Apple gets access to Japanese universities


AsiaBizTech reports that Apple Japan has announced that the Japan Association of University Co-op will market a single iMac model for $1,345 (¥178,000) through its 216 member institutions.

According to the story, about 30 percent of teaching staff and students own computers use Macs. The association told AsiaBizTech that it decided to add iMacs to its catalog because of an onslaught of requests from professors and students.

The association will provide loans to iMac buyers on the same terms as buyers of lesser computers. Additionally, Apple will set up "University Co-op iMac Help" to answer questions, as well as displays and demos at 18 universities.

Editor's note: Apple has been on something of role of late on the education front specifically with its iBook. However, it's worth reiterating here that the deal with the association apparently only includes a single iMac model, which seems parsimonious in the extreme considering 30 percent of university users in Japan prefer Macs.