Microsoft reveals Classroom Pen 2 and new laptops for students and teachers

Envy x360 Windows 10
(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

In order to help students and teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic, Microsoft has announced new Windows 10 devices at this year’s flagship education conference BETT.  The devices are priced from $185 to $329 and will be the most affordable LTE-connected devices in the Microsoft lineup.   

Additionally, Microsoft also announced its new Classroom Pen 2, which allows students to write and draw naturally on touchscreen devices. The Classroom Pen 2 comes with a recommended retail price of just $19.99, which is a huge saving for school and educational systems looking to meet students' needs and remain within the confines of local school budgets. 

Barbara Holzapfel, vice president of Microsoft Education, said, “Last year proved that everything can change without warning. In education, the importance of personal connection was highlighted, the integration of technology was accelerated, and the role of teachers was amplified, It’s encouraging to see the dedication to moving learning forward, toward a future where all students have the opportunity, the support, and the tools to be creative, confident, and optimistic learners, realizing their full potential.”

Microsoft announced that it now has more than 200 million teachers, students, and faculty leaders using Microsoft Education products with its video collaboration tool Microsoft Teams. 

With the Covid-19 pandemic pushing education into the digital realm, Microsoft, along with Google, have become essential to our educational system as schools were forced to rapidly adjust to changing circumstances. 

Teachers and students had to learn on the fly, and with Microsoft's new line of devices being more affordable, hopefully fewer students get left behind or lost in a technological void. 

Mark Anthony Ramirez

Mark has spent 20 years headlining comedy shows around the country and made appearances on ABC, MTV, Comedy Central, Howard Stern, Food Network, and Sirius XM Radio. He has written about every topic imaginable, from dating, family, politics, social issues, and tech. He wrote his first tech articles for the now-defunct Dads On Tech 10 years ago, and his passion for combining humor and tech has grown under the tutelage of the Laptop Mag team. His penchant for tearing things down and rebuilding them did not make Mark popular at home, however, when he got his hands on the legendary Commodore 64, his passion for all things tech deepened. These days, when he is not filming, editing footage, tinkering with cameras and laptops, or on stage, he can be found at his desk snacking, writing about everything tech, new jokes, or scripts he dreams of filming.