Acer’s new convertible Chromebook — the Chromebook Spin 11 — was announced today at the British Education and Training Technology (BETT) Show in London. Looking at the design and specifications, there’s no doubt that the Chromebook Spin 11 is built to last while adding extra features that are perfect for the classroom.
“Today’s students and teachers depend more than ever on the power of technology to improve learning outcomes. Acer continues to invest in research and development to create products and solutions designed for the needs of modern education,” said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business at Acer. “With our new Chromebook Spin 11, students get a ruggedized and easy-to-use device for learning, while school administrators get a cost-effective laptop package for their schools, helping both students and staff to make the most of what modern technology can deliver.”
For starters, the Chromebook Spin 11 meets US MIL-STD 810G durability testing — definitely a welcome feature in a Chromebook meant for the classroom. In order to meet this standard, the Chromebook Spin 11 utilizes a reinforced chassis and rubber bumper around the keyboard and can withstand drops from up to 48 inches (122 cm), and it can also survive up to 330ml of spilled water due to its unique drainage system.
Spec wise, the Chromebook Spin 11 features an Intel Celeron quad-core N3450 processor or dual-core N3350 processor depending on the model. Configurations with 4 or 8GB LPDDR3 memory and 32 or 64GB eMMC flash storage are also available. Connectivity features include 2×3 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, two USB Type-C ports (for up to 5Gbps data transfer, DisplayPort over USB-C, and USB charging), two USB Type-A ports, and a MicroSD Card reader. The new Acer convertible Chromebook also features up to 8 hours of battery life. Acer has also added Wacom EMR technology and the Chromebook Spin 11 comes with a Wacom stylus, both of which allow students to draw and write directly on the 11.6″ HD IPS touch display screen.
Finally, a 360° dual-torque hinge design means the Acer Chromebook Spin 11 can be used in four modes with wobble-free touch experience. As with other convertible laptops, the Chromebook Spin 11 can be used in four different modes:
- Tent Mode – Ideal for places where space is restricted (such as fold-down tray tables on bus journeys, or small classroom desks), this mode is great for displaying video content and provides a strong base for touchscreen interactions with apps and web pages.
- Tablet Mode – The most mobility-friendly mode, the thin body folds over itself to make for a light and easy to hold unit – great for passing around during group-work and great for field trips and class lessons outdoors. This mode is also perfect for art and design projects with the Wacom-enabled stylus. A second Acer HD wide view webcam located above the keyboard allows the user to shoot photos and videos just like they would with a tablet.
- Display Mode – Great for displaying instructional video content during classes that require hands-on work – like cookbook recipes in a home economics class – or for apps that don’t need much touchscreen interaction.
- Notebook Mode – Traditional laptop mode for typing and interacting with apps via a full keyboard.
The Chromebook Spin 11 also has support for Android apps via the Google Play Store out-of-the-box. North American pricing and availability isn’t available at this time, but we’ll keep you posted once we receive that information.
Let us know what you think about the Acer convertible Chromebook Spin 11 in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
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