But other than those few classroom tools, the Classmate hardly feels like a leap forward in educational hardware as much as a gray, shrunken version of any typical Intel-powered laptop.

FORBES: Intel Vs. The XO

So, all in all, the Commodore 64 was, and still is a great piece of hardware for entertainment AND educational purposes.

CNN: What can you do with a Commodore 64?

But he accepts that the Raspberry Pi foundation, having successfully launched the hardware, now needs to focus on its original educational objective.

BBC: The Pi Store opens

They found there was no question that hardware such as interactive whiteboards, digital tablets or software such as educational games could help improve pupils' learning if used properly.

BBC: Costly hi-tech kit lies unused in schools, says study

It's designed by Vivitar, a price-conscious manufacturer hand-picked by retail partner Walmart, marking the first time that the educational company didn't have a direct hand in the creation of its hardware, a big change from the custom components that have traditionally gone into its XO line.

ENGADGET

In addition to the new hardware technology, OLPC has been very active in strengthening strategic partnerships with world-class educational content developers, including Sesame Street Workshop, UNESCO and Little Pim, to provide content for the XO laptops and tablets.

ENGADGET: One Laptop Per Child's XO-4 Touch 'expected' to be released in Q1 2013