The Ohio University administration announced last week that it has teamed with vendors Lenovo and Apple for its Go Mobile program, which will provide students the opportunity to purchase laptops at a discounted rate. Earlier this year we commended the university for pursuing this partnership with the hopes that OU could help students get a substantially better deal than if they tried to purchase the computers on their own. The terms of the deal are, however, a mixed bag.
On one hand, the program does offer an impressive discount ' 40 percent ' on the Lenovo ThinkPads, the brand previously owned by IBM. However, the more trendy Apple models remain at near-market prices, offering little benefit to financially strapped students. The partnership only offers about $30 to $200 discount on Apple iBooks and MacBook Pros, which range in price from $1,246 to $2,576. That's right students; you can now purchase an iBook for $2,376, which amounts to a 7 percent reduction.
What the university hyped as an innovation amounts to little more than free shipping. And though the university did correctly decide to not remove the university-provided computers from dorms, these systems will be left to become outdated and sub-par. Cheap computers ' or free ones in a dorm room ' are extremely useful for many low-income students who know they don't need to worry about spending more money buying their own computer when one is waiting for them. The computers might be easily classified as bulky and sluggish, but they're still free. Also, students can go on a retail Web site and get a Compaq or a Gateway for hundreds less than a Lenovo. Granted, the Lenovo is a better machine, but the students who need the Go Mobile program the most probably aren't looking for the most high-end computers.
For all the hype and hope, the Go Mobile program needs some more work. Students could easily get comparable prices on these models or adequate substitutes by going to individual retailers. The intentions of the university were good in developing this program, but in its current form Go Mobile has become just a public relations selling point that falls short of its potential. The university should step up and try to get a better deal.
17 Archives
