Dell designs 10in netbook for Bash Street

Can't you read?

You've already covered this

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/19/dell_latitude_2100/

And I still say it's useless. There's no need for netbooks at school. Or laptops. Or computers in general outside of the IT classroom and specific equipment/projects.

Relying on a PC and the likes of Wikipedia to "do the work for them" stunts the development of children. Most can't even do basic arithmetic without the aid of a calculator.

Whizz for Atomms

As any fule kno ther ar 2 ms in atomms!

Re: Promotional bumf from Dell says no antimicrobial stuff for us dirty Europistanians

No "antimicrobial" keyboard? Heh. That's probably because the EU has consumer protection laws that prevent "snake oil" products. You can buy all sorts of placebos in the US though.

@ Why would you target netbooks at schools?

Dell must be listening, lots of schools are looking into and requesting netbooks for schools battery life being a good example that interests them and you can fit loads on a trolly.

I can see what you mean about Vista + Atom but i'm running Windows 7 RC on my Samsung NC10 with 1Gb RAM and it's fantastic even faster than XP SP3 that it came with. I've been using it for two weeks and wouldn't concider going back to XP.

@ Can't you read?

I can agree with you to a point but I do think computers need to be used more than just in IT, computers are used in many areas and most students only get on or two IT lessons a week so they need more time to use them as a tool in other areas.

Too many computers in the classroom though has created a new generation of lazy teachers, the amount of time i've heard this at the start of a lesson "look this up on the internet"

looks

well i love the look of it, most netbooks look so girly and its so clean and angular looking. if i wanted a swishy book to decorate with glitter and kittens there are more than enough options out there already

It's not a bad looker IMO

I like the look of it. Not chic, but not hopeless either. At least they avoided the dreaded plastichrome!

From what I see here my only gripe is the price.

@Why would you target netbooks at schools

Most primary schools don't have a spare romo available for a computer suite (or at the very least have ideas of much better uses for it) plus moving kids too and from a computer suite wastes half the lesson. Many schools already have trolleys of full size laptops which they take to the classroom and have the kids work at their desks on the laptops. Netbooks take far far less space (therefore much easier to store securely) and are safer for the kids to carry (they are less likely to drop a light weight netbook than a full size laptop). Also they fit on cramped desks much easier. The keyboard is also likely to be a much better size for childrens hands. All in all I can see many head teacher being pursuaded by the ease of storage, portability and price (compared to the price they would expect a normal laptop to cost) and I think that Dell may be onto a winner here (regardless of the ergonomic issues of children bent over a small laptop at ill suited desks).

boxy looks?

ODFO! its a goddamn basic laptop and it looks fine for my work even

pirate as just about everyone has hit the good ship netbook Yaaar

Ruggedized?

Is it toughened? I actually work in as an IT tech in a secondary school, and I know one thing for sure: a small minority of children just love to rip the keys off laptops. And the scissor mechanism and the rubber domes from underneath, totally wrecking them. Lack of an optical drive is nice, because they occasionally get vandalised too.

I'm also of the opinion that the computers only belong in actual IT (schools call it ICT) lessons. There are a few studies out there supporting the idea that computer-based learning is A Bad Thing. And that's in the rare moments when the little darlings aren't just playing brain-dead Flash games, or looking at pictures of motorbikes, mobile phones, shoes, hats or prom dresses.