The Kangaroo Mobile PC is one of the most innovative form factors I’ve seen in years. For under a hundred dollars you get a computer capable of playing full HD video, streaming games from Xbox or Steam In-Home Streaming, and most anything else a Windows 10 computer can do in a box the size of a smartphone. The $199 Kangaroo Pro model adds more USB and video ports as well as space for a 2.5” hard drive. It probably can’t replace your main rig, but it can handle most secondary duties.
Cindy Kohl, an elementary teacher in Schoolcraft, Michigan, found it was the perfect computer for her students learning the Project Lead The Way curriculum. The compact size and portability (it has a 4 hour battery built in) of the Kangaroo Pro made it perfect for the classroom. The hardware specs are modest (Intel Atom x5-Z8500, 2GB RAM) but the price let her get enough to share on a limited budget. Students didn’t have to worry about competition for computer time, and instead could focus on collaboration.
The case study was such a success that InFocus is looking for more STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) classrooms. The program is still in the planning stage so discounts will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and only on the Kangaroo Pro model. Even at full price, the $199 Kangaroo Pro is a better deal just about any other PC you can budget for your classrooms.
InFocus, the makers of the Kangaroo PC line, was originally looking only at STEAM classrooms in formal educational institutions for the pilot. GeekDad asked about STEAM-learning clubs. Their response was that since they were “interested in how Kangaroo can impact an educational setting, Kangaroo is open to learning about STEAM-learning clubs to determine if this is a fit.”
I’ve been using a Kangaroo Pro as my secondary computer in my home for a couple months. It’s not a performance beast, but it can do just about anything a $400 computer can do for less than $200. For simple 3D modelling programs like Tinkercad it certainly does the job.
The case study is attached here to help build your case for funding. If you’re interested in finding out more, contact InFocus at press@kangaroo.cc and mention the STEAM Pilot Program. If you have someone you think would benefit from the program, make sure to spread the word using the social media links below.
