We’re sure many schools would love to equip their classrooms and their students with the latest in technology, whether it be computers, tablets, learning tools, and so on. Unfortunately due to budgetary reasons, not all schools can afford to upgrade their classrooms. The semi-good news is that Microsoft is hoping to help out as part of the YouthSpark initiative and will be teaming up with hardware manufacturers to help create devices under $300 that can be used in schools.
According to Microsoft, the devices in question “are lightweight enough to conduct research and take assessments, while at the same time robust enough to create rich media, develop code and build complex applications.”
Some examples of some of the sub-$300 devices that Microsoft has planned includes the Acer Travelmate TMB113-E, ASUS Transformer Book T100, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Fujitsu Stylistic Q704, HP 210 Notebook PC and HP ElitePad 1000, Lenovo ThinkPad 11e, Toshiba Satellite NB15t, along with a new device from Panasonic that targets students that is scheduled for a launch later this year.
In a statement released by Margo Day, the VP of US Education at Microsoft, “Through Microsoft’s commitment, we are helping bridge the technology skills gap that exists among many students today by providing tools and learning resources that give all students a world-class education and help teachers better use technology in the classroom. Working with our partners to lower costs and provide affordable devices is just one step in the process.”
Indeed a valiant effort by Microsoft and we can’t wait to start seeing more schools take advantage of their offerings, especially when they have been priced somewhat more affordably.
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