Apple providing iPads to Los Angeles school district in $30 million contract

[PeteEU]

Apple providing iPads to Los Angeles school district in $30 million contract

The agreement will roll out iPads to students at 47 campuses; the iPads cost $678 apiece (nearly $200 more than a standard entry level iPad) and come loaded with unnamed educational software. Bizarrely, with tablets priced at $678 apiece, $30 million only nets LA schools approximately 45,000 iPads, while the school district comprises 640,000 students.

WTF?

We asked Apple to clarify and were told that the contract is for 31,000 iPads (for both students and teachers) which come with "Pearson Common Core System of Courses delivered via a new app." That's in addition to Apple standards like iWork, iLife, and iTunes, as well as "a range of educational third-party apps" included.

So not even 45 k iPads but only 31k!?!?

Microsoft offered their Surface tablet with Office on it for 300 dollars a piece, and there were other offers that were all cheaper than Apple. Not to mention the iPad is barely a computer compared to the other offers. If they wanted to improve computer literacy, then buying iPads is beyond idiotic since you cant do much on them other than read books and play games. No programming and certainly not worth using as a production device for school reports and such.. at least without a real keyboard... which is an extra 100 bucks I bet.

And on top of that they are charging 200+ dollars over the standard price?!... so 200 dollars for what... educational software?

Plus lets not forget that this is the iPad, so fixing a broken one costs a freaking fortune.

Seriously this stinks of massive corruption among the district board and I hope that there is an investigation and this idiotic deal is cancelled.

 

[RabidAlpaca]

Should've given all the students a Raspberry Pi. $25 a pop for a fully functioning computer.

 

[PeteEU]

Should've given all the students a Raspberry Pi. $25 a pop for a fully functioning computer.

Yea and they would have learned far far far more from that experience.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Apple providing iPads to Los Angeles school district in $30 million contract



WTF?



So not even 45 k iPads but only 31k!?!?

Microsoft offered their Surface tablet with Office on it for 300 dollars a piece, and there were other offers that were all cheaper than Apple. Not to mention the iPad is barely a computer compared to the other offers. If they wanted to improve computer literacy, then buying iPads is beyond idiotic since you cant do much on them other than read books and play games. No programming and certainly not worth using as a production device for school reports and such.. at least without a real keyboard... which is an extra 100 bucks I bet.

And on top of that they are charging 200+ dollars over the standard price?!... so 200 dollars for what... educational software?

Plus lets not forget that this is the iPad, so fixing a broken one costs a freaking fortune.

Seriously this stinks of massive corruption among the district board and I hope that there is an investigation and this idiotic deal is cancelled.

Questioning the sanity of a CA gov't agency decision? Why do alcoholics drink? Why do politicians waste money?

 

[shlunka]

And in a few months, they'll have to buy Ipad 2s, because Apple loves to make their older products obsolete by refusing to offer software updates. I spent $250 on an Ipod that can barely utilize the majority of its functions because Apple refuses to offer older model software converters on Itunes.

 

[specklebang]

I have 2 older Ipods (nano 4th and nano 5th or 6th (the really little one)). What doesn't function on them? So far, books and music seem OK.

Real question here.

And in a few months, they'll have to buy Ipad 2s, because Apple loves to make their older products obsolete by refusing to offer software updates. I spent $250 on an Ipod that can barely utilize the majority of its functions because Apple refuses to offer older model software converters on Itunes.

 

[shlunka]

I have 2 older Ipods (nano 4th and nano 5th or 6th (the really little one)). What doesn't function on them? So far, books and music seem OK.

Real question here.

Books, most podcasts, movies, music videos. I.E, the most important things. I've tried installing most of the Itunes updates, but none seem to work, and file converters don't always work for it for whatever reasons. All in all, a huge inconvenience that should be addressed by Apple, and not force me into downloading file converters/outdated itunes formats.

 

[PeteEU]

Questioning the sanity of a CA gov't agency decision? Why do alcoholics drink? Why do politicians waste money?

You forgot the "why do companies exploit the tax payer?"

 

[ttwtt78640]

You forgot the "why do companies exploit the tax payer?"

The answer is all the same - because they can.

 

[specklebang]

I wonder why I have no problem with my Audible books or my MP3 music. What are you experiencing? I never tried videos. I'm not unsympathetic, just curious. I refuse to buy a new Ipod so I do care.

Books, most podcasts, movies, music videos. I.E, the most important things. I've tried installing most of the Itunes updates, but none seem to work, and file converters don't always work for it for whatever reasons. All in all, a huge inconvenience that should be addressed by Apple, and not force me into downloading file converters/outdated itunes formats.

 

[CanadaJohn]

And in a few months, they'll have to buy Ipad 2s, because Apple loves to make their older products obsolete by refusing to offer software updates. I spent $250 on an Ipod that can barely utilize the majority of its functions because Apple refuses to offer older model software converters on Itunes.

Very true - you note that Apple didn't offer this up when the iPads were a hot commodity - now that sales are off and they've got warehouses full of them, suddenly they're being generous and giving the schools a "deal".

 

[shlunka]

I wonder why I have no problem with my Audible books or my MP3 music. What are you experiencing? I never tried videos. I'm not unsympathetic, just curious. I refuse to buy a new Ipod so I do care.

Audiobook won't appear on ipod at all, I had to swap all podcasts to music files to get them to work on my ipod, and the videos will load intermittently.

 

[Hicup]

Very true - you note that Apple didn't offer this up when the iPads were a hot commodity - now that sales are off and they've got warehouses full of them, suddenly they're being generous and giving the schools a "deal".

They're not giving them a deal, Canada. I am a VP for a company that deals wit Apple all the time, and I can tell you that they're products are overpriced, inferior to what's currently available in hardware, functionality and usability. They are, as one person already noted, kids toys, and, old people internet machines. They have zero worth in an business setting. They're a greedy company and only have integrity to their shareholders, - make no mistake about it!


Tim-

 

[specklebang]

What Ipod model/generation and what is your last siftware version. I'll try to help you puzzle this out since I too have a cat in this race.

Audiobook won't appear on ipod at all, I had to swap all podcasts to music files to get them to work on my ipod, and the videos will load intermittently.

 

[shlunka]

What Ipod model/generation and what is your last siftware version. I'll try to help you puzzle this out since I too have a cat in this race.

Er, not sure the name, Ipod Classic I believe, it's the 80G version.

 

[specklebang]

Even an old guy like moi knows there are seven generations of this Ipod.

Thous musteth go forth unto Identifying iPod models wherein the dragon's egg ith located. Then, we can diligently worketh on thy issues.

Er, not sure the name, Ipod Classic I believe, it's the 80G version.

 

[shlunka]

Even an old guy like moi knows there are seven generations of this Ipod.

Thous musteth go forth unto Identifying iPod models wherein the dragon's egg ith located. Then, we can diligently worketh on thy issues.

5th generation, Ipod, 80g.

 

[specklebang]

So, I assume you connected through Itunes on your computer and asked it to update? I have a Mac so your situation may vary.

I can't find anything about not supporting that generation. There are firmware updates but you can find this at a number of sources. Reading quickly, you might have a hardware problem. Try a different cable etc.

We'll get you through this Kemosabe.

5th generation, Ipod, 80g.