14 DAY TRIAL // Intel is definitely keeping itself busy at IDF, unveiling not just CPUs and motherboards, but also new designs for products that already exist, as is the case with the Classmate PC netbook, which has just received a new clamshell design.
Netbooks, for the most part, are meant as secondary mobile computers for the entry-level market, but some purpose-specific models have emerged over the years.
The Intel Classmate PC is one of them, intended specifically for educational purposes, mostly for young children.
This machine is based on, as end-users may expect, the Intel Pine Trail platform, which means that an Intel Atom CPU is at its heart.
The amount of RAM, the integrated graphics and the connectivity and I/O options are not the subject of its maker's latest announcement, however.
Apparently content with the hardware currently used, Intel decided to change the design of the mobile computer and make it harder to destroy.
As such, it made it more rugged, meaning that the machine can now better resist water, germs, spills of up to 100cc of liquid and drops of up to 70 cm.
One of the noteworthy elements is that the netbook features a rubber cage for the hard disk drive, to minimize strain in case of an impact.
Not only that, but even germ protection is available, by means of an anti-microbial coating on the keyboard and touchpad.
This coating prevents the colonization and growth of microorganisms, leading to an overall healthier environment for the students.
“Part of the Intel Learning Series, the classmate PC provides classrooms around the world with a wide selection of purpose-built solutions for education tailored to meet their needs,” states the company.
Finally, Intel threw in a six-cell battery of a higher grade, for a longer battery life. More information can be found on the company's official website.
UPDATE: Intel pointed us in the direction of some photos of the Classmate PC in action.
