Missouri J-School Tastes the Apple
12 May 2009 at 9:21 am Peter G. Klein 3 comments
| Peter Klein |
Many colleges and universities require students to purchase a laptop with particular capabilities. Some schools are considering requiring Kindles or similar book readers. The University of Missouri School of Journalism, however, is going one better by mandating not just a particular type of device — in this case, a portable media player — but a particular brand. In a decision sure to warm Teppo’s heart, the school announced last week that incoming freshmen will be required to own an iPhone or iPod Touch. Not only are these high-end devices, for their class, but in the case of the phone a 2-year AT&T service contract is part of the package. The ostensible reason is to allow students to listen to recorded lectures and other multimedia presentations related to their coursework and projects.
If you think this places an unfair burden on students, given that they can listen to these materials on any personal computer and most portable music players, don’t worry: university officials immediately announced that the requirement won’t be enforced, but is merely a cynical ploy to let students add the cost of the fancy toy to their financial aid applications. No doubt makers of rival devices are delighted by the university’s move.
3 Comments Add your own
Leave a comment
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
Organizations and Markets 
1.
Michael F. Martin | 12 May 2009 at 10:11 am
On the other hand, one textbook costs about as much (at least as an iPod touch) and the future of journalism is going to include a lot more non-traditional distribution mechanisms, such as podcasts. Besides that, it’s a sunk cost for a good fraction of the incoming class if I had to guess.
I’ve had my iPhone for about 9 months now. I use it instead of my laptop on many occasions. It’s that good. I am reminded of how the way people use personal computers changed when the Mac became widely available (including the quick copying by Microsoft — remember when Windows used to run on top of DOS?). Not all hype here.
2.
Yu Lei | 12 May 2009 at 4:02 pm
It seems Missouri J-school already changed the web page containing “negative” information (“Effective Fall 2009, students majoring in Journalism at Missouri are required to have either an iPod Touch (the minimum requirement) or iPhone to…. “) to a earlier version “Student Wireless Laptop Requirements Beginning Fall 2005”. Anyway, here is an interesting report “Missouri students ‘must buy Apple'” http://www.tgdaily.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=42382
3.
Domy Gryfino | 13 May 2009 at 7:30 am
When I studied the only needed equipment was a notebook and a pen. Still I think that making notes on math subjects need a pencil.
but the cost of a budget mp3 player is lower than $10 – like two beers in a local pub.