Kids chose the #Gumdrop SoftShell for their 11″ Macbook Airs. @The_School #edtech

 

After determining there were too many student laptops with dented corners due to inefficient coverage from the last model purchased, I spent months searching Google and Amazon for other always-on covers to put on our middle school 1:1 laptops. The most recent cases which students helped protoype were:

• A zip-around faux leather model from GMYLE where the zipper broke within a week
• The Thule Vectros which only fit machines that had perfectly intact corners
• The Gumdrop Softshell

The overall winner chosen by the students was the Gumdrop Softshell! Students will be able to personalize their cases with metallic Sharpies and stickers.

Here’s a Pinterest board where I’ve gathered most of my research from four years of exploring 11″ Macbook Air covers: https://www.pinterest.com/specialkrb/macbook-air-11-cases. Last week, I overheard that The School will be purchasing Apple’s Macbook for next year’s incoming 3rd graders, 6th graders, and faculty. The dimensions of the MacBook Air differ from the MacBook, so we’ll be in need of an entirely different case come September. Back to the drawing board…

 

Amazing headphones with built-in microphone and one input/output jack for laptop or iPad via @fpgina

Gina Marcel (@fpgina) told me to test the new headphones she bought for the K-2 division at The School at Columbia University. They are the Universal Multimedia Headset with Microphone made by Gear Head. After playing around with them, I agree that they are truly amazing and useful. Up until now, I’d been buying USB headphones for the kids to use with their laptops. These are way better as they have a universal 3.5mm jack for input/output so they can be used on our iPads and other devices as well as our laptops. Also, the package comes with an adapter and connector if you really need that kind of thing. Thanks, Gina!

darling doggie desktop

Normally I’m a stickler for an organized desktop. Specifically, I mean virtual not physical, space. (My actual desktop in my shared office looks like vaguely structured chaos.) I overlooked this 6th grader’s messy laptop screen because all her icons surround the dog’s face. Such a sweet kiddo.

Trying out cases for the MacBook Air 11″ with @donbuckley

Next year, we’re buying MacBook Air 11″ laptops for the 3rd grade and 6th graders. Kids keep the same machine for three year until they graduate to a new model in 6th grade (or simply graduate from the school after 8th grade). The kids in K-2 have an iPad assigned to them. Up until now, we’ve provided MacBooks and Always-on Cases from InfoCase for the students. In preparation for next year, Don Buckley and I ordered a bunch of different cases from Amazon.

My favorites:

CaseCrown faux leather book cover clip on case for $18.18 (it’s an always on case with a snap closure)

Belkin MacBook Air vertical sleeve with shoulder strap for $14.99 (slim profile and cross-body carry strap)

Flort shoulder bag for $9.99 (I’ve always been intrigued by this IKEA bag…)

The others:

Acase faux leather book cover clip on case for $14.95 (same exact design as the CaseCrown but it doesn’t have a snap closure)

Hard Candy Cases convertible case for $36.99 is ok but pricey [RETURNED]

Gumdrop cases surf convertible case for $37.35 is the same as the Hard Candy design but pricier [RETURNED]

InCase perforated hardshell for $45 looks cool, is super expensive, and the bottom didn’t stay attached [RETURNED]

Red mCover hard shell cover case for $19.99 is overpriced considering the next item is…

Slim Crystal hard cover case for $12.99 is totally reasonable

** update 7/1/14 — Prices have been reduced significantly on many of the cases. Click the links for more current and more reasonable pricing. **