My XO laptop from the One Laptop Per Child initiative finally arrived this week below are some pictures of the official unboxing along with some initial thoughts.
The only sign from the outside that it was a laptop was the trademark XO symbol on the side of the box.
Here is what awaits you inside the compact package - similar to Apple very little wasted space and minimal packaging to dispose of. The package contains:
- 1 XO Laptop
- 1 AC Power adapter
Overall initial impressions of the unit are that it is solidly put together and definitely doesn't feel cheap or low quality in any regard. I will admit to having had or used much more expensive laptops in the past that didn't have the same level of quality feel to the actual device.
With the lid open you can get a better sense of the laptop. The
industrial design that went into this machine is truly impressive as they have clearly thought about their user base and the environment the laptop is likely to be used in. For example the Wi-fi antennas serve three purposes: a) antennas, b) they comprise the lock part of the latch mechanism that secures the lid of the laptop when closed, and c) in the closed position the antennas act as part of the external rubber bumper system that surrounds and protects the XO.
The screen rotates allowing you to fully reverse the screen to show your work to others or to use the XO in a tablet like configuration.The final interesting observation on the external case & design is the assembly of the device. The XO uses a single standard screw size meaning that for servicing you only need one standard screw driver to disassemble the laptop and a few extra screws are thoughtfully included inside the handle.
I'll post more on the XO once I've had a chance to go through the software in more detail. Overall, despite numerous complaints in other blogs and reviews it would seem that the XO on the surface appears to be a capable machine for its target audience - children in the developing world. As with anything there could always be improvements but relative to the timing and available resources it so far compares favorably with commercial counterparts.
