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Freshmen use new technology while juniors await refresh

The class of 2016 arrived on campus well equipped with cutting-edge technology distributed during the students' respective Pirate Adventures.

Chief Information Officer of IT Services Stephen Landry said the students in the honors, science or business programs received the Samsung Slate PC, while other freshman received the Samsung Series 5 UltraBook laptop.

According to Landry, both mobile computing devices have access to the highly anticipated Windows 8 operating system.

Landry added that the class of 2016 also received Nokia Lumia 900 smartphones capable of using the Windows 8 operating system.

The pairing of the laptops and phones on the same operating system offered an innovative and interactive education experience, but the new technology came with high expectations, also according to Landry.

"It's definitely making my life easier. I don't know where I would be without my laptop," Wisniewski said.

Students on campus immediately started reacting to the new technology as classes began, involving freshman Jacquelyn Wisniewski.

Landry said the smartphones come equipped with a Seton Hall application capable of connecting students to their school email, and even putting them in direct contact with classmates and professors.

"The SHU app helped me a lot because it has maps of the campus" freshman Gabriella Markey said.

Other freshmen aren't finding the new technology to be as helpful, such as freshman Laura Catanzaro.

"The phone, I just don't use it," Catanzaro said.

Information Technology Services released a statement on Aug. 31 about service connection issues reported from rooms in Aquinas and Boland Residence Halls.

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According to the statement, smartphones and other wireless devices were causing interference with the Ultra books.

In some cases, improper configuration of certain wireless devices can disrupt the laptops' signals.

For more information on the issue, students can email the service desk at servicedesk@shu.edu.

Students are reporting experiencing other technical issues as well, such as freshman Austin Romano.

"It's not working for me," Romano said "It froze on me twice today and it's a brand new laptop. It just shouldn't be doing this."

Romano is currently on his third laptop after issues with manufacturer defects and frozen servers.

He has been to IT services five times.

Computers are also creating quite a stir among upperclassmen.

Landry said there has been some confusion over the process by which juniors can get their new laptops.

According to Landry, at Pirate Adventure when the freshmen received their devices, they had to take an orientation and Windows 8 education class.

Juniors also must become oriented with Windows 8 through an online course before an appointment with IT services for the "refreshing" process through which they receive new, updated laptops after having theirs for the first two years of their Seton Hall career.

Landry said juniros do not have to do any more work than the freshman did to receive their laptops, but ehy must go through the process of transferring data from their old laptop to their new one.

"Over 500 juniors have taken the online course of Windows 8 and made appointments to upgrade their computers" Landry said.

Appointments for juniors to upgrade their laptops began earlier this week.

They will continue throughout the semester as the class of 2014 completes the refresher course.

For technology concerns, the best way to find help is by contacting the service desk.

Mary Marshall can be reached at mary.marshall@student.shu.edu.


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