Intel to Spread the Classmate PC Across US, European Markets

Intel is reported to introduce its educational Classmate PC sub-notebook on the U.S. and European retail markets during the next weeks. The ultra-mobile notebook is one of the direct competitors of the OLPC XO sub-notebook and is especially designed for the emerging and developing markets worldwide.

According to Lila Ibrahim, general manager of Intel's emerging market platform group, the Classmate PC will hit the retailers' shelves at prices between $250 and $350, which is above the XO sub-notebook's selling price. At the moment, the Classmate is only available in India, Mexico, and Indonesia, but it will also pitch in at the consumer markets worldwide.

Intel has introduced the Classmate in India through HCL Infosystems, a local PC vendor that distributes an own-branded version, called HCL MiLeap, but other vendors are bundling the notebooks with customized software configurations to meet the needs of a specific market.

The introduction of the Classmate PC on the US and Europe markets is an important marketing strategy for Intel. The XO sub-notebook developed by the One Laptop Per Child foundation has been available on the US market for quite some time, with the introduction of the "Give One, Get One" program. However, the OLPC foundation is one of the mildest competitors in the UMPC world.

Asustek has also introduced a stripped-down version of its popular Eee PC notebook last year, that was customized for the U.S., Japanese, and European retail markets. The PC vendor managed to sell more than 350,000 units in a single quarter, and pushed the other major notebook vendors into releasing their own versions of low-cost ultra-mobile PCs.

Rumor has it that even Hewlett-Packard and Acer have taken the low-cost notebook market seriously, and both companies are expected to release their Linux-based devices in the second quarter of the year.

However, the Eee PC has a great advantage over the Classmate: aesthetics. While the Classmate PC is a little bulky and features a transportation handle, the Eee PC comes in a sleek case that makes it appealing to both children and adults.

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