Chromebook At $99 For Schools Proves Overwhelmingly Popular

A $99 Chromebook? Samsung’s hot new offering got even hotter at half price (for schools only), but the offer was so well-received that the DonorsChoose initiative has already maxed out, more’s the pity for education.

The $99 Chromebook offer is one that could really benefit schoolkids of all stripes without access to a computer of their own. The stripped down but still highly functional device offers a wealth of opportunities for even little ones to learn technology without a massive investment into pricey equipment.

A post Monday on the official Google blog announced the $99 Chromebook initiative, explaining that the search engine giant had teamed up with DonorsChoose to get Chromebooks in the hot little hands of children:

“To help budget-strapped classrooms across the country, we’re working with DonorsChoose.org, an online charity that connects donors directly to public school classroom needs. For the holiday season, teachers can request the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook—the most widely deployed Chromebook in schools—at a special, discounted price of $99 including hardware, management and support.”

But blink and you missed it. The offer of $99 Chromebooks was so irresistible that DonorsChoose has already been forced to quit accepting applications, updating a day later on Tuesday to say:

“As of December 10th, 11pm eastern time, we’ve received a tremendous response to this offer. With a limited quantity of discounted Chromebooks available, we cannot accept additional submissions at this time. If you’d like to be notified if additional Chromebooks become available, read on for instructions.”

It’s not the first time Chromebooks have proven too hot to keep in stock. Upon introduction, the new Chromebook by Samsung was repeatedly sold out and waiting lists persisted its first few weeks on the market.

The site, which connects teachers with donors of education-supporting funds, has created a list for interested parties to join and learn when discounted Chromebooks for schools are available again.

Click here to get on the list for educators seeking discounted Chromebooks.