As far as I can tell from my
annual visit to BETT (formerly the British Educational
Training and Technology Show), most schools now use consumer-grade
Android/Apple tablets and Windows laptops. However, BETT 2015 showed a trend
towards Windows 2-in-1 “detachables”, which is what I’d recommend.
A
detachable (I made that up) is a Windows convertible where a touch-screen
tablet plugs into a keyboard dock. Well known examples include the Asus T100TAF
and all Microsoft Surfaces. Dual functionality means schools don’t have to buy
separate tablets and laptops, while Windows
App Studio makes it
easy for teachers to create simple Windows 10 apps without coding.
The weak
link in laptops is the hinge, and people can stress the hinge by lifting their
laptop by the screen. Bad idea. In detachables, the screens are usually secured
by strong magnets, and the hinges look much less fragile. Indeed, some
detachable have no hinges – eg the Lenovo Miix 3 and the forthcoming Dell XPS
12 – but you can’t easily change the angle of the screen.
I’d
therefore expect a detachable to last longer than a traditional laptop, or a
convertible with a 360-degree hinge.
Windows 10
does not have as many tablet apps as Android, nor the quality of Apple iPad
apps, but most areas are covered, and they’re essentially a free bonus. When
there isn’t a Windows app, you can still use full strength (better than
tablet-quality) web browsers and run millions of traditional Windows programs.
Also, of course, there are several ways to run Android apps on Windows PCs,
such as BlueStacks and AmiDuOS.
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Laptops for kids
The
entry-level laptop for kids is the HP Stream 11. This is quite robust for its
low price (£169.97 to £199.99), but it doesn’t have a touch screen, and the
screen isn’t detachable.
For the
past few months, the red HP Pavilion X2 10-n055na has been my pick of the detachables at
£249.99. It feels more solid than the old Asus T100TAF, has a better keyboard,
and a decent screen. However, Asus has just launched theT100HA, which improves on the Pavilion X2 10,
though the keyboard is slightly smaller.
The Asus
T100HA is one of the first retail laptops to ship with Windows 10 preinstalled,
and Windows 8.1 machines are now being cleared from the shops. PC World, for
example, is selling the HP Pavilion X2 10 with Windows 8.1 for £199.97, so I
won’t be surprised if a Windows 10 version appears soon.
I’ve
previously ignored the Acer Switch 10 and 11 because they cost more – usually
£300 to £350 – but the Switch 10E might
be worth a look at £229.95. I’ve also ignored the Toshiba Satellite Click Mini, because I think
the 8.9in screen is too small. But if the Windows magnification setting goes
high enough, perhaps it’s not too small for a child. You may be able to compare
both of these machines with an Asus T100HA in a John Lewis store, and John
Lewis includes a two-year guarantee.
All of
these entry-level two-in-ones have Atom-based processors and 2GB of main
memory, with a 32GB eMMC Flash memory chip to provide storage. They would
obviously be better with 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage, but such machines
are harder to find, and cost more. The quick fix is to add an extra 32GB or more storage on a microSD card. If
you buy a two-in-one with Windows 8.1 and upgrade it to Windows 10, add the
card first: one of the 32GB machines I upgraded didn’t have enough free space
to finish the installation.
I’m
assuming that £250 is the most you would want to spend on a laptop for a child.
If you want to spend less, look for a cut-price Lenovo Miix 3. Three months ago, I bought a
new one for £150, but today I’d get a £250 Asus T100HA instead.
Keyboards and docks
Most
laptops will work with a “universal” docking station, such as the Plugable UD-3900, but I don’t think you need
one. Most laptops will let you plug in an external USB or Bluetooth keyboard
without using a docking station. There are plenty of colourful keyboards designed specifically for kids,
and numerous touch-typing tutorials.
However,
the Asus T100HA has
a new USB Type C port, so you will need a small
adapter.
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