Dell launches netbook for schools

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 19 May 2009 at 13:03

Dell is driving netbooks into the education market with the launch of the Latitude 2100.

Dell claims it consulted about 100 students, teachers and education experts over the design of the netbook, which has a number of features tailored specifically for children.

The device has a 10in touchscreen, allowing children who aren't comfortable with a keyboard and mouse to easily interact with the device.

The 2100 has a rubberised casing, optional shoulder strap and the vents are deliberately placed on the side of the device so that the PC doesn't suck up any liquids from desktop spillages.

There's also an optional built-in webcam, which will allow pupils who can't physically make it into school to have face-to-face contact with their teachers. "We have a girl with cystic fibrosis in the Royal Brompton [hospital] who can still continue learning," explained Dr Christine Carpenter, headmistress of the Sacred Heart High School in Hammersmith, which has been trialling the netbooks for Dell.

The 2100 has a six-cell battery option, providing a claimed battery life of six hours, or "pretty much the entire school day", according to Dell's director of public sector marketing, James Quarles.

Schools can also purchase a lockable "Netbook Cart" that stores 24 of the devices and contains power sockets for recharging the laptops and network sockets for providing Windows/security updates.

The Latitude 2100 will come with either Windows XP/Vista or Ubuntu Linux options, although the latter may not prove popular with pupils, according to Sacred Heart's IT technician: "Most of them [children] want XP because that's what they've got at home," he told PC Pro

The Latitude 2100 will start from £259 (exc VAT and delivery).