Next-Gen XO Laptop Due in 2010

The second-generation XO laptop from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, which features two touchscreens and was announced in May, will become available in the first quarter of 2010.

That's the prediction from Matt Keller, OLPC's director of Europe, Middle East and Africa, who said the group has high hopes for the XO-2's e-book capabilities, which he believes will make reading easier for schoolchildren in emerging economies.

"The e-book reader is the most popular function of the laptop," said Keller.

The laptop is nearly half the size of current XO laptop and consists of two touchscreen displays. The XO-2 doesn't include a keyboard, but instead will feature a software-based touch-sensitive keyboard.

The XO currently costs around $204 (£102) to make, said Keller, while the XO-2 will likely cost around $80 (£40). OLPC's still hopes to reach a price of $75 per laptop for educational buyers.