Screens illuminate, keyboards click and virtual accessories connect. After a timely school-wide distribution of the brand-new Dell Latitude 3410 laptops in late August, students are ready for class at EHS. 

The devices have lots of different features that students can use to their advantage. This includes the ability to connect to other devices through Bluetooth, several options for the personalization of desktop backgrounds and the automatic connection to the school WiFi. On top of this, the devices have many applications including Microsoft Word, Powerpoint and Excel; the search engine Google Chrome; and even a TI-84 Plus calculator. 

The new laptops allow access to online textbooks which can reduce the number of books students have to take to and from school. Junior Sydnee Campbell uses her laptop as a substitute for her textbooks to reduce space. 

“I use my laptop to access my AP materials and some of my online textbooks at home,” Campbell said. “It really helps lighten the load.”

Freshman Elise Burk utilizes her laptop in a variety of ways ranging from notetaking in science class to submitting assignments at home.  

“I put my computer in the back pocket of my backpack, taking it out for Honors Biology, Honors Literature, Modern World History and Spanish,” Burk says. “I use [the laptop] to work on almost all my assignments at school and at home.” 

Though many students are happy with the new devices, there has been some negative feedback. Sophomore Maddox Karnes is frustrated with all of the blockages he comes across when using the laptops.

“I think the laptops purchased are decent laptops, but all the restrictions on them are what really make them hard to use,” Karnes said. “One minute you can’t get to your google drive because of an error and the next you can’t watch a YouTube video cause it thinks you’re accessing inappropriate content.”

Given the school devices’ limitations, Karnes prefers his other laptop to the school’s. Since distribution began, the WiFi allows only for school-issued devices to be connected, so Karnes cannot use his own laptop at school. Karnes is not only frustrated with this, but he suggests that the WiFi limit is affecting his grades.

“I heavily dislike that I’m not able to use my own laptop. I know the in’s and out’s of it,” Karnes said. “[If I could use my personal laptop at school,] I think I’d probably be doing a little better in school.”