Former OLPC CTO Aims to Create $75 Laptop

theodp writes "Mary Lou Jepsen, who left her One Laptop Per Child CTO gig on Dec. 31st, has reemerged with her sights set on a $75 laptop that will be designed by her new company, Pixel Qi, which is described as a 'spin-out' from OLPC. In a Groklaw interview, Jepsen calls for 'a $50-75 laptop in the next 2-3 years' and says it's time to go Crazy-Eddie on touchscreen prices as well." This is probably good news to Bruce Perens, who thinks that the recent report of Microsoft's dual-boot XO project (with Windows as well as the Linux-based Sugar OS) is a feint driven by Microsoft's fear of "the entire third world learning Linux as children." Update: 01/10 21:22 GMT by T : ChelleChelle adds a link to an excellent interview with Jepsen in the ACM Queue, in which she discusses OLPC and some of the technologies it contains.

That's answered in the Groklaw interview

[Anonymous Coward]

Q: I understood that you have one or more patents in screen technology which are in the XO laptop. Are you taking those patents with you for licensing, or do they belong to OLPC? Can you clarify the patent situation for us?

Mary Lou Jepsen: When we eventually filed papers to make the OLPC 501c6 real, we also then started hiring (in early 2006). I then assigned the inventions that I had both already made and would make to OLPC. Pixel Qi -- my new company -- is now licensing my inventions from OLPC. This isn't an OLPC employee benefit, it's a deal I created with OLPC and Pixel Qi, and the benefit will go to OLPC and to the children of the world, lowering the price of the laptops, and thus allowing more kids to get laptops.

Re:The rich get richer, etc.

[glop]

You might want to read the Groklaw interview. It is said there that her new company is licensing the tech she developed for OLPC from OLPC.

As you see, your post is plain wrong and very unfair to Ms. Jepsen. Too bad it was modded +3...

Microsoft won't be allowing dual boot

[TropicalCoder]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1096 [zdnet.com]

Re:The rich get richer, etc.

[xtracto]

But you fail to see that whatever computer she creates may not compete with the OLPC at all. The OLPC is aimed at underdeveloped countries and is a non for profit effort, whereas this new computer could be aimed at the general American market (open market). They are completely two different kinds of markets, and it can even be argued that one of them is not a market.

Elonka Dunn?

[eldavojohn]

She and that cryptologist lady.

Elonka Dunn [wikipedia.org]? It never ceases to amaze me when someone says "Oh yeah, I like whats-her-face a lot." You could bother to find out what her name is or admit that you don't think enough of her to remember her name.

Re:If we're going to go that cheap...

[Anonymous Coward]

The third world isn't all jungle and half-naked people, you know? I live in Argentina, in my city a 1Mbit connection is now the standard broadband connection, dialup is terribly rare, so most people go to cybercafes or have broadband at home. But just about 30 minutes from downtown there is a small town/neighbourhood that is very poor, most kids hadn't seen an open computer in their lives till I showed them one in a special class, the school's computers no longer work due to lack of funds, and normal computers need servicing way too often. A rugged computer (XO) running a rugged OS (Linux) would be great for them. I'm unsure if they can get a 1Mbit connection at the school, but worst case scenario, a wireless connection would be feasible (it's less than 20km, maybe just 10, from downtown). They would GREATLY benefit from the XO laptop, right now we're just trying to get them pentium 1-3 computers (ie, other people's 'junk').