Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Intel adds a twist to netbook category with Convertible Classmate

Intel teases netbook fans with a new device to drool over at CES 2009 next year, actually it's Laptop Magazine who posted up the early hands-on review on Intel's Convertible Classmate.

It has an 8.9-inch swivel screen with touch and stylus input, a Web cam, and 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 60GB hard drive, and Windows XP. Newly bundled software includes a virtual keyboard and handwriting recognition to take advantage of the responsive touchscreen—plus there should be more apps from developers on the way. Also, integrated accelerometers successfully tracked whether the computer was in portrait or landscape mode, adjusting accordingly in 2 seconds.

Laptop Magazine reports that it will begin shipping in mid-January. While Intel says that the price for the convertible Classmate will be slightly more than the original Classmate. The range will likely be somewhere around $250 and $400, exactly falls into netbook's price category.

If Qualcomm can deliver its Snapdragon processor in the same time CES 2009 takes place, then it'll be interesting to see the heated up netbook wars. Where right now, Intel still hold the control over netbook category with its Atom processors.

Sources are from Laptop Magazine, via Crave & Gizmodo.

No comments: