Abilene Christian University in Texas is the first university in the U.S. to provide incoming freshmen with either an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. Their reason: to allow students to “receive homework alerts, answer in-class surveys and quizzes, get directions to their professors’ offices, and check their meal and account balances.” The forward-thinking school aims to not only give out devices, but also intends on developing new web based software to further aid academic learning. Abilene Christian University’s high tech approach to learning is captured in the school-made video called “Connected,” which you can watch here.
I wish my college gave out free tech gadgets for enduring the 4-years of pain. I’m sure ACU will be getting a flood of new applicants this upcoming Fall term.
Apple has upgraded its line of MacBooks. Changes are as follows:
MacBook Pro:
* Up to 2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (Penryn) processor
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB
* Multi-Touch trackpad from the MacBook Air
* Optional LED backlit display on 17″
MacBook:
* Up to 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
* Up to 250GB hard drive
Surprisingly, the Apple Remote is now a $19 option. What?!
Alexei Mikhailov designed the iStick, which looks cool enough to be Apple’s newest iPod Shuffle. With the recent price cut of the Shuffle, rumor has it that Apple is clearing shelves for a new replacement. If the newest iPod Shuffle looks anything like the iStick, I’d be all over it.
Mikhailov’s iStick is the size of a lipstick and features a touchscreen display with only 4 menu buttons - iPhone/iPod Touch-like. It even supports Coverflow. Unfortunately, the iStick would not support video or photo playback, as its screen would be too tiny.
Meet Apple’s iToilet, its newest desktop computer, …err more like bathroom computer. Okay, okay, I kid. Who would have thought of having a toilet as a PC case, let alone having a toilet as a computer?
Reviews for the Apple’s latest “hot” gadget are finally hitting the Internet tubes.
Here’s a brief summary of the good and bad:
Good:
+ Thin and sexy, but still sturdy (as portable as it gets)
+ Full-size keyboard
+ Built-in iSight
+ Gorgeous 13.3″ LED backlit display
+ New Touchpad “gestures” are useful
+ Weighs in at 3 pounds
+ Eco-friendly construction
Bad:
- Intel 1.6Ghz Core Duo might be “too” slow (slower than its MacBook and MacBook Pro siblings)
- Intel CPU is not the more power efficient 45nm Penryn chip
- Cheap mono speakers
- No optical drive
- Only one USB port
- No ExpressCard slot
- No where near the 5 hour battery life Apple touts (average is around 3 hours)
- SSD hard drive could be cheaper
- Maximum RAM capacity: 2 GB
- Sealed RAM, hard drive, and battery (not possible to replace/upgrade, except battery?)
Despite the fact that the MacBook Air lacks an optical drive, the word on the street is that its “Remote Drive” feature works pretty well. Futhermore, rumor is that the MacBook Air’s battery is possible to replace, except it requires more work than ordinary notebooks. All you need is a Phillips screwdriver and crack the case open.
