Classmate PC

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Classmate PC
An early prototype of Intel's Classmate PC
Manufacturer OEM
Type Subnotebook
Connectivity 10/100M Ethernet
WLAN 802.11b/g
Operating System Windows XPE
Linux
Media 1GB NAND flash memory
Input Keyboard
Touchpad
Power 6-cell Li-ion battery
CPU Celeron M Mobile Processor 915GMS + ICH6-M
Memory 256MB of DDR2 RAM
Display 7 inch diagonal LCD
800 x 480
Dimensions 245 x 196 x 44

The Classmate PC, formerly known as Eduwise, is Intel's entry into the market for low-cost personal computers for children in the developing world. It competes with the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) trade association's Children's Machine (XO), which aimed to redesign all of the software and hardware along educational principles. In support of its entry, Intel has publicly dismissed the XO as a 'gadget' [1], and has argued that the developing world wants to have generic PCs.

Contents

[edit] Intel World Ahead Program

Intel’s World Ahead Program aims to bring technology to the developing world. The current crux of of the World Ahead program is the Classmate PC.

The World Ahead program's public spokesman is Craig Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Intel. The Classmate PC is a reference design by Intel. Intel will not build the subnotebooks, but will instead build the chips that power them. The reference design is then used by OEM manufacturers worldwide to build their own branded Classmate PCs.

[edit] History

Because the OLPC project's Children's Machine is powered by AMD's Geode processor, Intel decided to create the Classmate in competition containing its own processor. The prototype units feature a basic 7 inch LCD screen. [2] The Classmate PC, in contrast to the OLPC, includes a Trusted Platform Module (TPM)[3] to provide any local Windows XP Embedded installation with access to hardware-based DRM. This reflects the different goals of the two projects: where Classmate aims to provide "uncompromised technology" that fits into the larger, primarily Windows-based, computing environment, [4] OLPC aims to provide children with a Free and open-source software environment they can modify for themselves [5], to "learn through doing". [6]

Intel announced that it is in discussions to supply 300,000 laptops to the Mexican government, and the Brazilian government is evaluating whether to buy Intel's or the OLPC's laptop[7]. The Brazilian government is announced that it would use the Linux operating system regardless[8] of its decision on hardware. It has been confirmed that Intel will be shipping the Laptops with Mandriva Linux, Discovery 2007 edition [9].


Oscar Clarke, President of Intel do Brasil, delivered 30 production units to the Brasilian Ministry of Education (MEC), for evaluation by SERPRO (Federal Data Processing Service of Brazil). [10]

[edit] Pricing

Intel has announced that its device will cost 400 United States dollars, versus $150 for the OLPC XO device. It is expected that Intel will also preload the computer with educational software.

[edit] Technology

[edit] Hardware

The reference hardware specifications as of September 28th 2006 are:

[edit] Software

Intel has announced that its device will run either Linux or Windows XP Embedded. Intel's reference prototypes have been supplied with a basic version of Windows XPE.[11]

Intel have been working with Mandrivia to customize Mandrivia Linux for the Classmate.[12][13]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] News articles (by date)

[edit] Multimedia