p2pnet - rss feed: Duke gets free iPods
p2pnet.net News:- Apple has taken several pages from the RIAA’s University Marketing Sales Book in its iPod collaboration with Duke University.
Big Music uses Napster II to penetrate US university systems, effectively turning them into almost cost-free ‘product’ distribution outlets with administrators acting as unpaid sales staff.
Apple does the same with its ‘iTunes on Campus‘ institutional site license program touted as “the best legal solution to manage, acquire, and listen to music”.
Whether it’s Apple, Napster II or any other plastic music site doing the selling, all that’s on offer is the same ‘product’ produced by the Big Four record labels and/or associated companies.
Now, not only is Duke marketing iPods and iTunes (Big Music ‘product’, in other words) for Apple, it’s paying Apple for the privilege with, “strategic planning funds that it has set aside for one-time innovative technology purposes.
“The total cost of the project is expected to reach $500,000 or more, which includes hiring an academic computing specialist for the project, grant funding for faculty, associated research costs and the purchase of the iPods.”
To add insult to injury, Duke is also using a site modelled on the Apple iTunes page.
“Duke University will distribute Apple iPods to its incoming freshmen, as part of an initiative to encourage creative uses of technology in education and campus life,” it says, going on:
“The pocket-sized digital devices, which can download and make use of both audio and text material, will be preloaded with Duke-related content, such as information for freshman orientation and the academic calendar.
“Through a special Duke Web site modeled on the Apple iTunes site, students also can download faculty-provided course content, including language lessons, music, recorded lectures and audio books. They also will be able to purchase music through the site.” [Our emphasis.]
And under the not-only-but-also heading, “The university has developed a technical support plan for students that includes a one-year warranty on each iPod and assistance through the Duke Computer Store and the OIT help desk. Students who lose their iPods will be able to purchase a new one through the Duke Computer Store. Upperclassmen enrolled in classes utilizing iPods will be given loaners for the duration of the course.”
This isn’t anything new, of course: Apple has been planting product in schools for years. And this newest marketing scheme is also in perfect accord with the American Way under which Hollywood is freely allowed to brainwash American children in their classrooms.
July 21st, 2004 at 5:54 pm
July 21st, 2004 at 6:25 pm
This is BS. I just graduated from Duke last May and this has me really annoyed. And mind you, it’s not so much that I don’t get an iPod, b/c frankly I’d rather have an M3L or an iRiver, but rather the excessive expenditure on the progam. Despite having raised vast quantities of money the university somehow doesn’t have enough money to fund its dining service and the Art & Sciences school is running at a deficit of $1.4 million! They can’t hire new or good profs due to lack of money but somehow they can dole out $500,000 for friggin iPods? They have no real acadmic purpose or use that cannot be covered by existing resources like the library and the computer network. But it does get the Duke name in the headlines so they must be happy.
Both the Big Four and Duke can sit on it and rotate!
July 21st, 2004 at 8:22 pm
I wonder if we’ll see these things at Oxford or Cambridge? I think not, thank God. Only in America.
July 21st, 2004 at 9:06 pm
NT
July 21st, 2004 at 9:08 pm
> They have no real acadmic purpose or use that cannot be
> covered by existing resources like the library and the
> computer network.
The same could be said of computers when they were first introduced.
Now, even moreso.
July 21st, 2004 at 9:10 pm
It’s a sad state of affairs, but good schools actually have to compete for good students these days in the states. This is a thinly disguised plan to give extra incentive for students to come to duke.
July 21st, 2004 at 10:18 pm
They ARE paying for it. Where do you think Duke gets its money?
July 22nd, 2004 at 4:44 pm
Sorry… should have been more specific… the author of the article seems to think that the only legitimate way to get music is by avoiding the major record labels-ie steal it if they have to have a share.
July 23rd, 2004 at 4:33 pm
If you read somewhere else on this site, someone has commented that the funding for the iPods is from a grant (not Apple). Maybe the music industry wants students to start legitimate downloading, who knows.
I doubt that the board and those responsible for financial matters at Duke would be so irresponsible as to squander funds on iPods when real liabilities and expenses are still outstanding.
Shame on the Duke graduate (earlier comment) who can think so superficially.
Despite his education at Duke, he’s still shallow enough to think like that.
Maybe THAT is what’s really sad…
August 3rd, 2004 at 8:09 pm
you little bitch you got an education from DUKE and you are bitching about a little frigging mp3 player…. what a spoilled little duke bitch you are…..