In a sudden change of heart, the chipmaker Intel announced its support for the One Laptop per Child program. As you know, OLPC is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to bring learning opportunities to the most remote and poorest children of the world by providing connected, low-cost and rugged laptops to each and every child in their daily live. The current OLPC’s laptop, called XO, is priced at around $175 per unit and the foundation is seeking methods to cut down the price to the initial $100.

In April Nicholas Negroponte said he had not succeeded yet in landing the 3 million orders for OLPC that were needed to get production started and the shipments of XO laptops was delayed until the fourth quarter of 2007. But OLPC said there are at least seven countries (Argentina, Brazil, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Thailand, and Uruguay) that have expressed interest in purchasing these laptops.

Intel’s decision was rather unexpected because some months ago Intel Chairman Craig Barrett dismissed the OLPC device as a "gadget". Intel was also accused by OLPC of undercutting its efforts by launching a cheap rival called Classmate, priced at around 200 dollars.

This last May, Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of OLPC initiative, responded to Barrett’s claims and has criticized Intel for its attitude, saying that the company hurt his mission and "should be ashamed of itself."

But now the past seems to be forgotten as Intel and Negroponte has signed a peace treaty.

"What happened in the past has happened," Will Swope, Intel's director of corporate affairs, said. "But going forward, this allows the two organizations to go do a better job and have a better impact for what we are both very eager to do, which is help kids around the world."

Under the new agreement, Intel and OLPC will "explore collaborations involving technology and educational content". Intel also will join OLPC board. According to reports, Intel chips will power the servers that run the OLPC system and back up data from individual computers.

"Joining OLPC is a further example of our commitment to education over the last 20 years and our belief in the role of technology in bringing the opportunities of the 21st century to children around the world," said Intel chief executive Paul Otellini.

"Intel joins the OLPC board as a world leader in technology, helping reach the world's children. Collaboration with Intel means that the maximum number of laptops will reach children," said Nicholas Negroponte said.

Still Intel will continue to sell its Classmate to buyers in Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria, according to spokeswoman Agnes Kwan.

In a press statement, AMD welcomed the Intel decision. "Intel's apparent change of heart is welcome, and we're sure they can make a positive contribution to this very worthy project for the benefit of children all over the world," read a statement from AMD.