As I see it, the OLPC XO is a Tablet PC. It folds down into a Tablet….er….reading mode. It has a touch sensitive pad that the user can write on. It’s mobile conscious. It’s designed for connectivity and sharing. All of these are Tablet properties. So…..the OLPC XO is a Tablet.
The question then becomes: Will the XO outsell classic Tablet PCs this year? 2008? Should be an interesting faux competition to watch.
My prediction? It won’t–at least this year. The XO will be ramping up this year. Schools will be accessing its value, trying to figure out how it fits in. Next year, the score may change and flip to XO’s favor. We’ll have to see. But this year, like Classic Coke, classic Tablet PCs are safe.