Waiting for Your College Acceptance Letter... and your iPhone?

I picked this up a few weeks back, but it's just now making its way into writing.

So, it seems that there is a college in Texas, Abilene Christian University, that is offering an iPhone to any incoming freshman this fall. Here's their press release: http://www.acu.edu/news/2008/080225_iphone.html.

Read about on Engadget and apply to ACU if you must. Apparently, the school portends that students will receive homework alerts and probably use some kind of course management webapp.

This is similar to Duke's attempt to give out iPods to incoming students. My guess is people know Duke exists and don't necessarily need more incentive to apply, which is why they ave since scaled back on that. But, really ACU-- don't you think we all see this as a far-cry from homework and an academic stimulus package so much as a marketing tool to tech-starved, MTV-obsessed Texas Christians.

Also, isn't like gluttony or pride a sin? Leave the sinning to the experts (me) and stick to what you know ACU.

Of course, in the fine print, the cost of the iPhone is included in tuition.