Hewlett-Packard recently announced a new affordable netbook designed for students to have a sufficient, durable device to be used for learning.
The new Mini 100e Education Edition is expected to be $300 or less when released, and this could be the first of several similar products from HP.
The Mini 100e has a 10.1-inch display, metal alloy hinges, spill-resistant keyboard, and a custom carrying handle. Microsoft Windows XP Home, Windows 7 Starter, or SuSE Linux will be included, with customers able to pick which OS they want to use.
"HP is committed to helping schools adapt to students' changing needs and to creating solutions that provide better interactivity, connectivity and learning," said Dan Forlenza, HP VP of business notebooks, in a statement. "The HP Mini 100e is an affordable, feature-rich device that helps ensure every student has the tools needed for success in their academic endeavors."
HP plans to officially launch the new netbook sometime in July. I’m looking forward to seeing specific hardware specs of the device, especially if HP is serious about selling it for around $300. Many school districts in the United States and overseas are facing budget issues that crack down on spending, so it’ll be interesting to see how much demand there will be for $300 HP computers.
Manufacturers see an appealing market trying to aim lower-cost portable products towards students. Dell released its Latitude 2100 product while Intel has the Convertible Classmate PC device that is being developed for students in emerging markets.
The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project has drawn some attention to the sub-$100 market with its notebook and the expected $75 XO-3 tablet -- the organization, however, has been unable to keep high interest in its project.
