Laptops are easily broken. Just one spilled soda, or one dropped computer can spell disaster. There are some ruggedized machines, but they’re pretty expensive. The Panasonic ToughBook, for example, is a military-grade machine that packs a premium pricetag.
For budget-conscious, yet accident-prone consumers, there’s a new option: Acer’s rugged Chromebook 11 N7.
This 11-inch laptop has been tested to, and meets, the U.S. MIL-STD 810G standard. It can survive drops of up to 4 feet; rounded corners; packs a spill-resistant keyboard with ruggedized, rubber keys; and can withstand a staggering 132 pounds of force on the top of the laptop.
So, if you accidentally stand on this bad boy, chances are that it’ll survive unscathed.
This comes at a price though. Firstly, it’s damn heavy, weighing a staggering 2.98 pounds, or roughly the same as a 13-inch MacBook Air. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but remember, this is an 11-inch laptop.
It also comes with a reasonably large pricetag, costing $229. While still affordable, it’s important to note that you’re paying for the ruggedness, and not performance. As a result, it packs some pretty uninspiring specs.
Intel Celeron N3060 CPU (1.6 to 2.4GHZ TurboBoost)
11.6-inch screen (1366×769)
16 to 32GB of storage
Up to 4GB RAM
4090mAh battery
720p webcam
802.11ac Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
Ports wise, it’s pretty standard fare. There’s two USB 3.0 ports, as well as the usual Kensington lock, headphone jack, and so on.
The Acer Chromebook 11 N7 will cost $229 in the US, and €299 everywhere else. It’ll undoubtedly do well in the education market, as well as with clutzes tired of replacing their machine every few months. But everyone else would do well looking elsewhere.
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Xiaomi announces its first wearable device, a $13 fitness band
Popular Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has joined the wearables fray as it unveiled today its very first wearable device, a fitness band for only CNY79 ($13).
The Mi Band features sensors for tracking various health metrics and can even act as an alarm clock.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun took to the stage today to show off the fitness band, explaining that he had tried a lot of competing similar devices in the past but none ever stuck. In a snub to its competitors, Lei said that Xiaomi has striven to make the Mi Band stand out with a few key features — in particular, it can last 30 days on a full charge, and is waterproof with an IP67 standard.
Related: We go hands-on with the Mi Band
Another nifty feature is that the Mi Band can even unlock a Xiaomi smartphone, eliminating the inconvenience of having to key in your password multiple times a day.
Strangely enough, Lei barely touched on the “fitness” aspect of the Mi Band though.
There’s no doubt that Xiaomi is competing mainly on price as it hopes for this new fitness tracker to appeal to its loyal fan base. However, as wearables start taking off, the Mi Band with its long battery life, several designs and attractive price, looks set to be popular even beyond Mi fans.
Lei revealed future plans for the Mi Band include making it into a personal ID — so it can unlock your door when you come home, or switch on smart appliances and gadgets, for example.
Lei also has bold ambitions for the gadget to be the “world’s most popular fitness band” — let’s see what will happen as it goes on shelves, as Lei didn’t reveal any specific dates for when it will start going on sale, not to mention international launch plans.
Don’t miss – Xiaomi unveils its new flagship smartphone, the Mi 4
Ideal Gifts: The Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker packs a punch
In the Ideal Gifts series, The Next Web team shares personal recommendations for gifts to give this holiday season.
Stripping back, simplifying and cutting down on clutter has been one of my main goals over the past few years. No longer is there a need for shelves upon shelves of CDs, when Spotify can take care of all my music needs.
Similarly, while I once explored the best home sound systems to listen to these aforementioned CDs on, it ultimately became too much of a hassle when moving home. Plus, the benefits of the expense would usually be confined to a single room in my house.
So it was against this backdrop that I went searching for the best portable Bluetooth speaker on the market, one that wouldn’t break the bank but still give a lot of bang for my buck.
While I originally had my sights set on a Jawbone Jambox Mini , my research continuously suggested that they weren’t the best for anything other than solo listening – so, not great for parties, in other words. I also kept seeing the Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker mentioned as an alternative, though it was around $70 more expensive.
I arranged a demo of both speakers at a local department store, and my mind was made up within about 30 seconds – the Bose was a no-brainer.
I’ve lost count of the number of times friends, family, tradesmen and other random visitors have looked on in surprise when they discover the bass-y sounds emanating from a room were in fact coming from this miniscule, compact little rectangular box. It really does pack a tremendous punch, especially when you consider its size – 5.1cm (H) x 18cm (W) x 5.8cm (D).
I take it around the house with me, and can easily pack it away in my suitcase when going on holiday. As with most group vacations I venture on, there are sporadic ‘friendly’ skirmishes among those who have brought their own speakers, but the Bose usually wins out in the end. It’s probably the best $200 I’ve spent.
➤ SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker [$199.95 from Bose]