Dell is looking to make sure students have the toughest Chromebook around, announcing Thursday the release of a new version of the Chromebook 11 designed to withstand scenarios in which such devices can be easily broken.
The second-generation model is able to stay safe in your child's backpack thanks to its reinforced edges, tough bezels and optional Corning Gorilla Glass, according to PCWorld. The computer maker says the Glass aims to keep the 11.6-inch TN screen scratch-free and prevent the device from breaking in different situations, such as when students put their pencils on the keyboard and close the screen on it.
The Chromebook 11's release comes at a time when Chromebooks are a popular educational tool for students in grades K-12.
Additional features of Dell's new Chromebook include a 180-degree hinge that can stay intact no matter how the student hold the laptop, a new Intel Celeron CPU and a battery that lasts for 10 hours on a single charge, Engadget reported. The keyboard and trackpad are sealed to make sure they are fine when a student accidently spills something on them in their chemistry class.
The Chromebook 11 also comes with a lid that features an Interactivity Light that glows yellow, blue or red in different situations. The color can change if the student has questions or raises their hand to participate.
Dell also gave its new Chromebook 2x2 802.11ac Wi-Fi, saying it is needed for when there is a large amount of students working online close to each other in one area, PCWorld reported.
The device is latest Chromebook designed to deal with tough educational environments, with previous unveilings including that of Samsung's new Chromebook 2 in October and Acer's Chromebook 15 at CES 2015.
Dell's new Chromebook wasn't the only product unveiled on Thursday, as the company also introduced the Venue 10 and the Venue 10 Pro, two 10-inch tablets designed to use at school, Engadget reported. The Venue 10 runs on Android Lollipop, and the Venue 10 Pro runs on Windows 8.
Students can buy the new Dell Chromebook 11 now for $249, but they will have to wait until March to get their hands on the Latitude 11 model, which includes an Ethernet jack and starts at $299.
