Intel Unveils Second Generation Classmate PC; Available to U.S. Consumers

We reported a few weeks ago that Intel was gearing up to release its second version of the education-focused Classmate PC. Today at Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, the company has made it official. The company unveiled a new design for the Intel-powered Classmate PC. We had an exclusive hands-on with the machine; read it here. The second-generation Intel-powered Classmate PC is similar to the first iteration; however, it’s been updated with a sleeker look and a few additions. The main differences are that the Classmate now includes a 9-inch LCD display, a six-cell battery, 512MB of memory, a 30GB HDD, and an integrated webcam. The second-generation Classmate PCs are built on the Intel Celeron M processor with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and mesh-network capabilities; future Classmate PCs will be built with Atom processors. Of course, the Classmate PC still supports Microsoft Windows XP, but variants of a Linux-based operating system will also be available. The biggest news is that the system will be available directly to consumers. Intel will offer different choices to manufacturers so each can tailor laptop models for a variety of education needs. As we predicted, one of the first to bring the laptop to market is computer manufacturer CTL, which today unveiled its 2Go PC, a tailored Classmate PC 2. The 2Go PC is available starting tonight through Amazon.com for $400. According to Intel, more than 80 software and hardware vendors, content providers, educational services providers, and local OEMs have been working with Intel to develop a complete infrastructure that supports the Intel-powered Classmate PC.