Microsoft and Acer are promoting a number of new Windows 10 PCs today. And of them—a low-end laptop that’s arriving in June—looks an awful lot like a Cloudbook. Meaning, a PC running Windows 10 Cloud.
You can see the full list of new Acer PCs at Microsoft’s Windows Experience Blog, along with a separate post about coming Acer gaming PCs.
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But the very first PC on the list really stands out, given the recent rumors about Windows 10 Cloud. As Mary Jo Foley reported recently, this coming new generation of Windows 10-based Chromebook competitors will apparently require a minimum of a quad-core Intel Celeron processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of eMMC (or faster) storage.
The PC that Acer just announced? It features an Intel Celeron or Pentium processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 32 or 64 GB eMMC storage.
Interesting.
Further interesting: It will cost just $219 when it goes on sale in North America in June. And that, folks, is Chromebook pricing.
I think we’re looking at a Cloudbook. Or whatever Microsoft and its partners call this coming generation of low-end, education-focused PCs that will run Windows 10 Cloud (final names TBD).
Other specs on this interesting new Acer include a 14-inch display, 11ac Wi-Fi, one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI port, Ethernet, and battery life of up to 9 hours. The weight is 3.6 pounds, which isn’t fantastic, but customers also get a one-year subscription to Office 365 Personal, which of course includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage.
Seems like it would be, um, perfect for a student. Who, you know, goes to school. And studies. And stuff.
skane2600
<p>Could be a Cloud Book, but the evidence is pretty weak. You can easily buy a Windows laptop for less than $200.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#100901"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>You may be right, but these specs aren't unique in any way that I can see. The only definitive specification would be something like "OS: Windows Cloud". Perhaps we are talking about different things. In the context of this article, "Cloudbook" is defined as a laptop that runs Windows Cloud. If there were other laptops that the manufacturer called "Cloudbooks" it isn't really relevant to this discussion.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#100752"><em>In reply to polloloco51:</em></a></blockquote><p>Is Microsoft certifying that desktop programs download from the store are free of malware or junkware? </p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#100806"><em>In reply to Jack Smith:</em></a></blockquote><p>Many schools don't need to "return" to Windows because they never left. Having said that, the only significant benefit I see for Windows Cloud over a Chromebook is printer support. Schools are probably the last place where you are going to find networked printers. </p>
Bats
<p>Huh? LOL…it doesn't mean a PC running Windows 10 Cloud. Seriously, is this supposed to be new news? Acer has had "Cloudbooks for (as far as I know) over a year now. If you want proof, just go Groupon and search for "Cloudbook." When you do you'll see a Acer Cloudbook for $119. LOL…that's $100 lower than the "interesting" price Paul mentions above. </p><p>What's funny, is that Paul thinks he breaking news here. Maybe he IS, to an ill-informed fanbase, but this stuff has been out for a while.</p><p>And that folks is the real news.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#100988"><em>In reply to Bats:</em></a></blockquote><p>Whether Paul is overloading the term "Cloudbook" or not, the article was speculation that the new Acer laptop might be one that runs Windows Cloud. If you really believe that Paul was talking about Acer's old laptop named "Cloudbook" for no obvious reason (since it had no more connection to the cloud than any PC on the planet.) you are the one who is ill-informed.</p>
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