STACK #183 Jan 2020

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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tasks – Chromebooks are a great starting point. For application versatility, tablets are the next logical choice. From there, laptops and laptop 2-in-1s are closer to traditional computing with greater potential resources for more advanced tasks like faster photo editing and video editing that will make a device sound less like a jet engine during take-off as it tries to stay cool. USB sticklers Short for the unglamorous and

non-descriptive ‘universal serial bus’, the versatility of USB ports are still handy despite the wireless zeitgeist. They’re useful for connecting external devices like keyboards, mice, hard drives. Sometimes USB ports can be used to charge things like tablets and phones. You’ll find them most commonly on laptops, 2-in-1s and Chromebooks. Tablets, on the other hand, may be restricted to a single (sometimes proprietary) port that’s primarily meant for charging.

day, weight becomes an important factor. Generally speaking, laptops and 2-in-1s tend to be heavier than Chromebooks and tablets. Also, the bigger the screen, the heavier the device tends to be. Sunny screens Lighter devices like Chromebooks and tablets tend to have smaller screens than their laptop and 2-in-1 counterparts. Lower screen resolutions, depicted as horizontal pixels by vertical pixels (e.g. Full HD equals 1920x1080), are more noticeable on bigger screens. Though usually more expensive, higher-resolution screens are also easier on the eye, so if your child is studiously chasing dux accolades with some serious hours of screen time, that’s worth factoring in too. Practical applications It’s important to understand what exactly your kid needs the device for. If it’s for basic word processing and web browsing – or if you want to better restrict them to those

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days tend to shun an Ethernet port in favour of the convenience of wireless connectivity. For the devices we’re focusing on here, this equates to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as standard (including all our recommendations overpage). There’s an alphabet soup of Wi-Fi standards, but the technology tends to be backwards compatible. Translation: while devices with older Wi-Fi may not achieve full wireless speeds, they’ll still work. The same is true of Bluetooth, except that’s more useful for connecting additional complementary devices like compatible wireless headphones, keyboards and mice. Weighty options If your kid’s going to be lugging this around all day, every school

Device differences They may look alike, but there are key differences between tablets, laptops and Chromebooks. Tablets are lightweight with touchscreens and great battery life. Augment them with a keyboard for practical versatility. For ultimate versatility, though, opt for a laptop, which tend to be more powerful devices with greater storage capacity and a Mac or Windows OS that offers a greater range of software applications. Chromebooks sit between tablet and laptop, with solid battery life, speedy powering-on and automated security controls.

Cracking the Chromebook code Chromebooks are built for pupils who spend a lot of computer time online. They may look like laptops, but these Google-powered devices are actually quite different in how they operate. For starters, Chromebooks tend to be quite affordable. They also power on incredibly quickly for faster use. Battery life tends to edge closer to a full day of studious use, while their slim design makes them lightweight and portable. Specific to protecting pupils, Chrome OS includes inbuilt anti-virus and anti-malware protection to keep a Chromebook protected

from malicious internet nasties. These security systems – as well as relevant apps and the operating system – are also designed to automatically and invisibly update when connected to the internet. On top of this, depending on the age of your Chromebook-wielding student, there’s also the option for parental controls (via supervised accounts) for limiting or tracking online activities. Because Chromebooks are built with the Google architecture in mind, this means they can also seamlessly sync apps and passwords with Chrome browsers across devices: smartphones, tablets, PCs, etcetera. They also tend to include Google Drive storage space, which is effectively a cloud-based hard drive.

Lenovo 100e This entry-level Chromebook operates on Chrome OS and is a solid starting point for less-demanding studious tasks. Despite the budget price, the Lenovo 100e still packs a webcam and four USB ports (two USB 3.0 and two USB-C 3.1). The CPU and RAM are okay but not flash, while the 1366x768 11.6-inch display and limited 32GB of internal

HP x360 14 Cheekily, this Chrome OS Chromebook operates with a 2-in-1 function, care of clever 360-degree hinges that lets you rotate the

HP x360 12 Despite the smaller 12-inch 1366x912 touchscreen, this different HP x360 Chromebook is designed with more grunt. While it matches the 14-DA0000T in terms of 8GB RAM And 64GB internal storage, it’s the quad-core CPU that boosts the Chrome64 OS-powered system. It

screen to the base for tablet mode. It has a Full HD 14-inch touchscreen, too, on top of a decent dual-core CPU, 8GB RAM for respectable multitasking potential, and 64GB of internal storage. There’s also a MicroSD card reader, wide-vision HD webcam and three USB ports to round out the package.

also includes newer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware, as well as a MicroSD card reader, wide- vision HD webcam, three USB ports, and respectable B&O dual speakers.

storage make this less a multitasking

powerhouse and more a single-function study machine.

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JANUARY 2020

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