PeeWee Pivot 2.0

Computer products maker PeeWee PC has rolled out a rugged convertible laptop geared toward children called the PeeWee Pivot 2.0.

The laptop has a 10.1-inch touch screen display that rotates 180 degrees and lies flat on top of the keyboard. The touch screen has a standard 1,024 x 600 resolution. It is powered by Windows 7 and an Intel Atom N450 processor; 1 GB of memory, upgradeable to 2GB; a 160GB hard drive; and integrated graphics. The laptop weighs 3.7 pounds and measures 7.6 x 105 x 1.2 inches. The Pivot 2.0 comes preinstalled with 15 educational games, along with a stylus to use on the touch screen in a tablet format.

The laptop also features a water-resistant keyboard and is encased in a plastic shell with slip-resistant grips and a retractable handle. A 1.3-megapixel camera is at the top of the screen, which comes with two USB 2.0 ports, VGA and Ethernet ports and an SD card slot. The laptop has both wireless 802.11 a/b/n and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a 6-cell battery that lasts up to about five hours.

Two security suites are included with the Pivot 2.0 that enable parents to limit how much time children spend browsing and playing games. The PeeWee Patrol and Privacy feature also blocks any sites parents consider inappropriate and prevents children from changing any of the settings. Parents can also control the laptop remotely, view their children’s browsing history and take screen shots. In addition to the security settings, children can customize the laptop with buttons, icons and desktop features.

The PeeWee Pivot 2.0 competes against the Intel-powered Classmate convertible PC, which has similar features and launched last April.

The PeeWee Pivot 2.0 retails for $599 and comes with a standard one-year warranty and lifetime support. It is available now on the PeeWee PC website. Shipping is included.

The Coral Gables, Fla.-based PeeWee PC LLC has been making computers for children since 2003.