I got a Dell Mini 9 and have been comparing it to the eeePC. I’ll do a more detailed analysis later, but here are my first impressions:

• I was surprised that the Mini is nearly the same form factor and size as the eeePC. (I expected it to be larger.)
• The 9″ screen of the Mini is a vast improvement over the 7″ screen of the eeePC. (Note that Asus is phasing out the 7″ screen. But for those of you who have one, the extra 2″ makes a huge difference.)
• The keyboard on the Mini is not a lot bigger than the eeePC, but, for me, is much easier to type on. The keys don’t stick as much as the eeePC.
• I have previously been discouraged by the rampant change in the eeePC product line and the number of models. This is hard for schools to deal with. Having worked with schools extensively in the past, I was optimistic that the line from Dell would be more stable. It does have fewer models; however, I recently heard that they are phasing out the 9″ Mini already, after having just introduced it. Hmmm…

Overall, I think these mini-laptops are a great opportunity for schools to integrate technology through one-to-one programs. At prices as low as under $300, this may finally be the path to meaningful change if this technology is coupled with sound instructional strategies and foreward thinking policy.

More on mini-laptop comparisons and mini-laptop use in schools available here.

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A new wave of EETT money that was included in the latest stimulus plan could provide fast funding for this type of technology.

See this new rundown of many of the most popular mini-laptop models.

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In particular, Asus seems to be coming out with new models all the time. Many are listed on their web site, though many don’t seem to be shipping yet, and a few are already being discontinued. Here are a few highlights of what I see in their product line:

* The 7″ models appear to be being phased out in favor of the new 9″ and 10″ models. (A possible exception to this is the 7″ 701SD.)
* The low end pricing seems to be hovering a little under $349, while the upper end models are going as high as $699. (There are rumors of a new $249 device in 2009.)
* Some new longer life batteries are coming out, addressing one of the criticisms of this device.

As it relates to school purchases, I worry about how much this product line is changing. It is difficult to start a one-to-one project with one model and then have to change models repeatedly as the program grows. On the other hand, this is the nature of mobile technology (especially when it’s geared toward the consumer market, which is almost always). More features, lower costs, more change … it’s a blessing and a curse.

It is will be interesting to see how stable Dell’s Inspiron Mini line is. (They don’t even seem to be shipping yet. Anyone used one?) Right now, the limited number of options and the general stability of Dell’s product line seems pretty appealing.

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HP has called theirs a mini-notebook.

The term UMPC (ultra-mobile PCs) does not apply to these devices, but rather to the very small (and very expensive) tablets that run Microsoft’s Origami OS.

I’ve recent seen these devices called ULPCs — ultra-low cost PCs. That’s a name that makes sense to me.

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As the prices come down a bit (I think $300 is the sweet spot for education), these devices might be a good solution for a one-to-one computing device, falling somewhere between a handheld and a laptop. I am particularly interested in how Web 2.0 applications runs on these and what other educational programs are available.

Stay tuned for more on these new devices and their use in the classroom.

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This had gotten me thinking a lot about a couple topics:

1. How electronic resources can be more effective than textbooks to engage kids and especially to differentiate instruction

2. How the future of 1-to-1 computing for schools is shaping up

I think that both of these are critical if we’re going to be successful in engaging kids. I’ll write more about the first topic in another post. Regarding the second topic, there are a lot of new devices shipping, including things like the XO computer, the Eee, the Kindle, the iPod Touch, etc.

I think the keys to a solid device for education are:

– Low cost (under $300 seems to be a key price point for schools)
– Long battery life (at least 6 hours)
– Multimedia capability (audio and video)
– Capacity for “real” computing (word processing, spreadsheets, presentation — could be via Web 2.0)

There are other features that I’d rate as nice-to-have but not essential like wireless, color, durability, etc.

None of the devices above quite hits all of my “must-have” features, but they are all pretty close. The second-generation releases are likely to be there. Right now, the Eee is probably the closest, though the Kindle is the one that has my attention (in part because I think it may have the longest staying power, which is really critical to schools.) Interestingly, handhelds from Palm and HP — which have been around for years — already have all these features. Alas, though, they are no longer the latest and greatest. (Don’t get me started venting my frustration on how trend-driven technology is, even in schools.)

Some people have said that these devices are too limited for schools because there isn’t textbook content available for them. The more I think about the idea of textbook publishers putting their content on mobile devices though (something I used to look forward to, though it’s probably still a long ways off), the more I don’t think it’s the road to a better future. It’s easy to list reasons textbooks don’t work for most kids — they are huge; they are boring; there is no differentiation; there is little interactivity; the content isn’t comprehensible; etc. etc.

So why would we want that same content in an electronic format?

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