FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS RECEIVE TOUCH-SCREEN LAPTOPS One of the differentiators of the Bryant experience is superior access to technology. The Uni versity is ahead of the curve with its early adoption of the Lenovo X1 Carbon Touch—the only Lenovo account in the Northeast that has gone live with Windows 8. Funded through tuition and fees, a fully loaded laptop is provided to all Bryant students. During Move-In Weekend, first year-students happily claimed their X1s, and the laptops are receiving high praise for aesthet ics and design, weighing in at a mere 3.2 pounds. “Bryant continues to distinguish itself as a student-centered learning community that utilizes technology in a way that sup ports students’ academic ambi tions,”says Ronald K. Machtley, president.“Our students are thrilled with these new devices.” X1 Carbon Touch features: • The X1 merges the “consump tion/entertainment” tasks (video streaming, music, ebook readers) normally associated with a tablet/iPad and the “creative/productive” tasks (word processing, data analy sis, photo/video editing) of a laptop into one device. • The icons for these different kinds of applications can liter ally be placed side by side in the new Windows 8 interface, which is a reflection of how students think and use their Bryant-issued laptops. • Students can swipe through slides on a PowerPoint presentation or zoom in while editing Photoshop.
• The screen has 10-finger touch, which enhances and encourages collaboration between two or more students on one surface. • Currently, the Windows 8 app store provides access to more than 100,000 free and paid apps, which students can download. “Part of our mission in selecting each upcoming year’s models
chose the X1, but 83 took advan tage of a second option: the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2, a tablet-only computer that can run the same software as a stan dard laptop. The addition of a stylus allows each student to write his or her notes. Juniors who chose the second option were able to keep their older laptops, providing them with the ability to do heavy-duty typing for assignments and papers.
Greenville, RI, is a two-year veteran of Laptop Central. As a student assistant, he worked extensively over the summer with department staff to help get the X1 ready for distribution. Guay, who tends to use a laptop for many hours a day, picked the X1 as his junior-year upgrade, preferring it to other devices. He likes the combination of portability and having a keyboard and larger screen.
At Laptop Central, Information Technology major Corey Guay ´15 (right) explains the features of the touch-screen laptop to Walter Procyk ´15.
has always been to provide the students with a laptop that can do all of the things they want to do,” says Academic Systems Technician Ethan Poole. “With the X1, there’s no need for them to bring an additional computer to campus—and Windows 8 helps extend that even further.” Bryant provides a new com puter device to students every two years as part of their tuition; they can take this updated device with them when they graduate. The majority of juniors this year
When it comes to computer support, Bryant students turn to Laptop Central—the main point of contact for those who have questions or issues regarding their computing devices. From virus removal to software trouble shooting and hardware repair/ replacement, Laptop Central provides quick and professional service six days week, as well as network and wireless support in the residence halls. Corey Guay ’15, an Infor mation Technology major from
“This year, students expressed a genuine excitement about the X1, and many told us how awesome it is,”says Guay. “They were impressed by the touch screen capabilities and sleek design. The X1 has a solid-state hard drive, which means it has faster seek times and boots into Windows in five to 10 seconds, and a rapid-charge feature means it can charge from 0 to 80 percent in roughly 30 minutes. “If you ask me, that’s pretty cool.”
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