In the ever-changing world of modern society, two things remain constant: the youth are constantly barraged with an overexposure to gadgets and adults are struggling to keep up and adapt to connect with the young ones. The trend poses problems not only for parenthood, but for the second home and its educators, too. There’s a disconnected feeling when students reach the classroom and gadgets are not allowed at least in the recreational sense. Schools have already started to incorporate technology into the curriculum by providing their students with tablets for a minimal increase in their tuition. But the general consensus is that school-provided tablets are just substitutes for lugging around heavy (and back-breaking, as schools are wont to say about tablet use) textbooks and notebooks. We haven’t fully harnessed the power that technology can bring to the table when it comes to supplementing education.
We’ve only just begun to touch the tip of the iceberg. Felta Multi-Media Incorporated, a distributor of educational multi-media tools, aims to respond to this growing need for educational integration with the launch of a ruggedized, water-resistant laptop-slash-tablet, the Unite Value 2 in 1, in partnership with Intel Education and Microsoft Philippines.
Regarding the technology inside, the Unite Value 2 in 1 holds its own in terms of specifications. It’s not the fastest or the highest in performance, but it performs perfectly for educational purposes. The processor is an Intel Atom Quad-Core Processor Z3735, with a burst frequency of up to 1.83GHz. Internal memory is a respectable 2GB of DDR3L RAM and 32GB of eMMC internal storage. The tablet half has a 2MP rear camera and a 0.3MP front one. The display is 10 inches with a 1280 x 800 resolution. It’s not a selfie device or a multimedia hub, but the device puts education first with a software package that eases the learning process for learners and educators.
From its partnership with Microsoft Philippines, the Unite Value 2 in 1 comes pre-installed with Windows 8.1. There is no word yet if it can be upgraded to Windows 10 when it comes out later in the year. Intel contributes its Intel Education Software to the learning experience. Besides the multitude of education apps downloadable via the Windows Store, Intel has installed apps like the Education Lab Camera for science exploration, SPARKvue for data analysis, and Classroom Management for a much more efficient learning ecosystem. Security is also an addressed paramount concern because of included security software like Intel Education Theft Deterrent and McAfee Antivirus Plus and Mobile Security. Other third-party apps for note-taking and studying purposes are also available like Kno and the Evernote set of apps.
In the spirit of proper education, Microsoft hopes that the new laptop will provide students with flexibility to learn in the style that best suits them, easy access to the curriculum, preparations for an unknown future, and a safe space to study. But learners aren’t the only components of the learning environment. Microsoft wants to build on educator empowerment as well. They need the flexibility to adapt to students’ needs, access to the relevant lessons, preparation to teach, and the control to manage a classroom. To help with that, Microsoft developed the Microsoft Educators’ Network, which is a free tool to provide educators with the latest apps and technology to teach their lessons in an engaging manner. Educators only have to go to the Network’s website.
The Unite Value 2 in 1 is not available for retail, unfortunately. The only ways to obtain the device is exclusively through the partnered schools or by entering a business-to-business transaction with Felta, which isn’t a narrow option as Felta has said that organizations outside the education sphere have already inquired about the laptop for use in their activities. For reference, the Unite Value 2 in 1 starts at P9,995 and goes up to P20,995.
