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It looks like the Sugar user interface, which known as the current operating system that powers the OLPC XO Laptop could soon be heading over to the Classmate PC from Intel.

During a recent interview with PC World, Walter Bender has confirmed that “a community volunteer is working with Intel on Sugar for the Classmate PC. Sugar Labs helped to expedite the relationship.”

Mr. Bender also went on to state that while he considers the XO Laptop their “primary” project, they are currently in talks with four other “low-cost laptop makers” one of which is Asus. Could that mean we may be seeing a Sugar powered Eee PC coming in the future? While it seems Sugar Labs is expanding their market they have also confirmed that they are still working on future versions of the UI with the XO in mind.

With Sugar having such a simple kid friendly interface, this could be a good addition for many of these low-cost netbooks that are currently swamping the market. Of course, I am not entirely convinced that kids really need a simple interface to be able to use a computer. I have a (just turned) six-year old daughter who uses a Mac and Eee PC, and thinks the Eee PC desktop is “strange.”

Read [CNET]

Microsoft and OLPC have issued the official word that the XO laptop will begin to become available with Windows XP, while we have heard the rumors, its now official. Currently the XO laptops running Windows XP are scheduled to begin their trial stage in June, however they are anticipated to be released as early as September.

Windows XP will not be replacing the original Sugar Linux, they will both be available, and there is even some talk of a model that is dual booting with both Sugar Linux and Windows XP.

Similar to the original release of the XO, these new XP-based models will be headed to developing nations and not the retail market. Keep reading to check out a nice vide demonstration…

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One Laptop per Child (OLPC) has announced the planned user interface (UI), called Sugar, for OLPC’s XO laptop computer. The Sugar UI, jointly developed with Red Hat and Pentagram, is the first to have been purposely designed for children (in elementary and secondary schools) using laptops.

The reality that OLPC’s XO laptops will be used by children of varying ages and nationalities, and who have little or no prior computer experience, was a critical consideration when designing the UI. “The desktop metaphor familiar to most laptop users today may make sense in business settings, but it’s not geared for children collaborating with each other and their teachers,” said Walter Bender, OLPC’s president of software and content. “With Sugar, we’ve created something wholly new and suited to the way children understand and describe their world and relationships. Most importantly, Sugar is easy for children to learn to use, yet it’s also rich and capable of fostering unbounded discovery, learning, and exploration.”

In Sugar, the interface hosts four views: home, friends, neighborhood and activity. Surrounding any view is the “Frame,” which is comparable to a menu bar on a traditional interface. The left, top, and right side of the frame represent people, places and things, while the bottom part signifies anything that needs action, such as an invitation or notification. A search bar is located on the top of the frame to search for people, activities, keywords, and tags.

To keep power demand and costs low, the XO features a lesser Linux, a 366-megahertz processor from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and lacks a hard disk drive. It contains 366 MB of flash memory, a built-in camera, and USB 2.0 ports for more storage. The first 10 prototype machines will be handed out for testing by kids this February.

Read [OLPC] Read [Gear Live]