HP's Mini 100e Education Netbook Is Built For Spills

Who would have guessed years ago that an entire sector of laptops could be created just for education, and then regular consumers would go out and buy them for themselves? That's practically what happened with the OLPC XO and netbook craze, and amazingly, it's all still going strong. HP has been a huge player in the netbook market, and today they're introducing yet another small notebook. This one's an education-focused Mini netbook designed to help schools around the world acquire affordable, reliable computing technology, and it goes by the name Mini 100e.

The e, of course, stands for education. And much like Intel's Classmate PC, this unit has lots of cute curves and is designed to withstand the beatings from typical class-to-class transfers. The 100e comes loaded with Office 2010 as well as Microsoft Math and Microsoft Security Essentials, and there's even a spill-resistant keyboard and an easy-to-see LED that indicates when the PC is connected to a network, thereby enabling better instructor monitoring.


The clamshell unit weighs 3.19lbs. and has a 10" WSVGA display, 92% full-size keyboard a VGA webcam a customizable back panel, keyboard deck and bottom case as well as an Intel Atom N455 CPU, Intel NM10 Express chipset, 1GB of DDR3 memory and 3- or 6-cell batteries. HP will ship these with WinXP Home, Win7 Starter or SuSE Linux. The 100e will be available globally in July, and while pricing will be based on a per-deal basis, it's expected to cost less than $300 per device.

 HP Introduces Affordable Mini Netbook for Schools

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HP (NYSE:HPQ) today announced an education-focused Mini netbook designed to help schools around the world acquire affordable, reliable computing technology.

    “HP is committed to helping schools adapt to students’ changing needs and to creating solutions that provide better interactivity, connectivity and learning”

The HP Mini 100e Education Edition features a modern, innovative design with the durability and functionality essential for classroom computing. Complete with an array of hardware and software tools, the HP Mini 100e aims to close the digital divide by offering students and teachers an interactive learning experience at an affordable price.

“HP is committed to helping schools adapt to students’ changing needs and to creating solutions that provide better interactivity, connectivity and learning,” said Dan Forlenza, vice president and general manager, Business Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. “The HP Mini 100e is an affordable, feature-rich device that helps ensure every student has the tools needed for success in their academic endeavors.”

The HP Mini 100e includes productivity, education and security software from Microsoft, such as Microsoft® Office 2010,(1) Microsoft Math and Microsoft Security Essentials.

In addition to the learning software, the HP Mini 100e also features a spill-resistant keyboard helping to ensure greater protection against spills and higher reliability in the classroom as well as an easy-to-see LED that indicates when the PC is connected to a network, thereby enabling better instructor monitoring.

The HP Mini 100e offers optional Wi-Fi Certified WLAN(2) as well as an integrated worldwide modem that is compatible in all countries with the V.92 standard. This enables dial-up internet connection(3) in remote areas so students can easily connect to the web anywhere there is internet service available over a phone line.

HP Mini for the classroom

Created to seamlessly integrate into education environments, the HP Mini 100e features a practical clamshell design starting at only 3.19 pounds. Its 10.1-inch diagonal LED-backlit WSVGA display, 92 percent of full size QWERTY keyboard and an integrated carrying handle allow for maximized comfort and efficiency in the classroom and on the go.

It also includes separate headphone and MIC ports to allow the Mini 100e to easily connect to other devices, along with a VGA webcam(4) that offers enhanced sound quality and reduced echo in virtual conferencing, language courses and interactive multimedia classroom sessions.

Built with added durability features for the classroom environment, the HP Mini 100e includes strong metal alloy hinges with steel pin axles. The Mini 100e also features a customizable back panel, keyboard deck and bottom case – exclusive to HP Minis – allowing customers to personalize their units with their school logo, motto or a picture for added security and personalization.

The HP Mini 100e boasts a wide array of technologies in a tiny package, including a low-power Intel® Atom N455 processor(5) and Intel NM10 Express chipset, enabling the unit to run cooler, use less power and help improve battery life compared to its predecessor. It offers 1 gigabyte (GB) of DDR3 memory for faster data transfer, along with optional flexible battery solutions, including three or six-cell battery options.(6)

Catering to varying education environments, the HP Mini 100e offers Windows® XP Home, Windows 7 Starter(7) or SuSE Linux (SLED 11) operating systems.

A variety of accessories are also available for the HP Mini 100e, to further improve the productivity of students in the classroom and on the go, including:

    * HP Slip Case
    * HP Optical Mouse
    * HP Combo Lock
    * HP Student Edition Youth Backpack
    * HP External USB Optical Drive

Pricing and availability

The HP Mini 100e will be available worldwide in July. Pricing will be set on a per deal basis and is not expected to exceed $300 per unit.(8)

More information about the HP Mini 100e and its accessories, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal