| Product
Review: Booq Powersleeve
by Mitchell
Levine
Industry
experts, sophisticated journalists, and intelligent laypeople
agree: the largest deployment of education technology resources
in the history of our school system will occur when the New
York City Department of Education completes its stated goal
of finally reaching the “one-to-one computing standard” in
the hopefully near future.
That
lofty ambition will involve outfitting each student, teacher,
and administrator in the five boroughs with access to some
type of mobile technology. Of course, the most versatile product
class for the market would be the same laptops that were distributed
to middle school teachers last year, about 15,000 in total,
following their deployment to all the fourth graders in ‘02/’03.
But
to provide the benefits these instruments have to offer to
many children whom would not receive access to techno-literacy
otherwise, a number of problems need to be addressed. One major
one is the issue of transport. The students who most need access
to technology, because they’re least likely to have available
in the home, are the ones that live in areas most likely to
create a security risk for a child taking even an inexpensive
laptop home with them, both to the child and the laptop.
On
the other hand, can we honestly say that a child whom only
has the use of a computer in class gets an equal opportunity
to develop critical relevant skills? Of course not! What conceivable
solution could bridge this logistical contretemps, you ask?
The Booq Powersleeve 16, I daresay!
Less
obtrusive and more easily concealed than a hardshell case,
yet more protective than a simple nylon tote, the Powersleeve
provides convenient travel aid for a wide variety of popular
notebook models, including several of those currently used
in the New York schools. Made from tough 1680D ballistic nylon
and sharp-looking nylon ripstop fabrics, with 1/2” high-density
foam padding and seatbelt nylon shoulder straps, it’s practical,
convenient, and affordable. Actually, with its top-loading
design, it can even accommodate the latest 16” active-matrix
wide screens, for those administrators that are considering
purchasing a desktop replacement system.
According
to the manufacturer, the tough nylon construction is not only
highly weather-resistant, but “virtually indestructible,” an
important consideration for anyone who’s ever had to plan for
the most ruggedized deployment scenario of all – students!
The cases also feature auxiliary compartments good for carrying
CDs, floppies, and ZIP disks, as well as room for folders,
texts, and notebooks.
For
under $60 dollars retail – without applying potential discounts
for institutional volume purchases – it’s difficult to see
how a technology buyer planning for fall laptop usage could
go wrong. For more information, or online purchases, log on
to the manufacturer’s site at www.booqbags.com#
Education
Update, Inc., P.O. Box 1588, New York, NY 10159.
Tel: (212) 477-5600. Fax: (212) 477-5893. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of
the publisher. © 2003.
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