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Microsoft and One Laptop per Child Partner to Deliver Affordable Computing to Students Worldwide
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Microsoft Windows now available on the XO laptop; trials to begin in key emerging markets as early as next month.
REDMOND, Wash., and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Today, Microsoft Corp. and One Laptop per Child (OLPC) announced an agreement
that will make the Microsoft Windows operating system available on OLPC's
low-cost XO laptops for the world's poorest children. Through this agreement,
trials of the XO running Windows are planned to begin as soon as June in key
emerging markets. Recognizing that the challenge of providing high-quality
education for children in the developing world is too large to be solved by
any single organization, Microsoft and OLPC are committed to working with
governments and nongovernmental organizations to ensure the success of these
pilot programs.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080515/AQTH112)
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)
The availability of Windows, in addition to Linux, on the XO laptop will
allow customers to have an expanded choice of operating environments that best
fit their requirements. The intention is to create a version of the XO laptop
that provides the ability to host both Windows and Linux operating systems,
giving users the ability to run either on the XO laptop.
"Transforming education is a fundamental goal of Microsoft Unlimited
Potential, our ambitious effort to bring sustained social and economic
opportunity to people who currently don't enjoy the benefits of technology,"
said Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft. "By
supporting a wide variety of affordable computing solutions for education that
includes OLPC's XO laptop, we aim to make technology more relevant, accessible
and affordable for students everywhere."
"From the beginning, the goal of OLPC has been to use technology to
transform education by bringing connectivity and constructionist learning to
the poorest children throughout the world," said Nicholas Negroponte, founder
and chairman of OLPC. "Today's announcement, coupled with future plans for a
dual boot version of the XO laptop, enhances our ability to deliver on this
vision. In addition, OLPC will work with third parties to port its user
interface, called 'Sugar,' to Windows."
Customers and partners worldwide have requested Windows support for the XO
laptop, because it opens the door for students and educators to access the
benefits of existing Windows-based educational software and tools, as well as
a broad ecosystem that provides extensive relevant and local educational
content.
"As I plan my region's investment in technology, I must evaluate the best
way to provide quality education and prepare my citizens for the work force,"
said Andres Gonzalez Diaz, governor of Cundinamarca, Colombia. "Windows
support on the XO device means that our students and educators will now have
access to more than computer-assisted learning experiences. They will also
develop marketable technology skills, which can lead to jobs and opportunities
for our youth of today and the work force of tomorrow."
"Technology's positive impact can lead to the accelerated development of
competencies and life skills for students everywhere," said Edward
Granger-Happ, chief information officer of international nonprofit
organization Save the Children. "The benefits of Microsoft's proven technology
platforms for all program areas offered in conjunction with OLPC's XO laptop
create enormous potential for children and teachers to learn, grow and
contribute to their communities."
Microsoft has spent more than a year working with a variety of partners to
develop customized drivers that enable Windows to run on the XO laptop.
Windows now supports the laptop's e-book reading mode, standard Wi-Fi
networking, camera, writing pad and custom keys, as well as the power-saving
and other features of the XO hardware. The adaptation of standard Windows for
the XO laptop means that hundreds of thousands of third-party applications and
devices available for Windows will now be compatible with the XO laptop,
extending the power and advantages of the full Windows ecosystem to XO laptop
users. Additional technical details regarding Windows for the XO laptop and a
video demonstration can be found at http://blogs.technet.com/jamesu.
About Unlimited Potential
Microsoft, through its Unlimited Potential vision, is committed to making
technology more affordable, relevant and accessible for the 5 billion people
around the world who do not yet enjoy its benefits. The company aims to do so
by helping to transform education and foster a culture of innovation, and
through these means enable better jobs and opportunities. By working with
governments, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations
and industry partners, Microsoft hopes to reach its first major milestone --
to reach the next 1 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of
technology -- by 2015.
About One Laptop per Child
One Laptop per Child (OLPC at http://www.laptop.org) is a non-profit
organization created by Nicholas Negroponte and others from the MIT Media Lab
to design, manufacture and distribute laptop computers that are sufficiently
inexpensive to provide every child in the world access to knowledge and modern
forms of education. These XO laptops are rugged and so energy efficient that
they can be powered by a child manually. The pricing goal is $100.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.
SOURCE Microsoft Corp.
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