Apple signs $30 million iPad deal with LA Unified School District
Only $678 per iPad! What a deal. Guess they didn’t see the commercials. Where is that microSD/USB slot again.
Apple today announced signing a significant deal with the Los Angeles School Board of Education that will bring $30 million worth of iPads to the school district in its initial roll out.
“Education is in Apple’s DNA and we’re thrilled to work with Los Angeles Unified public schools on this major initiative as they plan to roll out iPads to every student across 47 campuses this fall,” said Apple SVP Philip Schiller, adding that the company has placed almost 10 million iPAds in schools around the world.
LA Unified School District (LAUSD) Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Jaime Aquino noted that Apple had received unanimous approval from the school board.
“The vote is another step forward in the District’s plan to equip every one of its students with a device by 2014. When completed, the LAUSD will become the largest district in the nation to provide each of its students with the technology,” Aquino said in a statement.
It’s worth noting that the $30 million amount covers just the initial phase across 47 campuses. The LA Times reports that the contract could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Apple as the district works to provide every student with an iPad. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the US, behind only the New York City Department of Education.
By my calculation, the LA Unified School District could have saved $21,194,847 had they gone with 44,247 Surface RTs instead. Or $18,982,497 had they also added touch keyboards. Or, to put it another way, 76,235 additional students could have had the latest tech in their hands this school year. I guess that’s chump change though for the LAUSD. Your tax dollars at work. Ok, so they are adding some software to these devices, but $429 worth. I don’t think so. And as this is only the the initial phase, I suspect the LAUSD will be wasting millions and millions for years to come. Oh joy.
Anyone want to check how much the LA Teachers Union has invested in Apple stock. Naw, that couldn’t be so, right?
Source: TNW
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WOW! Bitter much? Though I do totally agree with you.
However, I would recommend an iPhone as a starter smartphone for 90% of the people I have met. You know…simple folk.
Once they get a clue, they change to Windows or Android anyway.
Atleast 50% stay in the Apple grasp as they never come to see the light.
“Don’t judge me by the phone in my hand” Ha!
Sheep
It’s not about saving money and getting more crap for their money. Apple has a VERY VERY impressive education environment that nothing on the market can come close to rivaling. Between iBooks and iTunes U, they’ve got the corner on the education market. PC applications are plentiful, but they’re nowhere near the level of refinement or quality in actual education settings that the current offerings from Apple (which are free in regards to the incredible iTunes U) are. Everything from Kindergarten to Colleges are using iTunes U to present their entire syllabus. Entire classes are held via iTunes U. Anyone in the world can take classes from almost every major university for FREE. All lectures, materials, etc.
Don’t come at me with the ‘sheep’ argument when your best trick is a tile that sometimes updates, but mostly drains your battery.
If you’re not familiar with iTunes U or iBooks, watch this: http://www.apple.com/apple-events/education-january-2012/
and read this: http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/
Welcome back Chris.
You can’t dismiss the financial aspect of the deal Chris. Yes Apple has a strong educational offering but they aren’t the only game in town. This is an area the Barnes & Noble deal comes in handy with Microsoft. There are some really good educational offerings on the Windows side.