The Malata A1007 Classmate PC is a learning computer, part of the famous Intel Learning Series.
Intel had and has in mind to develop many learning computers, aimed at primary and secondary school students, and that would help kids develop PC skills from a very early age. Usually, these computers are not available in stores, but are bought directly by schools or other institutions and then distributed to kids.
The A1007 is pretty similar to other Classmate PCs we’ve got out there, maybe because there’s a unitary philosophy behind the concept, no matter which manufacturer releases a new model. The design of the computer is very rugged and can take quite a few bumps. C
onsidering that these computers are used mainly by kids under 14, the devices will get hit, smashed, dropped and many other accidents, so you couldn’t really use a ultra thin, Samsung 9 Series like design for one of these. Also, the screen can rotate 180 degrees and folds over the keyboard, so kids can easily share their work with colleagues or teachers or use the device as a tablet.
The Malata A1007 can act both as a netbook and tablet
In terms of specs, you get a minimal setup, but it should be good for school work. The 10 inch screen has a 1024 x 600 resolution and has a resistive treatment, meaning the kids can also type directly on the screen. Well, the best way to do this is with a stylus, as a resistive screen is kind of hard to maneuver with touch input. Not to mention the utility of writing for very young children. Moving on, there are a couple of CPU options, all of them coming from Intel, of course. There are three types of Atom to choose from, N450, N455 and N550. The N550 is dual core and provides better performance than the others, but also the single core versions should be good enough for school oriented tasks.
You can pair the CPU with 1 or 2 GB of RAM, so you eventually get the same setup you have on most entry level netbooks out there. In terms of OS, there is both Windows XP and Windows 7, but besides the actual operating system, there will be a lot of educational software, as well as access to online learning resources, testing modules and more. The people over at netbooknews came up with a hands on video with the Classmate A1007, so we’re able to see what the little, kiddy netbook can do. Enjoy!
