Intel-powered Classmate PC for students in Terengganu
If I’m still studying, I wish that I’m attending school in Terengganu.(Terengganu is an oil rich state in Peninsular Malaysia). That is because none other than, there will be a notebook for me.
If you haven’t already known, Terengganu state government has allocated some millions of $$$ to provide Intel-powered Classmate notebook to each form 5 students, approximately 25,000 beginning next year (pst, for Cencurut, do you have form 5 kid?
Plus, the Classmate notebook will contain text books which has been transformed to PDF format with cooperation from DBP (Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka). So no more, heavy bag misery or ’sakit badan’ symptom due to that..
There will also be a new facility being setup in Terengganu, with manufacturing capacity of 10,000 units per month to assemble the Classmate notebook. With this capacity, in a year, the whole Terengganu’s student will be equipped with notebook. I wish that it will be expanded to other states as well (if there is budget).
Photo credit to Utusan MOU ceremony
What is Classmate
What is Intel-powered Classmate PC? I’ve touched the base of it before. Intel-powered Classmate notebook is a low cost notebook, mainly targeted for student and low-end market like 3rd world countries. The objective is to reduce the cost-of-ownership of notebooks, hence increase the computer literacy among the communities all over the world.
Sibling of OLPC and sharing the same vision, Classmate has a slight advantage over its other siblings, with the backup of electronic ‘big boy’ Intel, plus the better hardware and software.
Since its first inception 2 years ago, it is now on its 3rd version, even though the latest one has yet to be in production. Among the enhancements are, notably bigger hard drive, powered by power-saver Intel Atom and having built-in camera. More below.
Version
Judging on the photo by Utusan, most likely, students will get the second generation Classmate. So this what you get (if you’re a form 5 student in Terengganu). You’ll get a notebook with built-in camera, decent processor, bigger hard drive (refer more above) and many more.
The 3rd version of Classmate is not yet available even on the ClassmatePC website, but this videos should provide you ideas about how nice the version 3 is. Among the features that I bet will sure gain a huge attention is the touch screen, transformable to tablet PC and etc.
How much.
FTEC, Classmate distributor in Malaysia which is re branding Classmate to be SmartBook sells the first and 2nd version for RM999 & RM1299 respectively. It is relatively expensive compared to Asus IEEE or Acer One who has superior design and competitively priced.
Report from NST said that each notebook will be sold to state government for RM999, which is a steal as compared to what is available in the market. This is including the software. Terengganu has allocated some 35 million for this project.
Some photos below
Classmate third version in tablet mode. More photos from DeviceGuru
Colourful casing
My wife teach a standard 6 student in Bahasa Melayu and Mathematic. So I don’t think we get to see it on Primary School… hehehe..
by the way… the price should be much more lower as the State buy it on bulk…. so my idea is the price should be around MYR500 or MYR700 each..
For everyone information… Terengganu has starterd WIFI@Terengganu project and it’s cover the big city area in Terengganu….
I’m sure this can bring the gap of IT in Terengganu became much more closer…
if Terengganu could get the price between that region, that would attract other state as well..
wow, I never know about WIFI@Terengganu, how wide the WIFI coverage is?
interesting….hope not to be misused…
this should be be made available for all students, but without any crony being give the bigger cut of the pie. if the government can do that, it will be cheap. and it will be cheaper without any middle man. factory to school directly.
That’s one ugly laptop. I would hate to be a child who is subjected to such ugliness. Even the worst of us should not have to live with such abomination.
You want to see a revolutionary laptop? One that looks good too? Take a look at the XO and see what it is doing for children around the world. Its not some piece of junk, but an actual useful laptop with a lot more features for about 720 ringgit.
See it all at http://laptop.org and see children happy with it all over the world http://www.flickr.com/photos/olpc
huhhuu..comel dowh..brp harga sebijik benda nih?huhhuu..tp klu bwk dpn org rmi..ada yg kata ok dan mungkin ada yg kata tidak..huhhuu..tp ko rasa leh kalahkan asus ke?hehe
This is approximate price
Jen-11 - below RM500
iDola - belor RM1000
Hey, for those who say it’s an ugly laptop, it’s still a working computer, ugly or not! I think they look pretty good, and will be of great benefit to the children who get to use them. My generation did not have computers readily available, and had to teach ourselves how to use them.