Acer expanded its TravelMate line with a new notebook called the B117: the first to support the company’s TeachSmart solution.
TeachSmart will work in conjunction with an LED indicator on the the lid of the notebook. This LED can show one of four different colours, which can be used in multiple ways. For example, when asking a multiple choice question, the LED will show a different colour depending on the answer that the student has chosen, so a teacher can see the answers at a glance. The light can also be toggled after a student has finished an assignment, or as an alternative to raising their hand. Teachers will have an interface on their own device that shows the status of the class, such as students who have finished an assignment or the breakdown of multiple choice answers.
An integrated cloud solution in TeachSmart keeps students connected with teachers. Class material and assignments can be distributed through a shared OneNote document – this also can also be used to view students’ progress. This feature can also be used remotely, outside the classroom.
The B117 is a rugged device, with a rubber strip around the chassis to protect it from knocks and shocks. The hinge opens up 180° and the cover will withstand up to 60kg of pressure. The keyboard is also spill-resistant. An 11.6″ display is built in.
An Intel (Pentium or Celeron) processor powers Windows 10, with Intel HD graphics, up to 4GB of RAM, HDD or flash storage, dual microphones and a webcam. HDMI, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports are featured.
Acer will begin to sell the B117 in the UK in April.
As well as the new classroom notebook, Acer was showing its existing products, with an especial focus on hybrids, such as the Switch 10. A new version called the Switch 10V will be released soon, with an Intel Skylake processor. The same applies to the Switch 11V, which will have a Core i5 option soon.
