In a 1984 column, technology writer John Dvorak likened Apple’s new pointing device to a “joystick” and accused them of turning computing into a game. Dvorak was talking about the mouse. Since then, Apple have been at the cutting edge of accessible technology and the critics have always been dubious. However, Apple seem to have an uncanny idea of what the future holds; they were the first company to make a computer without a floppy drive, which seemed almost suicidal at the time but, with the benefit of hindsight, was quite a shrewd move. They are as ruthlessly progressive with their own inventions as they are with everyone else’s; having invented FireWire as a high performance, efficient alternative to USB, they seem to be phasing that out in favour of wireless. The history of Apple is one of fearless innovation that, more often than not, paid off.
Apple have been committed to education since the company’s youth; the Apple II was expressly developed with schools in mind. Eager to show how serious they were about improving technology in education, Apple supplied every public school in the state of California with an Apple II and the accompanying software, free of charge. This wasn’t a one-off publicity stunt; to this day, Apple continue to contribute to the world of learning.
Our pick of the classic Apple computers is the eMac, an all-in-one desktop designed specifically for education. Released in 2002 as a low cost alternative to the LCD iMac G4, it proved so popular that it was released to the general public a month later. The eMac was improved in 2003, becoming the cheapest DVD burner on the market, and again in 2004 when it was given an even faster processor. 2005 saw improvement of the graphics and hard disk capacity – the culmination of these developments made it the most affordable and useful Mac for the education market. It has since been superseded by the more attractive iMac, which continues to be the computer of choice for classrooms worldwide.
What makes the Apple brand so successful today? Why is it one of the most popular pieces of classroom equipment? The answer is simple - Apple have been trying to make computing accessible from the word go: from the mouse that, according to a prominent critic “there is no evidence anyone wants to use”, to its latest intuitive operating system. The current range of Macs offers even the most technologically challenged user the ability to record and edit audio, make movies, alter images and design their own website, straight out of the box. You really can’t argue with that. Of course, we haven’t always had it so good…
Much of Apple’s success can be traced back to one man: Steve Jobs. The co-founder of Apple has a technological Midas touch, bringing success to just about everything that comes his way. Unfortunately, after an internal power struggle, Jobs left Apple in 1985 and wasn’t around in the mid 1990s to prevent catastrophe.
The PowerBook 5300 was at the heart of the problem after its release in 1995. Issues with the machine included cracked cases, overheating batteries, broken hinges and torn internal ribbon cables that caused complete blackouts. Apple recalled every machine for refits, but the failing line was discontinued just a year later. Apple’s reputation was as cracked as a PowerBook hinge, so they made a fantastic decision: to bring back Steve Jobs. Having watched the company grow, Jobs knew exactly what needed to be done and set about rescuing the struggling corporation. He started by cancelling numerous projects, such as Cyberdog: Apple’s questionable, memory-guzzling answer to Internet Explorer. These cuts were so extensive that some workers claimed to be scared to get in a lift with Jobs, in case they found themselves getting out on the right floor, but without a career. Replacing these projects was the new iMac, which provided fantastic sales when it was released in 1998. Perhaps most importantly, Jobs brought the focus back to education, one of Apple’s greatest strengths.
Apple have already announced their newest operating system, Snow Leopard. But what about further in the future? We predict that iPods and iPhones will soon play a much bigger role in the classroom, working alongside interactive whiteboards and podcasting software to make learning more interactive and portable. The internet has been alive with rumours that Apple will soon bring out their own low cost alternative to netbooks, but we're still waiting for proof on that one. One thing is for sure: if Apple make as much progress in the next three decades as they did in the previous three, we're in for quite a show.
Kit List
Macbook
iMac 20"
iMac 24"
Mac Mini
Macbook Pro 15"
Macbook Pro 17"
Mac Pro
(Education Discounts available on all above models, call our education team for more info on 03332 409 333)