Students eligible for the junior technology refresh who have heard the news of the new laptop initiative said they are looking forward to the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix next year, which upperclassmen and incoming freshmen will receive instead of this year's Samsung technology.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix is a hybrid tablet with a detachable keyboard. Students interviewed said they look forward to the change.
Current sophomores have the Lenovo T5 20 and T5 10 models, according to Tech Services, but are able to refresh to the new model next year as juniors. Sophomore Danielle Benevides said she is excited for the upgrade.
"I am excited about the initiative because the Helix is 11 inches, which is significantly smaller than the 16-by-17-inch monster I have now," Benevides said. "(It) barely fits in any bag I have and weighs a ton."
This year, when freshmen received new technology some received the Samsung slate, while others received the Ultrabook laptop, depending on their major.
When technology is distributed for upcoming freshman class, everybody will receive the same laptop.
"I was debating whether to get an iPad, (but) with this new model, I'll be getting the best of both," Benevides said. "I could do my readings from Blackboard comfortably in bed, on a bigger screen that allows me to zoom into text with ease."
Other students criticized on the old model.
"I have found the computer to be quite cumbersome and subject to a lot of technical errors," sophomore Sean Zimmerman said.
"The ThinkPads are very heavy and chunky, therefore having the tablet will be nice to carry around," sophomore Kimberly Schindler said. "I think the tablets will be good, but I don't think all students should be required to have them."
Zimmerman expressed one complaint.
"I wish sophomores were able to turn in their laptops before summer began so we could get accustomed to the devices before the next term began," Zimmerman said.
Sophomore Tyler Thomas said he looks forward to the refresh.
"It will be an improvement over my laptop because it is smaller so it is more mobile and will have a faster processor," Tomas said. "I'll end up using the new technology the same as I do now, for typing papers and using the Internet."
Mary Marshall can be reached at mary.marshall@student.shu.edu.
