By now most of you have probably heard that Netbook Choice is entering a period of hibernation, whilst it considers other projects. We may resurrect the site at some point in the future, but it’s all unknown for now.
Summer may be officially upon us, but Hewlett-Packard is turning its attention to classrooms, with the June 23 introduction of the HP Mini 100e battery Education Edition, a netbook for the elementary years.
HP has added a new HSTNN-IB1W model to its netbook roster, the HP Mini 100e Education Edition. This looks like a classmate PC in design and is targeted at schools rather than the wider market. The palm rest, base and lid can be customised with the school’s logo.
The case and hinges are reinforced and it also comes with an integrated carry handle and spill-proof HSTNN-F04Ckeyboard. The outer lid also comes with a LED network activity lid so teachers can spot which kids are surfing the net when they’re meant to by working!
The Mini 100e comes with a 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N455 processor, up to 2GB of RAM, a matte 10.1-inch (1024 x 600-pixel) display, and a 5,400-rpm 160GB HDD. You’ll also get two USB ports, VGA, Ethernet, and a HSTNN-XXXXmodem port for developing countries. The HP Mini 100e Education Edition goes on sale in July with various pricing bundles.
Priced below $300 a unit, the netbooks aim to be a study in durability meets simplicity. Clamshell-style with a sturdy handle, the Mini 100e weighs 3.19 pounds and features a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display with a 92-percent full-size keyboard. It runs either Windows or Linux operating systems, plus an Intel Atom N455 processor an Intel NM10 Express chipset, 1GB of DDR3 memory, and either a 3-cell 609881-131 battery for 4.5 hours of work time, or a 6-cell for 8.5 hours.
whether to distinguish netbooks for a specific grade or classroom, or to simply encourage school spirit, the netbooks can also be customized — on both the exterior and inside of the clamshell, with various colors or even school logos that can be applied beneath the HP logo. The base 611708-001 Battery “model, however, comes is all white — which by a certain logic, and with certain methods, might make them easiest to clean.