Classmate PC
Encyclopedia
The Classmate PC, formerly known as Eduwise, is Intel's entry into the market for low-cost personal computer
s for children in the developing world. It is in some respects similar to the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) trade association
's Children's Machine (XO), which has a similar target market. Although made for profit, the production of the Classmate PC is considered an Information and Communication Technologies for Development
project. The device falls into the newly defined category of netbook
s.
The Classmate PC is a reference design by Intel. Intel does not build the subnotebooks, but does produce the chips that power them. The reference design is then used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide to build their own branded Classmate PC.
Intel has had various partners with its iterations of the Classmate PC. Recently, the company has signed up Lenovo as a partner for the latest model, the Classmate+ PC. Reviews of the machine say that it's faster and more tamper proof .
The Lenovo carry handle is firmly in place at the back of the Classmate+ PC and it's powered by one of Intel's Atom processors, in this case a single core 1.6GHz Atom N455 which is paired with Intel's NM10 chipset.
It will also come with up to 2GB of RAM, a standard netbook style 10.1-inch LCD screen, an option of either an 8 or 16GB SSD or a 160 or 250GB hard drive. Other features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100Mbit Ethernet, a 1.3Megapixel webcam, three USB 2.0 ports, a memory card reader, a D-sub connector and a pair of audio jacks.
Lenovo will supply three different battery packs for the Classmate+ PC, a standard 3-cell unit which is said to deliver 3-3.5h battery life depending on whether it's configured with a hard drive or SSD, a 4400mAh 6-cell pack good for between 7-7.5h and finally a 5200mAh high density 6-cell battery pack good for up to 8.5-9h of usage. The Classmate+ PC will only be available to qualified education and government customers through Lenovo or its channel partners.
specifications as of September 28, 2006 are:
There was a consumer model called MiLeap X, build by HCL Infosystems, India.
are available. The second generation Classmate was unveiled on 3 April 2008 at Intel's Developer Forum. Significant upgrades include:
On Computex 2009, Intel presented the 3rd generation of the Classmate PC. It comes with a camera and an accelerometer.
in January 2009 and was aimed at students, teachers, and parents. The Convertible Classmate can be converted from a traditional laptop to a tablet PC to allow children to write and draw more naturally. This model was designed by TEAMS Design
Shanghai
and won several design awards such as the Appliance Design EID Award, 2008 Spark Award and IF
2008 China Award. The initial model includes the following:
or Windows XP Professional
. Intel is not using Windows XP Embedded as initially planned. Intel has been actively working with various international and local Linux distributions in various countries.
Intel has worked with Mandriva
to customize their Linux distribution for Classmate PC.
Currently, the Intel powered classmate PC has been shown to run the following Linux distributions:
, contingent upon the receipt of sufficient international fund monies, the Mexican
and Brazil
ian governments are evaluating whether to buy Intel's or the OLPC's laptop. Regardless of the hardware chosen, the Brazilian government announced that it would use the Linux operating system. It has been confirmed that Intel will be shipping the Laptops with Mandriva Linux
, Discovery 2007 edition as well as the Classmate 2.0 Linux distribution
by the Brazilian company Metasys.
Recently, Venezuelan government ordered 1 million Classmates from Portugal, one of several bilateral deals that Portuguese officials valued at more than US$3 billion.
Oscar Clarke, President of Intel of Brasil, delivered thirty production units to the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC), for evaluation by SERPRO (Federal Data Processing Service of Brazil).
It is currently available in Argentina
made by 10 diferent brands of manufactures with OS like Linux and Windows also in Paraguay through HITECER S.A - TROVATO CISA GROUP. About the end of 2009, Argentina's government planned to give all the public high school students one of these netbooks. 740 million U$S will be used to give all public schools routers and infrastructure to reduce the digital gap around the country.
, Intel has also started shipping to Libya
as part of its deal of supplying 150,000 units.
In Seychelles, Classmate PC were supplied to primary schools as part of Sheikh Khalifa ICT project Seychelles 2010.
, it has been available in Indonesia
since early March 2008, through two local brands: Axioo
and Zyrex. The Zyrex brand, called Anoa, is a rebranded Classmate PC equipped with the Intel ULV 900 MHz (400 MHz FSB) processor, 512 MB RAM, 2 GB SSD, WiFi, LAN, 7 inch screen, 2 USB ports, card reader. The Classmate PC is available in Linux or Windows XP operating system, with the XP version incurring extra cost to cover the licensing.
The Classmate PC is currently available in India
as Connoiseur Electronics Pvt.Ltd., Smartbook & Classmate PC series. This comes with Windows or Ubuntu Linux OS pre-installed.
In late 2007, a deal was made with the Vietnam
ese government to supply local schools with a special Classmate PC for discounted price. As this version is loaded with Hacao Linux, the government was able to avoid operating system licensing fees.
and USA, in the hope that more sales will drive down the price.
Current generation are available from CTL
in the USA under CTL's 2goPC brand as the 2go Classmate PC E10IS, the 2go Classmate PC E11 and the 2go Convertible Classmate PC NL2.
Classmate PC is available from CMS Computers
in the United Kingdom
and most other European nations.
On May 20, 2008, Italian company Olidata
announced the release of a modded version of the Classmate PC named Jumpc. This version was first on sale in Italy
, but by the end of the year it was also available in many European countries.
On July 31, 2008, Intel, JP Sá Couto (the producer of the Tsunami Portuguese computers) and the Portuguese Government headed by Prime Minister José Sócrates
announced the production of the "Magalhães" (a tribute to Portuguese navigator Magellan
), a Intel Classmate-based computer that will be produced in Portugal
(by JP Sá Couto) and distributed to Portuguese children in primary education for 50€ (free or at 20€ for students on social aid), as well as being exported to other countries.
Intel Classmate PC (the 7" version) is available in Greece
, and sold as the InfoQuest
"Quest Classmate", with a blue-coloured exterior. Its specifications include 2 GB storage, Windows XP Professional, no hard drive, no camera, and SD card support. It is sold by various retailers, including MediaMarkt.
Serbian leading IT company "COMTRADE" from April 2009 will introduce "ComTrade CoolBook" netbook (Classmate PC), they already donated 30 netbook's to one Belgrade elementary school.
under the following brand names:
– The Intel Clamshell second generation is called the MDG Mini 8.9" Rugged Netbook PC http://www.mdg.ca/mini
– The Intel Convertible third generation is called the MDG Flip 8.9" Touchscreen Netbook PC http://www.mdg.ca/flip
They are currently being sold through sears.ca, theshoppingchannel.com, and zellers.
In Q4 of 2009 will be introducing the 10.1" versions of both netbooks at retail.
, Nigeria
and Pakistan
, the same developing countries the OLPC project had been targeting.
The goals of the Classmate PC project and the OLPC project have some differences. According to Intel: the Classmate PC aims to provide technology that fits into the larger, primarily Windows-based computing environment. However, according to the OLPC, the XO breaks from the desktop metaphor to provide a UI (Sugar) that they feel is more suited to the educational needs of children.
While the OLPC uses hardware and software highly customized for the educational environment, Intel has argued that the developing world wants to have generic PCs
. In December 2005, Intel publicly dismissed the XO as a 'gadget'.
Intel joined the OLPC project in July 2007 and was widely expected to work on a version of the project's laptop that used an Intel chip, only to pull out of the project in January 2008. Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said it had pulled out because the OLPC organization had asked it to stop backing rival low-cost laptops, while OLPC's founder Nicholas Negroponte
has accused Intel of underhand sales tactics and trying to block contracts to buy his machines.
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s for children in the developing world. It is in some respects similar to the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) trade association
Trade association
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
's Children's Machine (XO), which has a similar target market. Although made for profit, the production of the Classmate PC is considered an Information and Communication Technologies for Development
Information and Communication Technologies for Development
Information and Communication Technologies for Development is a general term referring to the application of Information and Communication Technologies within the fields of socioeconomic development, international development and human rights...
project. The device falls into the newly defined category of netbook
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
s.
Intel World Ahead Program
Intel’s World Ahead Program was established May 2006. The program designed a platform for low cost laptops that third party manufacturers could use to produce low cost machines under their own respective brands.The Classmate PC is a reference design by Intel. Intel does not build the subnotebooks, but does produce the chips that power them. The reference design is then used by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide to build their own branded Classmate PC.
Technology
Lenovo and Intel launched a new Classmate PC in 2011.Intel has had various partners with its iterations of the Classmate PC. Recently, the company has signed up Lenovo as a partner for the latest model, the Classmate+ PC. Reviews of the machine say that it's faster and more tamper proof .
The Lenovo carry handle is firmly in place at the back of the Classmate+ PC and it's powered by one of Intel's Atom processors, in this case a single core 1.6GHz Atom N455 which is paired with Intel's NM10 chipset.
It will also come with up to 2GB of RAM, a standard netbook style 10.1-inch LCD screen, an option of either an 8 or 16GB SSD or a 160 or 250GB hard drive. Other features include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, 10/100Mbit Ethernet, a 1.3Megapixel webcam, three USB 2.0 ports, a memory card reader, a D-sub connector and a pair of audio jacks.
Lenovo will supply three different battery packs for the Classmate+ PC, a standard 3-cell unit which is said to deliver 3-3.5h battery life depending on whether it's configured with a hard drive or SSD, a 4400mAh 6-cell pack good for between 7-7.5h and finally a 5200mAh high density 6-cell battery pack good for up to 8.5-9h of usage. The Classmate+ PC will only be available to qualified education and government customers through Lenovo or its channel partners.
Classmate PC (Clamshell, First Generation)
The reference hardwareComputer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...
specifications as of September 28, 2006 are:
- Customized mini chassis 245 x 196 x 44
- CPU: Intel Celeron M mobile processor (915GMS + ICH6-M)
- CPU clock speed 900 MHz (with 32 KB L1 cache, no L2 cache, and 400 MHz FSB)
- 800 x 480 7"-inch diagonal LCD, LVDSLow voltage differential signalingLow-voltage differential signaling, or LVDS, is an electrical digital signaling system that can run at very high speeds over inexpensive twisted-pair copper cables. It was introduced in 1994, and has since become very popular in computers, where it forms part of very high-speed networks and...
Interface, LED B/L - 256MB of DDR2DDR2DDR2 may refer to:* DDR2 SDRAM, the computer memory technology* Dance Dance Revolution 2ndMix, the video game* DDR2 , a human gene...
RAMRam-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another... - 1 GB/2 GB flash memoryFlash memoryFlash memory is a non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It was developed from EEPROM and must be erased in fairly large blocks before these can be rewritten with new data...
(connected via USB) - 10/100M EthernetEthernet physical layerThe Ethernet physical layer is the physical layer component of the Ethernet family of computer network standards.The Ethernet physical layer evolved over a considerable time span and encompasses quite a few physical media interfaces and several magnitudes of speed...
- Realtek WLAN 802.11b/g with antenna (connected via USB)
- Intel GMS915 integrated graphics chip (8 MB shared memory)
- Built in microphoneMicrophoneA microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
- Built in stereoSTEREOSTEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
speakers - Stereo 2 channel audio, jacks for external stereo speakers and microphones, Line-out, and Mic-in
- Integrated keyboardComputer keyboardIn computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
with hot keys - Cycle touch pad with left and right buttons
- Customized Note Taker with wireless pen
- TPM1.2 (Trusted Platform ModuleTrusted Platform ModuleIn computing, Trusted Platform Module is both the name of a published specification detailing a secure cryptoprocessor that can store cryptographic keys that protect information, as well as the general name of implementations of that specification, often called the "TPM chip" or "TPM Security...
from Infineon TechnologiesInfineon TechnologiesInfineon Technologies AG is a German semiconductor manufacturer and was founded on April 1, 1999, when the semiconductor operations of the parent company Siemens AG were spun off to form a separate legal entity. , Infineon has 25,149 employees worldwide...
or NuvotonNuvotonNuvoton Technology Corporation is a Taiwan-based semiconductor company established in 2008. It spun off from Winbond Electronics Corp. as a wholly owned subsidiary.-Overview:...
) used for the theft control feature. - Power source:
- 4-cell Li-ion battery with adapter – approximately 3.5 hours usage
- 6-cell Li-ion battery option – approximately 5 hours usage
There was a consumer model called MiLeap X, build by HCL Infosystems, India.
Second Generation (Convertible)
The successor of the original Classmate design was announced in April 2008 and reviewed. Later on, different photos of the successor leaked. Photos of Classmate PC 3 as a tablet PCTablet computer
A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen...
are available. The second generation Classmate was unveiled on 3 April 2008 at Intel's Developer Forum. Significant upgrades include:
- Available 30GB PATA hard drive (in addition to 1, 2, and 4 GB SSD).
- Built-in webcam
- Available 9" LCD (the 7" LCD is still available)
- Up to 512MB RAM
- 802.11sIEEE 802.11sIEEE 802.11s is an IEEE 802.11 amendment for mesh networking, defining how wireless devices can interconnect to create a WLAN mesh network, which may be used for static topologies and ad-hoc networks....
(mesh networking, currently only usable on Linux-based Classmates) - Available 6-cell battery for up to 6.5 hours usage
- Touchscreen — pen and on-screen soft keyboard
- Tablet mode — simple user-interface shell; quick launcher for tablet mode
- Enhanced software — easier network connection and collaboration simple computer management, and localized, education-friendly content
Third Generation (Convertible)
Intel-Powered Convertible Classmate PC
The Intel-Powered Convertible Classmate PC had its official release at CESCES
CES may stand for:*Closed ecological system, an ecosystem that does not rely on matter exchange with any part outside the system*Constant elasticity of substitution, an economics production function*The ISO 639 code for the Czech language...
in January 2009 and was aimed at students, teachers, and parents. The Convertible Classmate can be converted from a traditional laptop to a tablet PC to allow children to write and draw more naturally. This model was designed by TEAMS Design
TEAMS Design
TEAMS Design is a multinational industrial design firm headquartered in Germany founded in 1956 by industrial designer Hans Erich Slany. As of July, 2009, TEAMS has five design studios on three continents. They have been ranked second by the International Forum Design , or 14th in an international...
Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and won several design awards such as the Appliance Design EID Award, 2008 Spark Award and IF
International Forum Design
iF International Forum Design GmbH is a Hanover-based organization providing design-related services. International Forum Design was launched in 2001 as the operative business arm of design promotion company iF Industrie Forum Design Hannover e.V....
2008 China Award. The initial model includes the following:
- Dual mode: tablet mode and traditional laptop mode.
- When open like a traditional laptop, the screen swivels 180 degrees for easier sharing.
- 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor
- 1 GB RAM (2 GB max)
- 60GB Hard Disk Drive (PATA 1.8", ZIF socket)
- 8.9 inch touch screen & advanced palm-resting technology.
- Allows for writing or drawing directly on the screen.
- Built-in camera rotates 180° to enable students to interact in a new way
- Portability: Carrying handle, lightweight and compact size.
- Water-resistant keyboard
- Education-specific features and touch-optimized software
- SD Card Reader; documentation says that you can boot the system off an SD card, or a standard USB thumbdrive
- Comes with either Windows XP installed (standard) or Windows XP Professional (an extra $186 on the 2go)
Software
Intel announced that its device would run either LinuxLinux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
or Windows XP Professional
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
. Intel is not using Windows XP Embedded as initially planned. Intel has been actively working with various international and local Linux distributions in various countries.
Intel has worked with Mandriva
Mandriva
Mandriva S.A. is a publicly traded Linux and open source software company with its headquarters in Paris, France and development center in Curitiba, Brazil. Mandriva, S.A...
to customize their Linux distribution for Classmate PC.
Currently, the Intel powered classmate PC has been shown to run the following Linux distributions:
- Mandriva LinuxMandriva LinuxMandriva Linux is a Linux distribution distributed by Mandriva. It uses the RPM Package Manager...
(International & Pan-European Linux operating system mandriva.com) - Metasys (International Syst in Brazil)
Latin America
In Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, contingent upon the receipt of sufficient international fund monies, the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian governments are evaluating whether to buy Intel's or the OLPC's laptop. Regardless of the hardware chosen, the Brazilian government announced that it would use the Linux operating system. It has been confirmed that Intel will be shipping the Laptops with Mandriva Linux
Mandriva Linux
Mandriva Linux is a Linux distribution distributed by Mandriva. It uses the RPM Package Manager...
, Discovery 2007 edition as well as the Classmate 2.0 Linux distribution
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
by the Brazilian company Metasys.
Recently, Venezuelan government ordered 1 million Classmates from Portugal, one of several bilateral deals that Portuguese officials valued at more than US$3 billion.
Oscar Clarke, President of Intel of Brasil, delivered thirty production units to the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC), for evaluation by SERPRO (Federal Data Processing Service of Brazil).
It is currently available in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
made by 10 diferent brands of manufactures with OS like Linux and Windows also in Paraguay through HITECER S.A - TROVATO CISA GROUP. About the end of 2009, Argentina's government planned to give all the public high school students one of these netbooks. 740 million U$S will be used to give all public schools routers and infrastructure to reduce the digital gap around the country.
Africa
In AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Intel has also started shipping to Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
as part of its deal of supplying 150,000 units.
In Seychelles, Classmate PC were supplied to primary schools as part of Sheikh Khalifa ICT project Seychelles 2010.
Asia
In AsiaAsia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, it has been available in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
since early March 2008, through two local brands: Axioo
AXIOO International
AXIOO International is a computer and electronics manufacturer based in Singapore.It is currently one of many Asian Classmate PC Supplier...
and Zyrex. The Zyrex brand, called Anoa, is a rebranded Classmate PC equipped with the Intel ULV 900 MHz (400 MHz FSB) processor, 512 MB RAM, 2 GB SSD, WiFi, LAN, 7 inch screen, 2 USB ports, card reader. The Classmate PC is available in Linux or Windows XP operating system, with the XP version incurring extra cost to cover the licensing.
The Classmate PC is currently available in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as Connoiseur Electronics Pvt.Ltd., Smartbook & Classmate PC series. This comes with Windows or Ubuntu Linux OS pre-installed.
In late 2007, a deal was made with the Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese government to supply local schools with a special Classmate PC for discounted price. As this version is loaded with Hacao Linux, the government was able to avoid operating system licensing fees.
Europe and USA
The second generation of the device will be available in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and USA, in the hope that more sales will drive down the price.
Current generation are available from CTL
CTL
CTL can refer to:*Computation tree logic*Cut-to-length logging*Complex Text Layout languages*cytotoxic T cell *Commission de transport de la Ville de Laval...
in the USA under CTL's 2goPC brand as the 2go Classmate PC E10IS, the 2go Classmate PC E11 and the 2go Convertible Classmate PC NL2.
Classmate PC is available from CMS Computers
CMS Computers
CMS Computers is a distributor of computer components in the UK. Founded in 1993. CMS Computers manufacturer and sell a variety of PC systems, components and accessories to trade....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and most other European nations.
On May 20, 2008, Italian company Olidata
Olidata
Olidata is an Italian computer system manufacturer. The company was founded in Cesena, Italy in 1982 by Carlo Rossi and Adolfo Savini as a limited liability company . Olidata specializes in software development...
announced the release of a modded version of the Classmate PC named Jumpc. This version was first on sale in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, but by the end of the year it was also available in many European countries.
On July 31, 2008, Intel, JP Sá Couto (the producer of the Tsunami Portuguese computers) and the Portuguese Government headed by Prime Minister José Sócrates
José Sócrates
José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH , commonly known by José Sócrates , is a Portuguese politician who was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 12 March 2005 to 21 June 2011....
announced the production of the "Magalhães" (a tribute to Portuguese navigator Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer. He was born in Sabrosa, in northern Portugal, and served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" ....
), a Intel Classmate-based computer that will be produced in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
(by JP Sá Couto) and distributed to Portuguese children in primary education for 50€ (free or at 20€ for students on social aid), as well as being exported to other countries.
Intel Classmate PC (the 7" version) is available in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and sold as the InfoQuest
InfoQuest
InfoQuest is the National level technical symposium organized by Computer Science and Information Technology Association of Government College of Technology, Coimbatore , Coimbatore, India...
"Quest Classmate", with a blue-coloured exterior. Its specifications include 2 GB storage, Windows XP Professional, no hard drive, no camera, and SD card support. It is sold by various retailers, including MediaMarkt.
Serbian leading IT company "COMTRADE" from April 2009 will introduce "ComTrade CoolBook" netbook (Classmate PC), they already donated 30 netbook's to one Belgrade elementary school.
Canada
The Intel Classmate series in Canada is available through MDG ComputersMDG Computers
MDG Computers Canada Inc. is a Canadian-owned manufacturer, distributor and retailer of personal computers , notebooks and related products and accessories...
under the following brand names:
– The Intel Clamshell second generation is called the MDG Mini 8.9" Rugged Netbook PC http://www.mdg.ca/mini
– The Intel Convertible third generation is called the MDG Flip 8.9" Touchscreen Netbook PC http://www.mdg.ca/flip
They are currently being sold through sears.ca, theshoppingchannel.com, and zellers.
In Q4 of 2009 will be introducing the 10.1" versions of both netbooks at retail.
Comparisons with OLPC project
The Classmate PC represents Intel's competitive response to the OLPC XO, whose unusually low prices and use of AMD chips threatened to steal market share from Intel and other major manufacturers. Although Intel initially criticized the XO laptops for their lack of functionality—Intel's Chairman of the Board, Craig Barrett, himself claimed consumers wanted the full functionality of a PC—the Classmate PCs are currently being heavily marketed against the XO worldwide. Intel has already secured deals to sell hundreds of thousands of Classmate PCs to LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, the same developing countries the OLPC project had been targeting.
The goals of the Classmate PC project and the OLPC project have some differences. According to Intel: the Classmate PC aims to provide technology that fits into the larger, primarily Windows-based computing environment. However, according to the OLPC, the XO breaks from the desktop metaphor to provide a UI (Sugar) that they feel is more suited to the educational needs of children.
While the OLPC uses hardware and software highly customized for the educational environment, Intel has argued that the developing world wants to have generic PCs
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. In December 2005, Intel publicly dismissed the XO as a 'gadget'.
Intel joined the OLPC project in July 2007 and was widely expected to work on a version of the project's laptop that used an Intel chip, only to pull out of the project in January 2008. Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy said it had pulled out because the OLPC organization had asked it to stop backing rival low-cost laptops, while OLPC's founder Nicholas Negroponte
Nicholas Negroponte
Nicholas Negroponte is an American architect best known as the founder and Chairman Emeritus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab, and also known as the founder of the One Laptop per Child Association ....
has accused Intel of underhand sales tactics and trying to block contracts to buy his machines.
Technical comparison
| Classmate PC | OLPC XO-1 | OLPC XO-1.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz Processor Intel Celeron M 900 MHz Processor |
AMD Geode LX700@0.8 W + 5536 | Via C7-M (1 GHz) ULV CPU Via VX855 northbridge / southbridge companion chip for peripheral I/O 1 GiByte DDR2 SDRAM system memory, running at 400 MHz Embedded controller for system monitoring ISA Compatibility: Support for both the MMX and SSE x86 instruction-set extensions |
| Display | 8.9" 1024 × 600 color LCD 7" 800 × 480 color LCD 8.9" 1024 x 600 Touch Screen |
Low-power, sunlight readable, user replaceable LED backlight, low cost manufacturing process. 800×600 (color mode), 1200×900 (black and white mode) 7.5-inch LCD |
7.5in (19 cm) color/monochrome dual mode TFT LCD, 1200x900 (200dpi) Viewing area: 152.4 mm x 114.3 mm; 6 in x 4.5 in Sunlight readable Dedicated display controller (with separate 2-MByte SGRAM frame buffer) supports use of display when CPU is powered down Solid state (LED) backlight |
| Memory | 1 GB / 512MB DDR-II 256M (Linux only) or 512M SO-DIMM Tech Specs | 256 MiB dynamic RAM | 1 MByte of serial Flash memory provided separately for firmware Expandable through a single externally accessible SD/MMC memory card socket. |
| Operating Systems | 1.Rxart Pixart Pixart SRL is a company based in Argentina dedicated to the development of free software, particularly the Rxart computer operating system, which is based on Debian.- History :... (Argentina only) 2.Mandriva Linux Discovery 2007 3. Metasys Classmate 2.0 4. Ubuntu Education Edition for the ClassmatePC Ubuntu (operating system) Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu... 5. Windows XP Professional |
1. Customized, low resource version of open-source Foss Foss may refer toPeople*Foss , people with the last name Foss*Foss Shanahan , New Zealand diplomat*Foss Westcott , English bishop... Fedora Fedora (operating system) Fedora is a RPM-based, general purpose collection of software, including an operating system based on the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat... with the Sugar GUI Sugar (GUI) Sugar is an open source desktop environment designed with the goal of being used by children for learning.Developed as part of the One Laptop per Child project, it is the default interface on OLPC XO-1 family of laptop computers.... and mesh networking Mesh networking Mesh networking is a type of networking where each node must not only capture and disseminate its own data, but also serve as a relay for other nodes, that is, it must collaborate to propagate the data in the network.... 3. Customized, low resource version of open-source Foss Foss may refer toPeople*Foss , people with the last name Foss*Foss Shanahan , New Zealand diplomat*Foss Westcott , English bishop... Ubuntu Linux Ubuntu (operating system) Ubuntu is a computer operating system based on the Debian Linux distribution and distributed as free and open source software. It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu... with bundled open-source Foss Foss may refer toPeople*Foss , people with the last name Foss*Foss Shanahan , New Zealand diplomat*Foss Westcott , English bishop... education applications 4. Customized, low resource version of proprietary Proprietary software Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary... Microsoft Windows XP without mesh networking for $10/laptop |
Fedora 11 base with Sugar 0.84 and Gnome 2.26 Release notes |
| Storage | 16GB / 8 GB / 4 GB Flash (1.8" HDD), 1 GB (Linux only), 2 GB, 4 GB Flash, 30GB HDD | 1024 MiB SLC NAND flash, high-speed flash controller | 4 GBytes of NAND Flash memory on motherboard |
| Environmental Impact Environmental impact assessment An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects.... |
RoHS compliant, 2W power consumption, LiFePO4 batteries, designed for easy field maintenance to extend the laptop's lifespan | ||
| Ruggedization Rugged computer A rugged computer is a computer specifically designed to reliably operate in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty conditions... |
Water-resistant keyboard, drop-proof construction, and sturdy, easy-to-clean plastic chassis | 2 mm case walls (instead of typical 1.3 mm), ports covered when closed. Dust, water resistant. | |
| Weight | 1.25 kg–1.49 kg | 1.45 kg- 1.58 kg | 1.5 kg Size: 245mm (9.65") _ 230mm (9") _ 30.5mm (1.2") |
| Security Security Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection... |
Hardware-based theft deterrent. | Bitfrost Bitfrost Bitfrost is the security design specification for the OLPC XO, a low cost laptop intended for children in developing countries and developed by the One Laptop Per Child project. Bitfrost's main architect is Ivan Krstić... |
|
| Audio | Stereo 2 channel audio, built-in speakers and microphone, jack for external output and microphone input | AC97-compatible audio audio subsystem; internal stereo speakers and amplifier; internal monophonic microphone; jacks for external headphones and microphone; Analog Devices AD1888 and Analog Devices SSM2211 for audio amplification Microphone socket can also act as a data logger input | Audio based on the AC97 codec, with jacks for external stereo speakers and microphones, Line-out, and Mic-in |
| Camera | 1.3 MP (rotated), One-click deployment and locking camera option, integrated 30frame/s @ 640x480, | Integrated camera at 640×480 resolution at 30FPS | Integrated color video camera 640 x 480 resolution Full frame rate (30fps) |
| Connectivity | 10/100M Ethernet WLAN 802.11b/g/n WLAN with antenna, fMesh support (Linux only), Security: WPA, WPA-PSK, WPA2, WPA2-PSK | Integrated 802.11b/g (2.4 GHz) interface; Mesh 802.11s networking supported | Wireless networking using an “Extended Range” 802.11b/g and 802.11s (mesh) Marvell 8388 wireless chip, chosen due to its ability to autonomously forward packets in the mesh even if the CPU is powered off. When connected in a mesh, it is run at a low bitrate (2 Mbit/s) to minimize power consumption. Despite the wireless chip's minimalism, it supports WPA.[25] An ARM processor is included. |
Media appearance
- BBC WorldBBC WorldBBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
broadcast a program about the OLPC and the Classmate PC on 10 January 2008.
External links
- Intel Classmate PC – Official Portal
- Kid Computers Classmate PC Model
- Argentinian Linux of education government – Official Portal
- An open letter to Steve Ballmer by François Bancilhon (MandrivaMandrivaMandriva S.A. is a publicly traded Linux and open source software company with its headquarters in Paris, France and development center in Curitiba, Brazil. Mandriva, S.A...
), October 31, 2007. - Business week: OLPC and Classmate PC trying to bury the hatchet – Jul 2, 2007
- Five days with the Classmate PC and Mandriva – May 24, 2007
- Engadget: Brazil's first Intel Classmate PC given to President of Brazil – March, 03 2007
- Engadget: Classmate PC specs – September 28, 2006
- Trusted Reviews: Exclusive Look at the Eduwise – September 28, 2006
- Laptopical's Overview of the Eduwise Notebook – May 5, 2006
- Technology News Daily:Intel Eduwise Notebook – May, 03 2006
- – video of the Intel Eduwise prototype – June 3, 2006
- Additional images, specifications, and video, ZDNet Education
- President Chavez from Venezuela promotes the Classmate, Radio YVKE Mundial
- http://www.comtradegroup.com/ComTradeGroup/Media/News.aspx?articleId=153 Serbian company COMTRADE, and its web page devoted to promote ClassMate netbook. 2009