Intel's Classmate Hammers Another Nail Into OLPC's Coffin

Intel and Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child foundation have been allies, but never managed to become friends. This is quite understandable, since both products are struggling for supremacy on the educational market. Moreover, OLPC's decision of using AMD Geode processors for its XO sub-notebook enlarged the gap between OLPC and Intel.

Intel seems to be willing to leave the educational market with its Classmate PC. Indian computer manufacturer HCL Infosystems is ready to launch a new sub-notebook based on Intel's Classmate design. In fact, HCL infosystems' computer is more of a Classmate clone with some improvements and a different brand stamped on it.

Although HCL Infosystems claim that their machine is a different breed as compared to Intel's Classmate, it is for sure that both computers are built in the same chassis with identical components (a 7" 800x480 LCD, a Celeron-M 900 on top of an Intel's 915GMS chipset, 2GB of flash storage, and Wi-Fi support).

Intel's decision of distributing their Classmate to other PC vendors will surely hurt the One Laptop Per Child project, which is currently struggling to ramp notebook production in order to be able to cut down component prices. Unlike the OLPC, Intel can easily favor its Classmate PC by using its own product resources (processors, chipsets, flash drives etc.).

At the moment, developing countries seem to be more interested in producing their own versions of low-cost PCs, in order to sell them on the local market. Intel seems to have entered this game with the Classmate PC, but Nicholas Negroponte will surely reject the idea of selling a product that is not meant for commercial distribution.

It is not the first clash between the two sub-notebook manufacturers on the same topic: "shameless" competition in what should be considered as a humanitarian action. But while OLPC is focused on the charity aspects, Intel treats the issue as basic economics. Third-world education is just another market that is likely to bring some good revenue.

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