OLPC XO Tablet hitting retail, aims to be Nexus 7 for kids

OLPC is a tech company aims to provide cheap laptops and tablets to kids for educational purposes, especially in less-fortunate regions of the world. Their mission is actually a part of the company name: to provide one laptop per child. While they haven't changed the way kids are learning, the company is still rolling out new devices, including its latest XO tablet, due later this month.

The XO Tablet is essentially a cheap Android-powered tablet that comes with a custom user interface designed for educational use for kids. It aims to be the Nexus 7 for the younger crowd, and it's set to release in the US on July 16 at Walmart, with more retailers joining the list in the near future.

The release date announcement from OLPC comes from a post by the company refuting rumors about how the company is struggling. Of course, that's a story for another day, but in that post, OLPC mentions the July 16 release date at Walmart, with "many of the top retailers in the USA, Europe, and in North and South America" to get availability as well.

The XO Tablet was already delayed once, when it was supposed to release last month. The new July 16th date is right around the corner, so it seems the company is confident that they'll finally be able to push the tablet out without another delay, but we're not strangers to companies issuing delays right on the initial release date for a product.

As for whether this tablet will make a big splash or not, it probably won't overtake the Nexus 7 or iPad, but it could be a huge hit amongst kids, and parents are always looking for fun new ways to interact their kids with educational entertainment. The OLPC could be a good step in that direction.

VIA: Liliputing

SOURCE: OLPC