<p>I may have missed this but is there not a laptop or computing requirement for incoming freshman? I was browsing around the UA website for what the university offers for purchase, etc? Didn’t seem to find anything. </p>
<p>thanks for any info</p>
<p>UA has no computing requirements per se. Of course you’ll need a computer that can go online and open eLearning, myBama, and such, but other than that, there are no detailed hardware/software requirements. Some students and departments seem to prefer Macs, others prefer PCs. It’s a personal preference as to what type of computer you buy. As a tip, buy Microsoft Office (great student discounts available) and use those programs when you need to send files.</p>
<p>What about iPads? I know when they were introduced a year ago, Steve Jobs made a big deal about how he was working to get highly interactive college textbooks available through the iBooks program. Does anybody know if he’s been successful with that?</p>
<p>I just got a new iPad 2 for myself (through my business, for business purposes). My D originally wanted a new iPod Touch, but after she saw the iPad 2, she fell in love with it and decided she must have one. Since she got such a nice scholarship, we told her we’ll spring for one for her. (Plus I’ll be thrilled since we’ll be able to Face Time chat with her, assuming she’ll answer our calls!)</p>
<p>I was hoping the college fund money could pay for it, but it looks like the regulations may no longer allow for computer equipment purchases after 2010. (I have to make some phone calls next week to verify that.) So we’re hoping her “educational enrichment allowance” could technically pay for the iPad, while the college fund pays for meal plan, fees, and books. So we’d buy the iPad through the SUPE store, so payment could come out of her UA account.</p>
<p>AFAIK, there is no reason why she would have to buy the iPad at the Supe Store as any excess scholarship funds are given back to the student in the form of a check, direct deposit, or credit to a credit card. If you can purchase books with your student account, that would be news to me as it would then be possible to delay paying for textbooks until November at the earliest (including the grace period on credit cards).</p>
<p>Oh, since we’re so new to this, I have no idea how things are actually paid for! 
Thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>I guess I need to search back through some old threads to see how all that is handled. What types of things get paid from the student account, and what types of things must be paid for in another way.</p>
<p>All I want to do is make sure we take money out of the college fund in a manner that we won’t have to take a big income tax hit on it!</p>
<p>Do kids take classroom notes with the IPad2? I understand the IPad 1 wasn’t good for that…just wondering whether the IPad 2 is better.</p>
<p>I am woefully out of it WRT gadgets!!</p>
<p>(Still think you can’t beat pen and paper for taking notes in class. :D)</p>
<p>The student account shows tuition, room, meal plan and course/lab fees. It does not show the SupeStore. As for taking notes in class, not every professor is crazy over technology, so before a student brings a laptop, he or she should make sure that the professor is okay with it.</p>
<p>^ good point. DS has a few teachers who do not want to see computers of any sort in their classes, say they are a distraction. Realistically I’m sure there are many students on FB instead of paying attention.
On the other hand, since he’s Comp Sci., there are definite minimum requirements computing-wise since all of the work is not only done but sent in and graded by computer. Not sure if an IPad covers those bases, imagine you would have to have something else back in the room…</p>