California State University Offering iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and Keyboard to 35,000 Incoming Students

[MacRumors]

California State University today announced the launch of a new CSUCCESS program that is designed to provide equitable opportunities to students through the use of technology.

The first phase of the initiative will see CSU providing a 64GB iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and Apple Smart Keyboard Folio to all incoming first year and transfer students at eight participating campuses in Fall 2021. Students will need to register to participate, and the CSUCCESS website says that with a keyboard attachment and pencil, the iPad Air is "comparable to a laptop."

CSU Chancellor Joseph I. Castro said that the initiative will "assure that students have immediate access to innovative, new mobile tools they need to support their learning," with the iPad Air serving as a "powerful tool" that will prepare students for their future careers.

Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Education and Enterprise Marketing, said that Apple is "thrilled" about the iPad Air rollout at CSU campuses.

"At Apple, we believe that education is a powerful force for equity and opportunity, and that technology can empower all students to achieve their goals," said Susan Prescott, Apple's Vice President of Education and Enterprise Marketing. "We're thrilled that iPad Air and the incredible education apps in the App Store will be central to the experience at CSU campuses across California, and will play a part in the learning and career development of students from Humboldt to San Marcos."

Students at the CSU campuses located in Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Fresno, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Northridge and San Marcos will be participating in the first phase of the program.

Article Link: California State University Offering iPad Air, Apple Pencil, and Keyboard to 35,000 Incoming Students

 

[darcyf]

iPads are fine machines but they’re not laptops. You can get stuff done with them, but if you need to consistently get real work done you are limiting yourself if you go with an iPad over a MacBook.

 

[jlc1978]

Students will need to register to participate, and the CSUCCESS website says that with a keyboard attachment and pencil, the iPad Air is "comparable to a laptop."

While some will no doubt dispute this statement, my experience is that for many students this will be true. Office or AppleWorks has more than enough power for most students needs; if you are going into a heavily computational field such as engineering then you'll need something more powerful, probably starting as a sophomore.

When you consider this saves ~1000$ out of pocket it's a pretty good idea.

 

[Pakaku]

the CSUCCESS website says that with a keyboard attachment and pencil, the iPad Air is "comparable to a laptop.

Speaking as a recent graduate, I definitely wouldn't have been as productive as I would have with an actual laptop.

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

While some will no doubt dispute this statement, my experience is that for many students this will be true. Office or AppleWorks has more than enough power for most students needs; if you are going into a heavily computational field such as engineering then you'll need something more powerful, probably starting as a sophomore.

When you consider this saves ~1000$ out of pocket it's a pretty good idea.

When you say AppleWorks, do you mean the iWork suite of applications (Pages, Numbers, Keynote)? AppleWorks, IMHO, was discontinued in the early 2000s and was EOA'd with Mac OS 9.

 

[GuruZac]

Now the students know why their tuition went up $600 😃

 

[nutmac]

iPads are fine machines but they’re not laptops. You can get stuff done with them, but if you need to consistently get real work done you are limiting yourself if you go with an iPad over a MacBook.

I almost always prefer MacBook for productivity needs.

But in a class room setting, iPad Air + Pencil 2 + Magic Keyboard combo can be superior for taking notes. Rear camera for quickly taking pictures and Pencil for drawing diagrams and writing equations.

 

[JosephAW]

MS missed this opportunity.

 

[dwsolberg]

I'm not sure why people think that an iPad works as a laptop. I mean, sure, you can use limited apps on it, but for whatever reason, the iPad OS is not made for advanced uses. That's not exactly how you prepare students for the future, unless you envision a future of professionals without advanced technical skills.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Looks like a good move for everyone involved.

 

[jlc1978]

Speaking as a recent graduate, I definitely wouldn't have been as productive as with an actual laptop.

Out of curiosity, what was your major? I know several business majors and the most they needed was an office suite that was MS Office compatible on their MacBook. They never did any serious computation, and if needed there was a computer lab they could use.

Now, for some majors, a laptop is a must if you are doing regression analysis, (partial) differential equations, serious financial analysis, etc.

I'm not sure why people think that an iPad works as a laptop. I mean, sure, you can use limited apps on it, but for whatever reason, the iPad OS is not made for advanced uses. That's not exactly how you prepare students for the future, unless you envision a future of professionals without advanced technical skills.

I would say as long as most can navigate through an office suite they have the computational skills they need.

When you say AppleWorks, do you mean iWork (Pages, Numbers, Keynote)?

Yes. I never liked the iWorks moniker, since my first WP was AppleWorks on a ][+. AppleWorks, IMHO, has a nicer ring to it. Just me being cantankerous.

Now, get off my lawn...

 

[contacos]

Wow some of the tuition is actually being used for the students. Bravo 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Are books still 1k extra tho?

 

[Cosmosent]

Dumb move !

Giving them ALL an M1 MacBook Air would have been a much, much smarter decision !

 

[Mr. Dee]

You know what I am always curious about? The Apple quoted response to something like this. Did Susan write that herself or did it need to go through 10 layers of marketing and PR bureaucracy before it was approved? Surely, when it was Steve, you know it was him behind any quotes in press releases.

 

[blacktape242]

who is footing the bill for the 35k of them?

 

[Wildkraut]

Approx. $21.000.000 to spend every 5 years, due to planned obsolescence.
I can see Tim: 🤑

/me head->table

Edit: I’ve forgot the Apps, Subscriptions, etc. , it’s probably 50k-60k

/me multiple head->table

 

[Zaft]

iPads are fine machines but they’re not laptops. You can get stuff done with them, but if you need to consistently get real work done you are limiting yourself if you go with an iPad over a MacBook.

My thoughts exactly, I would much rather have a MacBook.

 

[Wildkraut]

I'm not sure why people think that an iPad works as a laptop. I mean, sure, you can use limited apps on it, but for whatever reason, the iPad OS is not made for advanced uses. That's not exactly how you prepare students for the future, unless you envision a future of professionals without advanced technical skills.

That’s exactly Apples vision of the future!

 

[nvmls]

Many already have one and don't even use it for anything productive. Offer a MacBook instead.

 

[Prof.]

I used my to take notes in my BSN program, but needed my 16” MacBook Pro for PowerPoints, research, and writing papers. Personally, I still need an actual computer to do the heavy lifting.

 

[0128672]

When you say AppleWorks, do you mean the iWork suite of applications (Pages, Numbers, Keynote)? AppleWorks, IMHO, was discontinued in the early 2000s and was EOA'd with Mac OS 9.

Appleworks stopped being sold in 2007.

AppleWorks - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[macmac30]

I am a little disappointment Fullerton won't be participating. I have a son going there next month and he needs a computing solution so this would have been perfect...

 

[Pakaku]

Out of curiosity, what was your major? I know several business majors and the most they needed was an office suite that was MS Office compatible on their MacBook. They never did any serious computation, and if needed there was a computer lab they could use.

Now, for some majors, a laptop is a must if you are doing regression analysis, (partial) differential equations, serious financial analysis, etc.

Information Technology (computer stuff, so obviously a laptop is important) coupled with some classes from other courses like Business. I could take notes on an iPad, but having to do research while writing papers is so much easier on a laptop just from having the ability to have multiple windows open at once. iPad OS seems to try to replicate that, but it's more like two fullscreen windows splitting the screen and shrinking their own content, not true windows. The larger screen helps as well. Even a 13" iPad doesn't feel quite big enough for multitasking all that.

The only advantage an iPad would have for me as a student is the low weight. The battery life is good, but I always got around that by bringing my charging brick with me. Writing notes that would be difficult to type (like equations) could be done on an iPad, but I always just wrote that stuff in a paper notebook to add to my Pages doc later.

 

[Stenik]

iPads are fine machines but they’re not laptops. You can get stuff done with them, but if you need to consistently get real work done you are limiting yourself if you go with an iPad over a MacBook.

Totally agree! I can't understand why iPads are being touted left and right for serious work when they are just entertainment devices.

 

[citysnaps]

So many getting triggered here over what schools and Apple are doing.