I haven’t really used it that much since I have many items saved on my desktop, but I do plan to use it more soon. I agree with the point that with the screen being so small it is hard to read at times, but it is very convenient. I think in the classroom, the benefits are that it is easy to transport and it doesn’t consume so much room.
How to get a notbook to go full screen on a projector
Press Function F8 until your netbook screen is black. Then you will have the full screen, including things that are not displayed on your screen. I had that problem, too.
Teacher Comments
From a Special Education Teacher:
I love the netbook. The only negative is every once in a while the mouse is less responsive. I usually hit escape and it returns to normal function. Not sure why this is happening but it happens regularly…if you have any insight into this, please let me know.
Otherwise, I love it!
Retrospective: Day 1
The netbooks came at 2:10, the fourth graders at 2:15. I wish I had a brain recording for those anxiety ridden minutes. Now, 4 days later, I cannot remember what I was worried about. My lesson memory is all sunshine and rainbows; stars sparkling around students as they zipped through an advanced library catalogue search.
Using Netbooks as Teacher Computers
This is an email I sent out to the 5h Grade Team which I hope will work with me to test these new netbooks as a “Primary Teacher” computer …
Folks,
We have new computers (Dell Inspiron 2100). I’ve been working with them for the past week, and found them faster, more reliable, and with better wireless than the Dell 600 laptops you are currently using.
I’ve built the software configuration and it is bullet-proof and have all the same software as other computers.
The screen is smaller.
I have used them at home with VPN. I’ve have used them with a SMARTBoard and Google Earth. I’ve played Youtube videos without any trouble at all. I’ve used them to run a SMARTBoard, to show Google Earth wirelessly. I’ve downloaded iTunes and it works and powers my new iPod Touch. It worked great, and these are the more power intensive uses we currently have for computers.
Currently, there are very few in the county. They are currently only being used by students. We would like to see how they work with Teachers and would like the 5th grade team (the people on this email) to try them as “teacher computers.”
I’m also going to use one as my primary work computer.
THE BENEFIT FOR YOU: 1) You get a new computer that’s lighter and more powerful than the Dell Laptop you currently have. Classroom teachers can keep their D600 for student use.
THE DOWNSIDE: The screen is smaller and we don’t know where they might not work in the workflow of use as a primary “Teacher Computer.” There are no docking ports for new computers.
THE COST: There is a Teacher Research blog http://netbooks.edustudygroup.com I’m keeping to track anecdotal stories about how these new computer are used well in the classroom and where they have challenges. I’d like those of you who choose to participate to send me your tech requests (and success stories) about using these new computers via that blog so I can track what works and what doesn’t. This is a rough journal for tracking data on a research project–spelling, grammar, presentation doesn’t count. I’d also like to drop by a couple of your team meetings between now and the end of the year to get feedback on how they are working.
VOLUNTARY: This is voluntary. If you choose to try one and it doesn’t work out, you can switch back to a D600.
I believe the future of our technology will be these new computers (which are one third the cost of new laptops) as we move into a difficult budget and have to fund our future tech purchases at the school level.
I’ll be in on Friday and hope I can show you the new computers and see who’s interested in trying them out.
Mark
Netbook Outperforming DIT Expectations
When we were getting ready to purchase netbooks, the Department of Information Technology was analyzing the netbook.
Although the actual evaluator found the netbook, very useful. The “official” word was they were “sub-standard,” unable to perform more than the most rudimentary tasks. Letters were sent to principals outlining the drawback.
I’ve been beating the daylights out of the Dell Latitude 2100 and found it to be very much up to the task. It can do everything the standard work-horse (the Dell 600) which now is the most ubriquatous laptop in the system. The Dell 600 will also be structurally out of date in 12 to 24 months. With the budget cuts currently in play we would probably not be getting the Dell 600s replaced by DIT. As a result we will have to get new technology funded at the school-level.
I believe the Dell Latitude 2100 netbook (150 Gig HD, 2 Gig RAM, 1.6 Ghz processor) running windows xp may be the answer.
I’ve been using one for the past five days (building an image and adding iTunes and a few other high end things to mine) and it has worked so well, I’m not noticing performance issues switching back and forth between my mac powerbook pro and this dell Latitude 2100. I mean, I of course note the screen size and resolution difference. But when doing email, web surfing and such, speed is not an issue with the netbook. One get’s used to the small screen so that’s not so much of an issue, for this user.
I’ve not tried using higher end adobe suite on the netbook. That will be the next test.
M
We’ve received 35 Netbooks
I’m building an image (meaning the software configuration which will go on the netbooks) and testing preliminarily the software before distributing the netbooks. Exciting news is, this thing is very powerful compaired to the Dell 600 laptops which are our workhorses.
The Netbooks, Dell Latitude 2100, are running (at first try) SMARTBoard notebook and Google Earth, even using wireless. Google Earth on a SMARTBoard via wireless is very high end work for a laptop.
Mark