Intel Classmate PC turns tablet

Pen mightier than the keyboard

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

21st August 2008 09:21 GMT

IDF Intel has demo'd the third incarnation of its kid-friendly Classmate PC, a new model that incorporates not only a touchscreen but also one that swivels into a tablet mode.

Intel's Classmate PC: now third-gen, now works in tablet mode

The new machine will also gain the Atom processor, an upgrade on the Celeron M used in the first- and second-gen Classmates.

Unfortunately, the chip giant didn't provide much else in the way of specifications. We expect the new model - which is due to made available to the companies that will sell it on to schools, colleges and individuals at the end of the year - to match the current crop of Small, Cheap Computers.

Indeed, Intel stressed the new model will not replace its predecessor but sit alongside them as a pen-controlled alternative to the keyboard-centric Classmates already available.