One-to-one computer program for Years 8, 9 in 2014
Students and Parents are reminded that if they wish to collect their ordered MacBook from the school around December 6th, the last day for placing orders is end of Sunday, November 10th.
Parents of Year 8 or 9 students in 2014 are requested to provide a notebook computer for their child. After investigating different options, the school is recommending the Apple MacBook. The school has been using MacBooks since 2010, and are able to offer support for these. The MacBook has the advantages of being light and portable, it has a long battery life, a durable aluminium case and has good hardware specifications for the needs of our students.
Outright purchase of the 11” MacBook Air is $1099, but we are strongly recommending this be purchased as part of a $1169 bundle. The bundle will include an extended 3 year warranty, a case and optional insurance. Ordering and details of the offer through Winthrop Australia can be accessed at https://portal.winaust.com.au/forms/view/239
Orders will be taken during the first four weeks of term 4 (14th October to 10th November), and your child will receive the MacBook around December 6th from the school. You can still order after the closing date from Winthrop Australia, but delivery to the school will take about 3-4 weeks.
If you have any questions about the ordering process, please phone Winthrop Australia on 6488 2777.
Q&A
Can we still order after November 10th?
Yes, the web portal for ordering will be open indefinitely, and we don’t anticipate any price changes in the near future. They will be delivered to the school about 3 weeks after payment is received. If you order in early January, it should be delivered to the school by the beginning of the term.
If we already have a notebook computer at home, can my child use this?
Yes, however we can offer only limited support. Your device will need to meet the following minimum specifications:
At least 6 hours battery life (very important - it needs to last until the end of the day), 10” screen, wireless networking, keyboard, USB ports, able to run Flash, not too large or heavy (max 13” screen, 2 kg). You child is welcome to bring it to school and try it.
Can we purchase an alternative to a MacBook?
Yes, but again, we can offer only limited support, and it must meet the specifications listed above. We have tested Windows 7 and 8 notebooks and these have successfully connected to our wireless network, and we do not expect any problems with them. Be very careful if you decide to purchase something else, as it must be light and robust enough to survive several years being carried around in a school bag. It will also need at least a 6 hour battery life.
May my child use a tablet device (e.g. iPad)?
Many tablet devices may meet these specifications, but unless you have a separate keyboard, the touch screen keyboard will probably be too impractical in the classroom. iPads will not run Flash and don’t have USB ports, making it cumbersome to transfer files and perform back ups.
What if I cannot afford to purchase a notebook computer for my child?
We understand that this is a large outlay of money. For those who cannot at present afford to purchase their child a computer, we will have MacBooks available for loan from the school, so that your child will not be disadvantaged in the classroom. These will be older MacBooks returned by the Year 12s this year, and will generally have to be returned at the end of the day, and not be available to take home.
Is it worth spending the extra money for the extended warranty or insurance?
Our records reveal that of 1500 MacBooks, the school has made 343 warranty and 163 insurance claims over the last 12 months, indicating a 68% and 32% chance of a warranty or insurance claim respectively over three years. Given that warranty claims are more likely in years 2 or 3 than the first year, and considering the high cost of repairs, extending the warranty for effectively $70 (the bag is worth about $50) is remarkably good value. The school will also be able to handle warranty and insurance claims if the bundle is purchased through Winthrop, saving parents the trouble of having to visit an Apple store. Insurance is $350 for three years with a $150 excess. You are advised to check your existing contents insurance policy which may already cover a notebook computer at school, or which may do so for a small increase in your premium.
What exactly do you mean when you say you “don’t offer support” for non-MacBooks?
We have had a lot of experience with MacBook computers on the school network, but we can only offer limited or no support for anything else. Most devices we have tried have successfully connected wirelessly on our network, meaning they have internet access, including Windows 8 notebooks and Chromebooks. They will probably not have access to printers or shared drives, although students can print from the library. We have not been able to connect Microsoft Surface RT tablets, although it is possible a future upgrade of the school network will fix this. Also, Windows 7 computers may require us to install a digital certificate on the notebook before these will connect. Our help in arranging warranty and insurance work is restricted to computers purchased as part of the MacBook bundle.
Will I need to pay for extra software?
There are no requirements to pay for software, but you will need an Office suite (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, etc.) and so you may want to purchase Microsoft Office or Apple iWork. This isn’t necessary, there are a lot of free alternatives, including LibreOffice and Google Docs. Detailed lists of free and open source software which may be useful for education are here, here and here.
Do we need to buy the optional Lacie hard drive?
External drives are useful for backups and extra storage (the Airs have fast but small solid state drives). You can buy external drives cheaper, for example these ones at Office Works from $59. For backing up files, your child may also get by with a USB flash drive (e.g. $25 for a SanDisk 32GB).
(Edited by Asher Fryer - original submission Monday, 14 October 2013, 3:55 PM)
(Edited by Asher Fryer - original submission Tuesday, 15 October 2013, 10:29 PM)