From the outset, Intel's goal with the Classmate line was to create a cheap, durable laptop that could be useful in a classroom. As such, Intel gave the Classmate tablet an 8.9-inch touchpanel, 1.6 GHz Atom processor, 802.11n wi-fi, 1 GB RAM, a 60 GB HDD (or up to 8 GB of flash storage), a days worth of battery life and a weight under three pounds.

The computer itself is on par with most other netbooks in terms of build quality. Nothing feels super flimsy, the 1024x600 resolution screen is sharp, and when using it as a tablet, it sits comfortably in the hand. The keyboard and trackpad are pretty decent sized, going toe to toe with the HP Mini or the MSI Wind in that regard. And it even has a webcam that can rotate to either face the user or look out in the other direction.

Messing around with some of the apps, it's clear Intel did more than slap a touchscreen on a XP laptop and call it a tablet—they went one step further, adding the necessary hardware and software enhancements to make it as simple to use as possible.

For example, the Convertible Classmate has a quick launch panel that's been optimized for use with the touchscreen, with big icons, and other touch friendly elements. And when the Classmate is folded into tablet mode, there's a dedicated button that brings up the quick launch screen.

And not only will they be making the hardware as capable as possible for the educational arena, but they'll be working with developers and OEM's directly to make sure everything is optimized for the Classmate. One specific company they're working with is Lego, whose Mindstorms kits are popular with educators.

Intel also put some thought into how kids would be using the Convertible Classmate specifically, and calibrated the touchscreen so that it wouldn't recognize palm contact when kids are writing with the stylus. They found that most kids write with the palm down on the table, and if they didn't adjust for that with the tablet, it would have caused many input problems.

But that also involved a trade off. Because they didn't want to increase the price and have to use a capacitive/multitouch panel to enable palm detection, they had to lower the sensitivity of the resistive touchscreen in addition to using software fixes. As a result, the screen requires a bit of a heavier press to get it to recognize your input, which from what I could tell, doesn't make it the most finger friendly.

Touchscreen issues aside, the presumable lack of consumer-centric touch app support, missing features like bluetooth and a pretty generic design will likely keep it entrenched in its educational niche. But considering that's exactly what they're gunning for, you can't exactly call that a bad thing. [Classmate on Giz]

Previously, users had reported the existence of a dormant SIM slot inside the Mini 1000's WWAN module, and ability to hack the drivers to enable the hardware. Now that it's official, it's as easy as firing up connection manager 1.0 to get 3G going on the 10-inch netbook, albeit for an extra $200 (?!?!?!?!). In any case, the new and improved Mini 1000 is available from HP now, but dont forget, the MIE version is coming soon. [HP]

Taking design cues from the custom Touchsmart interface, MIE streamlines the netbook experience by placing your most used apps into an efficient-looking homescreen. RSS Feeds, bookmarks, emails, music, photos and more are all available from this home screen. A click in any direction will take you deeper into the interface, which at times resembles Apple TV (and that's not a bad thing), but a quick tap of the Windows key will bring you right back to the home screen.

HP is also maintaining a high standard for the MIE user experience, allowing outside apps via a filtered download portal, but only ones that run properly on the hardware. So no, you can't try (and inevitably fail) at trying to run a high powered video editing app on your MIE netbook.

The Windows XP Mini 1000 will launch today at $400 for a smaller 8.9-inch screen, 512 GB RAM and 8 GB SSD. The 10.2-inch screen will cost an extra $50 and prices for other upgrades are still undisclosed. The MIE model will launch in January beginning at $380 for the 8.9-inch screen size. A red, designer VIvienne Tam Edition will be available in December for $700, WWAN 3G mobile broadband will be also available in select models starting in December and the Mini 1000 is expected to have a docking station accessory slated for a January release. [HP]

HP Expands Portfolio of Mini Companion PCs
Designed for Mobility, Social Media and Fashion

News Minis geared for “information snacking”

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 29, 2008 – Following the success of its education-based mini
PC introduced in April, HP today expanded its line of companion PCs with three models
in the HP Mini 1000 family that address the specific needs of Internet-centric consumers,
mobile professionals, always-on social media enthusiasts and fashion-forward women.

These companion PCs provide a uniquely simplified Internet experience in an ultraportable
design. They share a sleek form factor – at less than 1-inch thick – with
lightweight portability at 2.25 lbs, a keyboard that is 92 percent that of standard PCs,
Brightview widescreen Infinity display with flush glass and LED backlight and a webcam.
The HP Mini will be made available worldwide in an array of configure-to-order options.

HP quote TBD

These companion PCs are geared towards information snacking and content enjoyment
versus the content creation capability found in fully functional Notebook PCs. They are a
complement to HP’s award-winning Notebook PC family.

The three models are as follows:

• The HP Mini 1000 features a piano-black finish with HP Imprint swirl design and
is powered by an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor running Windows XP
Home, making the Web, critical files and PC applications easily portable. It
includes an Ethernet jack, 2 USB ports, built-in webcam and microphone. It
comes with wireless connectivity (WLAN,) and 3G versions are expected to be
available in December.

Configuration choices include screen size — 8.9-inch Brightview or 10.2-inch
diagonal Brightview widescreen Infinity display with1024 x 600 resolution —
and solid-state or mechanical hard- drive options.

• The HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition comes in vibrant red with a peonyflower
inspired design that reflects the globally acclaimed fashion designer’s
Spring 2009 collection. It seeks to satisfy the highly mobile, Internet- centric
fashionista woman and features a 10.2-inch diagonal Brightview widescreen
Infinity display with1024 x 600 resolution.

Its design was first unveiled on the runway of Tam’s Fall 2009 Fashion Week
show in Battery Park in New York, although many on the scene mistook it for a
purse rather than the companion PC that it is. Tam labeled it the world’s first
“digital clutch,” and it ships with an embroidered sleeve to protect the exterior,
Accidental Damage Protection service and an HP SmartFriend Calling Card good
for 6 months of unlimited consultative service.

The Vivienne Tam Edition companion PC is powered by the Intel Atom N270
1.6GHz processor running Windows XP Home and has a 1GMm memory,
making the Web, critical files and PC applications easily portable. It includes an
Ethernet jack, 2 USB port, built-in webcam and microphone. It comes with
wireless connectivity (WLAN,) and 3G versions are expected to be available in
December.

Tam said, “The fashion-forward woman no longer has to sacrifice glamour when
staying in touch with all her favorite digital content. And the flower and vibrant
colors suggest good fortune, happiness and prosperity in the Chinese culture.”

• The HP Mini 1000 with MIE (Mobile Internet Experience) is the uniquely simple,
strikingly mobile Internet companion. It delivers a seamless Internet experience
out-of-the-box via an intuitive interface developed by HP that makes it easy to
enjoy digital content – videos, photos, music and email — on-demand and on the
go. MIE comes loaded with Instant Messaging, email and Skype, for online
video chat, making it easy to enjoy social-media experiences anywhere they are
connected.

The HP Mini 1000 with MIE is Linux-based and powered by an Intel Atom N270
1.6GHz processor. It includes an Ethernet jack, 2 USB ports, built-in webcam
and microphone. It comes with wireless connectivity (WLAN.)
Applications such as browsing, email, online video, are pre-loaded and run from
the MIE dashboard, minimizing startup time. Favorite websites that are added to
the dashboard stay live, and the task bar makes it easy to switch between
programs.

Mini Accessories and Service

The HP Mini Mobile Drive gives HP Mini 1000 customers 2, 4 or 8 gigabytes of
additional storage, making it simple to transport and retrieve important files, photos,
music and other data. It sits flush against the HP Mini, so that is doesn’t disrupt the sleek
design.

An optional 6-cell Li-polymer battery will be available in January.

The HP Mini 1000 and HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition come with a free six-month
subscription to HP Upline for up to three PCs. HP Upline is an easy-to-use, secure on-line
service for the storage, backup, sharing and synchronization of digital content.

Pricing and availability

• The HP Mini 1000 is available today in the U.S. from www.hpdirect.com with a
starting price of $399.99.

• The HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition is expected to be available in the U.S.
in mid-December via www.hpdirect.com. It – plus its designer sleeve and support
offerings – is expected to be priced at a starting price of $699.99 U.S.

• The HP Mini 1000 with MIE is expected to be available in the U.S. in January via
www.hpdirect.com and is expected to be at a starting price of $379.99.
Customers can reserve an HP Mini 1000 with MIE or HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam
Edition by calling 1-800-230-5752. For more information about the HP Mini 1000
portfolio please visit www.hp.com/xxxx

The only concrete example in the article to warrant this concern is the aforementioned lack of profit margins, and there are still plenty of people who need more from their computers other than web browsing and micro-sized keyboards. But hey, if analysts are worried, should the rest of the world be? [NYT]

TAIPEI, TAIWAN AND MILPITAS, CALIFORNIA, June 3, 2008 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) today introduced a line of flash memory-based solid-state drives (SSDs) that are designed for an emerging new category of portable consumer electronics - called Ultra Low-Cost PCs (ULCPC) or "netbooks" - that allow users to have an enhanced experience while easily surfing the Internet using wireless communication. The SanDisk® pSSD™ (Parallel ATA solid state drive) eliminates the need for a hard disk drive and can store both the operating system and application data for these new devices.

A pioneer in developing SSDs for laptop computers, tablet PCs and blade servers, SanDisk is making the new SSD modules available in 4-, 8- and 16-gigabyte (GB)1 capacities, with a streaming read speed of 39 megabytes per second (MB/s)2 and a streaming write performance of 17MB/s.2 Supporting both Linux and Microsoft® Windows® XP operating systems, SanDisk pSSD solid state drives are being shown this week at Computex Taipei, where SanDisk is exhibiting at Booth M320 in Nangang Exhibition Hall.

SanDisk's pSSD solid state drives, which are expected to be available starting in August, are built using the company's reliable Multi-Level Cell (MLC) and Single-Level Cell (SLC) flash memory. This technology is produced at fabrication plants in Yokkaichi, Japan, where SanDisk and its partner, Toshiba Corporation, share the output. The two companies have co-developed many of the designs and technologies in NAND flash.

ULCPCs are inexpensive handheld laptops - smaller than a conventional notebook computer but larger than a mobile "smart" phone - that are easy to carry and cost in the range of $250 to $350. They enable consumers to browse the Internet on the go, with a user interface that replicates that of larger PCs. Originally, ULCPCs were developed as low-cost computing solutions for school children in developing nations. But the diminutive devices have caught on with adults, and now manufacturers are rolling out devices that are designed for general consumer use. Other names for these include Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) and Mobile Internet Device (MID).

"We're excited to be involved in this emerging market of ULCPCs, which take the concept of affordability into new directions - ones that are ideally suited to the multiple benefits of SanDisk's technology," said Rich Heye, Senior Vice President and General Manager at SanDisk's Solid State Drives (SSD) Business Unit. "Based on consumer response to some of the first ULCPCs, these devices are quickly developing a popular following. Our new pSSDs are enablers for manufacturers to create what could become the next wave of personal and portable computing devices."

According to Joseph Unsworth, Research Director at Gartner, "The opportunity for SSDs in the emerging market of ultra low-cost PCs is promising." Gartner expects the low-cost SSD category to grow from 635,000 units in 2007 to over 33 million units in 2012, and that represents a five-year compound growth rate of 117 percent.3 "As semiconductor innovation enables more powerful functionality at lower prices, storage requirements will continue to be elastic, providing opportunities for companies that can command compelling low-cost SSD solutions," said Unsworth.

The ULCPC category includes devices that exclusively use solid state drives, rather than conventional hard disk drives, for the system volume. The devices require small form factor and low power consumption, thus providing a good user experience and a full day's work on a single battery charge. In addition to providing affordable computing solutions, these PCs are designed to withstand the heat, dust, humidity and unreliable power that can impact performance. Thus, ULCPCs leverage the main advantages of flash-based SSDs including reliability, power consumption, form factor and cost.

SanDisk Corporation, the inventor and world's largest supplier of flash storage cards, is a global leader in flash memory - from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk's product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk (www.sandisk.com/corporate) is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.

This is one more step towards Negroponte's goal of getting technology into third world and developing countries. It also marks the first move into Colombia. And no, including a copy of "Dope Wars" on every Colombian OLPC would NOT be OK. Shame on you, reader, for suggesting that. [OLPC on Giz]

COLOMBIA SIGNS AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE 65,000 XO LAPTOPS

Cambridge, Mass., May 29, 2008 - One Laptop per Child (OLPC), a non-profit organization focused on providing educational tools to help children in developing countries "learn learning," announced today that the State of Caldas, Colombia, has signed a purchase agreement for 65,000 XO laptop computers to be distributed to children in one of the country's most important coffee-growing regions.

Upon signing the purchase order, Caldas's Governor Mario Aristizabal, said, "My government and our State legislators are fully committed to giving each and every child of primary school age the same opportunity to access knowledge as the most privileged children in New York, Berlin or Tokyo. The One Laptop per Child program is the right vehicle to reach that goal and its potential socio-economic impact cannot be under-emphasized."

"We are very pleased that Colombia has committed to working with us to in order to bring a modern education to their primary school children," said Nicholas Negroponte, founder and chairman of One Laptop per Child. "OLPC is now gaining good traction in signing up countries to undertake significant deployments."

The first wave of 15,000 units to be deployed later in 2008 will be in Caldas's smaller towns and rural areas. For the capital Manizales, a separate agreement is being discussed so that total coverage of the State is achieved. Governor Aristizabal is spearheading a local team that will provide support and implementation capabilities to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project. The remaining 50,000 units will be deployed in 2008 and 2009.

The price increase for the OLPC loaded with XP will be about $3 on top of the $200 price tag. Users who want a dual boot version to the OLPC will pay $7 extra. The XP operating system will come preloaded on an additional 2GB flash chip, offering 3GB of storage space total (1.5 usable after OS install).

After months of opposition by Bill Gates, talks of the joint venture began at CES 2008, where both men were attending. Widespread distribution of the machines is expected to happen in August or September. Check out the video demo below. [Microsoft and NY Times]

Developing and third-world countries will pay $26 per XP license, while developed nations will pay $32 per license. While this request does not seem to be a strict mandate, It looks like Microsoft is trying to curb the use of Linux, and prevent the smaller, cheaper computers from stealing market share from their bigger, Vista-equipped counterparts. I'm curious how this will affect those who choose not to participate, and make XP machines to their own specifications. [PC World via Electronista]