The XO-1 ran Sugar on Linux with a dual-mode display readable in sunlight — designed for mesh networking and classroom use. Developers contributed to open firmwareSoftware stored in hardware that controls a device — persists across reboots and updates infrequently., Sugar activities, and the Bitfrost security model. Though the million-laptop vision scaled back, OLPCOne Laptop per Child — a project to build low-cost education laptops for developing regions. influenced netbooks, ARMA CPU architecture family known for energy efficiency — dominates smartphones and growing in servers and laptops. education boards, and the Raspberry Pi mission.

The XO-1 was the flagship $100-laptop project that pushed low-cost computing for education.

It proved rugged, low-power laptops could be designed for mass deployment outside Western markets.