Month: November 2021

These are 11 of the first Windows 11 SE laptops for K-8 education

Windows 11 SE is a new version of Windows that’s optimized for use in K-8 classroom settings. Designed to run on low-cost hardware and to be easy for school IT administrators to manage, it’s basically Microsoft’s answer to Chrome OS. Laptops that will ship with Windows 11 SE have the kind of specs you’d typically […]

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Windows 11 SE is a new version of Windows that’s optimized for use in K-8 classroom settings. Designed to run on low-cost hardware and to be easy for school IT administrators to manage, it’s basically Microsoft’s answer to Chrome OS.

Laptops that will ship with Windows 11 SE have the kind of specs you’d typically find on an entry-level Chromebook… and they have the prices to match. Microsoft’s own Surface Laptop SE has a $250 starting price, and so do many third-party notebooks. Here’s a roundup of the first 11 laptops expected to ship with Windows 11 SE.

Dynabook E10-S, Lenovo 300w Gen 3, Microsoft Surface Laptop SE

Before we get to the list, a few things to note. First, Windows 11 SE is really an education-only version of Windows. The operating system comes with Microsoft Office pre-installed as well as the Edge web browser. But while the operating system supports Win32 and Universal Windows Platform apps, there’s no Microsoft Store and students won’t be able to install third-party apps. Only school IT administrators can do that.

Microsoft describes Windows 11 SE as a cloud-first operating system, with all data automatically backed up to Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage service. That’s one of the reasons many of these laptop have as little as 64GB of storage.

Theoretically you could take a Windows 11 SE laptop, wipe the operating system, and install another version of Windows (or another operating system entirely, like a GNU/Linux distribution). But because Microsoft knows that this operating system is designed first and foremost for schools, the company does not plan to sell the Surface Laptop SE through retail channels and does not expect any third-party Windows 11 SE notebooks to be sold directly to consumers either.

That said, the company has listed some of the first Windows 11 SE laptops on its website, while some other PC makers have announced plans to offer their own.

Most of the laptops listed below are variations of existing models that are designed or the education market and currently ship with Windows 10 or Windows 11 software. So I was able to find some additional specs and features that were not listed on the Microsoft website, but there’s a chance that some of those features may be subject to change.

It’s also likely that more Windows 11 SE laptops will be announced in January 2022 during the Bett UK education show.

Acer TravelMate B3 Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel display
  • Intel Celeron processor with Intel HD graphics
  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • USB Type-C
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • 3.1 pounds
  • $279 and up

Acer TravelMate Spin B3 Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1920 x 1080 pixel touchscreen display with Corning Gorilla Glass
  • 360 degree hinge
  • Pen support (pen garage in laptop for easy storage)
  • Intel processor with Intel HD 620 graphics
  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • USB Type-C
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • 5MP world-facing camera
  • 3.3 pounds
  • $329 and up

Asus BR1100C Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel display
  • Intel Celeron N4500 with Intel UHD graphics
  • 4GB DDR4 RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • MIL-STD-810H tested design
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 2.0 Type-A, HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm audio, Gigabit Ethernet
  • Anti-bacteria cover
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • 720p webcam with privacy shutter
  • Mono speaker
  • Microphone array
  • Optional 4G LTE support
  • 42 Wh battery
  • 3 pounds
  • $249 and up

Asus BR1100F Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel touchscreen display
  • 360 degree hinge
  • Intel Celeron N4500 with Intel UHD graphics
  • 4GB RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • MIL-STD-810H tested design
  • Anti-bacteria cover
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, USB 2.0 Type-A, HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm audio, Gigabit Ethernet
  • Anti-bacteria cover
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • 720p webcam with privacy shutter
  • 13MP world-facing camera
  • Mono speaker
  • Microphone array
  • Optional 4G LTE support
  • 3.1 pounds
  • $349 and up

Dell Latitude 3120 Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″  1366 x 768 pixel display
  • Intel Jasper Lake
  • 4GB DDR4 RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm audio
  • 1MP webcam
  • WIFi 5 & Bluetooth 5.1
  • 40 Wh battery
  • Drop-resistant chassis
  • 3 pounds
  • $249 and up

Dell Latitude 3120 2-in-1 Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel touchscreen display
  • 360 degree hinge
  • Dragontail Pro scratch-resistant glass
  • Intel Jasper Lake processor
  • 4GB DDR4-2933 single-channel RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, HDMI 1.4, 3.5mm audio
  • 1MP webcam
  • 5MP wold-facing camera
  • WIFi 5 & Bluetooth 5.1
  • 40 Wh battery
  • 3 pounds
  • $349 and up

Dynabook E10-S

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel display
  • Celeron N4020 with Intel HD 600 graphics
  • 4GB or 8GB DDR4 memory
  • 128GB eMMC storage
  • WiFi 6
  • Gigabit Ethernet
  • HDMI, USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A and Type-C ports, headset jack, and microSD card reader
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • Stereo speakers
  • Beam-forming dual microphones
  • 720 webcam
  • Rubber bumpers
  • 45 Wh battery
  • 2.5 pounds
  • $290 and up

Lenovo 100w Gen 3 Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel display
  • AMD 3015e processor with Radeon graphics
  • 4GB DDR4-1600
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • WiFi 5 & Bluetooth 5.1
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A & Type-C, HDMI 1.4b, 3.5mm audio, microSD card reader
  • Spill-resistant keyboard
  • 720p webcam
  • 47 Wh battery
  • 2.7 pounds
  • $269 and up

Lenovo 300w Gen 3 Windows 11 SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel IPS touchscreen display (250 nits) with Corning Gorilla Glass
  • 360-degree hinge
  • AES stylus (and pen garage for storage)
  • AMD 3015e processor with Radeon graphics
  • 4GB DDR4-1600 RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • 720p webcam with privacy shutter
  • World-facing camera
  • WiFi 5 & Bluetooth 5.1
  • Optional 4G LTE
  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A & Type-C, HDMI 1.4b, 3.5mm audio, microSD card reader
  • spill-resistant keyboard
  • 47 Wh battery
  • 2.9 pounds
  • $329 and up

Lenovo 14w Gen 2 Windows 11 SE

  • 14″ 1920 x 1080 pixel display
  • AMD 3105e processor with Radeon graphics
  • Up to 8GB RAM
  • 64GB eMMC storage
  • WiFi 6
  • Webcam with privacy shutter
  • WiFi 5
  • 3.2 pounds
  • $379 and up

Microsoft Surface Laptop SE

  • 11.6″ 1366 x 768 pixel display
  • Intel Celeron N4020 or N4120 processor with Intel HD 600 graphics
  • 4GB or 8GB DDR4 RAM
  • 64GB or 128GB eMMC storage
  • USB Type-A, USB Type-C, 3.5mm audio
  • 1MP webcam
  • 2W stereo speakers
  • WiFi 5 & Bluetooth 5.0
  • 2.45 pounds
  • $249 and up

The post These are 11 of the first Windows 11 SE laptops for K-8 education appeared first on Liliputing.

Google sends anti-regulation propaganda to small businesses using Google Maps

Scary new site tells Google users antitrust limits could “impact your business.”

Let's see, you landed on my "Google Ads" space, and with three houses... that will be $1,400.

Enlarge / Let's see, you landed on my "Google Ads" space, and with three houses... that will be $1,400. (credit: Ron Amadeo / Hasbro)

Google is quietly enlisting the help of small businesses to protect the nearly $2 trillion company from antitrust regulations. In response to congressional bills like the "Ending Platform Monopolies Act," which would ban platform owners from favoring their own services over the competition, Google is telling small business owners that these bills would hurt their ability to find customers online and that they should contact their congressperson about the issue.

We've seen Google do political action before, usually in the form of headline-grabbing blog posts from CEO Sundar Pichai defending the latest product-bundling scheme. The strategy here seems new, though; rather than writing a public blog post, Google is quietly targeting users who have registered business listings on Google Maps. These users report receiving unsolicited emails and an "action item" in the Google Business Profile UI that both link to Google's new anti-antitrust site.

Both the email and Google Business action item beg for a click, saying, "New laws may impact businesses. Proposed legislation could make it harder to find your business online." Both items link to this site, which is full of scary language imploring users to "stay up-to-date on proposed legislation that could impact your business." The site recommends concerned users sign up for Google's new political action mailing list, with the sign-up form saying, "By clicking this button, I consent that Google can contact me about legislative and regulatory issues, events, and advocacy opportunities related to my business."

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Tiny room at Pompeii villa reveals how Roman slaves lived

The room contained 3 beds, a chamber pot, and remnants of tack and chariots.

Tiny room at Pompeii villa reveals how Roman slaves lived

Enlarge (credit: Pompeii Archaeological Park)

Just outside the ancient city of Pompeii, archaeologists recently unearthed a small room where at least three enslaved people lived and worked until Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. The rediscovery of the dreary space near the villa’s stables provides a rare glimpse into the lives of the people at the bottom of the ancient Roman social order.

A small room in a grand villa

When Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman city of Pompeii under meters of ash and pumice, the destruction didn’t stop at the city walls. The Civita Giuliana villa, about 700 meters northwest of the city’s walls, also vanished under dust and rock. Inside the house, a wealthy man and a young laborer—probably enslaved—died together when a pyroclastic flow swept down the volcano’s slopes. Three horses died in the villa’s stables, and archaeologists unearthed their remains in 2018. An ornate ceremonial chariot waited in a nearby portico facing the stables, too late to aid any last-ditch escape attempts.

The layout of the stables, the portico, and the recently excavated "room of the slaves."

The layout of the stables, the portico, and the recently excavated "room of the slaves." (credit: Pompeii Archaeological Park)

Archaeologists have been excavating the villa from beneath layers of volcanic sediment since 2017, and they recently unearthed a small room near the portico and stables, where it appears three people once lived and worked in close, dreary quarters. The three beds of rough wooden planks and rope webbing probably belonged to enslaved people who worked at the villa, according to Pompeii archaeological park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel and his team. No human remains were found in the room, so we have no way of knowing whether its occupants escaped or died elsewhere.

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A quarter of new Volvos are now plug-in hybrids or battery EVs

The Swedish automaker is charging ahead with its electrification plan.

More than one in five new Volvos is a plug-in hybrid, putting the automaker well on its path to an entirely electric range by 2030.

Enlarge / More than one in five new Volvos is a plug-in hybrid, putting the automaker well on its path to an entirely electric range by 2030. (credit: Volvo)

In 2017, Volvo became one of the first automakers to pivot strongly toward electrified vehicles. More recently, it announced that by mid-decade, it wants half of its sales to be plug-in vehicles, with an entirely electric line-up by 2030.

As it turns out, the company is well on its way to making that happen—for the first 10 months of this year, just over a quarter of all new Volvos were electrified. And the automaker isn't fudging the numbers by including 48 V "mild hybrids"—just plug-in hybrid and battery-electric Volvos.

Volvo sold a total of 581,464 cars between January and October of this year, despite supply chain problems that have affected production. Of those cars, 148,068 were either plug-in hybrid or battery electric, with the vast majority (129,803) being plug-in hybrid versions of the 60 series and 90 series vehicles.

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Microsoft Surface Laptop SE is a $250 notebook for education (designed to run Windows 11 SE)

The Microsoft Laptop SE is the most affordable Microsoft Surface device to date, with a starting price of $250. But the 11.6 inch thin and light notebook isn’t meant for the general public – instead it’s Microsoft’s answer to Chromebooks, featuring entry-level specs and shipping with Microsoft’s Windows 11 SE operating system, a new simplified […]

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The Microsoft Laptop SE is the most affordable Microsoft Surface device to date, with a starting price of $250. But the 11.6 inch thin and light notebook isn’t meant for the general public – instead it’s Microsoft’s answer to Chromebooks, featuring entry-level specs and shipping with Microsoft’s Windows 11 SE operating system, a new simplified version of Windows that’s optimized for student and classroom use.

First introduced in November, Microsoft says the Surface Laptop SE is now available for schools to purchase from authorized Microsoft resellers. But it’s not the only option: Microsoft has announced that a number of computers from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo are also now available with Windows 11 SE.

Windows 11 SE is a new simplified version of Windows designed to offer long battery life, enhanced security and streamlined performance for entry-level devices, and simple deployment and management features for school administrators.

It’s also what Microsoft calls a cloud-first operating system. While Windows 11 SE has Microsoft 365 apps including Office pre-installed and ready to use with or without an internet connection, when you are connected to the internet your data will automatically be synchronized to OneDrive so it’s backed up and available on other devices.

Microsoft says we can expect Windows 11 SE devices from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Dynabook, Fujitsu, and other companies early next year, including models with Intel or AMD processors.

But as first-party hardware, the Surface Laptop SE gives us a pretty good idea of what kind of hardware to expect… and it’s pretty similar to Chromebook hardware in a lot of ways.

Surface Laptop SE specs
Display 11.6 inches
1366 x 768 pixels
LCD
Processor Intel Celeron N4020 dual-core
Intel Celeron N4120 quad-core
RAM 4GB DDR4
8GB DDR4
Storage 64GB eMMC
128GB eMMC
Ports 1 x USB Type-C
1 x USB Type-A
1 x 3.5mm audio
1 x DC power input
Camera 1MP front-facing
Audio 2W stereo speakers
Single digital mic
3.5mm audio
Wireless WiFi 5
Bluetooth 5.0
Sensor Hall-effect sensor
Battery “Up to 16 hours of typical device usage”
Security TPM 2.0
Materials Plastic case
Dimensions 11.17″ x 7.6″ x 0.7″
Weight 2.45 pounds

As for Windows 11 SE, it’s a little different from previous attempts by Microsoft to offer a streamlined (and limited) version of Windows, like Windows RT or Windows in S Mode.

But also unlike those operating systems, Windows 11 SE won’t be offered on consumer hardware. At all. It’s a special edition operating system designed specifically for computers sold in the education space – an area where Microsoft has been steadily losing ground to Google’s Chrome OS in recent years.

Also unlike those operating systems, users won’t be limited to running apps from the Microsoft Store. Microsoft says Windows 11 SE does support Win32 and Universal Windows Platform apps, but only a limited selection. And there is no Microsoft Store for Windows 11 SE.

Educators will be able to install some third-party apps like Zoom for video conferencing or Chrome for use as an alternative to Edge as a web browser. But it’s up to IT administrators to determine which apps will be loaded, students cannot install third-party Win32 or Microsoft Store apps.

Microsoft says that a curated set of third-party apps that fall within six categories will be supported, and anything outside of those categories cannot be installed:

  • Content filtering apps
  • Test-taking solutions
  • Accessibility apps
  • Effective classroom communication apps
  • Essential diagnostics, management, connectivity, and supportability apps
  • Web browsers

 

For the most part, Windows 11 SE looks like Windows 11, including the new Start Menu and taskbar experience. But it’s simplified in a few key ways – there are no widgets, and apps launch in full-screen mode by default, and there are few options in Snap Layouts – you can place two apps side-by-side so that each takes up half the screen or one takes up two thirds of the screen and the other uses the remaining space, but that’s about it.

One thing you won’t find on Windows 11 SE laptops? High-end specs. Microsoft notes that the operating system is designed for systems with 8GB of RAM or less and 128GB of storage or less.

Microsoft notes that it’s not going out of its way to restrict sales of Windows 11 SE devices to education customers only, but given that the operating system is designed with this market in mind, the company doesn’t expect retail stores to carry computers loaded with Windows 11 SE.

That said, Microsoft notes that devices that ship with Windows 11 SE should be capable of running the full Windows 11 operating system, so if you happen to get your hands on a cheap laptop like the Surface Laptop SE and find the software experience limiting, the company says you can purchase a license for the version of Windows you want to use, wipe the data on your device and then install Windows 11 Home or Pro.

Just don’t expect it to run all that well on hardware with specs like a Celeron N4020 processor and as little as 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.

This article was originally published November 9, 2021 and last update January 18, 2021. 

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Zuckerberg’s metaverse will invade workers’ privacy, whistleblower says

Meta’s workplace metaverse could force more people to hand over more data.

screen sharing

Enlarge / Facebook/Meta wants its metaverse to be at the center of nearly everything, including work. (credit: Facebook)

Facebook/Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of the virtual reality-fueled future could bring new privacy risks to our homes and workplaces, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen said.

Last month, Zuckerberg announced that he would focus his company on the metaverse. While the concept has many meanings, to Zuckerberg, it’s an “even more immersive and embodied Internet,” where users can meet with friends, connect with colleagues, shop for goods and services, and so on. In other words, Zuckerberg wants to take people’s lives and put them inside a metaverse, preferably one he controls.

To Haugen, that’s a red flag. “Facebook should have a transparency plan for the metaverse before they start building all this stuff because they’ve demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall, they keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety,” she said in an interview with the Associated Press.

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Netflix Gaming starts to look legit with impressive League of Legends spinoff

“Rhythm bombing” from Bit.Trip devs also coming to Switch, PC.

Coming to Switch and PC on November 16 and to Netflix Gaming "soon."

Coming to Switch and PC on November 16 and to Netflix Gaming "soon." (credit: Riot Games)

Last week, Netflix Gaming formally launched in a way we didn't predict when the service was first teased earlier this year. Instead of churning out games for home consoles or creating a cloud-based streaming service a la Google Stadia and others, Netflix opted to create a smartphone-exclusive gaming portal, free to anyone who has a paid Netflix subscription.

What's more, Netflix Gaming's day-one library consisted entirely of games that had previously launched on Android, with a mix of licensed Stranger Things games and generic tap-action smartphone fare. But game development exec Mike Verdu teased more to come: "Just like our series, films, and specials, we want to design games for any level of play and every kind of player, whether you're a beginner or a lifelong gamer," he said at the time.

Ziggs is ready to bomb to the beat.

Ziggs is ready to bomb to the beat. (credit: Riot Games)

Today, Netflix takes the wraps off a more interesting game for its smartphone-only service: a previously unannounced League of Legends spinoff with promising gameplay and serious developer pedigree.

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The latest Surface is a $250 laptop that takes a swing at cheap Chromebooks

Stripped-down laptop ships with the cloud-centric Windows 11 SE.

Microsoft's Surface Laptop SE.

Enlarge / Microsoft's Surface Laptop SE. (credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft's next Surface device is the company's latest and most direct attempt to compete with Chromebooks in schools. The $250 Surface Laptop SE is a low-end, 11.6-inch laptop made for basic browsing, document editing, and remote learning. The Surface Laptop SE runs Windows 11 SE, a cloud-focused version of the operating system that preserves the basic look and feel of Windows 11 but allows school IT admins to control which apps are installed and keeps most files and user settings in the cloud rather than on-device.

The Surface Laptop SE's specifications are uninspiring, and I have my doubts about whether its processor is sufficient for classroom Zooms with dozens of students in them. But the hardware is also about what you'd expect from similarly priced Chromebooks; the machine has a dual-core Intel Celeron N4020 or quad-core Celeron N4120 processor, integrated graphics, 4 or 8 GB of RAM, and 64 or 128 GB of storage. It weighs 2.45 pounds and includes one USB-A port, one USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a proprietary power connector. A netbook-esque 11.6-inch 1366×768 screen, a 720p webcam, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity round out the key specs. This is all largely consistent with leaks from late last month.

One detail that Microsoft provided more information on was repairability. While recent Surface devices have made use of user-replaceable storage and a few other parts, the Surface Laptop SE is meant to be simple to repair. According to Microsoft, "vital components like the display, battery, keyboard—even the motherboard—can be easily repaired onsite, saving time and money for IT admins and schools."

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