Finally the Classmate PC to take off

Intel and HCL will introduce Classmate PCs for students in India from August. The PC will be priced at Rs 18,000 initially. The cost may go down further. The chipmaker is already holding talks with education departments of various states to market at least 10,000 Classmates in the coming year. It will offer monthly instalment schemes for schools and provide teachers’ training and customised software as add-ons. The PCs, with a child-friendly and colourful interface, will be powered by Intel processor 900 MHZ. Intel has already carried out pilot projects with Classmate PCs at schools in Delhi and Bangalore. The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project of Nicholos Negroponte will soon market its low cost PC in third world countries. Microsoft has also announced plans to launch its cheap IQ PC for students in India.