Asustek building Classmate PC, prices start at $199?

This one's not quite as clear as we would wish, but here's what we've got: Asustek is prepping to launch a series of cheap laptops based on Intel's Classmate PC platform in the second half of this year, which will go up against (what else?) the OLPC XO. What we can't quite figure is if Asustek is building these OEM-style for Intel branding (shown above), or if it's just using the design to line its own pockets -- it could really go either way. The best news is price, since we've been rather worried about that $400 tag that's been kicked around, more-or-less officially, for the Classmate PC. Apparently the 1GB SSD version of Asustek's 7-inch Classmate PC will start at $199, with price points at $249, $299, $399 and $549 for capacities all the way up to 40GB. Ah, nothing like those educational laptop warm-fuzzies on a cold Monday afternoon.

[Kev50027 @ Apr 16th 2007 3:38PM]

Awesome! Now, what is the battery life, specs, weight, connections, and what OS is it running?

It looks like Windows, it has a Windows key on the keyboard, but who knows?

[kadajawi @ Apr 16th 2007 3:47PM]

Windows with 1 GB of SSD? Hm... Win98? Maybe at most XP... Also the license should be too expensive. I'd rather expect it to run Linux, or maybe some sort of stripped down Windows. But yeah, the key looks like a Windows key...

[ZSX @ Apr 16th 2007 4:20PM]

It will run one of the embedded Windows variants, probably XPe rather than CE. I have a Samsung Izzi-Pro running Windows Handheld PC Pro, and its keyboard has a Windows key.

[Kev50027 @ Apr 16th 2007 11:28PM]

here's another pic:

http://www.notebookreview.com/assets/21858.jpg

[nigel @ Apr 18th 2007 2:40PM]

199-549? I thought the idea was computers for "low income" families?