Intel joins low-cost laptop project

BOSTON — As Nicholas Negroponte stormed the developing world trying to drum up buyers for the innovative $175 computers designed by his One Laptop Per Child education nonprofit, he encountered a persistent obstacle: competition from Intel.

Intel's chairman, Craig Barrett, had derided Negroponte's machines as mere gadgets. And Intel was signing up international governments for its own little "Classmate" PCs, which follow more conventional computing designs than One Laptop Per Child's radically rethought "XO" computers.

Negroponte was suspicious of Intel's motives, since the XO runs on processors from Intel's fiercest rival, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Negroponte said Intel had hurt his mission and "should be ashamed of itself."

But in recent weeks, Negroponte and Intel CEO Paul Otellini began peace talks, culminating in a meeting Thursday at Intel headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. And on Friday, the two sides said they had joined forces: Intel will join One Laptop Per Child's board and contribute money and technical expertise to the project.

Intel will continue to sell the Classmate, which has fallen in price from about $400 to the low $200s, attracting buyers in Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria, according to spokeswoman Agnes Kwan. And One Laptop Per Child still hopes its machines reach schools in several countries this fall.

But now, Intel and One Laptop Per Child might seek ways to package their computers together. For example, Intel's Classmate, which has to be plugged in, might be an option for governments to deploy in urban schools, while the XO laptops, which use very little power and can be mechanically recharged by hand, could go into rural districts.

"There are an awful lot of educational scenarios between K and 12," said William Swope, Intel's director of corporate affairs. "We don't think all those are going to be served by any one form factor, by any one technology, by any one product."

Walter Bender, who oversees software and content for One Laptop Per Child, said his Massachusetts Institute of Technology spin-off would benefit from the addition of Intel's technical expertise. One Laptop Per Child expects to be constantly trying to perfect the XO machines — and get their cost closer to the originally stated goal of $100.

"It's a big problem, more than 15 people at OLPC can do all by themselves," Bender said. "Getting more talent lined up to help us is only a plus."

At least the initial wave of XO computers will still use processors from Advanced Micro Devices. AMD has been a major partner in One Laptop Per Child, along with such other big names as Google Inc., News Corp. and Red Hat Inc.

But without a doubt, Intel would love to oust AMD as the processor supplier. After all, that is Intel's core business — not selling little computers.

"We're going to go compete for the XO business, because we think we build first-class silicon," Swope said.

AMD's liaison to the One Laptop project, Rebecca Gonzales, said she welcomed Intel's involvement.

"As a partner with OLPC, we support them in their mission, and if Nicholas believes that this is part of the mission and this is what is going to be best for OLPC, we will go along with them," she said.

Several countries have expressed interest in the $175 laptop, but One Laptop Per Child's leaders have backed away from predicting which governments will be first to officially sign contracts to buy the machines. The project needs orders for 3 million laptops before its low-cost supply chain kicks into action.

"We're definitely going to be doing stuff in South America, Africa and Asia right from the very beginning," Bender said Friday.