Acer Chromebook C7 Notebook Aims at Educators, Students

The notebook, which offers an 11.6-inch HD widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit LCD display, also boasts a boot time of less than 18 seconds.

Computer maker Acer is looking to extend its reach into the education market with the release of the C7 Chromebook model for its commercial customers, which features automatic updates so students have the latest software version and protection against online threats.

Chromebooks run Google's Chrome operating system (OS) and are designed to be used while connected to the Internet, supporting applications that reside on the Web. The OS has security features built in to defend against malware and viruses, and the available Web-based management console lets administrators set up and manage users, apps and policies across all Chromebooks in the network.

The C710-2055 Chromebook for U.S. customers is powered by a six-cell battery that provides up to six hours of life and is powered by an Intel Celeron 847 processor (2MB L3 cache, 1.10GHz, DDR3 1,333 MHz) and 4GB of RAM. Students and teachers can also use Chrome Web Store apps to find additional educational applications for enhanced learning.

Now at retailers and from authorized Acer resellers for $279.99, additional configurations are also available in the C7 Chromebook line. The C7 comes with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. The company noted all its Chromebooks are backed by toll-free service and support.

The notebook, which offers an 11.6-inch HD widescreen CineCrystal LED-backlit LCD display, also boasts a less-than-18-second boot time and can almost instantly resume from sleep mode. The C7 Chromebooks can connect to campus wireless networks with integrated 802.11b/g/n WiFi capabilities, while Google Docs allows users to share and collaborate on school projects such as presentations and reports that incorporate input from several students.

The Chromebooks also come with Google Drive, an online file storage service, so students and teachers can save and access their files online and won't need to back up manually. Teachers and students can also access files as well as create and edit Google Docs and use Gmail offline. Multimedia can be incorporated into student learning with the C7's integrated HD 1.3-megapixel Webcam. Rounding out the package are three USB 2.0 ports and a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port for sharing video and content to external displays for a presentation.

"Chromebooks are an ideal option for schools and districts that want to quickly implement a technology program that will significantly enhance student learning," Gregg Prendergast, vice president of U.S. commercial sales for Acer America, said in a statement. "The Acer C7 Chromebook delivers the advanced capabilities that will help students excel in all areas of their education. In addition, the Acer C7 Chromebook is incredibly affordable as a stand-alone product, and even more affordable when schools consider the reduced total cost of ownership, thanks to its manageability and security features."