Mobile Computing | News
Bretford Intros Netbook Cart and Charger
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At the FETC 2011 conference being held in Orlando, FL, Bretford Manufacturing demoed a new netbook cart that securely stores and charges up to 36 classroom netbooks.
The new Netbook36-CT features a microchip-driven power management system that extends the battery life of netbooks by automatically lowering the amount of current to batteries that are close to fully charged.
In addition to automatic current limiting, the power management system offers three power options: round robin, turbo, and auxiliary. The round robin power option charges netbooks by sending power to the power bank with the largest amount of discharged netbooks, while the turbo power mode charges one power bank of 12 computers.
For storing the netbooks and power cables, the cart provides 36 individual netbook compartments, three full-width shelves, and a power adapter cable closet with room for 430 feet of cable. Individual netbook compartments measure 10" x 12.25" x 2.25" and have numbers that are laser-cut into them to make them visible from the cable closet. (The full cart dimensions are 31" (H) x 32" (W) x 26" (D).
The cart also includes auxiliary power cables, an electrical outlet for wireless routers, perforated doors and panels for cooling, and a steel panel that separates the netbooks from the heat of the power adapter closet. The cart is made of 18-gauge steel and offers security features that include welded construction, a multiple-point locking system, and programmable combination locks.
The Netbook36-CT ships fully assembled for $3,505. Further information is available here.
About the Author
Dan Thompson is a freelance writer based in Brea, CA. He can be reached here.