Duke University buys thousands of rich kids iPods

Apparently the entire incoming freshman class of Duke University is going to receive an iPod for free from the school. You'd think that the university would want to spend the money on making textbooks, which are a legitimate hardship for lots of students, more affordable or even free, but it's hard attracting applicants with the promise of free books. Apparently the $500,000 promotion, er, initiative, provides iPods for recording lectures, language lessons, and audio books, and will also enable students to download information through the Duke web site's iTunes Music Store knockoff. Which is helpful because students couldn't do any of that before the iPod (except for the ITMS part). Future Nobel Laureate and Duke freshman Mollie Tucker of Raleigh said of the idea, "Whoa! It sounds like a good idea. It sounds really cool." Uh, yeah.

[Via BoingBoing]

[Glume @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I think a certain university is at a low point in their undergraduate recruitment and is getting horny and desparate. LOOK! SHINY THINGS!

[Michael @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

"You�d think that the university would want to spend the money on making textbooks, which are a legitimate hardship for lots of students, more affordable or even free."

And now, thanks to the Apple iPods, they are.

[L_Emmerdeur @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Duke sucks.

[Hoovman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Combined with a tuition hike, right? You always pay for "free" things somewhere along the way.

[Peter Rojas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

But when I went to college an audiobook was not a very good substitute for a chemistry textbook.

[Billy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Michael, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. First, textbooks are not replaced by audio content of any sort -- perhaps augmented by it, but not replaced. And nowhere in the articles that are covering this is there any mention of textbooks being on the iPod. The intended use is really a stretch: recorded classes? Class schedules? Class descriptions?

This is just a weak ploy by both Apple and Duke to create some sort of buzz with a bunch of leftover 3G iPods, and give the kids thinking of applying to Duke a reason to convince their parents that it's a great school...

[Chloe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Yep, the tuition hike for the upperclassmen for nothing.

[BTD Greg @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

...and I share your suspicion.

http://www.beggingtodiffer.com/archives/2004_07.html#001488

I think I'm in the minority, though. The general consensus seems to be of the "hey...cool!" variety.

[Daniel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Mass amounts of students with iPods.
Something's bound to be jerry rigged in a cool new way.

[David Smith @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Why do so many people care that Duke has chosen to distribute iPods to incoming freshmen? I personally could care less, the only thing I can figure is that everyone is just jealous! Quit complaining already!

[Kim @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Hang on...
'thousands of rich kids'? Dukes freshman class doesn't even rise above 1700. I'm not seeing multiple thousands there. Plus there are hundreds on financial aid there...Duke meets 100% demonstrated need.
'hyping 3G iPods' Sorry again -- they'll be 4G.
Tuition goes up every year, at nearly every school...have you ever seen it go down? This money was set aside more than 2 years ago.

[Jesse S. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I will be an incoming freshman at Duke next year, and i couldn't be more excited about the ipods. but i must admit, if the University of Maryland got ipods and i didn't, i would probably be whining and complaining just like you guys. well boo hoo. Besides duke said it is an 'experiment' not the replacement of textbooks so lighten up and stop being so immature about an experiment that could prove itself worthy for many other campuses across the country.

[R @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

I will be a freshmen at Duke next year, and let me tell you - I am not "rich" at all. While I understand that the university is full of "rich" kids who are fully capable of buying such devices themselves, Duke like every other school in the country has a diverse student body ... it is wrong to stereotype a world-class institution as only "rich". A university such as Duke is full of smart, young adults and offers immense opportunities - such as free ipods! Now - get over it!

[Phil @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

If your college doesn't offer them, you can still apparently get a free iPod through a deal from Gratis Internet. There are online guides available.

[benny leung @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

i think tat ipod can help pupil to learn like in lesson time they can record what the teacher days and dont have to write everything down it would be much easier for them

[PS3RULEZ @ Dec 19th 2005 1:01AM]

Great, the next generation of college graduates is going to be even dumber...