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Mandriva participates in Intel's Classmate PC project
Paris, March 29th, 2007 - Mandriva Linux 2007 will be pre-installed on Classmate PCs. Mandriva, the global Linux distributor, strengthens Intel's contribution to education by actively participating in Intel's Classmate PC project. Several technology companies joined forces to produce Classmate PC, a portable computer for students in developing countries. Mandriva and Intel spent eight months customizing the Mandriva Linux operating system for Classmate PC, including integrating drivers and adapting applications specially developed for this project. Classmate PC will be produced in Brazil and launched in the second quarter of 2007. Following the launch, Classmate PCs running Mandriva Linux 2007 will be available to Mexico, India and developing countries. Mandriva Linux is deployed in more than 140 countries around the world and supports over 75 languages. Classmate PC weighs 2.9 lbs and includes a Celeron-M 900Mhz CPU, 256MB RAM, up to 2GB of flash memory, two USB ports, a seven inch LCD display, wireless network, and a waterproof keyboard. Mandriva Linux 2007 includes Internet, office and multimedia applications, as well as Intel drivers designed to improve the educational process within classrooms and at home. "Classmate PC reinforces Mandriva's commitment, along with our partner Intel, to the development of technologies," explains Paul Guillet, Mandriva Brazil Country Manager. "We didn't have to think twice about participating in an initiative that improves educational options for Brazilian children through the use of technology," he concluded. >From now through the end of March 2007, approximately 800 Classmate PCs have been distributed to public schools, selected by the Brazilian government, for initial tests. The commercial launch of Classmate PC begins in the second quarter of 2007. About Mandriva Mandriva, formerly known as Mandrakesoft, is the publisher of the popular Mandriva Linux operating system, one of the most full-featured and easy-to-use Linux systems. The company offers enterprises, governments and educational customers a complete range of GNU/Linux open source software and related services. Mandriva products are available in more than 140 countries through dedicated channels and from Mandriva Store, the company's online store. Born in 1998, the company has offices in the United States, France and Brazil. More information at: http://www.mandriva.com (Log in to post comments)
Mandriva participates in Intel's Classmate PC project Posted Mar 31, 2007 1:59 UTC (Sat) by bluegecko (guest, #42312) [Link] 2.9 lbs = approx 1.3 kg (strange that a European company would make a press release without the measurement also in kilograms). For comparison, OLPC target weight is 1.5 kg.
Mandriva participates in Intel's Classmate PC project Posted Mar 31, 2007 16:37 UTC (Sat) by ofeeley (guest, #36105) [Link] Why so heavy? The VAIO TR series were 3.1 lbs with an optical drive and a larger screen. I notice that the OLPC lacks an optical drive and that the battery on the OLPC seems to provide more energy. The Vaios seem to use LithiumIon as opposed to NiMH for the OLPC. So I guess that could account for the difference.
VAIO: 17WHr
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Hardware_specification
Mandriva participates in Intel's Classmate PC project Posted Mar 31, 2007 18:21 UTC (Sat) by BrucePerens (guest, #2510) [Link] Lighter weight hardware costs money, and the Vaio sure isn't designed for kids to drop it as the OLPC is. The OLPC display is closer to something you'd accept on a PDA than a laptop, and it's accepted that it will come with some dead pixels. Its designer said that the kids it's intended for don't even have window glass in their classrooms and don't care about dead pixels, and of course that is a major factor in manufacturing yield. I doubt Intel's taking economies that severe. I thought lithium had more energy.Bruce
Mandriva participates in Intel's Classmate PC project Posted Apr 6, 2007 15:10 UTC (Fri) by wookey (subscriber, #5501) [Link] Lithium does indeed have more energy per unit mass than NIMH (about twice as much IIRC, largely because the cell voltage is more than twice as much). So the point presumably is that for similar Wh numbers the OLPC must have a lot more battery mass in it, which explains how the Vaio fits a lot more functionality into the same weight spec.
What's Intel's purpose here? Posted Mar 31, 2007 18:27 UTC (Sat) by BrucePerens (guest, #2510) [Link] So, Intel has positioned itself against the OLPC project for some time, with a number of public statements. I thought it might be something they were doing for Microsoft, but then they come out with a competing model that has Mandriva in it rather than Windows. It costs more. Is it just that they don't like OLPC using AMD Geode for its CPU? Not that this is a high-margin market where they can expect to make significant money.It doesn't make business sense. Bruce
What's Intel's purpose here? Posted Apr 1, 2007 4:25 UTC (Sun) by djabsolut (guest, #12799) [Link] It doesn't make business sense.From a marketing point of view it works. People in wealthy countries are more likely to get a "warm fuzzy feeling" buying a desktop PC that uses components from a company which is has a project to help out the 3rd world. (In effect they're indirectly helping OLPC by bringing more credence to the low-cost laptop idea.)
Poor Microsoft Posted Apr 1, 2007 7:59 UTC (Sun) by ldo (subscriber, #40946) [Link] Yes, interesting, isn't it? Yet another blow for Microsoft. Maybe time for them to do their own platform-for-schools project...
Poor Microsoft Posted Apr 1, 2007 13:26 UTC (Sun) by bluegecko (guest, #42312) [Link] Not quite... Intel's blurb states that the Classmate will run either Windows or Linux
Poor Microsoft Posted Apr 2, 2007 2:09 UTC (Mon) by ldo (subscriber, #40946) [Link] Thanks for that link. Hmmm ... it mentions something called "Win XPE". Wonder what that is? Sounds like it's XP-based, rather than Vista-based. Also no mention of what the difference in price might between the Dimdows version and the Linux version.
Poor Microsoft Posted Apr 5, 2007 17:40 UTC (Thu) by salimma (subscriber, #34460) [Link] Windows XP Embedded -- presumably they haven't had time to strip out the inessential components from Vista, and besides, if even corporate users with in-house IT staff shy away from new OS releases for at least a few months, it makes even more sense to be cautious for this sort of mass deployments.
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