Intel have unveiled its new look Classmate
PC – the Classmate 3 – which now features a touch screen interface and a display that can be swivelled. The new features were revealed at the
Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Wednesday, with the new design similar to that of a
tablet PC . Although the design isn’t yet finished, the Classmate 3 will be lighter than its predecessor, a 1.6GHz
Atom N270 processor, an 8.9 inch screen and an integrated
camera that can rotate up to 180 degrees. Intel also claims that the new version will have a longer
battery life than the initial Classmate PC.
Having originally designed the Classmate PC for an educational audience, the release of the Classmate 2 broadened the target market, with Intel expanding its availability to the general market. Although the
laptop only designed for basic operations, the inclusion of a touch screen interface has seen the price rise to £239 for the Classmate 3, though Lila Ibrahim, Intel’s general manager of emerging markets, commented that the price may come down in due course. The Classmate 3 set to be in production by the end of the year.