CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Governments have ordered 3 million of the inexpensive yet rugged computers for schoolchildren through the One Laptop Per Child project, giving the nonprofit group enough volume to kick-start mass production.
In announcing the milestone Monday, the organization would not disclose the countries that will be first in line for its $175 laptops when the production starts in October.
One Laptop Per Child's leaders have said they had interest, if not firm commitments, from several countries, including Libya, Thailand and Uruguay.
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The "XO" machines feature an open-source interface designed to be intuitive for children; a sunlight-readable display; very low power consumption; built-in wireless networking; and a pull cord for recharging by hand.
The laptops are being made by Taiwan's Quanta Computer Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of portable computers.
The long-term goal for the project is to bring the cost down even further, which is why the effort was originally known as the "$100 laptop."
FOXNews.com is owned and operated by News Corporation, which is a major backer of the One Laptop Per Child initiative.
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