Microsoft Partners Bring More Always Connected PCs to Education

Microsoft is touting some new education-focused Always Connected PCs ahead of the BETT UK 2020 conference.

“These new devices, which will ship this summer, are our most affordable Connected PCs yet with all the capabilities of Windows and Office and can be used anywhere there is cellular service,” a Microsoft representative told me. “These devices will save schools thousands of dollars in server infrastructure and startup time, and help the more than 1.15 billion students in rural and emerging markets around the world connect to the internet for the first time or dramatically improve their current connection.”

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Microsoft has been pushing Always Connected PCs in education since last year, but this year they have two new models to tout, and they are less expensive than previous offerings. So in addition to the Huawei Matebook E, Lenovo C630 Yoga, Maibenben Xioamai X228, Microsoft Surface Pro X, Samsung Galaxy Book 2, and Samsung Galaxy Book S, educational institutions can now consider the JP.IK Turn T101 (which starts at just $299) and the Positivo Wise N1212S (which starts at $575).

“The Turn T101 and Wise N1212S are the first of our Connected PCs to be built and priced especially for education,” Microsoft notes. “Stay tuned in the coming months as we continue to expand this category of devices which offer huge perks to all schools, especially in rural or emerging markets.”

Microsoft also tells me that Windows 10 is now “the number one platform of choice for K-12 schools,” with over 100 million students now learning on Windows 10 PCs.

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Conversation 3 comments

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    16 January, 2020 - 2:25 pm

    <p>When do we see these kinds of prices for mainstream systems? As of now, ARM systems have no benefits over modern Intel and AMD machines. If they were considerably cheaper than x86 systems, they might have a reason to exist…</p><p><br></p><p>… But at this point, I don't think they do. It's like paying for a Lincoln Continental and getting a Crown Victoria instead. Sure it's the same frame and drives just as well (poorly?) but it's still inferior.</p>

  • SvenJ

    16 January, 2020 - 4:56 pm

    <p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">anywhere there is cellular service' that you pay for. Sure you pay for WiFi, wired internet too, but cell is generally much more expensive and just as scarce in those rural areas they taut this for. At least at a performance level that makes it useful. I just don't see rural school districts ponying up for 50-100 cell data plans. I don't see cell companies giving them a break. They don't even give guys fighting forest fires a break, until it hits the media.</span></p>

    • jchampeau

      Premium Member
      16 January, 2020 - 7:31 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#513785">In reply to SvenJ:</a></em></blockquote><p>It isn’t for the US. It’s for countries like Mexico or African countries where the government owns or controls the cell networks.</p>

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