9 replies to this topic

[Nvyseal]

images/news/intel.jpgIntel confirmed that the Classmate lives on with a next generation already in the works! Clearly superior to the OLPC sponsored XO – for three very important reasons:

1. It is expandable using hardware solutions available from a variety of vendors.
2. With sufficient RAM and (virtual) disk, it runs any x86-based operating system without modification.
3. The Classmate sells at a price-point only a few dollars higher than the XO.

The XO has some interesting and innovative technology found nowhere else. This new technology is largely unproven and demand for it is lukewarm, at best. The OLPC Foundation wants to sell it without technical support and wonders why there are so few takers among third-world governments.

Intel addresses this need for support through comprehensive training — and since it is basically a vanilla laptop PC (circa 2000) — their support structure is already in place.

Whether you’re a Linux geek or a Windows fan (or even daring enough to attempt to hack Mac OS X to run on the Classmate), if your needs are limited and your coffers sparse, the Intel Classmate is by far the better choice.

Classmate

[m.oreilly]

Quote

Intel just a PR factory Intel is in this just for the positive PR, nothing else. They didn't want to work with the OLPC folks, they want to look like they are doing it all. Posted by: k12IT Posted on: 01/04/08

...kinda sums it up for me.

[brewin]

The OLPC is a nice idea poorly executed. It's underpowered and the interface is too radical. Plus, it costs twice as much as originally promised.

[eniparadoxgma]

I've actually been thinking about picking up an EEE.

http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecen...cle.php/3711766

[Camaro]

eniparadoxgma, on Jan 6 2008, 01:17 PM, said:

I've actually been thinking about picking up an EEE.

http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecen...cle.php/3711766

Thats nice, but I think they could have put in a 8gb flash drive instead of 4, from the prices on newegg there is not that much difference I would think.
I also think it might be still too High Priced for what it is.

[eniparadoxgma]

Camaro, on Jan 6 2008, 03:01 PM, said:

Thats nice, but I think they could have put in a 8gb flash drive instead of 4, from the prices on newegg there is not that much difference I would think.
I also think it might be still too High Priced for what it is.

There is a 8gb version available for 500, but for what it is I just don't see the need for that much space. In my case, it would be to tote to school and other places in order to take notes, write papers, surf the web, check e-mail, browse these here forums, etc. I've got a 2gb flash drive and was thinking of getting a 4gb SD card. However, I just don't see the need. The only things I can think I would be needing to save on it would be documents.

Kind of like a cross between an I-Phone and a laptop IMO.

[m.oreilly]

eniparadoxgma, on Jan 6 2008, 11:20 PM, said:

There is a 8gb version available for 500, but for what it is I just don't see the need for that much space. In my case, it would be to tote to school and other places in order to take notes, write papers, surf the web, check e-mail, browse these here forums, etc. I've got a 2gb flash drive and was thinking of getting a 4gb SD card. However, I just don't see the need. The only things I can think I would be needing to save on it would be documents.

Kind of like a cross between an I-Phone and a laptop IMO.

[Camaro]

For the price you could just get a regular laptop, lol wow quite a difference in price for a flash drive.

[eniparadoxgma]

Camaro, on Jan 7 2008, 03:56 AM, said:

For the price you could just get a regular laptop, lol wow quite a difference in price for a flash drive.

I think ya lost me, Cam-man. They all have solid state hard drives (flash). The 8gb version just has twice the space, and twice the RAM (1gb). And it looks like the street price is actually more around 550. http://www.google.com/products?client=fire...sa=N&tab=wf

I just don't think you'll be able to find much of a laptop for 400 smackers. For example, the cheapest laptop I could find on Newegg was 500 and has the same amount of RAM, I wouldn't be able to fit it in my bag, it wouldn't be shock-proof, etc. There's no way it would boot up in 15 seconds like an EEE, and I know there's no way it would feel as snappy (even if I took off the Vister it comes with and slapped XP on it).

I thought this was pretty funny:

Here is an example of the Eee PC ($399) booting into Windows XP versus a Toshiba Tecra A9 ($1,749) booting into Windows Vista.

Edited by eniparadoxgma, 07 January 2008 - 11:42 AM.

[Camaro]

Oh what I mean about the buying a regular laptop, your correct this one will be better for the amount of money you spend, and size being a factor too.
But what I meant about the 4gb flash vs 8 gb flash hard drive, looking on newegg 4 gb flash drives start at $18 or so and go up to $110 or so 8gb models start at $30 or so and go up abit over $110 as well, so I am curious why they would have several hundred in increased cost just for the 8gb drive.

Also I am seeing up to 32gb flash drives why not use that or the 16gb or even the 12gb might make the computer abit more usable.