Dell’s latest education offerings are well equipped for the schoolyard, with rugged builds and – in the case of the notebooks – 180-degree stress-reducing hinges. Dell isn't discriminating when it comes to operating systems, as the devices will run the gamut from Chrome OS to Windows to Android.
Chromebooks have proved popular in the education space, so it comes as little surprise that Dell's latest effort is geared specifically towards schools. The Chromebook 11 features an 11.6-inch 1,366 x 768 anti-glare display with an optional touchscreen. Dell says it will run for 10 hours on a single charge.
The Chrome OS platform is designed primarily for web browsing and basic productivity, and as such doesn’t require a whole lot of horsepower. The Intel Celeron processor and choice of 2 or 4 GB RAM is similar to what we’ve seen on other Chromebooks, and should be more than adequate for classroom applications.
The company’s second new offering comes in the form of the Latitude 11 Education Series – an 11.6-inch Windows 8 laptop, available in both touch and non-touch configurations. While the company is yet to release detailed specs for the notebook's internals, we do know that its full-sized keyboard and trackpad are fully sealed to protect against inevitable classroom spills.
Lastly, Dell is launching two new tablets: the Android 5.0-based Venue 10 and the Windows 8-packing Venue 10 Pro. Dell will give you a choice of HD or Full HD displays, and the slates can be purchased with attachable and reversible keyboards, allowing them to be used in various modes, including laptop, tablet and tent.
There’s also an optional active stylus available for the tablets, offering a high-accuracy writing experience that’s designed to mimic paper and ink.
All of the company’s new products are designed to be “schoolyard tough”, equipped with rubberized, shock-absorbing trims to protect against jolts and drops. The Chromebook 11 and Latitude 11 also feature 180 degree hinges, and are pressure, temperature, shock and vibration tested for added durability.
The Chromebook 11 is available for purchase now, with prices starting at US$250, while the Windows-based Venue 10 Pro tablet will start at $330 when it goes on sale March 3. The company is yet to announce pricing for the Venue 10 Android tablet, which will start shipping in Q2 2015, and the Latitude 11 Education Series will only be available to qualified education customers, shipping March 3 for $300.
Source: Dell