Heading to the Intel Classmate PC Eco System Alliance Summit
By the time this post goes live, I'll be driving to Logan Airport to fly down to the "Intel-powered Classmate PC Eco System Alliance Summit 2009." I know that's a mouthful, but it gets to the heart of why Classmate has been (and has the potential to be) so successful. Classmate isn't just about cool hardware; it's about an entire ecosystem of vendors, software developers, hardware folks, and others who make Classmate a turnkey solution for learning. The group continues to grow and their products are maturing rapidly; for the first time this year, Intel has invited a journalist/blogger-type (that's me) to the Summit that brings all of these partners together.
While things don't really kick into high gear at the conference until Tuesday, Monday afternoon and evening will give me the chance to meet and network with a variety of people involved in the Classmate effort. Companies ranging from Canonical to Vernier will be around, talking about their contributions to Intel's educational netbook.
Although some of what I hear will be embargoed (this is a chance for Intel and its partners to really look to the future of Classmate and it isn't much of a shock to know there is an NDA involved here), I'll be live tweeting information about the companies with whom I'm speaking, my Classmate thoughts and observations, and my general musings as I swelter in the Miami heat (Florida makes me remember why I love New England). I'll post more detailed information in the evenings once I can pull together my notes and sort the embargoes from the breaking news from, again, my more in-depth musings.
I'll be at the Summit through Wednesday evening and each day will post a new embedded Twitter feed. Feel free to just follow me directly here and send me questions, comments, and thoughts via Twitter.
By way of disclosure, Intel covered all travel expenses, food, and lodging for this Summit. I signed an NDA specifically relating to disclosure of roadmap details for the Intel Classmate; however, I was not otherwise restricted in my coverage of the event or its participants. Coverage, whether positive or negative, reflects my opinions of Classmate and Intel's Ecosystem partner products and not necessarily those of ZDNet, CNET, or CBS.