Acer unveils TravelMate B117 rugged notebook

Acer will be launching the 11.6-inch TravelMate B117 by the end of this month for parts of Europe starting for 250 Euros. Its features are designed for student and classroom use including an indicator LED system on the outer lid that can give various signals to the teacher depending on the student activity.

TravelMate B117 with Acer TeachSmart

The TravelMate B117 will be Acer's first notebook with Acer TeachSmart, which is a collection of features and Cloud solutions to aid teachers in classroom interactions, digital management, and teaching materials. Acer TeachSmart was shown in action earlier this year at the British Educational Training and Technology Show in London. 

4-color status LEDs on outer lid of notebook

The upper left corner of the back of the display houses a series of LED lights that will flash or change colors depending on the onscreen content. Thus, teachers can quickly glance at the LEDs without needing to see the actual screen. The lights will also be handy for multiple choice tests and other tasks requiring active participation.

Solidly built for the school day

The B117 will be 22.3 mm thick and with a weight of 1.35 kg. Extra chassis features include rubber edges for better protection against bumps and drops and a spill-resistant keyboard. According to Acer, the display hinges have been tested to last for up to 25000 cycles and the outer lid itself can withstand a load of 60 kg.

Multiple SKUs of the TravelMate B117

Specifications will vary depending on the B117 model. Users can choose between an Intel Pentium or Celeron with integrated HD Graphics, up to 4 GB DDR3L RAM, and up to a 1 TB HDD or 256 GB SSD. Standard features include 802.11ac WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, SD reader, and HDMI with HDCP support.

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