Digital Trends
Earlier this year, Portugal made a deal with Intel to produce 500,000 Classmate PCs under license based on Intel’s design. Now, Portugal has turned around and made its own deal with Venezuela that will see one million Linux-powered Classmate PCs for use in Venezuelan schools. Although terms of the deal were not given, the move is part of a broader package of agreements involving energy development, infrastructure, and housing valued about about $3 billion.
At this week’s Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, Intel officially unveiled the second generation of its low-cost Classmate PCs, which the company is now re-branding as “netbooks” to emphasize their wireless networking and Internet access capabilities. The new Classmate PCs offer screens from 7 to 9 inches in size and run off Intel Celeron M processors, and support either Windows XP or Linux operating systems.
Intel vice president and general manager of Intel’s Channel Platforms Group Tom Rampone ha said the company is planning to make its low-cost Classmate PC notebook computer available to companies who want to sell it to consumers in developed nations. The low-cost notebook—which originally surfaced an unexpected competition for the OLPC project—was originally aimed at schools and educational institutions in developing nations. However, the surprise success of Asus’ Eee PC has kindled interest in low-cost laptops—an interest some industry players have categorized as a “race to the bottom”—and Intel has apparently decided its Classmate PC is a good candidate for that market.
Intel and Microsoft have inked a deal to supply Libya’s education ministry withh 150,000 of Intel’s Classmate PC laptop computers. The systems are designed for educational use in developing markets and compete with the One Laptop Per Child project; like the OLPC XO’s final pricetag, the Classmate PC costs about $200 to build.
According to Reuters, the deal was announced in the Libyan press in August, but Intel and Microsoft haven’t discussed the deal outside Libya. Intel spokesperson Agnes Kwan said neither Intel nor Microsoft are subsidizing the cost of the notebooks, but did not reveal how the country is paying for the notebooks.
Bringing computing to schools, educators, and students in developing nations has been a bit of a cause célèbre in technology circles the last few years, with much of the attention being focused on Nicholas Negroponte’s One Laptop Per Child effort and comments by some industry leader poo-pooing the idea. Major players like Intel and AMD have announced plans to get into the game; in the meantime, the OLPC project has manufactured and deployed test units and manufacturer Quanta has confirmed one million orders for the systems. Now, Intel as re-asserted itself, surprising many industry watchers by announcing it is shipping its Classmate PC in volume to Mexico and Brazil, apparently beating the celebrated OLPC out the door.
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