14 DAY TRIAL // The upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, due to debut in early January 2009, is believed to be the place where a number of netbook vendors will finally showcase their latest products. Some of these, it is said, will provide users with a touchscreen experience, inside a small-form factor portable PC, such as a netbook.
Aside from ASUS, MSI and other netbook makers, Intel is also expected to showcase its new convertible Classmate PC on the same occasion. It too should also take advantage of the benefits of touchscreen technology.
We are just weeks away from the start of CES, which means that more details regarding the products that are slated to be showcased at the Show have begun to emerge on the Internet. This also goes for Intel's small-sized portable Convertible Classmate PC, also known as the CTL 2go PC.
The system, designed to be used by children in schools, is based on the same Intel Atom platform that is now powering netbooks worldwide. Basically, this translates into the computing power of an Intel Atom processor, to which a 60GB hard drive and a Windows XP operating system is added to provide the necessary functionality.
The fellows over at Laptopmag had a chance to see the new Convertible Classmate, which Intel has now featured with a blue on white design. According to them, the upcoming Convertible Classmate PC will make better use of the new touchscreen technology, despite the fact that it comes with a Windows XP operating system. Intel will apparently provide the small-sized PC with a bunch of pre-loaded software applications, specifically meant to provide support for the touchscreen technology. One such application is the Vision Objects Pen Input, which basically turns handwriting into editable text, while also providing a keyboard.
The Convertible Classmate has not been created with everyday users in mind, but rather as an educational tool designed to be used by children in schools.