Acer says it designed the new Chromebook 11 for compliance with US Military Standard MIL-STD-810G -- specifically the spec's requirements for enduring high and low temperatures, humidity, mechanical shocks, drops, vibration, and the effects of rain, dust and sand. The notebook isn't waterproof, but its spill-resistant keyboard's gutter system claims to be able to drain up to 11 ounces of water away from the machine's vital components. Those keys are mildly student-proof too and are designed to be difficult for more destructive students to remove.

Durability aside, the Chromebook 11 N7 seems to be a promising education machine. With 12 hours of promised battery life, the notebook has more than enough juice to get through a school day. The machine's 1,366 x 768 display comes in both touch and non-touch varieties too. There's also plenty of connectivity options: two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI socket and an SD card reader. The N7 will be available later this month starting at $230 with 4GB of RAM.