"While not earth-shattering, the Eee PC's simple and well-organized UI beats out the higher-concept, but less practical, XO interface."

I have yet to play with the XO so it is quite difficult for me to comment. But from the reviews I have read, the XO's Sugar interface appears to have evolved from the approach Negroponte outlined in his "The Architecture Machine." If the implementation adheres to the underlying principles, I would surprised if it is difficult to use.

The Eee PC - well, you hand it to a grade-schooler without instructions, the kid can pretty much figure it out. That applies to first time adult users as well, I should add.

3. Learning Curve >> Winner: Eee PC 701
"Maybe it was because of our familiarity with traditional PCs that we found the Eee PC easier to use, but even in the hands of children, the XO was still tricky."

User interfaces are actually very subjective. What might be intuitive for one person might be a puzzle for another. It all depends on the user's collective experience. Which makes me wonder regarding the children who found the XO tricky - were they experienced Windows users? What would the reaction be in the hands of real first time users, users whose brains have not be pre-conditioned by Microsoft? Would they also find the Sugar interface tricky? After all, these comprise the OLPC's true target market.

4. Applications >> Winner: Eee PC 701
"The XO has some great games and learning tools for kids, while the Eee PC's apps are more compatible with the ubiquitous Microsoft Office suite. Ultimately, the Eee PC's browser is faster than the pokey one on the XO, which is why Asus gets the nod in this round."

Hey - the Eee PC has some cool games, too. But seriously, being Linux based (though not exactly as open source as it should be), it should also be compatible with literally thousands of apps out there. While I agree with the verdict, it should not have been decided based on one app (the browser).

5. Connectivity >> Winner: XO
"The XO's mesh networking capability is one of the coolest things around. It's one of the best social-networking and productivity tools we've ever seen implemented. "

That is why the OLPC XO should appeal to adult users as well. Too bad the kiddie design prevents this.

6. Specs/Performance >> Winner: Eee PC 701
Although both machines have modest specs, the Eee PC offers performance more on a par with a traditional laptop.

But Asus says the Eee PC is not a laptop!

Actually I think the OLPC XO should be judged in its target environment to make it fair. Let's say, in the rural provinces of a third world country were electricity supply is iffy. Obviously the OLPC XO will perform better because you can use its crank to generate power. Asus Eee PC? Like any other laptop (or non-laptop), no electricity, no power. Which mean, no performance.

7. Pricing >> Winner: XO
It's not just the social-entrepreneur factor of the XO's Give 1, Get 1 program; it's also one of the more intriguing approaches to using technology to educate children in developing nations that makes it the winner in this category. Plus, for the next year, you can surf the net in Starbucks to your heart's content.

See comment for No. 1 re surfing in Starbucks.

8. And the Winner Is...! >>
"The Eee PC 701 accomplishes them more fully than the XO, as its interface and applications are much more intuitive. Of course, the Eee PC 701 also costs about $200 more, but it's well worth the premium."




Laptop Magazine had previously reviewed the OLPC back on Sept 18, 2007. (Review here.) The conclusion was "Created with children of the developing world in mind, this notebook might just change the face of mobile computing."

It then published a separate review of the Asus Eee PC 701 on Oct 25, 2007. (Review here.) Conclusion? "Pound for pound, the best value-priced notebook on the planet."

So I guess the verdict was actually a foregone conclusion.