OLPC Reveals Next-Gen XO Tablets, Including First 10-Incher

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project on Tuesday revealed a pair of new tablets at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including the XO-10, billed as the first 10-inch tablets for kids.

The new X0-10 (pictured) and the X0-2 are the latest additions to OLPC's XO Tablet line and are being distributed by Vivitar. They both pack quad-core processors and support Bluetooth and GPS.

"The XO Tablet and XO Learning System that OLPC designed and developed has captivated a new generation of learners and earned praise from industry experts and parents for the way they encourage learning through exploration," Jeff Saka, president of Vivitar, said in a statement. "These new tablets and accessories will make the XO experience even more engaging for kids, expanding their options for exploring and interacting with the world around them."

The OLPC project launched in 2005 with the aim of getting low-priced laptops into the hands of children in developing nations. The U.S.-based One Laptop per Child Association (OLPCA) and U.K.-based OLPC Foundation (OLPCF) jointly running the initiative reported that around 2.4 million X0-branded laptops had been delivered around the world as of late 2011, but in recent years, the project has been developing and distributing tablets as well.

The new X0-10 is billed as a "big-screen learning adventure" and along with the X0-2, is based on OLPC's second-generation tablet platform. The X0-10 has a 10.1-inch multi-touch capacitive 1,024-by-600-resolution display, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and 5-megapixel rear shooter, 8GB of onboard storage, and 1GB of DDR3 RAM.

The education-oriented tablet runs Google's Android 4.4 KitKat mobile operating system, with content built for the project's Dream interface optimized for its larger screen, OLPC said. The XO-10 gets an impressive 12 hours of battery life on a single charge and is priced at $199.99.

A Bluetooth-enabled keyboard accessory is available for the XO-10, helping the tablet serve double duty as a laptop as well.

"The new XO-10 tablet with keyboard is the ideal hybrid of tablet and laptop and has application beyond kids and families, specifically among teachers and in higher education," said OLPC chairman and CEO Rodrigo Arboleda.

The 7-inch XO-2 is the direct descendant of the original XO Tablet, featuring a 1,024-by-600-resolution touch screen, plus the same 2-megapixel and 5-megapixel cameras found on the XO-10. Like the larger tablet, the new 7-inch slate supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to "allow kids (or parents) to pair the XO-2 with any compatible network or device, including headphones and the new XO accessories," according to OLPC.

The X0-2 also runs Android KitKat and has 8GB of onboard storage, plus 1GB of system memory. It promise 7 hours of battery life on a single charge and is priced at $149.99.

In addition to the new XO Wireless Keyboard designed by Yves Behar exclusively for the XO-10, accessories for both new tablets include the XO Digital Microscope and Telescope.

The XO Digital Microscope works with either an Android app or OLPC's Dream software platform, providing 100/200/300x magnification with an XO Tablet's screen serving as viewfinder. The XO Digital Telescope "lets kids explore the night sky with 200X magnification and easy viewing on any XO Tablet screen," OLPC said, adding that tablet apps for the telescope include constellation identification guides and integration with "Astronaut Dream" software to "encourage young space explorers."