backtop

Print E-mail del.icio.us 24 comment(s) - last by crystal clear.. on Dec 12 at 9:39 AM

The TFT Mobilis, based on Linux
Three-way competition heats up in the classroom space

Just when you thought OLPC's XO machine had competition coming with Intel's Classmate PC, another machine has stepped up to take a swing at the low-cost child-focus computer. The source of the new machine is coming from an unlikely source however. Encore Software based in Bangalor, India, announced this week that it is sending roughly 50 units of its Mobilis (PDF) platform to the government of Brazil for testing inside classrooms.

The new Mobilis will be competing directly with the XO and the Classmate PC according to Encore. The Mobilis runs Linux and comes with a number of features the XO does not have, although many of them may not be needed by students. Some quick specifications include:
  • Either 7-inch TFT LCD or 7.5-inch STN LCD
  • Touch screen with stylus
  • Built in key-board on TFT model
  • Greater than 6-hour battery life
  • CF, SD/MMC memory card slots
  • Built in Ethernet and modem
  • Optional GPRS/GPS features
  • Stereo audio speakers and microphone
  • 750 grams net weight

Interestingly, the Mobilis also comes with an optional biometric fingerprint scanner. The unit itself is very light. Instead of the XO's human generated power source it comes with a long lasting lithium-polymer battery.

DailyTech reported on Intel's own OLPC rival this week. The unit, is expected to run Microsoft's Windows XP platform and Intel said that it is already working with local manufacturing partners to produce its Classmate PC. Microsoft on the other hand is attempting to produce a modified version of its Windows XP operating system for use on the XO machine. It will be interesting to see the end result of this heated competition.

Comments     Threshold


This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Commadore
By Alphafox78 on 12/8/2006 2:17:50 PM , Rating: 2
They forgot to mention one of the configuration options, which consists of 64K of ram.
^_^




RE: Commadore
By therealnickdanger on 12/8/2006 2:55:16 PM , Rating: 2
LOL, that's the first thing that came to mind when I saw the picture.

Who knew making cheap laptops for the under privaledged would be such a booming business?


RE: Commadore
By OrSin on 12/8/2006 3:12:10 PM , Rating: 2
No ones really tring to make any money off the Notebooks now. They really just want a user base for later. And to say hey like at the good work I did. Now tell your daddy to by my other stuff.


RE: Commadore
By TomZ on 12/8/2006 5:18:53 PM , Rating: 2
I disagree - I think that nearly all the companies involved are trying to make money. AFAIK, only OLPC is non-profit. OLPC's manufacturer (Quanta if I remember right) is for-profit, as are all the component suppliers; same for Intel as as well as the company manufacturing the unit featured in this article.


Educational Software
By crystal clear on 12/9/2006 3:15:49 AM , Rating: 2
"Microsoft on the other hand is attempting to produce a modified version of its Windows XP operating system for use on the XO machine."

Unquote-

*Windows XP operating system -certainly not in English but in LOCAL LANGUAGES, where it is to be used.

*An operating system that is CRASH FREE & NOT CRASH PRONE.

* Any such PCs of this catergories need a PACKAGE of
EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE to use these computers effectively
in classrooms.

THATS WWHERE MS MAKES THE $$$$$.

GOOGLE -Where are you? When do you intend to JUMP in the RACE? With your FREE SOFTWARE PACKAGES......

Just Google it.......





RE: Educational Software
By cheetah2k on 12/11/2006 3:16:49 AM , Rating: 2
While the points you make are vaild, its time to release the chip on your shoulder mate

Oh, and take a chill pill ;-)


RE: Educational Software
By crystal clear on 12/12/2006 7:49:34 AM , Rating: 2
Try your therapy on yourself-dont give advice when not asked for.

One more comment in the trash can-come up with something
INTELLIGENT & WORTH A RESPONSE.


RE: Educational Software
By TomZ on 12/11/2006 10:20:57 AM , Rating: 2
Forget google and their free beta-ware, most of which is crap. They should stick to search and advertising, and leave software development to others who have a clue what they are doing.


In Reality.............
By crystal clear on 12/9/2006 2:02:07 AM , Rating: 1
" Encore Mobilis To Compete with OLPC XO and Intel Classmate PC"

Unquote-
*By the way you need ELECTRICITY to recharge their batteries,
Do these regions where they are supposed to be used have Electricity ? I doubt all them have.

*If some areas do have Electricity can the local population afford it,for such a luxury ?

* So the ideal solution for such PCs is SOLAR Batteries & chargers.

*These PCs(hardware & software) will need the required REPAIRS & MAINTIANCES after regular use(ware & tare)-who provides this & IS IT FREE or YOU GOT TO PAY FOR THIS.
WHO PAYS for this, A SPONSOR or the local population-they certainly cannot afford this luxury.

*These PCs will be used & stored in very substandard envoirements-Extreme Heat,Monsoons(Rain),Dusty/arid conditions,Floods,Power fluctuations & failure,premitive road conditions/bumpy roads,poor hygenic conditions, & many
more tough/hostile conditions you will find from S America to Africa to ASia.
ARE THESE PCs protected from these conditions? Can they withstand the forces of nature & poverty.

TO SUMMARIZE-
* I can write a report going into many pages,which is not possible on DT forums-so in short..

*As a news items it sounds great,but in reality its not that.Its a great subject to talk about at our conventions,
conferences,& other meetings thats all.




RE: In Reality.............
By crystal clear on 12/9/06, Rating: 0
RE: In Reality.............
By cheetah2k on 12/11/2006 3:13:33 AM , Rating: 3
Er.... Broken Record..........

Someone kick this guy


RE: In Reality.............
By crystal clear on 12/12/2006 7:44:33 AM , Rating: 2
"Someone kick this guy "

Go find somebody to kick yourself ,to make such a lousy comment.


Your comments are worth their place in the garbage bin.


Crystal Clear
By Spivonious on 12/11/2006 11:29:11 AM , Rating: 2
Someone needs to ban Crystal Clear for spamming the comment system.




RE: Crystal Clear
By crystal clear on 12/12/2006 9:39:46 AM , Rating: 2
Impose on yourself A BAN-NOT TO MAKE COMMENTS,when you are unable to participate in an INTELLIGENT DISCUSION due to your inability to do so.

Recommendation- GET YOURSELF SOME UNIVERSITY EDUCATION if you dont have one.


Not pratical enough V__V
By SakuraChan on 12/8/2006 3:30:07 PM , Rating: 3
It's a tablet pc, not practical for kids per se.
not to mention biometric why should kid learn how to use biometric? and Stylus? it's good but for kids no way

my recommended spec for OLPC is

Display : OLED 10' with 64K color
Casing : highly durable made from plastic
RAM : Micron SDRAM 32 MB
CPU : Modified Intel XSCALE 500 Mhz with passive cooling
STORAGE : 500 mb NAND memory
MB : Intel picoTX
N.Bridge: Stripped down ver ICH4
OS : XP & OFFICE OLPC version

Total cost : $140 for 200 units




Why Brazil.......
By crystal clear on 12/9/2006 1:12:31 AM , Rating: 2
Quote-

"Encore Software based in Bangalor, India, announced this week that it is sending roughly 50 units of its Mobilis (PDF) platform to the government of Brazil for testing inside classrooms."


Unquote-

Why Brazil when India itself is a fertile ground for testing
your software & hardware for such a project.
Test it in India cause India itself is a huge market for such type of PCs.

With all the progress India has made in the computer industry-still India is poverty ridden.If anybody denies that -he /she does not know what they are talking,GO FOR YOURSELF & SEE yourself.
The momemt you land at Bombay airport- a drive from the airport to your hotel,YOU SEE IT ALL .This is just a starter as you cris cross the sub continent.




Why & what
By crystal clear on 12/9/2006 2:39:54 AM , Rating: 2
"Three-way competition heats up in the classroom space"

Unquote-

*The competition is for for FUNDING of such projects-
The amounts(&) involved are huge & what better source than the U.N.,Govts,Foundations can who bankroll such projects.

*They use this funding for R&D purposes & the technolgy developed is spun off for other product lines.

*From PR point of view - its just great material for companies to brag about(of being involved in such project).

* Intel with its huge financial resources still demands huge
financial incentives from local Govts to base its operations
there.Let it be R&D or/& manufacturing(ISRAEL)& many more such examples.

*Just any software/hardware company of any size or stature would just love to have such fundings.

They all look out for a $ MILCH COW to milk it.




ugly
By dcollins on 12/12/2006 12:59:18 AM , Rating: 2
Ugh, its hidious! Have people learned nothing from the iPod? Carry an ugly thing like that around and you just look like a goober! Give me something with a pretty screen and actual product design and I may want to be seen with it. When will people learn that these things matter to the average consumer.




how about giving these famlies..
By michal1980 on 12/8/06, Rating: -1
RE: how about giving these famlies..
By Le Québécois on 12/9/2006 3:53:54 PM , Rating: 2
Because those are for persons that already have access to the minimal needed to live but that don't have anymore money for more than that and because of that could never afford a computer.

I don't know if you are in anyways close to some "older" people that are unemployed ( either by your work or by knowing someone ) but I am and let me tell you that today it's pretty much impossible to find works if you don't have a minimum knowledge on working with computers. It's the same as 50 years ago if you couln't read. You can't find a good job or sometimes anyjob at all.

So by providing some cheap way and access to computers for thoses people and more importantly to their children you give them the tools needed to learn how to "write and read" or even "to fish" if you go even further in history so they can find a good job in the future.

Don't forget that those companies are in the computer business and not in the water distribution one...

So they help in their own ways.


RE: how about giving these famlies..
By michal1980 on 12/9/06, Rating: -1
RE: how about giving these famlies..
By Le Québécois on 12/9/2006 8:57:59 PM , Rating: 2
I think you have to broader you definition of america. Most of those companies(well, in fact the 3 majors that are concerned) are in discussion for testing and are fighting for a contract with Brazil, which, last time I checked, is part of america.

Brazil is NOT a Third World country the last time that I checked.


RE: how about giving these famlies..
By crystal clear on 12/9/2006 10:09:28 PM , Rating: 1
"To realize /feel the forces of NATURE & POVERTY -YOU GOT LIVE IN IT-To GET A TASTE OF IT."

Go to Brazil to get a taste of POVERTY-SEE FOR YOURSELF,
THEN COMMENT.

Making vague comments is waste of time.


By Le Québécois on 12/10/2006 1:09:52 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
GET A TASTE OF IT


Humm. Ok, and who are you to say and know I didn't "GET A TASTE OF IT"? Are you a CIA agent with access to my file.

Not just that, but how dare you post a comment on Dailytech while all that money you spent on the computer you are using wasn't used to buy water for those poor children.

You know nothing of my life and same goes here with me for your's. And for that I won't make any vague ideas of it or comments about you. So please restrain any further comments of the sort on which you have no sources to base it on.


"Intel is investing heavily (think gazillions of dollars and bazillions of engineering man hours) in resources to create an Intel host controllers spec in order to speed time to market of the USB 3.0 technology." -- Intel blogger Nick Knupffer

DailyTech Poll
Which web browser do you use on your primary personal machine? 






44 Comments









botimage
Copyright 2009 DailyTech LLC. - RSS Feed | Advertise | About Us | Ethics | FAQ | Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information | Kristopher Kubicki