A new Window 10 S laptop designed for students has recently been introduced by Microsoft.
The devices, which are manufactured by JP and Lenovo, will be available at a price as low as £189, depending on the exact specifications.
This line of new laptops for the education sector is similar to the company targeting front-end workers earlier back in September in 2017, where new Windows 10 S devices were rolled out at prices starting from $275.
The sales pitch of the new devices is mainly based on one criterion: affordability. According to Microsoft, the aspect of cost is very important to schools during the selection of devices. When schools experience a budget cut, they are sometimes forced to buy laptops that lack functionality, as well as being less robust, but this results in a higher cost in the long term.
The four new Windows 10 devices recently revealed by Microsoft are said to offer a better user experience compared to the Chrome OS. These devices are designed to be spill resistant and boast a promising battery life which will reduce the number of wires connected in classrooms.
Starting at $189, the Intel Celeron Apollo Lake-powered Lenovo 100e is the most basic model. JP’s Classmate Leap T303, which is equipped with Windows Hello, will be retailing at $199. Lenovo also produced a two-in-one laptop with pen support – the Lenovo 300e convertible to be sold at $279. Another Trigono V401 with pen and touch features will also be available for $299.
For US-based users who buy at least 30 A1 Microsoft 365 Education licences after February 1 and prior to December 31, 2018, Microsoft also provides training designed for teachers to better understand and utilise the functions of the new laptops.
Apart from the new device, Microsoft also added some improvements to learning tools to Office 365 for Education. In the next few months, a new dictation feature will be incorporated into the Microsoft Office 365 for Education suite. This allows students to use voice narration to write their papers. This dictation feature will be available in over nine languages for Word, Word Online, OneNote online, OneNote for Windows 10, and PowerPoint.
In February 2018, additional platforms, including iPhone, Android, Word for Mac, and Outlook for Windows, will also be added to the Immersive Reader. New languages will be introduced too.
Since Microsoft brought in the concept of Office 365 for Education, the technology giant has worked towards improving the features and tools available to workers in the education sector and students. Its new education devices will provide important tools to facilitate a more effective teaching and learning process.
Apart from the education sector, Microsoft is also constantly improving the quality of its services in other sectors – new tools are often rolled out for various industries and businesses of all scales, ranging from small businesses to the Fortune 500 giants.
Contact WM Reply to receive professional advice on how Microsoft’s services can be used to improve the quality of your organisation.