Products
Product: RM Slate (Windows)
4/1/2011 By:
www.rmeducation.com/us Retail price: $694; $749 with RM Easiteach Next
Generation teaching tools and RM Podium 2.0 podcasting software
By Carol S. Holzberg
The RM Slate is a Microsoft
Windows 7 touch-sensitive
tablet equipped with
Windows 7 Home Premium
and a full complement of
components, including
a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom
processor, two gigabytes
of RAM, an 11.6-inch display,
integrated Bluetooth 2.1
and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
for connectivity, plus a
front-facing 1.3 megapixel
Webcam.
Quality and Effectiveness:
The RM Slate
measures 11.61x7.67x.55 inches and weighs 2.19 pounds, so
it’s slightly larger and somewhat heavier than either the
first- or second-generation iPad. The display has a glossy
capacitive multi-touch screen with 1,366 x 768 resolution
and an accelerometer for screen orientation and is clear,
bright, and responsive to touch. Users can rotate the device
from landscape to portrait and vice versa.
The touch-sensitive screen supports many intuitive finger
movements, including single and double tapping, dragging,
flicking, pinching, expanding, and rotating. A Windows
Pen and Touch Control Panel has options for adjusting
Pen, Flick, Handwriting, Touch, and Panning settings. To
use handwriting options, you must first train the device to
recognize your handwriting style. Purchasing the optional
stylus for this task is probably a good idea, because it is
somewhat difficult to write with a finger.
Ease of Use: If you already know your way around
Windows 7, you won’t have any problems transitioning to
the RM Slate. Users can grow the keyboard display to make
the keys larger. Alternatively, they can display the keyboard
without the Home, PgUp, End, PgDn, and Insert keys to
save screen real estate. Keys light up as they are pressed to
facilitate typing. Word prediction built into the device often
shortens the typing task. If users prefer, the keyboard will
swipe out of the way when not in use and display an icon for
easy access in the System Tray. The RM Slate easily connects
to a Wi-Fi network and links to Skype voice and video calls.
Creative Use of Technology: Notable features on this
Windows-based PC tablet include support for Bluetooth 2.1
with EDR . A light sensor on the back automatically adjusts
screen brightness based on
ambient light. An embedded
lithium-ion polymer
two-cell battery powers
the device for three to five
hours, depending on computing
tasks. Battery charging
(when the device is off)
takes about 143 minutes.
The device requires about
40 seconds to start up and
reach the Windows desktop
from a cold boot.
Suitability for Use in a
School Environment:
Schools and districts that
have standardized on
Windows will appreciate this Windows 7 computer. The
base unit includes all software that typically comes with a
Windows computer. None of the installed applications are
designed especially for K–12. RM does market an optional
Educational Bundle—RM Easiteach Next Generation, RM
Podium 2.0 podcasting solution, and RM Sonica for Englishlanguage
learners.
Top Features
¦ The multi-touch tablet can be used as an
alternative to a Windows PC, because
it will run Microsoft Office, Adobe
Flash, and other familiar Windows
applications.
¦ Each user can have their own log-in,
so teachers can tailor applications and
desktop tools to individual users.
¦ USB and mini HDMI connectors make
it easy to link to a host of peripherals,
while SD- and SIM-card slots permit
expansion.
Overall Rating
The RM Slate is a slick, sleek Windows 7 learning
pad with a built-in Webcam and rubberized anti-slip
backside. It doesn’t come cheap, though.