Photos: Via launches energy-efficient PC

Taiwanese chipmaker Via has partnered with South African hardware maker Mecer on an energy-efficient PC aimed at schools in the developing world.

The Mecer Education PC is powered by the energy-efficient 1.5GHz Via C7-D desktop processor, which makes it "ideally suited for Africa's straining electricity infrastructure", the companies claim.

Via has a programme in place called "pc-1" which the company claims aims to "get the next one billion people connected".

Pricing was not available at the time of writing but the Mecer/Via machine will be competing with similar technology from Intel in the shape of its Classmate PC — which retails for around £100.

Schools and other educational organisations have become an important market for hardware providers, due in part to the momentum generated by the One Laptop per Child scheme (making efforts in schools such as the one pictured above) and its target to create a $100 (£49) PC.

Other alternatives to buying bespoke new hardware include refurbished machines for the developed world sourced by charities such as Computer Aid International. The charity works with local non-governmental organisations, such as Computers for Schools Kenya, to distribute refurbished machines from UK organisations, like British Airways, to schools and colleges throughout the developing world.