SmartDisk announced the SmartDisk VST Charger Bay for the new iBook at the National Education Computing Conference (NECC) in Chicago. The SmartDisk VST Charger Bay lets more than one iBook be charged at a time.
The charger bay sports a modular design so users can snap multiple bays together for charging or storing. iBooks can be slipped into the bays with a “simple one-hand motion,” according to Rod King, Senior vice president, sales and marketing for SmartDisk. A mirror located on the side of the unit provides a convenient view of the battery charging status, he added. The bays work with the iBook’s AC adapter that is included with the iBook.
The charger bays are also designed to fit directly into the Bretford MobileCart so users can store, charge, and transport up to 16 iBooks with one solution. The Bretford cart is available as part of the Apple iBook Wireless Mobile Lab, and can be purchased online through the Apple Store for Education. The SmartDisk VST Charger Bay costs US$29.99 for a single unit and $129.99 for a “five pack.” The bay is due to go on sale in August.
“The ability to roll an entire computer lab anywhere and easily secure and recharge the computers at night combines the freedom of portability with the management of a lab setting,” King said.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs promoted the iBook and its AirPort wireless technology during his keynote speech at NECC. The revamped Mac is currently the hottest selling portable in the educational laptop market.