Since you will be able to buy the XO laptop from the OLPC organization this November it makes sense to check out an indepth review of the robust and low-cost laptop.

David Pogue from the NY Times published such a review including a video report featuring the XO laptop.
Quote from the review: "Once in a program, though, the speed is fine; it turns out that a light processor is plenty if the software is written compactly and smartly. (O.L.P.C. points out that despite gigantic leaps in processing power, today’s business laptops don’t feel any faster than they did a few years ago. The operating systems and programs have added so much bloat that they absorb the speed gains.)"
Read the full review on the NY Times.