Intel buries hatchet with OLPC

The pair have been slagging each other off since Intel started churning out its $320 Classmate machines in March.

Nicholas Negroponte has been telling man plus dog that the Intel product is too expensive and his as yet unbuilt $175 OLPC machine was a better bet for developing countries. Negroponte has repeatedly criticised Intel for what he considers its hardball tactics against his outfit.

However according to BusinessWeek the two are now in talks regarding how they can work together. So far it is not clear how the pair will co-operate as they are still running around trying to do deals that will get their gear into the classroom.

It seems that Intel agrees that it must get the price tag for its Wintel machines down to a sub-$300 price tag. It has just signed up Asustek Computer is to make another laptop based on the Classmate design, but priced at $200. But that will make life harder for Negroponte. µ

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Business Week