Experts Test XO Laptop -- And the Kids Love It

— -- Computerworld Danmark invited a group of true experts to evaluate the One Laptop per Child XO-laptop. Read their judgments on one of the world's biggest IT-teaching projects.

Negropontes' people's PC is solely aimed at schoolchildren and if they give it thumbs down the large-scale project won't succeed -- no matter what kind of conclusions experts and theoretical thinkers can come up with.

The true and honest judgment has to come from the kid's.

While Computerworld conducted testing the XO-PC it was obvious to let the real experts get their hands on the small electronic device.

We drove to the town of Roskilde south of Copenhagen, more precisely to the Trekroner elementary School, with the computer in a bag. We invited Karl Emil and Freya (both nine years old) to test the computer and give their verdict on one of the history's largest IT-teaching projects.

The XO-computer's design was a hit among the two pupils.

The green and white plastic, the handle, the rabbit-ear-antennas and the keyboard caused excitement. On the surface it seemed like the design team from One Laptop per Child (OLPC) have hit bulls eye.

"It's cool," they both said when the XO-computer was placed in front of them. "It looks like an ogre where the antennas are its ears."

"The color is neat too," Freya said. "The keyboard is a little strange but it fits to the fingers."

The well made design is also recognized by adults. The XO-computer has just won the design prize 'The Index award' that is given to designs that focuses on design and concepts that improves living standards.

When it came to the start-up procedure the kids were ahead of the situation. The antennas were up, the screen flung open and the machine was running before we had a chance to tell them how to. The graphic interface had to be explained though. But the understanding of the basic principles was understood immediately and it only took minutes before they were surfing on the Internet and hooked up on an online-game.

"It's just like it use to be," Karl Emil said slightly distracted, while his fingers were searching for the right letters on the keyboard. After 15 minutes use the two kids were making full use of the computer.

"It is a bit slow," Karl Emil said in a dry voice, while his patience was being tested by the computers moderate pace.

The text editor, the camera function and the drawing program is well received. The level of guidance is minimal. They just tried the functions to decided decree and rapidly learned the skills needed for creating results.

It turns out to be the music program that drags the most attention. The program allows the user to blend instruments and sounds to compose melodies of your own.

Freya and Karl Emil almost fought to be in control of the keyboard -- and ideas were exchanged at a rapid pace. And once again Freya and Karl Emil were deep in to playing and learning -- with their motivation as the only fuel.

The XO-PC can also be used to read e-books on and the display can be folded over the keyboard in a way that makes it look like a normal book. That function was a hit between the two of them. They agreed that it could be a worthy replacement for their school books -- and it would their bags considerably lighter.

"I think we could make good use of it in my class," said Karl Emil as he tries to wheedle the XO from us in order to use it in school the following day.