OLPC:News

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LAPTOP NEWS 2007-03-31

1. We are very happy to announce the availability of a new stable build. It is composed of Build 368 and the Q2B85 firmware. The highlights of this build:

  • a working mesh network;
  • a user interface to the mesh network;
  • a working battery charging;
  • a battery indicator in Sugar;
  • a greatly improved web browser;
  • many other activity improvements;
  • a substantially improved boot time;
  • availability of Helix Media Player (Real Networks);
  • instructions for customizing your own image.

There is also a content library included in a separate package.

2. laptop.org: We are using the wiki as our content management system and the infrastructure for translation is now in place. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Xavier Alvarez, the first translation of the new website is on line (See http://www.laptop.org/es).

3. Wireless: This week was marked by five releases of wireless firmware, setting a new record. Today, we are at Firmware 5.220.10.p5, which fixes or addresses all known issues. Many thanks to Dan Williams and Marcelo Tosatti from Red Hat, the Cozybit team, the Marvell team, and Michail Bletsas.

Dan and Chris Ball helped John Watlington build a kernel with the Libertas driver for his school server machines with Marvell USB dongles plugged in; the school servers now function on the mesh.

Michail expanded the OLPC mesh testbed to 22 nodes, which allows for more conclusive scalability tests (and starts to become a full-time sysadmin job). Dan hooked up the UI for the mesh view to make it possible to join the wireless mesh easily. Thus, this week was the first time that we have really been able to get a sense of how the mesh will work as an end-user experience, and it has to be said: it is really good. Boot a system for the first time, and if the machine sees a mesh, “poof,” you're on the network! Really quite remarkable.

4. Sugar: Marco Gritti spent a lot of time cleaning up and finishing last minute issues in the build. Some of the new fixes in Sugar are based on feedback from the field. This includes avoiding multiple launches of an activity; immediate feedback for launch; much improved frame behavior; and better overall performance. Marco also fixed bugs in the web browser that were preventing Google talk and some other sites from working. The dots-per-inch (DPI) scaling code in Mozilla still has issues; we will continue to work through them as we find them.

5. Tomeu Vizoso and Marco also added support for localization for Sugar (and some of the activities). Although we won't have any languages other than English in our first build, we should have the ability to start translating: the infrastructure in the programs in now place; next we need to set up a place where people who want to localize can participate. SJ Klein has set up a list on laptop.org for people who want to translate, which is a good start.

6. Battery: We know battery problems have been a great pain and concern and we are relieved that they have finally been resolved. For those of you with dead batteries with B2 systems, most, but not all of the dead batteries can be recovered with the systems you now have with the new firmware. Recovering batteries in the field with B1 systems is harder; thankfully there are far fewer B1 systems deployed. Please follow the directions in Battery Charging. We would like to thank all those who helped in the resolution of this problem, in reports from the field, and at Quanta and OLPC. Special thanks to Richard Smith, who was relentless in his efforts to chase down numerous bugs in the embedded-controller code.

7. Please update your systems to the new firmware as this firmware also fixes a battery overcharge problem.

8. New activities as of Build 368: Calculadora, A simple calculator activity (Mauro Torres et al. of the Tuquito Linux project in Argentina); Blockparty (AKA Tetris) (Vadim Gerasimov and John Palmieri); Slideshow (Erik Blankinship, Bahktiar Mikhak, and Marco Gritti); xbook (PDF viewer) as an activity.

9. Multimedia: Real Networks and the team at the Open Software Lab at Oregon State University have been working on a multimedia platform for the laptop. (See Helix Media Activity). This is able to handle most common audio/video datatypes, as Real Networks has codecs for almost anything you can think of. The commercial version is better known as “Real Player” (Justin Gallardo (OSU), Greg Wright, Jeff Dutchman, Martin Schwartz (Real Networks))

10. Library activity: SJ has been leading a large community effort to build a content library for the laptop. (See Library Release Notes for a description formats we are using to display directories of books and other materials.) Next up is a focus on the school library, figuring out how it communicates with the XO and what processes need to run on each to provide updated indices and views.

11. Chris Ball created a procedure for customizing NAND images. Mitch Bradley has created a “save-nand” Open Firmware command to do this easily, but the command will only be available in firmware versions Q2B84 or higher (See Customizing NAND images).

12. Trent LLoyd of the Avahi Project was instrumental in helping resolve with Dan Williams, Chris Blizzard, and Andres Salomon a boot-time Sugar crashing problems we have seen for a long time. Avahi is the basis of discovering other people and services on the network. This is another great example of the value of the community; we would not have working “presence” in this stable build had this bug not been found and resolved, but would have had to disable Avahi in favor of stability.

13. Christina Xu took some photos of XOs in action and produced two neat visual instructions for powering on and opening the laptop:

14. Power management: Jordan Crouse (AMD) reports suspend to RAM (STR) support is proceeding very well. After successfully resuming the system two weeks ago, this past week was spent diagnosing problems with the core drivers (namely, the framebuffer, the DCON, and the timer tick). Andres Salomon and Jordan discovered some serious DCON issues with source switching (from CPU to DCON source); those were traced back to firmware (after spending lots of time debugging the kernel) and Mitch fixed them there. We can now successfully freeze the frame on the DCON, and suspend and resume the system without losing the display. The timer tick was also fixed, which now means we don't need any special changes to the kernel command line to work around issues on the resume.

Attention now focuses on handling the secondary drivers (such as the audio, camera and USB), and improving overall stability. Our target for power-management stability is 1000 consecutive suspend/resume cycles without a glitch.

Marcelo spent time working on power management issues and USB resume. USB resume is now working, which is another notch in the belt to getting to a full suspend/resume story.

All of the code we are using is now in the “powermgmt” branch of our kernel GIT tree.

15. System software: Andres also made the touch-pad driver much more tolerant of version numbers and merged more fixes into the Libertas driver. He also worked on preparing mfgpt/dcon/geode code for inclusion upstream.

16. School server: The school server development continues. We now have wireless mesh interfaces enclosed with an antenna and 3 meters of USB cable. Thanks to Chris Ball and Dan Williams, the server now recognizes them. Internet-router functionality is up and running (on the wired school LAN) and applications and content for the Library are starting to be installed. A school server specification—really more of an introduction—has been written and posted on the wiki.

N. Firmware: We are planning to cut all developers over to the fastboot/suspend/resume firmware next week. Lilian Walter released a few self-tests this week, including: nand-flash; spi-flash; display; and camera (a new driver). Our goal is to aid field diagnosis and repair.

Lilian has also released code to reprobe the usb bus to remove obsolete device nodes and to create new device nodes as usb devices are removed, added or replaced. Next, Lilian shall look at keyboard self test and Quanta's request for modification to the NAND flash self test.

Mitch added the following features were added to that firmware this week:

  • ability to do fast display save/restore in the low-level resume path (This feature is turned off by default, in favor of similar code in the kernel, but serves as a working model for how to interact with the hardware to accomplish the purpose);
  • USB power state restoration after resume;
  • self-test diagnostics (from Lilian) for several devices, including camera and display (The self-test suite is nearly complete now);
  • save-nand command for creating restorable images of modified JFFS2 filesystems;
  • a fix for an infrequent problem with reflashing the firmware; and
  • a fix for a problem booting.

The OFW port to the LX development board is working, so OFW is on track for the switchover to LX.

Laptop News is archived at Laptop News.

You can subscribe to the OLPC community-news mailing list by visiting the laptop.org mailman site.

Press requests: please send email to press@racepointgroup.com

MILESTONES

Feb. 2007 B2-test machines become available and are shipped to developers and the launch countries.
Jan. 2007 Rwanda announced its participation in the project.
Dec. 2006 Uruguay announced its participation in the project.
Nov. 2006 First B1 machines are built; IDB and OLPC formalize an agreement regarding Latin American and Caribbean education.
Oct. 2006 B-test boards become available; Libya announces plans for one laptop for every child
Sep. 2006 UI designs presented; integrated software build released; SES-Astra joins OLPC
Aug. 2006 Working prototype of the dual-mode display
Jun. 2006 500 developer boards are shipped worldwide; WiFi operational; Csound demonstrated over the mesh network
First video with working prototype [1]
May 2006 eBay joins OLPC; display specs set; A-test boards become available; $100 Server is announced
Apr. 2006 Pre-A test board boots; Squid and FreePlay present first human-power systems
Mar. 2006 Yves Behar and FuseProject are selected as industry designers
Feb. 2006 Marvell joins OLPC and continues to partner on network hardware
Jan. 2006 World Economic Forum, Switzerland
UNDP and OLPC Sign Partnership Agreement
news release
Dec. 2005 Quanta Computer Inc. to Manufacture Laptop
(html)(pdf)
Nov. 2005 WSIS, Tunisia
Prototype Unveiled by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; Nortel joins OLPC

Photos: (Image 1) (Image 2) (Image 3)
Webcast: (Arabic) (English) (French) (original)
Webcast provided by the ITU and UN Webcast Services with the support of RealNetworks Ltd. RealPlayer is required to view the webcast (available at no cost).

Aug. 2005 Design Continuum starts design of first laptop
Jul. 2005 Formal signing of original members of OLPC
Mar. 2005 Brightstar and Red Hat come on board
Jan. 2005 Laptop initiative officially announced at World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland; AMD, News Corp. and Google agree to join OLPC

PRESS

100 dollar laptop...

3 Jan. 2007 networkworld.com| OLPC Aims for Mass Production in Third Quarter
3 Jan. 2007 IDG.net| One Laptop per Child Sweetens Hardware with 'Sugar' UI
3 Jan. 2007 YAHOO! Finance| OLPC Announces First-of-Its Kind User Interface for XO Laptop Computer
2 Jan. 2007 Bicyclemark's Communique (podcast)| (@23C3)
22 Dec. 2006 Financial Times| Clever Kit to Benefit Developing Countries (registration required)
27 Nov. 2006 Pagina/12|[2]
21 Nov. 2006 Official Release| First 1,000 XO-Laptops Roll off the Assembly Line in Shanghai
19 Nov. 2006 Jamaica Gleaner| Technology - a tool for transformation
19 Nov. 2006 International Herald Tribune|OLPC: Computer designed for those who can least afford them
Nov./Dec. 2006 Technology Review| Will This Save the World? The $100 Laptop Part III
Nov./Dec. 2006 Technology Review| Will This Save the World? The $100 Laptop Part II
Nov./Dec. 2006 Technology Review| Will This Save the World? The $100 Laptop Part I
8 Nov. 2006 Popular Science| Best of What's New 2006: One Laptop per Child XO- Better Screen, Better World
6 Nov. 2006 ZDNet.co.uk | Why Every Child Deserves a Laptop- Matthew Szulik, CEO, Red Hat
27 Oct. 2006 LinuxWorld | Children's Laptop Inspires Open Source Projects
24 Oct. 2006 LA Times | Upward Mobility in a Laptop PAGE NOT FOUND
24 Oct. 2006 Fortune |This PC wants to save the world
12 Oct. 2006 Bostonist | One Laptop per Child for Libya
11 Oct. 2006 New York Times | U.S. Group Reaches Deal to Provide Laptops to All Libyan Schoolchildren MUST REGISTER
3 Oct. 2006 GulfNews.com | College gets look at $100 Children's Laptop Computer
25 Sep. 2006 vnunet.com | OLPC offered free satellite connections
14 Sep. 2006 Vanguard | Keyboard In Three Nigerian Languages Ready-Obasanjo
08 Sep. 2006 Technology Review | Hack: The Hundred Dollar Laptop
06 Sep. 2006 nacion.com | Computadoras de $100 estarán listas en el 2007
 Aug. 2006 Wired | The Laptop Crusade
28 Aug. 2006 PCINpact.com | L'OLPC a 100 $ est finalise: un engin hors du commun
21 Aug. 2006 EWeek.com | Knocking Down Barriers to the $100 Laptop
31 Jul. 2006 NPR | Affordable Laptop Computer Project Moves Forward
07 Jul. 2006 San Diego Union-Tribune | U.S. and international educators show great interest in prototype
Jul. 2006 SPIE Professional | $100 laptop nears launch
21 Jun. 2006 BusinessWeek online | For Brazil's Poor, a Digital Deliverance?
24 May 2006 CNET News.com | $100 laptop gets working prototype
07 Apr. 2006 rediff.com | Our $100 laptops will run on human power
02 Apr. 2006 O Estado de S.Paulo | Fazer a diferença
28 Mar. 2006 FT.com | Waking up to a laptop revolution
24 Mar. 2006 Diário do Comércio | Um Laptop por Crianca
22 Mar. 2006 Times Online | Getting the world's poor logged on
09 Mar. 2006 Correio Popular | País disputa fabricação de laptop de US$ 100
  Folha de S. Paulo | Governo quer comprar 1 milhão de laptops
  Info Exame On Line | Governo quer um milhão de laptops de US$ 100
08 Mar. 2006 IDG Now | Faculdade abre programa de inclusão digital para alunos
  Folha de S. Paulo | Governo negocia fabricação do laptop de US$ 100 no Brasil
  Agência Globo | Governo estuda possibilidade de produção de computador de US$ 100 no país
  Teletime News | DVB detalha contrapartidas oferecidas ao Brasil
05 Mar. 2006 ACM/CIE | Interview with Nicholas Negroponte on the $100 laptop
16 Feb. 2006 MITIR | Podcast of Walter Bender's MURJ lecture on One Laptop per Child
15 Feb. 2006 CNET | PCs for the poor: Which design will win?
10 Feb. 2006 CNET | Perspective: Will the $100 PC fly?
09 Feb. 2006 NYTimes | A Plug for the Unplugged $100 Laptop Computer for Developing Nations
  UPI | One Laptop Project reaches critical stages
31 Jan. 2006 Slashdot | Microsoft OS Smart Phone for Developing Nations
  USA Today | Gates sees cellphones as way to help Third World
  Macworld | Red Hat officially commits to MIT's $100 laptop
20 Dec. 2005 BusinessWeek online | Quanta faces challenges in making "millions and millions" of $100 laptops.
19 Dec. 2005 Forbes.com | China to decide by March whether to join OneLaptopPerChild project.
14 Dec. 2005 UPI | Nortel to take part in OneLaptopPerChild endeavor.
13 Dec. 2005 Red Herring | Quanta to manufacture laptops; expects deliveries in 2006 4th quarter.
11 Dec. 2005 NYTimes | NY Times: 5th Annual Year in Ideas $100 Laptop
01 Dec. 2005 RFDESIGN | $100 Laptops Feature Novel Peer-to-Peer Wireless Connectivity
30 Nov. 2005 FT.com | Five companies in Asia making bids to manufacture $100 laptop.
28 Nov. 2005 Fortune Magazine | THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: I'd Like to Teach the World to Type
25 Nov. 2005 People's Daily Online | Nigerian president says government has budgeted for a million $100 laptops.
17 Nov. 2005 BBC News | UN Debut for $100 Laptop for Poor
  Seattle Times | $100 Laptops Aim to Bring Children the World
  TechWhack | MIT Unveils their USD 100 Laptop
  ZDNet | '$100 Laptops' Here by Next Year
  ABC | $100 Laptop Bridges Digital Divide
  Financial Express | Laptop @$100!
16 Nov. 2005 MIT News Office | Annan to Present Prototype $100 Laptop at World Summit on Information Society
  CNET | $100 Laptop Takes World Stage
  CNET | $100 Laptop Expected in Late 2006
  Christian Science Monitor | A Low-Cost Laptop for Every Child
14 Nov. 2005 WSJ | The $100 Laptop Moves Closer to Reality
13 Nov. 2005 The Inquirer | Hubris over $100 Laptop idea
New York Times | Google Earmarks $265million for Charity and Social Causes
13 Oct. 2005 Technology Review | The Hundred Dollar Man: Technology Review's editor in chief, Jason Pontin, talk with Nicholas Negroponte about the Hundred Dollar Computer.
29 Sep. 2005 I4U News | Sub-$100 Laptop design unveiled
28 Sep. 2005 Boston Globe | Prototypes of $100 laptop with hand crank planned by early next year.
  MIT World | NN at Technology Review
27 Sep. 2005 Datamation | Low cost PCs for the Enterprise
06 Jun. 2005 estadao.com.br | Cada criança na escola com um laptop a tiracolo

PRESS RELEASES

Jan. 2007 OLPC has No Plans to Commercialize XO Computer.
Jan. 2007 OLPC Announces First-of-Its-Kind User Interface for XO Laptop Computer.
Jan. 2007 Rwanda Commits to One Laptop per Child Initiative.
Dec. 2006 Low Cost Laptop Could Tranform Learning.

Video

(Misc. videos of the laptop can be found.)

http://video.globo.com/Videos/Player/Noticias/0,,GIM607884-7823-CRIANCAS+TESTAM+COMPUTADOR+PORTATIL,00.html | Crianças testam computador portátil/ Students test the laptop, GLOBO- BRASIL

http://stanford-online.stanford.edu/courses/ee380/061004-ee380-300.asx | Mark Foster delivers presentation to Standford University

http://www.technologyreview.com/ | Technology Review Mini-Documentary

http://www.radiofarda.com/Article/2007/01/04/f2_Interview-laptop.html | A Brief Demo