| Low-cost student laptops to run Mandriva Linux |
Mar. 29, 2007
 Mandriva, the France-based Linux distributor, will have a version of its Mandriva Linux 2007 pre-installed on Intel's new low-end laptop for students, the Classmate PC.
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According to Intel, the ClassMatePC is a rugged laptop with a water-resistant keyboard and a theft-control feature based on a network-issued digital certificate. Its processor is an Intel Mobile 900MHz Celeron ULV chip.
  
Intel's ClassMatePC
This new laptop for students in developing countries weighs in at 2.9 lbs and includes a 7-inch LCD display. It comes equipped with 256MB of RAM, up to 2GB of flash memory-based local storage, both 802.11b/g WiFi interface and a 10/100Mbps Ethernet networking, and two USB ports for connection of external peripherals.
Mandriva says it spent eight months working with Intel to customize the Mandriva Linux operating system for the ClassMatePC; the process included integrating drivers and adapting applications specially developed for the education-oriented project, according to the company. The version of Mandriva Linux 2007 in the ClassMatePC includes Internet, office, and multimedia applications, plus various Intel drivers designed to improve the educational process within classrooms and at home, Mandriva adds.
The ClassMatePCs will be produced in Brazil, and are expected to begin shipping in the second quarter of this year. Following the launch, ClassMatePCs running Mandriva Linux 2007 will be available to Mexico, India, and developing countries, Mandriva said.
Paul Guillet, Mandriva Brazil country manager, stated, "ClassmatePC reinforces Mandriva's commitment, along with our partner Intel, to the development of technologies. We didn't have to think twice about participating in an initiative that improves educational options for Brazilian children through the use of technology."
Mandriva reports that approximately 800 ClassMatePCs have been distributed to public schools, selected by the Brazilian government, for initial tests. The commercial launch of Classmate PC will begin in the second quarter of 2007
  The ClassMatePC resembles another low-cost laptop aimed at the K-12 set -- the Linux-based OLPC (One Laptop per Child) device (shown at left). In related news, Data Evolution Holdings recently acquired AMD's Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) device (shown at right), which is yet another low-cost, computing device aimed at developing nations. Like Intel's ClassMatePC, both of these low-cost devices also run various versions of Linux.
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