One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) will sell its low-cost XO notebook to interested consumers through Amazon.com, an OLPC official announced.  The original plan behind the XO was to make the laptop available to children in developing nations and not to interested parties in developed countries, but changed its mind with last year's Give One Get One (G1G1) initiative.

Similar to the program last year, a consumer can pay $399 for two laptops, with one being shipped to the purchaser and the other one given to a child in a developing nation.  OLPC officials hope to build each second-generation device for $80 per XO, but analysts are still doubtful they'll be able to drop the manufacturing costs that much.  China-based Quanta is expected to continue to manufacture the XO for the OLPC.

An important change is that the OLPC foundation has signed an agreement with Microsoft, allowing XP to be installed on the laptops if the user doesn't want the Sugar Linux operating system.  Microsoft will reportedly charge a $3 licensing fee per notebook shipping with XP.  Many developing nations reportedly were hesitant in purchasing the XO unless it had a Windows OS on it.

Manufacturing and distribution problems hindered the last G1G1 program and working with Amazon will give the non-profit organization an organized process and countless resources that OLPC didn't have last time around.  OLPC officially has around 25 workers.  An official press release will be available once the offer goes live on the Amazon web site, which is typically how Amazon handles its major press announcements.  

In May, Nicholas Negroponte, OLPC Chairman, said the second generation OLPC will focus on countries that had post-war trauma, including Iraq and Afghanistan, but customers will be able to select a nation in which the second XO will be donated.

The latest G1G1 program will be available through the 2008 holiday season.