Panasonic ventures into the classroom

Panasonic has launched its "3E" tablet this week. Designed for students, from kindergarten to high school, it comes with a bit more protection than you'd otherwise expect to see in a consumer-grade device.





Panasonic describes it as: "Built to survive the rough-and-tumble reality of student life, the IP51-certified 3E resists dust, sheds spills, and takes drops that would destroy a consumer-grade tablet or laptop. With rugged reliability and stellar academic credentials, the 3E is truly a state-of-the-art learning machine."

The tablet, which comes with a snap on keyboard and stylus, has a few extra features. It comes with software for students. A thermometer probe, twin onboard cameras (1.2 megapixels in the front, 5 megapixels in the rear), and an included magnifying lens that can snap on to said rear camera to transform it into a sort-of microscope.

Battery life is expected to be 8 hours.

Although the tablet starts at $499, Panasonic will offer a discounted version of the device for poorer school districts.

An upgraded model with 4G and GPS functionality will also be available.