So much attention is being paid to business solutions and multimedia functionality that the educational possibilities of technology start to play second fiddle, if that. The NEC “Generation” fills that niche with a laptop designed specifically for educational purposes, and it comes with loads of security features.

The usage rights are defined when the “Generation” is first booted up, and then the laptop can be easily and safely handed over to the child. The login is made easy, because it is simply the kid’s fingerprint. The NEC security control panel can make adjustments to USB and optical drive access, as well as the ability to prevent unauthorized installation of software.

Technical specs aren’t going to make you wet your pants, but they’re adequate and a reasonable value for the price. The 2.2kg “Generation” comes with an Intel Centrino i915GM processor, 512MB DDR RAM, a 40GB hard disk, and a dual-layer DVD drive. The display is a 14-inch widescreen TFT LCD. Connectivity is a snap, with 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, infrared, and FireWire support.

Prices for the NEC “Generation” laptop with Versa technology start at $1,126 (£649).