Dell Goes Educational with Its Mobile Lineup

United States colleges and universities are reportedly adopting Dell mobile technologies for their students. According to a Dell report, a couple of higher education customers have placed massive orders for the company's notebooks, to help 115,000 students switch to mobile computing solutions.

For instance, Ivy Tech Community College students are now able to purchase 110,000 discount Latitude D531 laptops, as part of the deal closed with the PC manufacturer.

"We want to consistently assure that our students are provided the best possible tools while here at Ivy Tech," said Ivy Tech Community College President Thomas J. Snyder. "Partnering with Dell allows us to offer our students access to the technology that will help them succeed."

Quinnipiac University has also secured an agreement with the PC manufacturer, and will offer approximately 1,500 notebooks to its freshmen students.

"The ability to bring Dell mobile technology into the classroom has expanded the teaching and learning experience, allowing for more active engagement and increased connectivity between students and faculty," said Dr. Richard Ferguson, vice president and chief information and technology officer, Quinnipiac University.

Major universities that have deployed wireless gear across their campuses also provide their students with mobile computing solutions. For instance, the Case Western University offers Dell notebooks to 170 incoming students, as part of their educational program.

"The mobility and wireless capability for these students has transformed the learning environment by allowing students to stay connected while doing rounds and visiting with the clinical research community," said Lev Gonick, chief information officer and vice president, information services, Case Western University.

However, Dell is currently providing universities with more than notebooks, given the fact that major computing architectures are also built on Dell technology. For instance, the Purdue University has recently purchased an entire supercomputing cluster from the PC manufacturer, comprised of 812 interconnected nodes.