美国密苏里大学新闻专业的学生被告知需购买iPhone或者iPod Touch作为完成课业的辅助工具，表示将其列为必备品是因为学生在回顾课堂内容的音频资料时会用到。该校新闻专业学生手册中清楚写明要学生购买苹果产品，“不推荐”学生购买Windows系列产品。不过，校方表示这并非强制性规定, 执意不购买iPhone或者iPod Touch的学生并不会被学校驱逐。

Journalism¹ students at the University of Missouri in the United States have been advised that they must own an iPhone or iPod touch in order to complete their course.

The devices are “mandatory”, as students will need to use the gadget² to review audio recordings³ of lectures, the University said.

However, officials have confirmed they will not enforce the rule. Instead, the “requirement” is part of the University’s aim to be granted “special status” so that students receiving financial assistance can use part of their bursary to purchase the device. Around 50 universities in the United States operate a similar scheme.

“If it’s required, it can be included in your financial need estimate,” said Brian Brooks⁴, associate dean for the University of Missouri’s journalism department.

The University uses a program called Tegrity to record lectures, which students can download later for free through a special educational area on the iTunes Music Store.

Some students have criticised the stipulation⁶, arguing that such a close tie-up with Apple “compromises journalistic integrity”, while others have said the row is “much ado about nothing”.

The journalism department’s handbook clearly underline’s the University’s preference that students use Apple products. In a section about the sort of computer a student should buy, the handbook states that they “do not recommend” buying a Windows-based PC, unless students “plan to make a career of computer-assisted reporting”.

“The faculty⁷ has designated Apple Computer as its preferred provider for two primary reasons,” the handbook states.

“Apple’s OS X operating system is based on Unix, which makes these computers far less susceptible⁸ to viruses than other computers. Viruses are a serious problem on university campuses. Secondly⁹, Apple MacBook and MacBook Pro⁵ computers come bundled with iLife, a suite¹⁰ of applications ideal for learning the basics of photo editing, and audio and video editing. We’ll use those programs in several classes.

“By the time you purchase photo, audio and video software for a PC, you probably will have spent more than you would if buying a comparable Apple Computer. Almost 100 per cent of last year’s freshmen¹¹ chose Apple computers.”