Gizmodo: 2go

Intel Classmate 2 Already For Sale, Priced at $550

John Herrman — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:50:35 EST

Intel's Classmate 2 was never intended for manufacture by Intel; the PC was simply a reference design provided for OEMs. Well, the first one is here: meet the Computer Technology Link 2Go PC.

Computer Technology Link has the presumptive first manufacturer of the Classmate 2 for some time now. The final unit specs are the same as the demonstration model we've been playing with since the Intel Developer Forum—and which, in a later incarnation, we found quite palatable at CES—barring the replacement of the 802.11n wireless card with a b/g unit.

The price is a steep $550, but could well be lower for bulk orders. That is, assuming there are other sales channels, as CTL's site only allows one laptop per customer. You know "OLPC". [CTL via NetBux—Thanks, Johannes!]

Crowded Ultraportable Party Gets Dissected

Christopher Mascari — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:00:43 EDT

The guys over at Liliputing have a done a great service for all who are looking for the perfect low-cost ultraportable notebook. They've made a "comprehensive list of low-cost ultraportables", that not only shows you what's available and what's not, but also provides information for every unit. So if you've been craving an ultra-portable, check out the list. Though proceed with caution, 'cause if you've already decided on a model this list might make your head explode. [Liliputing]

Intel Classmate 2 Gets Official, Available for Individual Consumer Purchase

Haroon Malik — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:17:00 EDT

We spotted what we expected to be Intel's Classmate successor sometime ago, but now things have become official. The Classmate 2 PC was announced at Intel's Developer Forum in Shanghai, and the spec improves on the original machine's capabilities little by little.

The Classmate 2 will tote a 9-inch LCD display, six-cell battery, 512MB RAM, 30GB HDD, integrated webcam, 802.11b/g WiFi support, Windows XP or Linux OS and an Intel Celeron M processor, however, future versions will move to Intel's Atom platform.

Interestingly, the Classmate 2 will be available directly to the consumer. Amazon will stock the Classmate 2, which will carry the 2Go PC title and will be manufactured by CTL. The unit will be made available tonight, and will carry a $400 price tag. Of course, Intel will allow different manufatrers to tailor their base unit according to their need, but it seems CTL are first off the mark with their offering on Amazon.

The chaps at Laptopmag snagged some exclusive time with the 2Go PC, and they seemed to like the rugged design, bright display and good battery life. However, the machine was let down by "mediocre" performance, missing video output and low display resolution. Hit up the link to checkout Laptopmag's extensive review. [Laptopmag: 1, 2]