One to One on the Cheap

One-to-one computing in schools will be delivered via a traditional budget notebook or desktop PC, right? Wrong, there are now a whole slew of different hardware choices for pairing kids with computers, including Fourier’s innovative NovaCentro. The 2.4-pound portable comes with a color screen, 624MHz processor, 128MB of system memory and 256MB of flash memory for storing programs, data and all sorts of projects. Rather than Windows XP, you can get the NovaCentro with either Linux or Windows CE, and it comes with a slew of educational software. Its battery provides 8 hours and costs about $500.

Little Big Book

It’s a shame that notebook-makers sell their biggest and bulkiest systems to schools, despite the fact that they will be used and lugged around by children. HP ends this size mismatch with its HP2133 Mini-Note PC, the first notebook designed especially for K-to-12 students and classrooms. One of the smallest, lightest and least expensive systems available, the Mini-Note only disappoints on performance.

Housed in a silver-colored aluminum case, the Mini-Note has a sophisticated appearance as opposed to the toy-like look that some other school systems have. Thoughtful design touches abound, like LED battery charge indicators, a built-in Web cam and a low screen hinge so that kids can’t hide from the teacher behind it. Plus, the hinge is made of super-strong magnesium and the screen has a scratch-resistant coating. I love HP’s DriveGuard technology, which automatically protects the hard drive’s contents if the system’s been dropped.

At 10.1 by 6.5 inches, the system weighs 2.6 pounds with its standard 3-cell battery pack and the front edge is just 1 inch thick. With the 6-cell battery, the keyboard has a comfortable tilt to it and the system still weighs only 3.2 pounds. In other words, it’s perfect for being carried and used by small hands.

As small as it is, the Mini-Note has all the basics. The $750 fully loaded system I looked came with a 1.6GHz VIA C7-M processor, 2GB of system memory, a 120GB hard drive and Windows Vista. The $500 base model is less ambitious with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of flash memory and Linux. All Mini-Notes have an 8.9-inch wide-screen and VIA graphics with 8MB of its own memory; it can use up to 380MB of system memory.

On top of stereo speakers and a touchpad with large actuation buttons, the Mini-Note has 18mm keys that are perfect for the tiny fingers. There are enough ports to connect at school or home as well as wired and wireless networking. It’s got Bluetooth, but lacks an optical drive and a modem.

The pre-production sample I looked at was not only reliable, but its 6-cell battery ran for 3 hours 35 minutes of continuous use, more than enough for a school day of stop-and-go use. Although it never locked up in two weeks of daily use, the Mini-Note felt sluggish. Its 845 and 107.4 scores on the PC Mark 05 and FutureMark’s Performance test, respectively, are the lowest levels I’ve seen. Even so, the system has a hot spot on the left side near the exhaust fan’s outlet.

The final piece of the Mini-Note puzzle is the teacher Experience Web site (www.hp.co./go/teacherexperience) that HP built in collaboration with Microsoft. Once you register, it is a curriculum cornucopia with everything from teaching tips to lesson plan ideas.

It may not be a performance system, but the Mini-Note is an inexpensive way to bring notebooks to K-through-12 students and not wear them out carrying the systems around all day. The first notebook designed with the needs of these students in mind, I hope it won’t be the last.

HP2133 Mini-Note PC
Price (base/as tested): $500/$750

+ Good price
+ Sized for small hands
+ Overall design

- Sluggish performance
- Hot spot
- No optical drive

Specs: 1.6GHz VIA C7-M processor, 2GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, 8.9-inch screen at 1,280 by 768 pixel resolution; 3.2 pounds with 6-cell battery, 1.0 by 10.1 by 6.5-inches: Windows Vista Business.

Bottom line: the first notebook designed for the K-12 crowd, the Mini-Note is a bargain.

Mini-Note with Maxi Impact on Schools

HP announced today its HP 2133Mini-Note, a notebook that seems custom designed for K-12 schools. Based on a Via C7 processor, 120- or 160GB hard drive and 8.9-inch wide-screen display, the 2133 Mini-Note weighs just 2.5 pounds. It comes with built-in wired and wireless networking as well as a good assortment of ports, but lacks an optical drive. The system starts at $500 and look for a full review of it next week.
Specs: 1.6GHz Via C7 processor, up to 160GB hard drive, 8.9-inch display at 1,280 by 768 resolution.
Bottom line: At $500, the 2133 Mini-Note does more for less.

Small Wonder of a Notebook

Say hello to Intel’s second generation Classmate school notebook. Announced today at Intel’s Developers Forum in Shanghai, the ClassMate carries a Celeron M processor, 512MB of RAM and a 30GB hard drive. The 9-inch LCD screen and Web cam, making it an audio-visual workhorse for K-12 classrooms. The system is available in either Linux or Windows XP. No word on pricing, but it’s sure to sell for less than typical notebooks.
Specs: Intel Celeron M processor, 512MB RAM, 30GB hard drive, 9-inch LCD screen.
Bottom line: Intel’s Classmate school notebook squeezes a lot into a small package.

Sights and Sounds

Why replace a school’s worth of clunky desktop PCs when you can get the latest in multimedia from a notebook. Acer’s Aspire Gemstone Blue 6920 model has the most up to date hardware for creating and working with audio and video, from editing field trip clips to watching online movies. The system comes with a Blu-Ray DVD drive, up to a 320GB hard drive and the industry’s easiest audio-visual control panel to use. 
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 16-inch display, nVidia GeForce 9500GS graphics with 128 of its own memory.
Bottom line: When you need the most up to date multimedia notebook, look no further than Acer’s Aspire Gemstone Blue 5920.

The $50 Classroom Computer

How low can computer costs go? Well, how about $50? That’s what the non-profit Innovations for Learning is charging for the TeacherMate. Easily the smallest and cheapest classroom computer, TeacherMate looks like a GameBoy, but has a 32-bit processor, half a gigabyte of flash memory and a 2.5-inch color screen, but no keyboard. It all comes together with the organization’s software for teaching math, reading and writing. With funding from a JPMorgan Chase Foundation grant, Chicago’s Jungman Elementary will get systems next month, followed by 250 schools in the city.
Specs: 200MHz ARM9 processor, 500MB NAND flash memory, color LCD.
Bottom line: Every penny counts with the $50 TeacherMate classroom computer.

Thin is In

Tired of carrying around a six pound notebook all day? Maybe, the next laptop you get should weigh half as much. At less than three pounds, it’s hard to believe that Lenovo’s ThinkPad X300 is a full-powered system with one of the most comfortable keyboards available anywhere. On top of a super-strong carbon fiber case, the X300 is perfect for the clumsy among us because rather than a fragile hard drive, the X300 comes with 64GB of rugged flash memory storage. It’s available with either Windows XP or Vista, and pricing starts at $2,550.
Specs: 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 13.3-inch screen, 64GB of solid state memory.
Bottom line: Thin, light and powerful, the ThinkPad X300 is rugged enough for school work.
www.lenovo.com

Strong Silent Type

Almost immediately after a school’s worth of notebooks arrive, they start breaking, but the latest version of the rugged RM Mobile One Classbook can last longer because it can stand up to abuse by inattentive students and clumsy teachers. The system has not only been designed to survive being dropped from a desk, but its sealed keyboard is spill-proof and removable. With prices starting at $1,375, the RM One Mobile comes with an Intel Celeron processor, 15.4-inch screen and built-in wireless networking.  More information is available at RM Education's Web site.

Out of Orbit

The Toshiba Satellite U305-S2816 notebook is a down to earth notebook and a great way to get laptop computers into the hands of teachers and the backpacks of students. The system is about as complete as a notebook gets these days with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 250GB hard drive, 2GB of RAM and a 13.3-inch screen. With all that, it still weighs just 4.6 pounds. Prices start at about $1,350.

Best Buddy

EarthWalk’s EBuddy EB 14 series of rugged notebooks just might be an administrator’s best friend because it's strong and powerful enough to outlast standard laptops. Built around a magnesium frame and rounded rubber corners, the 6-pound notebook has a 14-inch screen, up to 160GB hard drive and the choice of an AMD or Intel processor. It can not only stand up to drops and vibrations, but is resistant to spills.

The Price is Right

Admit it, Wal Mart may be the best place in town place to get groceries, soda and toilet paper, but notebook computers? Well, Everex announced that they will start selling their CloudBook laptop at the national discount chain store. At $400, the price is right for the two-pound system that uses a 7-inch screen. Based on a 1.2GHz Via C7-M processor, 512MB of RAM and a 30GB hard drive, the CloudBook is squarely in the camp of the Asus Eee PC, OLPC’s XO and Intel’s Classmate in the rapidly growing field of small notebooks for schools. The system uses the gOS Rocket Linux operating system, comes with a slew of applications and even base systems have WiFi wireless networking. Look for it in stores by the end of January.
Check it out at the Everex Web site.

Cheap to Keep?

Following in the footsteps of Zonbu’s inexpensive desktop PC, the company’s first notebook is dirt cheap, but there’s a very big financial got-cha. The price tag may be a hard to beat at $279, but you’ll need to add in the $15 a month per system Zonbu charges for support. Built by Everex, the Zonbu Notebook uses a 1.5GHz Via processor, has a 15.4-inch screen and built-in wireless networking. The key is that it comes ready for the classroom with 20 Linux programs that range from the expected word processor, Web browser and spreadsheet software to the bonus of  music programs and games. At 5.3-pounds, its light enough for elementary students to carry around, and its battery can run for about 2.5 hours.
Take a look at www.zonbu.com

The Mac Tablet Arrives

It’s been quite a wait but the first Macintosh-based tablet is now on sale and ready for schools. Perfect for institutions that have standardized on Macs, the ModBook is made and sold by Axiotron, not Apple, and outdoes Tablet PCs in some areas. The slate tablet uses a Wacom pen digitizer with 512 levels of pressure sensitivity, has a 13.3-inch screen and the sturdy magnesium alloy case is rugged enough for both inattentive students and clumsy teachers. The ModBook can be ordered with either a 2.0 or 2.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and pricing starts at $2,290.
More info about ModBook is available at the Axiotron Web site

Twist to Open

HP’s most advanced Tablet PC, the Pavilion tx2000, goes on sale today. Students and teachers alike can quickly and easily go from a pen-centric slate computer to a traditional keyboard-based notebook by rotating and folding the screen. Available with Microsoft’s Windows Vista only, the tx2000 is powered by an AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core processor and can run for between two and three hours with its standard battery pack. Even with a 12.1-inch high-definition wide screen, up to 250GB hard drive, DVD burner and wireless networking, the tx2000 still weighs just 4.3 pounds and can easily fit into a student’s backpack.

Check it out at the HP Web site

Dell Flips Over Tablets

After reselling a variety of tablets made by others for years, Dell introduces its Latitude XT Tablet PC, which sets the standard for schools in terms of size, weight and abilities. Weighing less than four pounds and barely 1-inch thick, the XT works well as a keyboard-centric notebook but flip the screen around and it is transformed into a capable slate computer. Based on Intel Core 2 Solo or Duo processors, the XT has a 12.1-inch wide screen, full-size keyboard and either a 120GB hard drive or 64GB of rugged flash memory. The XT is still only an inch thick, weighs less than four pounds and can be ordered with either Windows XP or Vista. Pricing starts at about $2,500 for this laptop. If you would like more info check out the Dell website.