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TMO Reports - Details On Duke's 1,800 iPod Deal
by , 5:30 PM EDT, July 19th, 2004
Duke University will be supplying its entire incoming freshman class of 1,650 students with iPods, with an additional 150 iPods included for academic and training purposes. The 1,800 iPod deal is part of a pilot program at Duke, and the iPods will come preloaded with school calendars and related school information.
Students will also be able to download additional materials relating to some of their classes. Students will have a Web site that is modeled after Apple's iTunes software from which to interface with available materials, and the program includes the hiring of a "academic computing specialist" to help manage the IT side of the project.
Duke officials described the project to TMO as a work in progress, and that some faculty envision being able to use the iPods as recording devices, data storage, and other delivery medium.
For instance, a Spanish class might have students listen to and record lessons in Spanish, and at least one science class intends to have its students record notes and interviews for uploading to a central server. There are no details available as of yet regarding which 3rd party microphones would be used to give the iPod recording capabilities, and the Duke officials to whom we spoke said simply, "We're still working out the details."
"The iPod project will encourage faculty to experiment with adding elements such as music, foreign language and poetry to class curricula," said Lynne O'Brien, director of Duke's Center for Instructional Technology (CIT), in a Duke University press release. Ms. O'Brien also said that faculty will be able to submit project ideas during the Fall semester.
"It's very interesting," Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of hardware product marketing, told TMO in an interview. "Duke is going to monitor this a lot to see what it does for the learning environment. We think it's very exciting and we think it's a great way to take advantage of the integration of the iPod into curriculum It will be interesting to follow it."
When asked if any other such deals are in the works, Mr. Joswiak said: "I don't want to comment on anybody else's deals, whether they've been announced or not, but certainly this is an experiment for Duke." Mr. Joswiak did not specifically deny any other deals.
The theme of this project being an experiment was repeated in the Duke University press release, with Tracy Futhey, vice president for information technology, Lynne O'Brien, and Provost Peter Lange all quoted using the word.
"We're limiting our distribution to this single class," said Mr. Lange, "because it will make it easier for us to evaluate their experience relative to other students and determine whether the iPods promoted educational innovation as we hope."
The program comes with a US$500,000 price tag, including the iPods, 1 year of AppleCare, the academic computing specialist, grant funding for faculty, and "associated research costs." The iPods will become property of the students at the end of the year, and upper classmen who take classes utilizing an iPod in the curriculum will be able to get loaner iPods for the duration of the course.
Observer Comments
Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:01 pm Subject: Wait Till Parents See Their Kids iTunes Bill
Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:42 pm Subject: RC Wrong Again - Price Comparison Uses Different Titles
Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:33 pm Subject: Thanks For Correction - It's Even Worse Than I Thought
Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:05 am Subject: iPods and cost of higher education
Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:06 am Subject: Re: Thanks For Correction - It's Even Worse Than I Thought
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
Yes, amazon.com does not have the BNL album Everywhere for Everyone, but the BNL website has it for download for only $13.99 with no DRM. What kind of poor uninformed iLemming is going to download it from iTunes for $23.76. $23.76 for a digital download is a pure ripoff. Apple is worse than the RIAA.
This topic is about the Duke iPod program. If you're hung up on Bare Naked Ladies and their music please start your own topic.
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
Yes, I agree with Steve Jobs, Apple is becoming the MS of the music business.
Your point?
Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:32 am Subject: DawnTreader - My Point
Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:43 am Subject: RC Wrong Again - iTMS Not Only Source or Most Expensive
Tue Jul 20, 2004 12:46 pm Subject: Re: DawnTreader - My Point
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
What universities and consumers need to consider when buying an iPod, if they want the convenience and fun of downloading legal digital music, they're going to be locked into only one significant source, iTunes. iTunes has the highest priced albums because it has a monopoly on iPod users. It's buyer beware.
Points made
Apple's prices may have as much to do with artist and label contracts as it has to do with the company's desire to raise prices.
I don't think the Duke program is as much about students buying music through iTMS as it is about embracing technology in the school environment.
I follow Audible.com quite closely and I'm sure much of this effort is to promote the student use of spoken word educational content versus the purchase of text books and other materials.
Audible has big contracts and equity arrangements with Random House and others and I see this as a push to get students using digital materials.
On the issue of iPod/iTMS, I suspect Apple will add WMA support to the iPod at some time in the future. At this time I don't see a WMA service that offers the ease-of-use of iTMS and as Apple builds its market in the digital distribution business the iPod will remain linked to the iTMS service for the time being.
Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:08 pm Subject: Guest - Here's The Facts Examples Of Overpriced Albums
Tue Jul 20, 2004 1:28 pm Subject: Re: Guest - Here's The Facts Examples Of Overpriced Albums
QuoteRealityCheck wrote:
Beastie Boys - To The 5 Boroughs
- iTunes download $14.85
- overstock.com CD $12.49
Van Halen - The Best of Both Worlds
- iTunes download $34.99
- overstock.com CD $19.29 (iTunes super gouging here)
Beach Boys - Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys
- iTunes download $14.99
- overstock.com CD $12.99
Overstock shipping is only $1.40, so at iTunes you'll pay more for a lower quality DRM infected download than a physical CD. A CD you actually own and can resell. Try reselling a downloaded iTunes album.
Personally, I prefer purchasing music by download even if on some items the prices are higher than bricks and mortar outlets.
In terms of my purchases I buy a lot of singles through iTMS saving me the cost of full albums and the need to buy music I don't want.
I've seen several albums available through iTMS for $9.99 or $9.90 that either aren't easily available or would cost more in a bricks and mortar outlet.
Will prices vary on new releases depending on artist and label? Sure. But considering the hundreds of dollars I've saved on buying music by the song I really don't care if I pay marginally more for a digital download of music on a new release over the price at Amazon or a bricks and mortar outlet.
My time is money and the time I would spend ripping a CD is better spent in other areas.
Now back to the topic at hand. The Duke iPod program.
This move is a great way for Colleges to take advantage of e-books and the iPod's calendaring and scheduling features.
Think about the professor's lectures on audible downloads into your iPod! The new speed scrolling will breeze you through your course's lectures!
Innovative and useful things will come out of this program, beyond what we could imagine now.
This will also give the schools some shelter from the RIAA and it "protection" racket where they force them to PAY for contracts. (PennState et al.)
Tue Jul 20, 2004 2:13 pm Subject: Lost the Plot
I have been reading your post and it seems that because of RC's rantings you have lost the plot about iPods and their education value.
Will they be an asset to learning or just another fad idea that tried and failed?
I am shure that Duke will develop some kind of waver clause for iTunes and such.
So, back to the real question. Will it work as hoped or not for educational use? Well????
I for one think it will help especally in language if used with other Accelerated Learning Techniques.
Come on, step up and be counted. What say you?
Tue Jul 20, 2004 2:26 pm Subject:
This is a way to reduce the cost of content to students. As a former technology director in an education environment, I can say first hand content in digital format presents an opportunity for real savings to both institutions and the students.
The costs of printing and shipping represent a significant cost center to publishers, schools and students.
Also, the opportunity to make quick updates to materials is a benefit. Publishers no longer need to wait for the next print publishing run to correct errors or update facts.
I sure theDuke deal has little if anything to do with music and the iTunes Music Store and much to do with putting spoken word content in the hands of students.
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