OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte announced today that OLPC (One Laptop per Child) had begun work on the second generation XO laptop. Reducing the price remains one of the main objectives and Negroponte indicated that OLPC is aiming for a price of USD$75 for its second generation offering.
Among the highlights covered were that the XO-2 will use two touchscreen displays (usable both indoor and in sunlight) separated by a hinge. The form factor is designed to be used vertically (like a book), as a more traditional laptop with the hinge positioned horizontally or as a flat two-screen device when open in tablet mode. The XO-2 will be about half the size of the current XO-1 and will consume only 1 watt of power.
The XO-2 should be available in 2010. Between now and then, an XO-1.5 is planned for the spring of 2009. It will have the same design as the XO-1 but will use fewer physical parts.
Hopefully the XO-2 can match its early promise.