With the evolution of technology, computers are rapidly becoming an important part of our everyday lives. This includes our education, with these gadgets being utilized in schools for better learning. With this as a consideration, Acer has recently introduced its newest notebook, the TravelMate B117, designed specifically for the education market.
Acer, in partnership with Microsoft, conducted a research study around what students and educators wanted from a laptop. What the company found out was that they needed notebooks that have a good battery life, a rugged design to withstand the classroom environment, and can share easily via wireless.
With this research in mind, Acer came up with the "TeachSmart" solution, which "enables new ways of classroom interaction, and empowers teachers with tools and cloud-based services to distribute class materials and collect assignments digitally."
The TravelMate B117 features a LED light on the rear part of the notebook's lid, which can display four different colors. This LED light can be used by students to indicate the status of their work to proctors and teachers. They can also use it to indicate multiple choice answers, and signal the need for attention, thus eliminating the need to raise students' hands. Teachers, in turn, get a user interface that displays the status of students' work, like homework and test results.
TeachSmart also has the capability of keeping students and teachers connected, even outside the classroom, through its cloud feature. Teachers can disseminate information and class material to the students using a Microsoft ID and OneNote, enabling online collaboration, eliminating the need for hard copies along the way.
As for the specifications, the TravelSmart B117 features an 11.6-inch screen, and is powered by Intel Pentium/Celeron processors, with Intel HD graphics. It has 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, HDD or eMMC storage options, dual digital microphones, an HD webcam with HDR support, and a Precision Touchpad. Lastly, it has a 802.11ac wireless with 2×2 MIMO for a faster connection, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and one HDMI port with HDCP support.
The availability and pricing of the TravelSmart B117 is not known yet, and will reportedly vary by region. However, with the notebook being marketed for students and teachers, we can assume that it will be aggressively priced, similar to the price of Chromebooks.
Source and Image via The Windows Blog
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