The last part of this post raises some questions for me. If the argument is, parents and students are disengaged on tour because they are plugged into technology, iPods, cell phones etc., how will a Microsoft surface engage them? Now, I don’t own one so I am not that familiar with it, but I have seen a couple of demonstrations on it. To me, it seems like a really large iPhone that two, maybe three people can touch at the same time. But how do you purpose to engage people on tour? There is quite a bit of walking in most tours and I don’t believe these are that portable.

Are there activities you would do prior to the tour? And how many people can really use these at once? I think the Surface is a great bit of technology and will be a great contribution to some industries I’m just struggling to find a real place for it in campus visit.

Jeff. Thanks for the follow up. I completely agree with you. I love the Jurassic Park quote. I am a huge believer in using technology that makes sense and not just because it is cool or flashy or available and may give you a 20 second wow factor. For me it’s important to make sure students discover if our school is actually a good fit for them. I want their experience when they enter their first year to reflect their expectations. I wouldn’t want them choosing us because we have nifty gadgets. I would like to give our students a little more credit than that but some colleagues think if we get cool stuff it will be a fix to our recruiting efforts.

I must sound like such a dark age prude. But in fact I’m a huge supporter of technology at our institution and I think we are lacking in many areas when it comes to incorporating technology into our curriculum/academics as well as our recruitment efforts and our day to day work efforts. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to throw money or technology at problems without critical thought.

Again, great follow up suggestions for the Microsoft surface. I don’t think we will be getting one any time soon since we just got a coffee machine for our guests and that was a stretch (I know that’s pathetic). But our applications are up by 15 % and we closed 2 months early, I guess I can’t complain.

Thanks again, Great Blog.

I agree with Shana on not throwing money at new technology. And, yes, a coffee machine is, often, more preferable.

In Singapore where I live, local IT professionals love to work for Dell, Cisco and other American tech companies (except Microsoft). One reason is that only these companies have Starbuck-equivalent coffee-making machines that dispense free coffee, complete with hot milky foam. (At Starbuck, each cup costs $6!)

Non-American companies also provide employees with free hot drinks, but but they’re sourish instant coffee and creamer powder mixed in hot water.

To me, Microsoft Surface seems cool but who is going to provide the rich, high-quality content (the maps, images, animation, information, etc)? I’ve worked as an IT journalist for 30 years, and to me, generating content is grunt work. We have high def and the latest in movie technology, but someone still has to go out to shoot a movie (the content). And making a movie is an expensive, lengthy, creative task.

So, without content, Microsoft Surface is just an overpriced glasstop table. My advice to small businesses and schools — install a Starbuck-type coffee maker (it’s only just over $2,000) at the reception area, and immediately visitors will equate your company to be as big-hearted and bold-in-spirit as Dell or Cisco.

By the way, the spanking-new Microsoft office in downtown Singapore doesn’t have any fancy Starbuck coffee-makers. So, you know why it’s not a highly-favoured employer.