Dell Latitude 2100 Student Netbook Launched

Dell has launched the Latitude 2100 educational netbook, featuring a 10.1-inch display, Intel’s Atom CPU and a ruggedized design.

The Dell Latitude 2100 is aimed at K-12 students, as we as “any business or public institution that needs affordable, durable, Internet-ready devices for e-mail and collaboration”.

Along with the 10.1″ 1024 x 576 display with optional touch-screen functionality, and the Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, the 2100 includes 512MB or 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 16GB solid state drive or a traditional HDD with a capacity of up to 250GB, the GMA 950 integrated graphics, and a three- or six-cell battery.

The netbook also sports an optional web cam, stereo speakers, 802.11g or 802.11a/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, a Gigabit LAN port, three USB ports, a 3-in-1 media card reader, and a VGA output.

The Latitude 2100 starts at 2.9 pounds with a 3-cell battery. The ruggedized and ‘rubberized’ netbook is able to absorb “daily bumps and bruises of a crowded playground or backpack” and comes in five colors - School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black, Ball Field Green, Blue Ribbon and Schoolhouse Red. Its bottom is vent-free to avoid intrusion from spills.

The 2100 is available with a personalized window on the back of the battery pack where the school logo or name can be displayed, allowing schools to personalize or easily identify systems. In addition, there’s a Network Activity Light on the netbook’s lid to help teachers monitor network use and “identify students who may be surfing the Internet”.

Available operating system choices are Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows XP Home, and Ubuntu Linux.

The Latitude 2100 has a starting price of $369 at Dell.com.

Dell has announced that customers can also purchase a custom-built Mobile Computing Station, which equips classrooms with a cart to store, manage and network up to 24 netbooks.