Apple grants iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, more to 114 US schools in ConnectED initiative

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  • Reply 21 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by CanukStorm View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

    Tim Cook really should resign from Apple and become a politician, as that's the thing that fires him up the most.

     

    Craig F. should take over.


    I'm not convinced Craig Federighi is CEO material.  Scott Forstall OTOH....


     

     

    Problem is, Scott is so superficially similar to Jobs, that he would forever invite unfavourable comparison. Craig is sufficiently different that he would cast a new palette.

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  • Reply 22 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post

     

     

     

    You're probably correct. It's not so much the dollar figure that I'm opposed to of course. Apple has plenty of pesos. It's the principle of the thing.


     

    Yeah, there's not a lot of infrastructure to put this technology to use efficiently. I asked my 5th-grade daughter what she does in "computer lab" every week, and it's "go to this web site and to math" kinds of stuff. I went through a lot of effort last year to educate the teachers on Scratch and similar technologies -- the kids loved it, but nothing is happening this year. So frustrating.

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  • Reply 23 of 54
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

    So these schools are mostly made up of minority, poor people.

     

    Seems to me these schools should be using pencil and paper.

     

    Moral of the story: under Tim Cook's new, discriminatory regime, if you want free Apple gear, marry a poor, minority person.


    You should read your own signature. I'm not sure what you think it means.

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  • Reply 24 of 54
    rogifan wrote: »
    Agreed I'd like Cook to stay out of politics. And I'd say the same if it was something I supported.

    The only times he should be involved is if it directly affects Apple. If some government type proposed a law limiting the number of things that could be built overseas, for example, and it would hurt Apple.
    canukstorm wrote: »
    I'm not convinced Craig Federighi is CEO material.  Scott Forstall OTOH....

    Forstall has no business running a company. The guy is Jobs in personality but not talent. Clever software guy, not a tastemaker or showman.
    paxman wrote: »
    This is why Apple is a better company now under TC than it ever was. You miserable chaps MUST let go of the Steve Jobs era. Apple is very different now and can afford to help out. For a company of Apple's size and wealth to invest in the future of the country that has served it so well should be expected, and I hope other hugely successful companies follow suit. 

    Don't forget that in the long run this will probably profit Apple. The marketing value, the fostering of goodwill and loyalty are important elements to future growth. 

    Personally I think you are bunch of privileged curmudgeons and that this initiative from Apple needs no explanation or justification. It is one of the reasons Apple is great.

    Except for the whole bit where the American education system is so utterly broken that this will be squandered. And I'm talking kindergarten through college. It's useless, it does not prepare people for the real world. This is like giving candy to a diabetic, it's not good for anyone.
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  • Reply 25 of 54
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,796member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by waterrockets View Post

     

    My kids go to a school that has both. They and their friends generally prefer Chromebooks because they can get their work done faster with a physical keyboard. At home, they'd rather grab one of our iPads.


     

    I'm still trying to figure out what software is available for Chromebooks.  Only Google's apps?

     

    I looked at porting an app over to it a little while ago and it's like it's own little world with no relation to any other platform.  So I'm left scratching my head as to who would create apps for it unless Google funded them.

     

    I guess if everything you do is on the web, and you don't mind staying logged in to Google services all the time, then it works.  I'd personally rather have a cheap Windows-based Netbook (and that's saying a lot).

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  • Reply 26 of 54
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,464member

    I’m all for using technology in the never-ending quest of pedagogical excellence.  However the biggest weakness I’ve seen is not in the client devices but in the SIS(Student Information Systems) software foisted upon frazzled parents.  I live in a rather affluent area and I was shocked at how bad the SIS is.  I’m sure there are school districts that have better systems but I don’t think iPads are going to fix the problem in education where technology intersects.

     

    Remember …under Jobs Apple bought Powerschool and subsequently did NOTHING with it. Their foray into education has primarily been about selling hardware and it appears little has really changed. 

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  • Reply 27 of 54
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post



    Except for the whole bit where the American education system is so utterly broken that this will be squandered. And I'm talking kindergarten through college. It's useless, it does not prepare people for the real world. This is like giving candy to a diabetic, it's not good for anyone.

    You know more about the education system than I do, but this is nothing like giving candy to a diabetic. It's more like offering free healthcare to a diabetic who otherwise can not afford it, but with the free health care may stand a better chance of improving their health and lifting themselves out of the poverty trap. Granted, the health care system might be fucked but at least somebody is extending a helping hand rather than joining the peanut gallery.

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  • Reply 28 of 54
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,796member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post





    The only times he should be involved is if it directly affects Apple. If some government type proposed a law limiting the number of things that could be built overseas, for example, and it would hurt Apple.

    Forstall has no business running a company. The guy is Jobs in personality but not talent. Clever software guy, not a tastemaker or showman.

    Except for the whole bit where the American education system is so utterly broken that this will be squandered. And I'm talking kindergarten through college. It's useless, it does not prepare people for the real world. This is like giving candy to a diabetic, it's not good for anyone.

    You think Craig Federighi is a tastemaker? Really?

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  • Reply 29 of 54
    ibeamibeam Posts: 322member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post

     

    I’m all for using technology in the never-ending quest of pedagogical excellence.  However the biggest weakness I’ve seen is not in the client devices but in the SIS(Student Information Systems) software foisted upon frazzled parents.  I live in a rather affluent area and I was shocked at how bad the SIS is.  I’m sure there are school districts that have better systems but I don’t think iPads are going to fix the problem in education where technology intersects.

     


    It is so easy to fix and it costs almost nothing. All they would have to do is join Khan Academy. Then every device would work automatically. These people have teaching and learning figured out.

     

    https://www.khanacademy.org/

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  • Reply 30 of 54
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,796member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by paxman View Post

     

    You know more about the education system than I do, but this is nothing like giving candy to a diabetic. It's more like offering free healthcare to a diabetic who otherwise can not afford it, but with the free health care may stand a better chance of improving their health and lifting themselves out of the poverty trap. Granted, the health care system might be fucked but at least somebody is extending a helping hand rather than joining the peanut gallery.


    Technology alone is not enough to improve the education system.  The problems with the education system go beyond technology.

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  • Reply 31 of 54
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by auxio View Post

     

     

    I'm still trying to figure out what software is available for Chromebooks.  Only Google's apps?

     

    I looked at porting an app over to it a little while ago and it's like it's own little world with no relation to any other platform.  So I'm left scratching my head as to who would create apps for it unless Google funded them.

     

    I guess if everything you do is on the web, and you don't mind staying logged in to Google services all the time, then it works.  I'd personally rather have a cheap Windows-based Netbook (and that's saying a lot).


     

    You can do offline stuff, but it's an online machine. Not enough for me either, although if you watched any of Google I/O, things are going in an interesting direction, as you can develop in Chrome, so on a Chromebook (this video starts at that point).

     

    image 

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  • Reply 32 of 54
    canukstorm wrote: »
    You think Craig Federighi is a tastemaker? Really?

    I didn't say that. But Forstall isn't. Besides, Apple was getting overrun under Jobs and Forstall. If things hadn't changed they would be hurting badly right now. If Forstall came back we'd drown under skeumorphism again, all the extensibility features of iOS 8 would disappear as well as the customizability.
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  • Reply 33 of 54

    This is where I can say "Steve never would have done that" and be accurate. And TBH, Cook shouldn't be involved either, unless he wants to fly out and hand out leaflets himself. Apple has no business in this.

    One big fucking bull shit. We routinely gave huge discounts at all Steve created corporations for education.

    NeXT OS/Developer was $799/$7999 Retail, $299 Educational
    WOF/EOF/ etc., massive discounts for education.

    Steve always wanted to get Apple to the point where he could shape the K-12 and University CS curriculum based around NeXT/Apple Tech and more.

    He never had the chance.

    Apple is now self-sufficient to make such dreams possible.
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  • Reply 34 of 54
    Marvinmarvin Posts: 15,586moderator
    Moral of the story: under Tim Cook's new, discriminatory regime, if you want free Apple gear, marry a poor, minority person.

    The schools get the products, not the students plus the majority of the students will be under 18 so marrying them would be tricky. Helping the poor is a good thing to do. They are too young to earn money themselves and they shouldn't be denied access to technology because of their parents otherwise it just puts them at a further disadvantage than they already have.
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  • Reply 35 of 54
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post





    One big fucking bull shit. We routinely gave huge discounts at all Steve created corporations for education.



    NeXT OS/Developer was $7500 Retail, $299 Educational

    WOF/EOF/ etc., massive discounts for education.



    Steve always wanted to get Apple to the point where he could shape the K-12 and Universi curriculum based around NeXT/Apple Tech and more.



    He never had the chance.



    Apple is now self-sufficient to make such dreams possible.



    I wasn't talking about that. I was talking about Tim making political statements as the CEO of Apple.

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  • Reply 36 of 54
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,944moderator
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by paxman View Post

     

    This is why Apple is a better company now under TC than it ever was. You miserable chaps MUST let go of the Steve Jobs era. Apple is very different now and can afford to help out. For a company of Apple's size and wealth to invest in the future of the country that has served it so well should be expected, and I hope other hugely successful companies follow suit. 

     

    Don't forget that in the long run this will probably profit Apple. The marketing value, the fostering of goodwill and loyalty are important elements to future growth. 

     

    Personally I think you are bunch of privileged curmudgeons and that this initiative from Apple needs no explanation or justification. It is one of the reasons Apple is great.


     

    Exactly.  Those who are against this need only compare Apple's marketing budget to Samsung's, for example.  When considered part of Apple's marketing expenses, this looks brilliant.  So much better than paying celebs to take selfies with a phone they wouldn't buy on their own, as evidenced by the fact they go right back to their iPhone even while they're still under contract with Samsung.  This is chump change; not even close to the free publicity Apple gets by sending out a couple thousand event-invitation postcards.  

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  • Reply 37 of 54
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,944moderator

    The real problem with Apple doing this is that it may result in higher crime in the form of school break-ins.  LOL!

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  • Reply 38 of 54
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    This is good news!

    Apple needs to completely take school like it has enterprise.
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  • Reply 39 of 54
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TheWhiteFalcon View Post

     



    Then they'd have to give twice as much for the inevitable tech support needs.

     

    From what I've seen, only administrators and teachers think Chromebooks are a good idea. Students pick the iPads every time.


     

    That's a silly observation, of course they do, not only is it what there familiar with but they can play games on them. Doesn't mean that the ChromeBook is any less useable and there is virtually no tech support required for one either. There basically terminals, what exactly do people need help with, if your implying that they break, most of these contracts include immediate unit replacements. Setting up a ChromeBook is also probably one of the easiest thing you could possible do besides turning it on.

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  • Reply 40 of 54
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I'd be curious to know if Tim Cook supports charter schools or vouchers for children to have the opportunity for a better education.
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