The Hindu : National : Classmate computer could be teacher’s new pet

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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Classmate computer could be teacher’s new pet

Anand Parthasarathy

HCL launches Intel’s made-for-schools notebook design for students in India

Design developed by Indian engineers
Deployed in Brazil and Nigeria with great success

— Photo: Special Arrangement

Students of the Delhi Public School, Vasundhara, near Delhi, are among the first to use the Classmate PC in India.

Jaipur: Chipmaker Intel’s answer to the global challenge to create a compelling computing platform for school children will be available in India, starting August.

The Classmate PC, a rugged lightweight notebook with special teacher and parent controls will be manufactured by HCL at its Puducherry plant. It will be offered to school managements and educational institutions who plan to introduce the one-child-one-PC concept.

Special software

Based on an Intel mobile processor and a flash-based solid state storage rather than conventionally used drives, the Classmate, which weighs less than 1.5 kg, works for at least four hours on a battery charge and can be used with either Windows or Linux operating software.

It uses a 7 inch LCD screen. HCL’s executive vice-president Rajendra Kumar announced here on Saturday that the company’s 700-city distribution chain was gearing to offer the PC in August-September this year.

The wirelessly enabled device, for which special software has been created by education solution provider Educomp, might end up costing around Rs.18,000 in the early stages. But HCL, Educomp and Intel were quick to clarify that the most viable deployment model was a total package of devices, infrastructure and teacher training that might end up costing as little as Rs. 100 a month per child.

The Classmate is part of Intel’s response to the challenge thrown out by the United Nations at two World Summits of Information Society (WSIS) in 2003 and 2005 for technology players to create a PC platform for education.

Satyajit Singh, Intel’s Platform Solutions Manager, explained at a media conclave here, that the PC was conceived and developed by a core team of less than 10 at the chip-maker’s Bangalore development centres.

It was deployed in Brazil and Nigeria with great success.

With HCL stepping in as manufacturing partner, India is the first nation in the Asia-Pacific where it is reaching schools.

Pilot projects with the Classmate have been done at the Delhi Public School, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad; the Navodaya Vidyalaya in Faridabad and the Padma Seshadri Bal Bhavan in Bangalore.

Based on the feedback, Intel has built in controls where the teacher at school and the parent at home can exercise control over the child’s surfing experience.

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