Chip giant Intel and software leader Microsoft have separately and simultaneously announced products and technologies to make IT happen in India’s schools.
Intel unveiled a new Atom chip powered edition of its Classmate PC design,a swivelling display making it superficially similar in look to Microsoft’s Tablet PC design. With a water-resistant keyboard, the classmate PC is also "backpack friendly" , able to withstand bumping in a backpack and accidental drops by students. In tablet mode, the convertible classmate PC with touch screen and a rotating allows the child to write more naturally by resting their palm on the touch screen. It also includes education-oriented software and applications from software and content vendors from the Intel Learning Series.
Wipro is the OEM partner for Classmate PCs in India this time ( HCL was the partner for the earlier clamshell Classmate PC. )
John Davies, Vice President, Sales and Marketing Group and General Manager, Intel World Ahead Program, said at the Bangalore last week: “There are 1.3 billion school-age children around the world and of those only 7 percent have access to a PC or the Internet. The IT industry has a huge opportunity to contribute to how technology can improve students' learning and students' lives.”

Davies also announced the Teacher Purchase PC offer, an offer on PCs with broadband for school teachers at special prices. Under programme , Bangalore-based Connoisseur Electronics will provide a range of Intel Core2 Duo-based teacher PCs with the complete school curriculum software from Indian educational software company, Edurite to school teachers at special prices. Connoisseur Electronics is the hardware partner for Teacher PCs.

Intel has also helped deploy the Intel skoool Learning and Teaching Technology, an interactive Web-based resource for learning Mathematics and Science. Intel together with IT@School Project of the General Education Department, Government of Kerala announced the launch of the Malayalam version of the skoool Learning and Teaching Technology earlier this year and efforts are underway to scale this model by replicating it in other states. See our story Kerala, first in India to deploy Skoool portal http://www.indiatechonline.com/kerala-skoool-launch-221.php


Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard partner for Windows MultiPoint Server in India

Microsoft has brought its recently launched Windows MultiPoint Server to India: it allows multiple users to simultaneously share one computer, thereby increasing access to affordable computing in educational scenarios like classrooms, labs and libraries

WMS is an operating system that allows multiple stations to draw their processing power from one traditional desktop PC, providing each student an independent monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Karan Bajwa, General Manager – Public Sector, Microsoft India, explained that ,a few years ago, Microsoft reaserchers in India developed a technology that would allow multiple mice to be connected to one PC, transforming the power and impact of one machine. This paradigm was called MultiPoint, and it is today being implemented in schools across the world. The potential of this solution inspired Microsoft work on other shared computing technologies…. Windows MultiPoint Server.

Hewlett-Packard is Microsoft’s global partner in this initiative and HP India has announced immediate availability of its MultiSeat Computng Solution based on the operating system for the Indian market. The solution allows up to 10 stations to be connected to one traditional PC. With this solution, a school in India can now look to increasing the power of its available computers at half the cost it would take to buy and run a conventional set-up.

Rajat Mehta, Country Category Manager,  Personal Systems Group  India, HP, explained the HP MultiSeat Computing Solution comprises of a host PC, the HP MultiSeat ms6000 PC, to be shared with up to 10 students, connected via via a simple USB device ‘Linksmart’ to the HP MultiSeat t100 Thin Client.
Microsoft work is working with education-specific ISVs including NIIT and Educomp to ship solutions for WMS. More information on the Windows MultiPoint Server ecosystem is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/multipoint/solutions.aspx