One Laptop Per Child purchasing program extended

Los Angeles (CA) - After a successful initial run, the One Laptop Per Child initiative is extending a promotion that allows consumers to buy a laptop for $200 and send another one to a developing countries for $200 more.

The "Give One Get One" promotion started earlier this fall and was scheduled to end around now. However, officials with the ambitious project decided to extend the offer through December 31.

"Because so many people have asked for more time to participate, either individually or in order to organize local and national groups to which they belong, we have decided to extend Give One Get One through the end of this year," said OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte.

Negroponte also commented that in 2008 there may be a new program that allows consumers to just donate $200 and send one laptop to a needy child overseas.

The OLPC project originally aimed at creating a $100 laptop, but more-than-expected resources bumped up the price multiple times to the point where it is now around $200.