iPhones for students

[Glenn]

No you can't swap a student for an iphone.

More than 500 medical students at the University of Leeds are being issued with iPhones which can access online text books.

The smartphones have applications providing students with reference material and prescription guidelines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11427317

[Simon]

Glad the university can afford it!

[pctech]

Obviously there's a bit of a surplus there.

[Steve]

There's a huge library available for Medicine on the iPhone, presumably the University has done some sort of deal with the publishers,its  pretty common in the States I believe. Like most science subjects the text books aren't cheap and not up to date either so I think to loan a device for two years is a worthy trial.

[pctech]

I wonder how many of them will end up 'lost' though.

[Steve]

I would hope they wouldn't get away with that. Insurance or something akin surely will be required.

[pctech]

When I worked at a school I managed a fleet of notebooks and Psion Series 5 palmtops (remember those)

Before the kids could take them home we had to send a letter home for the parents to sign to agree that the device was covered under the household insurance for loss and damage.

A couple of the palmtops disappeared and a few came back with damaged screens, I asked my Manager whether she wanted to pursue the claim but she never did.

[Technical Ben]

Glad the university can afford it!

The problem is distribution rights, else you could buy a £20 book and just put it up on the website. But just think what the cost is of buying however many books a year (got to be more than 1 volume right?) for 50 odd students or more each class. Perhaps this is cheaper!?

[talos]

I wonder how many of them will end up 'lost' though.

I'm keeping my eye on Ebay

[Holodene]

I think the iPad is better suited.