UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

I am probably one of the most outspoken critics of the iPhone with AT&T being the majority of the reason I do not want to own one. (Disclaimer: I DO have an ipod touch and like it)
I am very happy with my touch pro and have been with Sprint for over 12 years. (porbably one of the few happy customers...lol) I also just recently signed another two year contract and am locked in.
However, the grad school program that I have applied to and probably will be accepted into REQUIRES an iphone 3Gs with a data package. It also requires a certain Dell laptop ( I also despise Dell) which I have to purchase at an inflated price. Too bad because I presently use a really nice and much more capable Tablet PC.
On top ot that, the program I'm applying for (Physician Assistant) does not allow you to work, so I'll be unemployed for 27 months and having to foot the bill for 4 phones - 2 for me, one for my wife and the last for my son.
Of course, I also asked why I can't just use my ipod touch but was told that I had to have access to the data network and wifi is not always available. I kinda chuckled to myself thinking about how poor AT&T coverage is where I live compared to Sprint and Verizon. I would actually have a better chance of picking up a wifi signal than a AT&T data signal.

Oh well, just had to rant about something today. :argue:

David

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Heh heh heh...

I guess one of the solutions would be to plead my case that I can use the data connection with my toufh pro and WifiRouter to create a data connection on my ipod touch. Just tried it out and it works perfectly.

David

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

It could be worse I suppose.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

yeah i was gonna suggest that, it would save u so much money

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

How can they require that you buy a particular laptop and phone. Even it is a great program it sounds like a program that I would not attend. I bet they have so many other mandates throughout your time with them.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Why would the type of laptop matter? I guess if they wanted their IT department to support it, that way they only have to learn 1 laptop, but they they should buy it.

My sister is in med school and they were all encouraged to get an iPhone, so she did. She wanted one anyways.

If you don't mind carrying around 2 devices, then I would do what your alternative is if they let you. I would also plead your case about the laptop.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

This sounds like a scam wherein the school is getting some sort of kick-back from AT&T and Dell. If you can't find an obvious work around I'd hit up the school and see if there is some sort of program that offers:

1. Discounts on both devices.
2. Reimbursements for your expenditures.
3. Refurbished equipment that was returned by former students.

The type of laptop really shouldn't matter as long as it meets their requirements for connectivity and security (I'm assuming one of the reasons they want a specific laptop and configuration is that you'll be connecting to their network, etc.).

I'd also plead a hardship case to the school based on the fact that they will not let you work and that their restrictions are putting you in financial peril.

late,
Coz

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Wow good advice Coz.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

I have a friend that goes to BU Medical School and he had to purchase specific laptops from the school.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

I work for IT Support at a University and we do have an agreement with Dell and we supply standard configurations for machines. By having a limited number of models offered, we can build operating systems for them and it makes life a lot easier because we can just ghost a new image on and run Dell Image Direct.

Dell Image direct allows you to store up to 8 driver cabs per image, so one image will support 8 different computers. When it's done the computer is ready to go, no hunting for drivers, etc.

We have an agreement with Verizon to provide phone service for faculty.

Students are not required to buy a specific brand or model, but we do not guarentee resolutions for models not listed on our site.

I would seriously examine any program that requires you to buy something specific, especially if it is one of the programs that advertise over and over on tv. Usually the programs will allow you to use your own, but with the agreement that you will not recieve technical support.

Since Windows is a very general platform, I can not imagine a program that would run on Dell but not on say HP. Now if they are using higher end software, they may be concerned about people buying 299 Celeron crap computers and then wondering why it takes 20 minutes to load. If the programs are graphics intensive, there may be a concern that the GPU won't be powerful enough.

As for the Iphone, that does sound purley like a kick back to Apple and I would seriously demand to know exactly why it is required? Is there a specific medical application you will use?

I find it very strange they want a Windows based PC and an Apple based phone.

They aren't exactly two peas in a pod.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Thanks all for the replies. What got me the most was the iPhone requirement. Most of the schools I applied to required PPC devices in addition to specific laptops.
From past interviews, what many of you said about the IT and support is correct. They tend to standardize on one particular laptop which in turn makes supporting it much easier.

What hurts about the iPhone is that it has to be an iPhone AND a data plan. I already have a WM phone with a data plan. I'd much rather use my Touch and tether it.

I have my final interview with the school tomorrow and I'm going to ask how stringent their requirement is for the iphone.

BTW, Wish me luck. :-)

David

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

If they REQUIRE you to have a specific device, they should SUPPLY it. I can understand requiring a certain kind of laptop, but I think its absurd to require an iPhone with a data plan & expect you to pay for it, especially if they don't allow you to work. They should at least allow you to charge the bill to your student loan or something.

I'd find a different school, but that's just me...

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

some programs do require that. When I was going to go to med school, they required a tablet and wm pocket pc
now its either wm or iphone. If you have an ipod touch you should be fine, but the dell xt (if that is the model you need) I recommend you DO NOT BUY!

I have one - hasn't stopped giving me issues. I really pray to god I get upgraded because of the crappy dell tech support and the crappy parts dell sent out.

I suggest (if you have to go tablet) lenovo or hp - much cheaper with n trig and faster!

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

If you need (require) books for a college course, does the university supply the book or do you have to buy the book? With that in mind, they are requiring you to have an iPhone with data connection and a specific laptop just like they would require you to have a certain book, published by a specific publisher, written by a specific writer and pertaining to a specific subject. I see no difference between being required to buy books or other material and being required to purchase iPhone and Laptop... except price obviously

It's funny though, they would require and iPhone (Apple) and a Laptop by Dell which would most likely be running Windows as an OS

I work for a school district and we have some IBM Lenovo laptops (R60, R61, T500) and we constantly have problems with these laptops, they're really big headaches... We have Dells and overall do not have problems... as a matter of fact we have a T-STEM Academy here which is new only have 100 students so far and each of them have a Dell E5400 and we haven't had limited issues with these laptops... remember these are 100 high school FRESHMEN handeling these laptops too!

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Except a book is a one time purchase. You have the option of finding a used book and then reselling it back to the bookstore at the conclusion of the class, thus recouping some of your money.

Requiring a phone with a two year contract is a bit different than requiring books. The expectation that you can't work is a bit janky too.

late,
Coz

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

plus with the ISDN number you can get used books online for cheap! I don't see iphones, even crappy 8gig 2g ones, going for less than $200 and forget about paying for att service!

I wonder if they'd let you use a 1st generation used iphone unlocked on Tmobil?

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Correct, they require it and both are included in my tuition (with the exception of the AT&T plan).

I went for my interview today and asked about it today and it is correct that it is an IT decision to standardize on one platform. I didn't get into the nitty gritty of it but Apples were ruled out due to their cost. The iphone (to them) is considered a stable and reliable device with a good support repuatation (unlike my WM phone that I am flashing new ROMS to on a weekly- if not more - basis).

As for tethering, I didn't get to ask that question.

As far as the school goes, its a very well respected school and has an excellent PA program. The interview was pretty greuling though. Looks like I'll be taking a second semester of organic chemistry. I'd rather have my fingernails extracted....


David

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Yeah, I avoid the Dell XT - and the similar HP TX2 like the plague. Im the site mod over at the HP Touchsmart community website and one of the longest running discussion threads is about the terrible touch support for the n-trig digitizers.

I have a TX2500 tablet which, while not a multitouch is really a great tablet. It got me through my last year of undergrad and I was/am hoping for more. My favorite note taking tablet thouhg, is my Fujitsu ST5010. Its old and underpowered by todays standards but is still an excellent note taking device.

David

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Thats pretty much a requirement for all PA schools. I've not been to a single one that has not tried to discourage me from working. I'll essentially be learning 4 years worth of medical school in my first year and during my second year moving from clinical rotation to clinical rotation, which may mean moving to different locations or even cities to do my clinicals.

David

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

don't get the XT and don't need support for it OMG dell sucks with support bad that's what I'm saying whoo they burned me
right now I only pray they upgrade me to the xt 2

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

Hey, I said cost would be different :)

You can resell your laptop and iphone, percentage wise you'll probably get the same out of it as you would selling BACK your books to the university book store... what a money making deal there, you buy your book for $100, use it, they buy it back for $30 and then sell it again for $100...

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

takes money to make money. its an investment not an expense change your viewpoint about the situation.

Re: UGGGGHHHH! I HAVE to get an iPhone
 

A wise quote...one that I will follow.

David

Wirelessly posted (Sprint Touch Pro: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

A friend of mines Grad program required they all get Iphones also which I thought was strange at the time but they provided them... But I assume they had to get their own plan