Intel's second-generation Classmate

The second-generation Classmate will be sold directly to the public. While Intel created the reference design (right), OEMs in various regions will be responsible for manufacturing and sales. First to announce is Portland-based Computer Technology Link (CTL), which says it will sell the Classmate as the 2Go PC (seen above) for prices ranging from $300 to $500.

The Classmate now includes new features intended to help it compete with other mini-laptops, such as Asus's hot-selling Eee PC. While Intel has retained the three-pound device's kid-friendly rounded corners, it switched from the original Classmate's round touchpad to a conventional-looking square design. The Classmate also now includes a right-shift key, which was previously missing.

Technical upgrades include a nine-inch screen, offering the same 800 x 480 resolution as the previous seven-inch panel. The new Classmate also includes a VGA-resolution webcam and an available six-cell battery, according to the company.

Notably, Intel has moved away from flash storage to a 1.8-inch (sub laptop-sized) hard drive. With a suitable operating system installation, the Classmate could still be configured as a solid-state device, since it includes a bootable SD slot.

Announcing the Classmate at its Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in Shanghai, China, Intel said future iterations of the product will use its Centrino Atom chipset. However, today's second-generation device uses a 900MHz Celeron ULV processor and an Intel 915GMS chipset. A single DIMM socket comes with 512MB of RAM installed, but supports up to 1GB of 400/533MHz DDR2 RAM.

The Classmate includes 802.11b/g wireless networking, capable of working in a mesh configuration that allows multiple devices to share a single Internet connection. It also has a port for a wired 10/100 Ethernet connection.

Other interfaces, pictured below, include microphone in, headphone out, and dual USB ports. Finally, the Classmate also offers stereo speakers. Unlike "grownup" laptops, however, the device does not include a VGA output.