Intel Classmate PC morphs into tablet mode

Darius Chang | Aug 21, 2008

Let's face it. Even the filthy rich needs a bargain every now and then. The original Intel Classmate PC might have started as a competitor to the OLPC to equip every student, even the poor ones, with a laptop. But what if instead of attending a public school, your child is enrolled in the best private educational institution? Would you really want him to carry a toy-like device around like everyone else?

Perhaps it's with this mindset that the third-generation of Intel's Classmate PC project has morphed into a convertible tablet. Along with the same rugged features, integrated soft handle and enhanced education and collaboration software, this latest iteration features a rotating display and touchscreen capabilities. According to the Lila Ibrahim, general manager of Intel's Emerging Markets Platform Group, "Our ethnographic research has shown us that students responded well to tablet and touchscreen technology."

Though no pricing details or product info were released, this new Classmate PC edition will certainly cost more than the previous iterations. We'll know more once the new laptop hits the streets at the end of the year.

Filed under: Notebooks
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