First 15.6-inch Chromebook for education enhances classroom and group learning; New 11.6-inch model ideal for one-to-one programs
Acer expanded its line of Chromebooks for the education market with two new models, the Acer Chromebook C910 and Acer Chromebook C740, both introduced at BETT 2015 in London.
Both new models have a durable design and provide an affordable, easy-to-manage and proven platform for student learning.
The Acer C910 has a large 15.6-inch display and is ideal for labs and classrooms where it may be shared by multiple students. The Acer C740 is a compact Chromebook with an 11.6-inch display that neatly fits in a backpack for students who take them home for 1:1 programs as well as in classroom and lab settings.
“Acer Chromebooks are already seen as a proven platform for successful student learning, as they are being used by students to collaborate, conduct research and work on projects in exciting new ways,” said Eric Ackerson, senior product marketing, Acer America. “The two new Acer Chromebooks feature newly enhanced durable designs that can handle even more of the rigors so common to the education environment. Also, schools can deploy and manage these new platforms cost-effectively, quickly and securely, so the emphasis stays on student success.”
Next page: Top features and highlights of the new Acer Chromebooks
Knowing that students can be especially harsh on their devices, the Acer C910 and C740 Chromebooks 15 were designed with extra durability features. The C910 and C740 both have reinforced covers that can withstand up to 60kg of force, while the corners can tolerate up to 45cm drops without damage. Also, the hinges have been reinforced, so the new Chromebooks can endure more twisting and stress.
It is likely that the C740 Chromebook will be frequently moved thanks to its compact size, so Acer designed it with extended metal hinges that keep the device more rigid in case a student mistakenly picks it up by the display or crams it in a backpack.
The Acer C910 and C740 keep data safe, since they support multiple user sign on. Students simply log onto their unique accounts to ensure their project, Gmail and other information is kept safe, even if the Chromebook is lost or stolen. Storage on Google Drive protects files, documents, and photos safely in the cloud, and ensures that the most current version is always available(2). Customers can also access files offline, and even open and edit Microsoft® Office documents as well as Google Documents.
The Chrome O/S is automatically updated and guards against ever-changing online threats, such as viruses and malware. This is especially useful for teachers and school administrators who are responsible for protecting students. The new Acer Chromebooks each have a Kensington lock, so they can be secured to a wireless cart or lab. Administrators will find setting up and managing Acer Chromebooks to be intuitive and efficient. The web-based management console allows remote management of apps and policies across all Chromebooks in the network.
U.S.-based Acer Premier Care also is provided to Acer education and business customers purchasing Qty 100+ units. These customers receive dedicated service and support via their own direct phone number, which automatically places them at the head of the call queue to help address their needs. These Acer customers can also take advantage of the Acer Educare Warranty Programs to further protect their investment with solutions such as battery replacement, paid two-way shipping, and accidental damage protection(7).
The Acer C910’s large 15.6-inch display is the ideal size for students to share in classrooms and labs. The crisp and vibrant display comes as either a full HD IPS (1920×1080 resolution) with wide viewing angles or HD (1366×768 resolution) option to meet the budgets of schools.
Both the Acer C910 and C740 have Acer ComfyView displays, so they have anti-glare properties that minimize the amount of reflecting light for less eye strain on students and allow them to use their Chromebooks in more places around school for learning.
Both the Acer C910 and C740 provide an excellent balance of performance and battery life, so students can run multiple apps and take their Chromebooks around the classroom and campus for real-world learning. Both systems will be available with a 5th Generation Intel Core i3-5005U processor or next-generation Intel Celeron 3205U processor based on the Broadwell Micro-architecture. The Acer C740 provides up to 9 hours of battery life and the Acer C910 provides up to 8 hours, so both systems can be used all-day by students.
Students can take part in Hangouts and will enjoy video chats on the HD web cam enhanced by the excellent audio and video capabilities. The new state-of-the-art processors pair with a solid state drive (SSD) for fast saving and accessing of data. The keyboards were designed for an excellent typing experience for students, some who are still learning keyboarding skills.
Both new Chromebooks are easy to take along. The Acer C910 weighs only 2.2kg (4.85 pounds) and measures only 393w x 256d x 24.2h mm (15.4w x 10.08d x 0.95h inches). The Acer C740 weighs only 1.3kg (2.87 pounds) and measures 288w x 204d x 20.05h mm (11.34w x 8.03d x 0.79h inches).
The Acer C910 and C740 keep students connected with up to three times faster wireless connectivity via fast MIMO 2×2 Wifi 802.11ac. Students can connect other devices to the Chromebooks via Bluetooth 4.0, or by the USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and HDMI ports. The SD card reader enables a way to access and transfer files.
The new Chromebooks for education customers will be available in February through Acer authorized retailers. In the United States, the Acer C910 will be available with either a 16GB or 32GB SSD drive and 4GB of RAM starting at $299.99.(5) The Acer C740 will be available with a 16GB SSD drive and either 2GB or 4GB of RAM and starts at $259.99. Exact specifications, prices and availability will vary by region.
Material from a press release was used in this report.
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