14 DAY TRIAL // One of the most successful trends on the PC market nowadays is to produce low-cost platforms, targeting especially those customers from the emerging markets that can't afford to spend a lot of money on a high-end (or even a mid-range) PC or laptop, but want to get a fully-functional device with average computing capabilities. And it seems that Intel (maker of the Classmate PC, OLPC's rival) is seriously taking this trend into account, as reports have emerged that indicate the fact that the chip maker might be planning a special platform for under $100 for 2008.
Thus, according to Monica Chen for DigiTimes, who's quoting unnamed, but apparently reliable sources, it seems that Intel plans to launch next year its Shelton'08 low-cost desktop platform, designed to be integrated in desktop PC systems that will cost as low as 100 US dollars. Furthermore, due to its improved heat dissipation system and level of power consumption, it seems that the Shelton'08 will first be adopted for sub-$300 notebooks in the third quarter of 2008, with the aforementioned desktop PCs following shortly afterwards.
Furthermore, according to the same sources mentioned earlier, it seems that the Shelton'08 platform will be using 45nm Diamondville processors, with either Intel's 945GC or SiS 671 chipsets, and will be able to run Microsoft's Vista Basic, which means that the company from Redmond might actually record a certain increase in the sales of its latest OS.
The new platform might open up whole new opportunities for computer manufacturers, especially on the markets from those countries where the level of income per family is not exactly great. Thus, a $100 price point is quite an irresistible offer, especially if the customers are not looking for some high-end rigs, but just for something that will help them get in touch with technology. And, to be honest, there are a lot of such people around the world, so Intel and its partners might be on the right track for a huge market hit.