Apple Inc.'s iPad, lauded by many as the next wave in education technology, is reportedly having difficulty being accepted at the Princeton University and George Washington University due to network stability issues. Additionally, Cornell University is also facing connectivity problems with the device. The university also cited concerns regarding bandwidth overload.
Issues such as these could be a major setback for Apple, which targeted the higher education market by highlighting the iPad's portability and availability of e- books. Some higher education insiders also worry that there is not adequate educational content available via the iBookstore application.
Princeton University recently said that it has blocked about 20 percent of the devices from its network. The university noticed that the malfunctions could affect the entire school's computer system. According to a statement on the school's website, Princeton is working with Apple to resolve the issue. Earlier this month, George Washington University said that its wireless network's security features do not support the iPad. It could take until next spring before the iPad operating system is fully supported on the university's network.
Many school networks are however accepting iPads without problem. Some universities are even embracing the device. However, even these schools accept that the device has its drawbacks.
According to industry analysts and professors, schools will not fully embrace iPads until textbook publishers offer more digital resources that go beyond e-versions of hard copy books. They note that it would be more difficult to translate educational books into e-books as they often include mathematical formulas, graphs and other non-standard-text material.
The iPads went on sale in the US on April 3, 2010. iPad's international launch has been delayed until May 10, citing heavy sales in the US. The company reportedly sold over 500,000 iPads the first week the product was in stores.
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