Historically, the focus of IT in education has been on the desktop platforms in computer laboratories. Numerous key factors have lead to the adoption of mobile PC technology in higher education. As a result, the College of Veterinary Medicine requires its graduate students to own a notebook computer, either a tablet PC or a traditional laptop. Mobile PC technology enables greater flexibility so that you can easily bring your device and electronic notes to each class and home. Additionally, wireless networks eliminate the need to wire or renovate facilities, which saves on infrastructure costs. The length of battery life has improved and costs of mobile technology have fallen making it affordable for students.

The following minimum configuration is a good investment and should serve you well through your graduate years without any additional upgrades to the hardware. Recommended MINIMUM system configuration for NEW purchases:

· Windows XP Professional or Mac OS X (running Windows Virtual Machine)
· Intel Core Duo processor (1.8 GHz) equivalent or higher
· 2048 MB = 2 GB memory
· 80 GB hard drive
· 10/100 ethernet card
· 802.11 b/g wireless card
· 3 year complete coverage warranty

The Tablet PC technology allows you to use a stylus pen and operate the computer without a keyboard or mouse. The ability to add hand-written notes to an instructor’s materials and save their annotation for further study proves invaluable to our current DVM students. The Computing Services department at the College has prepared a few Tablet PC and laptop packages for you to purchase that adhere to the minimum requirements. More information about each package is available on further documentation in this packet. You can purchase these packages online by visiting http://www.cdwg.com and entering the CDW-G part number or the Illini Flash Drive http://webstore.illinois.edu/flashdrive/ use your NetID and NetID password to logon to the online store.

Finally, the hardware warranty for any new purchase is important to read carefully and understand. Computing Services recommends a three-year complete hardware warranty with on-site repair. The complete warranty is an extensive repair or replacement service covering damage that is caused by accidents. These accidents are generally not covered under the standard product warranty, warranty upgrades or other extended service offerings. Accidental damage due to power surges, drops or falls, liquid spills and LCD damage caused by a drop or a fall are covered under this warranty. In addition, there is an option which features coverage at home and in the college and includes complete repair or replacement of your device.

See attachment for the 2009-2010 recommended purchases for incoming DVM students at Vet Med.

Thanks,
Candice Solomon-Strutz
Senior Coordinator of PC Support
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
College of Veterinary Medicine