Elonex to Launch Low-Cost Educational Notebook

British system builder Elonex has announced its own version of low-cost sub-notebook that will be introduced at the Education Show in Birmingham on the 28th of February. The device is called The One and will be UK's first sub-notebook to sell under �100 (it actually costs �99).

The performance of the new machine is tailored to fit its price, which means that its specifications are extremely basic. However, the producer's intention is to sell it to the educational market, to customers that don't need more computing power than the Everex CloudBook or the OLPC XO sub-notebook can deliver. The computer can also be used by "adult learners, business users, people who are constantly mobile, elderly people and first time Internet users."

The computer will run a distribution of Linux (how else?) and will be equipped with either 128 or 256MB of DDR2 memory. It will store data on a single Gigabyte of flash storage that will go along with a wrist band style USB drive. The notebook weighs less than a kilo and will feature a 7-inch screen running at a 800x480 resolution, three hour battery, WiFi, wired 10/100Mbit Ethernet, a pair of USB 2.0 ports and a pair of audio jacks.

Another interesting feature is that the One comes with a detachable keyboard, although it does not have any touch screen capabilities, but it relies on a built-in pointer controller situated on the back of the device. It seems that there is a more expensive model to sell for �120. It will come with double the memory of the default version (2 GB) and will be able to boot up via Bluetooth. The device will have access to a new service, called the ONEunion, which will "feature artwork and music for download, opportunities to get your own content added to the club as well as a range of competitions".

Post Scriptum: Rumor has it that the One is in fact a refurbished version of the Fontastic A-View ultra-cheap Chinese "simple PC". And, by the way, "Elonex" sounds dangerously similar to "Everex".