14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has just scored a very important win in the fight against Chromebooks, as the district of Texas has decided to bring Windows 8.1 devices in rural, low-income schools.
Given the fact that technology isn’t easily accessible in some of the local households, Microsoft has joined forces with local authorities to make Windows 8.1 devices available to students, providing access to a number of productivity solutions, including the famous Office pack of tools.
Willis ISD has decided to adopt ASUS Transformer Book T100 tablets for students and teachers, even though Chromebooks have also been considered as part of the transition to new technology.
"We've gone from the stage of needing a big, powerful computer to needing something that's more simple," says Deborah Menefee, Director of Technology at Willis. "We did look at Chromebooks," she adds. "[And] we did not like the restrictions. It is a totally different atmosphere. They want to know where Word is or where Excel is because that's what they're used to using."
Microsoft is making really big efforts to bring to the market as many affordable Windows 8.1 devices as possible, and in the last few days, we’ve all seen that the company’s collaboration with partners such as Acer and Toshiba is at the core of this strategy.
But what’s more important is that Microsoft needs to act quickly to make sure that it doesn’t lose too much ground, as several other manufacturers have already launched similar affordable devices to the market.
It’s no secret that Chromebooks have grown a lot in popularity lately, and even though Microsoft itself does not consider them real laptops because “they can’t run Office,” more and more users across the world choose them for on-the-go productivity.
The best example of Microsoft’s efforts to bring more affordable Windows 8.1 devices to the market is the Toshiba Encore Mini, a new device presented at IFA 2014, that comes with a 7-inch display and is powered by the company’s modern operating system. IT also features an Intel quad-core Atom CPU fitted with just 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
The most important thing this time, however, is the price, as the Toshiba Encore Mini can be yours for only $119 (90 euros), which makes it pretty much the most affordable Windows 8.1 device on the market right now. Of course, what you pay is what you get, and do not expect to receive premium quality comparable with that of a Surface tablet, but it’s still a sign that everyone can purchase a Windows 8.1 device at really affordable prices.
