Henrico County Public Schools have announced that its used Apple iBooks it has been using in a four-year laptop program will be sold off in a one-day sale, Tuesday, August 9.
Mychael Dickerson, director of media relations and safety for Henrico County Public Schools, said 1,000 iBooks will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis for US$50 each at the school warehouse in Richmond, Virginia from 9 am to 3pm ET.
The warehouse is located at 361 Dabbs House Road beside the Eastern Government Center. Only cash or checks will be accepted.
The 12-inch iBooks were part of a contract worth $24.2 million and consisted of 23,000 iBooks. In April of this year, Apple was outbid by some $4 million by Dell -- $20 less for each Windows-based laptop -- and Henrico County schools are in the process of transitioning away from Macs. Apple, however, still has a four-year contract with Henrico County for the county's middle school students, That deal will expire in June 2006.
Aloha! - I cannot believe they're going to sell these at $50 each. Amazing. Wish I could get there! By the way, these are iBook 500 mhz/12"/10GB/320MB, and there is an original AirPort card in each one - so say the specs buried in their webpage. They also come with the AC adapter. I used to teach middle school and high school students, and I'll bet that these iBooks are not much better taken care of than the CDs and other electronic equipment that my kids had - meaning pretty bad. And I'll bet the batteries won't be too happy either. But even so, these would be great machines to part out or to use as iTunes/Express/Websurfing stations at home, no?
To any of you readers out there who might get one, let us know about it! And if anyone would be kind enough to grab me one, I'll send you PayPal+shipping+something for the trouble. (Hey, it's worth a shot anyway)
Well I was all set to drive 5 hours to Richmond and buy one for me, my 2 kids, my girlfriend and her 3 kids. Then I read where it's one-per-person. Wonder if I can hire 6 people in Richmond to buy the other 6 for me. I'll pay $10 just for walking up and buying one.
My wife and I both plan to get one; It will be a seven hour drive, but we'll enjoy it. My niece wants one, but I'm not sure if they'll sell to a nine-year old... We're starting to develop a caravan.
I'm about 100 miles away, and I'm going even if I have to leave at 2 a.m.! Not that I need a third mac, but what the heck? Last laptop I had (and loved) was a Duo 230.
Oh well, if it's a total dud I can always ebay it for parts.
And don't bother about RC. This is way too much computer for him.
The switch to dell as a whole will be a sad one. Mostly because I know several people who own the 600M Dell's that the kids are going to get, and they are garbage. The WLAN software is terrible, and even with M$ Office it's still not a better deal.
The best part of switching to Dell is that the Spyware/Adware Companies will get tons of free information starting this next school season, and the students can begin to feel like just another brainwashed person.
if anybody is willing to hire a friend to grab an extra one, i would gladly pay the price of the laptop plus an extra 25$ to cover shipping and to pay for your troubles!
Hi all...I live in Richmond so my wife will be checking this out, and hopefully picking up one of these things (one per person, though, so we can't broker them for anybody). I'm totally ignorant of all things Mac, so does anybody have an equivalent of what these things would compare to power-wise in terms of Intel stuff--mid-range Pentium III, maybe? And this AirPort thing, will it do 802.11 wireless? I have a wireless router and it'd be nice to be able to put this to work alongside our two AMD Athlons at home. We also plan to take it on the road and use it with OpenOffice (if it'll work on there) for word processing and spreadsheets.
I hope the folks at Henrico County know what they're in for on 8/9, this story's gotten national traction!
Anonymous wrote: Hi all...I live in Richmond so my wife will be checking this out, and hopefully picking up one of these things (one per person, though, so we can't broker them for anybody). I'm totally ignorant of all things Mac, so does anybody have an equivalent of what these things would compare to power-wise in terms of Intel stuff--mid-range Pentium III, maybe? And this AirPort thing, will it do 802.11 wireless? I have a wireless router and it'd be nice to be able to put this to work alongside our two AMD Athlons at home. We also plan to take it on the road and use it with OpenOffice (if it'll work on there) for word processing and spreadsheets.
I hope the folks at Henrico County know what they're in for on 8/9, this story's gotten national traction!
AirPort IS 802.11, so it should work fine with your router. And OpenOffice will work just fine on the iBook.
You all do realize that people are paying $100 just to get one of those original 802.11b AirPort cards, which are no longer made? This means you can buy the entire computer for $50 and make 100% profit if all you did was sell off the wireless card!
Hi, all! I work for Henrico County Public Schools and just stumbled upon this article. FYI to anyone who is interested, the sale location has been moved because the school board office has received over 1500 inquiries and didn't think it could handle the parking. The sale will now take place in some building at the Richmond International Raceway, where there's plenty of parking space. The line starts forming at 7 AM, although the sale starts at 9.
I am here in Henrico and we have a bunch of us heading out there. I can't believe the nationwide coverage of this. FYI they say that security will be on site to keep camping out and overnight parking from taking place, so plan accordingly.
Ok look here is the reason they switch! I am a student who attends Henrico County Public schools. The whole issue was that we did not have microsoft office programs on the Mac’s! Plus Henrico County Schools did a survey and the students wanted dells. After conducting the bid for who would get the contract dell came in under the Apple making them more affordable for the school. Not all the ibooks are being sold most of them will go to middle school students who will use them not dells! And I think $50 is a reasonable price trust me I have seen first hand what some of the kids are doing to this computers. I had a G4 laptop but they are only selling the G3 and the condition they are in is not worth driving 4 hrs for you guys! I know one was coming from DC? And for those of you who are thinking you will go and sell it on ebay dont! The market will be flooded trust me all the seniors bought them and are going to sell them plus the 1000 and public sale!
"I am here in Henrico and we have a bunch of us heading out there. I can't believe the nationwide coverage of this. FYI they say that security will be on site to keep camping out and overnight parking from taking place, so plan accordingly."
would you mind getting someone to pick one up for me? ill pay the price plus any shipping expenses plus an extra 15$ for your troubles....
Anonymous wrote: Ok look here is the reason they switch! I am a student who attends Henrico County Public schools. The whole issue was that we did not have microsoft office programs on the Mac’s! Plus Henrico County Schools did a survey and the students wanted dells. After conducting the bid for who would get the contract dell came in under the Apple making them more affordable for the school. Not all the ibooks are being sold most of them will go to middle school students who will use them not dells! And I think $50 is a reasonable price trust me I have seen first hand what some of the kids are doing to this computers. I had a G4 laptop but they are only selling the G3 and the condition they are in is not worth driving 4 hrs for you guys! I know one was coming from DC? And for those of you who are thinking you will go and sell it on ebay dont! The market will be flooded trust me all the seniors bought them and are going to sell them plus the 1000 and public sale!
Feel free to contact me if you want!
Did the school district ever consider contacting Microsoft for a site license for Office for the Mac? Simple to do.
They surveyed and the students said they wanted Dells? Or did they want Windows? Or did they want Office? Wanting Dells specifically makes no sense at all.
And exactly HOW would we contact you if we wanted to, guest?
I wish Henrico County good luck. Having seen the Dell laptops, they are going to need it.
FYI, if you want one of these, you might be able to get it for slightly more than $50 without even going... This will put a huge dent in the market for used iBooks, so the prices on eBay will probably drop sharply. Just be sure to bid a day or two after the sale.
Pursuant to the article in the RTD of July 26, “Paul Proto, the county’s director of general services, . . . the sale is being conducted in accordance with county code, which states that property sales can be made by competitive bids, public action or a firm price offered to ‘all persons wishing to participate in the sale.’” It appears to me that they have the option to sell first to Henrico County Public School HS students. They make it sound as though they have no option. If that is the case, then how could they have sold the first 1,100 to only Henrico County graduating seniors at $50 ea.?
Per an RTD article of 02/11/05, Assistant Superintendent for Finance David Myers released the school system’s first-ever estimate of the costs of the 4-year-old program, pegging them at a total of $43.6 million, or $10.9 million a year. However, in the past, under Superintendent Mark Edwards, school officials would not estimate any costs beyond the $26.5 million expense of leasing the nearly 26,000 computers in the program. Since Henrico County residents paid (even at the low end of $26.5 million) for the program, plus paid insurance on the iBooks since inception (at $50.00 per year, per iBook), I find it extremely upsetting that my taxes paid for the program and that the re-sale of the computers is going to any resident, ANYWHERE who did not contribute to the program. Why should I want or have to contribute to any program, including the new Dell computers if it doesn’t stay in Henrico County. It is my understanding that people from all over the state and out of state are hoping to be in line for these computers.
By the way – if there were 26,000 computers initially, and 1,100 were sold to graduating seniors, and 1,000 are going to the public at large, where are the other 23,900? I understand that Henrico County middle school students will have them and that some that aren’t worth reselling will be used for parts, but that should still leave several thousand left over. If nothing else, why aren’t the computers going to a school system that can’t afford to purchase them at regular price – which I might add Henrico could donate and claim with the IRS.
My son is a rising senior at a Henrico HS - I am very very upset about this!
There will be a mob mentality at the sale on the 9th - police, protestors and people trying to get in line. The line cannot form until 7:00 a.m. - how many accidents do you think will happen? I don't intend to be anywhere near there!
Susan Lawson
(and yes, I am the one that is named in the RTD article and was also interviewed by Lane Wright last evening.)
CloseViewName:Guest Sun Jul 31, 2005 1:50 pmSubject:
Quote
yakirz wrote: My wife and I both plan to get one; It will be a seven hour drive, but we'll enjoy it. My niece wants one, but I'm not sure if they'll sell to a nine-year old... We're starting to develop a caravan.
The posts concerning "don't bother coming, the ibooks are in bad condition" or "Just get it on Ebay...it'll be so cheap because of a flooded market" and the attempt at claiming the sale was for county residents all sound to me as a pathetic attempt to get some people not to come out so the posters will have a better chance at them. The post about the place being a madhouse, though, I tend to agree with.....
I live in Henrico and heard on the news this morning that several of the county officals have introduced 'emergency' legislation to give county residents, who paid for the iBooks with their tax money, to have exclusive rights to buy them and what ever is left over will be offered to the general public at a future date. That is all I know for now. My daughter had one and I have seen first-hand as example of the misuse they have been through. She had to have hers repaired a few times when it died due to being knocked off desks, dropped on the bus, soda spills, etc. Buyer beware! I doubt I will even try to get one myself.
-Phil
I hear the residents of Henrico county aren't too pleased with the sale. Since the iBooks were purchased with their money, they believe they should have first dibs, and their kids too. I have to work, but know a few people making the hour drive. I'm wondering if they will meet any oposition at the gates of RIR, angry parents and such. And those of you who do go, remember, you get what you pay for. I mean I'd go if I didn't have to work, because it's 50 bucks, but I'd have to agree with fourbass that they will probably be pretty beat up. May make a good cookbook for the kitchen, etc.
Best of luck,
MacMentor
Before you plan your trip ... hold on to your horses and hats ... I just called the Henrico County School system and was informed by the lady who answered that county and school officials were at that very moment meeting to decide what to do. She said a decision was expected today, but when I asked if it would be posted to the school's site, she simply said it would be on the news and in the newspaper. I'm afraid a lot of folks will not get the news if a change is made and show up mighty mad.
I would love to be able to get one or more of these iBooks! I am a young student in California that is simply looking for a good notebook for taking notes in class and whatnot next year, so if anyone is willing to pick me up one, I would be willing to foot the cost for both the iBook ($50) and an additional $200.00 to anyone just for getting me said iBook!
Please get in contact with me ASAP if you would be willing to help me out!
CloseViewName:Guest Wed Aug 03, 2005 3:34 pmSubject:
HAHAHAHA YES, henrico finally did someting right for once. I am a county resident and haven;t agreed with the sale to the public all along, well great news! They changed it to only henrico county residents!!!! HA HA HA. Guess all you non-taxpayers are SOL.
Actually, the board passed a resolution in a special emergency session today so that any fixed cost surplus items will be available to county residents before the general public. Yes, this applies to the iBooks but also anythign else the County wants to surplus at a fixed cost. It was a pretty much expected decision...
Hi I'm a henrico county resident and am going to get some friends of mine together to go get these iBooks and will ship them to you for a fee of picking it up, paying for it and of course the shipping & handling........if interested please email me!
haha i am a henrico student and you guys are funny cause as of today, Aug 3, you arnt gettn anything hhahah
they needed to make it for just us not all people around the frickn country well if you dont live here u aint gettin one so oh well. Not my problem im sure the line will go much easier now. since im gonna have my mom pick me up one um since its 15 minutes away pahhhhahah but whatever. maybe next time we sell 1000 ibooks there have them for everyone, so cya.
Anonymous wrote: haha i am a henrico student and you guys are funny cause as of today, Aug 3, you arnt gettn anything hhahah
they needed to make it for just us not all people around the frickn country well if you dont live here u aint gettin one so oh well. Not my problem im sure the line will go much easier now. since im gonna have my mom pick me up one um since its 15 minutes away pahhhhahah but whatever. maybe next time we sell 1000 ibooks there have them for everyone, so cya.
If that is the quality of writing from a Henrico student, then they really need to spend the money on improving the education system.
Well they changed the date to the 16th of August and it is only open to Henrico residents. Since I am off work that week and I am a Henrico resident I am definately getting one! =)
According to their web site: http://www.henrico.k12.va.us/ibooksale/
the date has changed to 8/16/05 and you have to be a resident/taxpayer of Henrico County.
I was a student and one of the original people who PROPOSED to the school board to GET the iBooks 4 years ago.
The iBooks are filthy, pieces of trash. Most iBooks have problems, and most of them are/were in horrible condition. Now that only Henrico residents can get one, I wouldn't even recommend it. I'm actually glad they did that, because I know the people who wanted to drive many many hours to get one would have been disappointed. Not trying to crush anyones hopes, but it's better to get a used PowerBook off of eBay. I myself have a Al PowerBook G4 and I love it. Just my 5 cents...
hey sorry people but only henrico county residents will get these ibooks nobody else cuz us richmonders payed taxes for these ibooks AND we have paid insurance for our kids to have them so we get them not yall
from what an actually intelligent sounding student says the ibooks are in such horrible condition that it would be a waste of a trip to go anyway, however to all you henrico county residents gloating over your crappily won prizes i have two things to say to you
1. You are literally the reason that this country makes me sick, you whine and bitch until you get your way and then gloat about it after the fact...
2. Enjoy paying well over the value of your ibook in repairs and upgrades, i hope you have a little bit more than $50 saved up in your piggy banks because you'll need it
there are plenty of instances where taxpayers foot the bill for projects they never reap the benefits for but oh god no glorious Henrico County will NOT be taken advantage of because they're just a little better than the rest of us...
so have a good time with your ill-gotten ibooks you greedy, stupid, and for the most part inarticulate pieces of trash..
i am a senior who bought my ibook today from the county.....it's a piece of $hit. nobody should want to come here and buy an ibook. they are all four years old and worth nothing....posted everywhere are signs saying no exchange, no refund, all sales final....and now i know why....when i got my ibook today the screen was cracked....and applications unexpectedly quit. this was a scam to pocket $50 off high school students....henrico county should be ashamed.
The Ibooks were a dismal failure in Henrico county. Teachers couldn't share data with the outside world, and the maintenance was outrageously slow and lame because there aren't any qualified techs for Apples. The world runs Windows, and that's where the jobs are for support. My kids both are in Henrico, and I support thousands of Dells at work. If you know what you're doing, they are stable, and Dell leads the world on effeciency so support is great.
Windows takes requires some effort to secure it, but so does apple, as we found with students here. The ibooks were locked down more and more each year, but the students still broke the OS constantly, so that won't change. But at least we can get them up and running quickly and cheaper than the ibooks. Sorry folks, you're a nichegroup out there.
so much for a road trip