USC gets Google Apps in ad-free environment

A colleague brought to my attention a deal where the University of Southern California has agreed a deal with Google for Google Apps for Education to be installed in an ad-free environment. See:- http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/14700.html.

"“Google Apps at USC is about more than e-mail,” Rhimes said. “The current generation of students study, network and socialize online. They want the freedom to work from multiple locations – including from different computers and mobile devices. Google Apps at USC offers them the flexibility that they want and need.

Because Google Apps at USC provides Web-based word processing, spreadsheet, calendar and chat programs, students can do their work anywhere they have Web access without worrying about downloading software or software compatibility. "

It is interesting to note that this is reserved just for students and not available to staff (how does it interoperate with the staff groupware provision?), and that it is ad-free.

Cambridge announces deployment of IT telephony

A press release yesterday (http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2008/prod_010808.html) announced one of the largest IP telephony deployments in the education sector; a multi-million pound deal.

"The project will see BT, Cisco, and the University's IT Consultancy partner, PTS Consulting, deliver approximately 20,000 IP telephony handsets to the University over the next 18 months, replacing the existing system.

The University's investment will modernise the student experience, enabling students to collaborate in new and more innovative ways through the deployment of a converged voice, video and data network. Sharing information more easily will improve the quality of education and research, with students and academics using instant messaging, voice emails, streaming video and much more to share ideas in real time, from anywhere in the world."

This seems to be true convergence of communications and IT.