« Brandon Hall Research Resources | Main | Hppy BDay SMS :-) »
Low-Cost, Lightweight Laptops for Learning
By Richard Nantel | November 28, 2007
I’m not at all in love with my laptop.
It was purchased just over a year ago for about $1,200. It has a battery that lasts about 2.5 hours, which gets me about 30 percent of the way on most of my business trips. And, although it was marketed as lightweight, it feels like I’m carrying a bag of potatoes, especially when you factor in the weight of the shoulder bag, power cord, power-bar, etc. that I also need to lug around.
This laptop is also loaded with big, bloated software applications, most of which I don’t need when traveling. All I really need is a Web browser, an e-mail client, a simple word processor, and perhaps a spreadsheet.
Hardware makers seem to have clued into the fact that there’s a huge market for lightweight, low-cost laptop computers. Interestingly, most of these new products are being designed for learning in the K-12 academic world. But, they would certainly appeal to travelers and business professionals.
Some of my recent posts have been about the $199 XO laptop designed for the One Laptop per Child initiative. Mine hasn’t arrived yet, but, if I can get it out of my daughter’s hands, I’m excited about the prospect of getting a computer that will free me from having to sit on the floor at an airport between flights sharing the one power outlet with four other travelers waiting for our laptops to charge. With the XO laptop, I’ll simply turn a crank by hand to charge the super energy-efficient device. This will also be the greatest gadget to have next time the power goes off during a storm. By the way, the Give One Get One promotion has been extended to December 31st, so you still have a chance to get one.
Intel’s Classmate PC is another addition to this market. This is a small, rugged Windows machine, again designed for K-12. It’s currently in mass production and will be made available in various markets as pilot launches. No news yet whether consumers will be able to get one. The laptop has an advertised battery life of four hours.
Asus has also come out with a relatively low-cost, lightweight laptop. The Eee PC 4G weighs less than two pounds and starts at $399. But, it has a conventional battery that lasts about three hours. This machine appears to lack the ruggedness of many computers currently being designed for younger learners.
The innovations taking place in the design of laptop computers for K-12 education will spill over into consumer products. The result will be machines that are easier on our backs, shoulders, and pocket books, as well as devices that free us from having to be near power outlets every three hours.
Topics: Classmate PC, Hardware, K-12, Laptops, Mobile learning, One Laptop Per Child, XO Laptop |
November 28th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
[...] Original post by Richard Nantel [...]
November 28th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
[...] Original post by Richard Nantel [...]