Acer announced the availability of its newest Chromebook for
education customers, the Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) with enhanced durability
features. In addition, it provides long battery life and a fan-less design,
making it an exceptional choice for schools and school districts that want a
reliable, powerful and quiet device for student learning.
“Chromebooks have become
the de facto standard for education technology in many districts around the
country,” said Chris Chiang, Vice President of Product Management at Acer
America. “The new Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) will set the bar even higher for
what schools utilize for their classrooms and labs – a durable design, quiet
fan-less operation and a portable form factor that makes them easy to transport
for 1:1 programs, around the classroom, outside and in the lab.”
According to data from Gartner, Acer Group is the world’s leading
Chromebook brand with over 33 percent market share in 2015[i].
Durable Design
Features Enhance Real-Time Learning
The durability and design features of the Chromebook 11 N7 (C731)
ensure maximum uptime and contribute to reduced IT maintenance. The device
endured rigorous testing to meet the demanding U.S. MIL-STD 810G military standard[ii].
This military specification testing validates the ruggedness, durability and
quality of the Chromebook 11 N7 (C731), so that student learning can take place
in a variety of environments.
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) can handle up to 132 pounds (60kg)
of downward force on the top cover, while the reinforced case and hinges result
in greater resistance to twisting and stress, even if students cram them into
their backpacks. In addition, the corner-shield structure and rubber bumper
keyboard surround further protect the Chromebook, so it can tolerate drops from
heights up to 48 inches (122cm). These features ensure the Chromebook will be
protected whether it takes a tumble while being transported or is accidentally
knocked off a desk. The anti-slip pattern on the rear case makes it easy to
grip and helps prevent it from slipping out of students’ hands.
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) has a spill-resistant keyboard
that provides protection against spills of up to 11 fluid ounces (330ml) of
water. The unique gutter system under the keyboard and touchpad drains water so
that it’s routed away from internal components and out the bottom of the
chassis.
A new feature to the Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) is the keyboard
design with recessed keys that prevent the key caps from being easily removed
by students. In addition, the keyboard was designed for an excellent typing
experience for students, many of whom are still learning keyboarding skills.
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) has a fan-less design that
provides cool and quiet operation, so it doesn’t add noise, even to a whole
classroom of students. Also, reliability is boosted since it doesn’t require
venting that may cause airflow issues and dust accumulation.
Long Battery Life up to
12 Hours, Excellent Performance
Administrators and teachers won’t have to worry about charging
their Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) every evening, since it provides up to 12
hours of battery life, enough for several days of classroom use1.
This long battery life is also ideal for 1:1 programs where students use their
Chromebook throughout the school day, then take it home for homework and fun.
Powered by Intel® Celeron® dual-core processors, the Acer
Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) delivers solid everyday performance.
Touch Display Option,
180-Degree Hinge Promotes Sharing
School administrators can meet their curriculum and budget
requirements with different models of the Chromebook 11 N7. The Acer C731T has
an 11.6-inch IPS touch screen display, while the C731 has a standard non-touch
display. Touch models allow students a heightened level of engagement, since
any webpage or app can benefit from touch gestures in both solo and group
settings. The display has a 1366x768 resolution that ensures sharp and legible
apps and text as well as vivid, clear videos and photos. Also, the Acer
Chromebook 11 N7 (C731)’s hinge is designed to open up to 180 degrees – so it
can lay flat on a table for sharing during certain lessons such as labs.
The slim and portable form factor makes the Acer Chromebook 11 N7
(C731) ideal for use anywhere – at home, school, work and on-the-go. It
measures only 0.87 inches (22mm) thin and weighs only 2.98 pounds (1.35kg).
The Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) will provide additional capabilities
thanks to planned support for Android apps via the Google Play™
Store in the coming months.
Students Stay Connected
Students can stay connected to their campus network with the fast
dual-band 2x2 MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi. The device connects easily to peripherals
via Bluetooth 4.0, two USB 3.0 ports and one HDMI port. Students can plug in
headphones with the 3.5mm combo audio port. Files can be transferred with the
device’s built-in SD card reader.
Sharing and Collaborating
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) supports multiple user sign on to
keep each student’s data safe. Students simply log onto their unique accounts
to ensure their project, Gmail and other information is kept safe, even if the
Chromebook is lost or stolen. Storage on Google Drive[iii]
protects files, documents, and photos safely in the cloud, and ensures that the
most current version is always available. Students can also access files
offline, and even open and edit Microsoft® Office documents as well
as Google Documents.
Easy to Deploy, Manage,
Keep Safe
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) is easy to deploy and manage. IT
administrators will find it easy to make updates, configure apps, utilize
extensions and policies and more with the web-based management[iv].
Students will stay protected since Chrome OS is automatically
updated and guards against ever-changing online threats, such as viruses and
malware. The new Acer Chromebook 11 N7 (C731) has a Kensington lock, so it can
be secured to a wireless cart or lab.
Price and Availability
Several models of the new Acer Chromebook 11 N7 – both the C731
with a non-touch display and C731T with an IPS touch screen display – will be
available with either 16GB or 32GB eMMC storage and 4GB of RAM[v].
It will be available to education and commercial customers in North America in
January with prices starting at $229.99, and in EMEA in February with prices
starting at €299.
Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by
region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in
specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.
[i] Gartner “Market
Share: Devices, All Countries, 4Q15 Update” 16 February 2016
[ii] Tested by
qualified 3rd party labs for certain tests procedure under MIL-STD 810G (Oct
2008) for environmental conditions that include high and low temperatures,
humidity, vibrations, mechanical shocks on drops, rain, dust and sand.
[iii] More information
on Google Drive on Chrome devices: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/2703646?p=driveoffer&rd=1
[iv] Google Console
is sold separately, and/or may require a monthly activation fee.
[v] Accessible
capacity varies: (MB = 1 million bytes; GB = 1 billion bytes)
