If conventional Tablet PCs are what you’d like to build a digital curriculum around but they are too big and expensive, a mini-tablet just might be just right. Priced at $600, PeeWee PC’s Pivot Tablet Laptop is perfect for small hands and comes with an extraordinarily rich assortment of features and software, making it a classroom bargain.
Size matters, particularly with small children, and the Pivot is one-third smaller and weighs half as much as conventional tablets. In fact, at 3 pounds, it’s on a par with the current generation of netbooks. With its small AC adapter, the Pivot weighs 3.8 pounds.
The white and gray system is an Intel Classmate under the skin. Its flexible carrying handle means that it doesn’t have to travel inside a bag or backpack. Pivot can be personalized for each school or student with a name tag that’s built into the handle. If the handle gets in the way, it can be removed with four small screws.
As a convertible tablet, Pivot easily goes from a traditional keyboard-based notebook to a pen-centric tablet by twisting the screen and folding it flat. On the downside, the 8.9-inch display doesn’t lock into place and the screen is recessed below the surrounding bezel, which can make writing awkward.
The square stylus has a convenient storage place in the side of the case and a hole for a tether so it won’t get lost. Rather than using an electromagnetic touch-screen, which requires a special electronic pen, the Pivot’s resistive touch-screen can be activated with a finger or pencil point. It’s responsive and comfortable to use, regardless of whether the system is held horizontally or vertically and is just as good for drawing a map of Europe as for scribbling notes during a class.
A big step forward for budget tablets is that inside is an accelerometer that automatically changes the screen orientation as the machine is rotated. It’s the closest thing to computer magic, and generally works well, although sometimes it misses.
While the screen and pen get a lot of attention, the keyboard is a dream come true for schools. It’s been designed to stand up to small spills but its 16mm keys are just right for elementary and middle schoolers. They will prove to be too small for teachers and many high-school students, however.
The rest of the system is no slouch either with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 60GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM, but no optical drive. Its assortment of ports is adequate with a pair of USB, external monitor, microphone, headphone and a SecureDigital flash card reader.
Communications shouldn’t be a problem with both wired Ethernet and wireless 802.11b, g and n WiFi networking that has a range of 95-feet, plenty for even the largest classroom. Above the screen is a 1.3 megapixel Web cam that takes surprisingly good photos and rotates 180-degrees.
It all adds up to a system that performs well with a variety of school software. On Passmark’s Performance 7.0 benchmark, the Pivot scored a 229.9, putting it on a par with many netbooks, but its 7,200 milli-amp hour battery pack ran for 4 and a half hours of use. This allows kids to leave the AC charger at home.
While many notebooks provide software that kids will rarely – if ever – use, Pivot comes with the best mix of educational programs. On top of Windows XP Home, Works 9, Art Rage and a variety of utilities, each system comes with a range of age-appropriate titles and themes that replace the standard Microsoft ones. It does lack Microsoft’s OneNote program, which is included on more expensive tablets.
The Pivot comes with a 1-year warranty, but rather than being a delicate device, it more rugged and has been designed to stand up to the daily abuse that school-children mete out. In other words, the Pivot should fit right into any classroom.
A
PeeWee PC Pivot
$600
+ Small and light tablet
+ Responsive pen
+ Good performance and excellent battery life
+ Software
+ Handle with name tag
- No screen latch
- Screen is below surface of case
