In this university’s laptop vending machine, the MacBooks are free
venturebeat.comPhiladelphia’s Drexel University has installed a Macbook vending machine in the university’s Haggerty library. The kiosk dispenses MacBooks free of charge to Drexel students, staff, and faculty, who can use the machines for up to five hours at a time.
The goal is simply to help students get better, safer access to technology. Students toting laptops are targets for muggers.
“We installed it in late December,” Niki Gianakaris, Drexel’s media relations director, said. “Students didn’t want to carry their laptops to the library late at night.”
To get a MacBook, students simply walk up to the vending machine, sign in with their student card, and receive a laptop. Between lending sessions, the Macbook’s batteries charge, and the kiosk wipes the hard drives clean. Late fees of $5 do apply. The vending machine holds 12 notebooks, and I’m guessing it’s generally empty.
» via VentureBeat
Microsoft's bad news? Windows 8 computers are selling slowly
- 13% the drop in sales of Windows computers between the last week of October and the first week in December, compared to sales from one year ago. This is a bad sign for Microsoft, which launched Windows 8 during that time frame, and one blamed on various factors, including the bold design changes in the OS and the rise of the mobile market, which could be slowing down demand for desktops. The Surface, which was only for sale in Microsoft stores during that period, was likely a non-factor. source
