India to have OLPC in retail by the end of the year

From the looks of it, that is. It sounds like a cool thing to me. If more people have access to OLPC for their children, the better. If governments do not want to make that investment in tools for learning, then it’s up to the people to decide what to do. It’s access that shouldn’t be taken away from people especially those with a desire to learn and improve themselves and their children.

While OLPC pilot projects are currently on in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, the $188-laptops are also expected to start retailing in India by the end of this year. OLPC aims to provide low-cost laptops (XO laptops) to children in developing countries. The World Bank has earlier provided funds for OLPC pilots in Sri Lanka. … Later this year, the XO laptops are expected to hit the retail stores. Sources say Reliance Communications, which partnered OLPC Foundation to conduct an XO pilot project in Maharashtra last year, is looking at retailing these laptops bundled with its CDMA modems. – OLPC looks to World Bank for India funding

Though there’s an upcoming generation of XO laptops that’s targeted to be worth 75USD, that is for 2010. Still a long way to go. I just hope that the 188USD price tag is affordable in India. And maybe they could do something like the Get One Give One promo they used to have. Or maybe a lower price if in case an NGO in India wants to buy a bunch of them laptops.

I wonder if they’re excited about this news. If it were to happen here in Manila, I’d be glad and probably give one to my cousins.