Windows Vista Empowers Students to Stay Mobile, Connected and Educated

With Labor Day just around the corner, students are gearing up to go back to school. Staple items such as pens, pencils, erasers and book bags will be joined — or even replaced — by cameras, camcorders and computer keyboards.

Now more than ever, technology is a key ingredient in students’ lives, in how they access information, and how they connect with their network of friends and family. And it’s just as important in their education, whether they are elementary school students or students heading off to their first year of college. Consider the following statistics about students in the United States from the annual Speak Up surveys conducted by national education nonprofit Project Tomorrow:

• 53 percent of students in grades 7–12 know more of their friends’ instant messaging screen names than they do their phone numbers

• 81 percent of students state that losing Internet access would impact their social life as well as their education

• 97 percent of students in grades 7–12 recognize the importance of technology in their education, 95 percent in grades 4–6 recognize the importance and 82 percent in grades K–3 recognize the importance


Technology That Makes the Grade

So how does exposure to technology impact students, the way they learn, and the way they retain and access information? What tools, technology gadgets and software products are available to help in their pursuit of landing their first job offer, receiving a full-ride scholarship, or attending the end-of-year pizza party?

With hardware that’s Certified for Windows Vista, students might use their laptops to:

• Complete field assignments for Botany 101

• Connect with their lab partners via their Web cam and Windows Live Messenger

• Create a video report using Windows Movie Maker

• Feel close to friends and family by easily tagging, organizing and viewing photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery


These are just a few of the possibilities. And because so many students have grown up creating digital content, surfing the Internet and using instant messaging, scenarios like this will be practically second nature. As familiar as these tasks seem, with Windows Vista there’s now an added layer of protection, putting parents in charge and helping to protect children while on the PC.

Technology can help students of all educational levels feel more empowered and increase their success in the learning process. Using Windows Vista in conjunction with the latest laptops, desktops, printers and cameras can expand the horizon of possibilities even further.

Microsoft has been working with Canon Inc., Nikon Corp., HP and several other companies to design stylish tools and technologies that fit with the connected, on-the-go lifestyle of today’s student, provide them with easier access to the people and information they’re looking for, and motivate them to interact in the learning process.

Following are some of the many Microsoft Windows Vista Certified products that can help equip students for going back to school:





Sony Vaio CR, from $1,140

Not only is the Sony Vaio CR offered in vibrant colors including sangria [red] and cosmopolitan [pink], it’s also ultra-portable for easy travel from class to class. Online activity is enhanced by its 802.11n wireless technology, which enables Web surfing and streaming of digital content that’s four times as fast as 802.11g, the current wireless standard. Wandering the Web is also safe when using Microsoft Internet Explorer 7, because the address bar turns bright green when visiting certified businesses and bright red when a phishing site is unknowingly encountered. With these features, classroom research assignments on the Web or ordering concert tickets from home can be done with peace of mind.






HP tx1000, from $999.99

A flip of the screen transforms the ultra-portable Windows Vista-based HP into a flattened canvas to capture hand-written class notes or drawings. With the optional WWAN (available later this year), Internet access can be available anywhere the user’s cellular carrier’s network exists. Plus, the new Sync Center in Windows Vista helps students synchronize their Windows Vista-based laptop, desktop or devices in one easy-to-use place.






Dell Inspiron 1520, from $769

Available in a multitude of colors – including crimson red, midnight blue, flamingo pink, spring green and more – the elegantly designed Dell Inspiron 1520 is perfect for cool, on-the move students needing to stay connected. With Windows Live Photo Gallery, users can easily tag, organize, share and view photos of friends and family. Plus, the high-resolution UltraSharp display and optional Blu-ray Disc reader deliver a new level of clarity and life-like imagery. An integrated 2.0 Web cam makes for more interactive blogs, messaging and internet chats, and a built-in Wi-Fi catcher and advanced antenna design ensure ease in finding and connecting to the strongest wireless signal available.






Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks

Approximately $99.99

The Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks with Carl Zeiss lenses, premium auto focus, and the ability to record HD videos, adjusts intelligently to produce the best possible images in any setting, while its integrated microphone allows for crystal clear conversation. With Windows Vista parental controls, parents can rest assured that younger students won’t spend too much time online chatting or using programs inappropriate for their age.




Canon PowerShot SD750

Approximately $249

Offered in a sleek silver or black and silver, the 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD750 Digital ELPH includes a 3x Optical Zoom, Canon Genuine Face Detection, red-eye correction features and records movies. For the on-the-move student, it’s extra-durable, with a scratch-resistant coating on its impressive 3.0-inch LCD screen. With Windows Live Photo Gallery, students will have instant access to their photos from any computer with an internet connection.






Nikon D40X DSLR

Approximately $695 with 18-55 kit lens

Nikon’s compact D40X 10.2 megapixel digital camera goes where life takes you. With split-second shutter response, you’ll capture the pictures you’ve always dreamed of. And without the annoyance of shutter delay, the D40X captures pictures other cameras miss, at up to 3 pictures per second. Complete with a versatile 18-55mm autofocus Zoom-NIKKOR® lens, extraordinary picture quality is assured. Download photos easily with Windows Vista’s Windows Photo Gallery to create and share the perfect photos with family and friends.

* MSRP (w/18-55mm lens): $870




Canon HV20 HD Camcorder

Approximately $1099

The ultimate in quality, this high-definition camcorder ensures superior detail and color reproduction with its Genuine Canon 10x HD Video lens, Full HD CMOS image sensor, and DIGIC DVII image processor. The HV20 is compact, stylish and easy-to-use. Windows Media Center and the HV20 together offer students the ability to create, organize and share video helping them capture memories and bring their school projects to the next level.






Canon PIXMA MP600

Approximately $199.99

This all-in-one, compact photo-quality printer is helpful for teachers who want to copy and scan students’ work with results faithful to the originals. Plus, with its new 2.5 inch TFT display and Easy-Scroll Wheel interface, images can be previewed in high definition before printing for best results. Teachers and students can also print wirelessly from select camera phones using the Canon Bluetooth adaptor (optional accessory). With Windows Vista’s new mobility settings, teachers can free their classrooms up so students can work on projects anywhere (at the computer lab, or on their laptops at their desks) and easily find networks and printers to get their projects done faster.





Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 Mouse & Keyboard

Approximately $129

To make for a smooth transition between work and play, this ultra-thin entertainment desktop set includes a rechargeable mouse and delivers on or off desk outstanding performance from up to 30 feet away. Perfect for watching movies and connecting with Windows Media Center, now students can control their PC from anywhere in the room.






iMate Momento Frame

Approximately $199

Enliven photos with Momento Live, which enables pictures to be sent and received directly to any Momento Digital Photo Frame around the world. With Windows Photo Gallery, students can easily create slideshows of their latest adventures to view on the PC or upload to their Windows Live Space-where subscribers’ iMate frames will automatically download the updated photos.





D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router

Approximately $179.99
The D-Link DIR-655 Xtreme N Gigabit Router enables high-speed Internet access to multiple computers, game consoles and multi-media devices. Its broad range allows for room to room travel, and security features ensure a secure and worry-free experience streaming music, videos or reading online news. Combined with the ease of setting up a wireless network using the Network and Sharing Center in Windows Vista, this Draft 802.11n router is ideal for college students who value the freedom to connect anywhere, anytime.




Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007

Approximately $149
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 is the essential software suite that enables students to quickly and easily create great-looking documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, and organize notes and information in one place. With a new, streamlined user interface that automatically presents commonly used and familiar commands, enhanced graphics and formatting capabilities, and more reliability and security, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 makes it easier and more enjoyable for students to get things done.