Intel back to school with Classmate

Intel has announced the availability of the latest Classmate PCs that will be powered by the new Atom processors. The clamshell and convertible versions will be updated with new designs that boast new, enhanced applications.

The upcoming classmate PCs offer an enhanced user experience, increased ruggedness, improved battery life and are more affordable. The increased battery life means students may be able to work up to 10 hours on a single charge. The improved ruggedness stems from such features as strengthened corners for shock and vibration absorption, and a keyboard that can withstand prying fingers and improved water resistance.

“For students to succeed in today’s global economy, developing 21st century skills like problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration is critical,‚ said Joseph Nsengimana, Intel South Africa’s Education lead. “”And technology solutions that are purpose-built for education, plays a key supporting role in developing these skills.‚

The new multi-touch and premium writing experiences, in conjunction with palm rejection technology, let students write directly on screen. The textured touch screen, special stylus and handwriting recognition software create a ‚write on paper‚ experience. The built-in camera, photo view, media player, and drawing applications resourcefully allow students to create and experience multimedia learning content.

The comprehensive classroom-ready features and capabilities include LabCam, a touch-optimised application consisting of six easy-to-use scientific inquiry tools leveraging the camera in different ways, allowing students to analyse the visual data present in their photos and videos.

McAfee AntiVirus has been added for proactive protection to keep users’ digital lives more secure, and platform management has been updated for increased scalability, flexibility and manageability. Enhancements include classroom management, theft deterrence and webcam companion for media capture and management, noise filtering, anti-shake features, digital archiving and annotation. An enhanced access management feature has also been added for teachers to see and monitor students’ access in school and at home.

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