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Apple pledges $100 million in iPads, computers and other tools toward Obama’s ConnectED education program

A student looks at his iPad as his class watches a live broadcast of a lecture given by Shenzhou-10 spacecraft astronauts on the Tiangong-1 space module, at a primary school in Quzhou

While it was announced briefly during the President’s State of the Union address last week, Associated Press reports today that Apple along with other tech companies are pledging around $750 million in an initiative to bring high-speed internet to schools. Called ConnectED, the program was officially announced by the White House today with the goal of connecting “99 percent of America’s students to the internet through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within 5 years.” For its part, Apple is reportedly providing around $100 million in iPads and other equipment:

Apple is pledging $100 million in iPads, computers and other tools. AT&T and Sprint are contributing free Internet service through their wireless networks. Verizon is pitching in up to $100 million in cash and in-kind contributions. And Microsoft is making Windows available at discounted prices and offering 12 million free copies of Microsoft Office software.

During his State of the Union address, Obama said that the program was receiving support from the FCC as well as Apple, Microsoft, Sprint, and Verizon to hook up approximately 15,000 schools and 20 million students within two years.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZeaxzBXPOA]

[tweet https://twitter.com/whitehouse/status/430744999010267136]

[tweet https://twitter.com/whlive/status/430746045988216832]

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Comments

  1. desksaver - 10 years ago

    Seems ironic to use a picture of kids watching a state program in a school in China for an article related to President’s State of the Union address.

    • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

      It’s okay to humor them. “Taikonauts”, how cute. It’s like a kid playing with plastic versions of his dad’s tools.

    • Perhaps the authors were trying to further prove the point in showing that some schools in China are ahead of U.S. schools in connectivity and technology. I think this picture is actually very fitting and only underscores the need for #ConnectED

  2. hmurchison - 10 years ago

    A nice gesture but technology doesn’t make kids smarter. Having a thirst for knowledge along with perseverance goes further than anything that runs on batteries for plugs into AC.

  3. Getting rid of Common Core > $750M in free gear

  4. Oflife - 10 years ago

    Oh dear. Multiple surveys state that computers and tablets do not make one iota of difference to a child’s education. On the other hand, tactile tangible objects and experiments, plus stylus driven tablets do.

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.