Every year, Apple does a Back-to-School promotion during the summer time to spur sales of its computers. This year, the word on the street was that it would be the biggest promotion yet. Some details are now coming in about the promotion which is scheduled to kick-off tomorrow — and it’s a doozy.

Apple is set to give away a free 8 gigabyte iPod Touch valued at $299 to any student who buys a qualifying Mac, according to MacRumors.

So why is this a big deal?

First, value-wise this is larger than any give-away Apple has done before. In the past, Apple had given away cheaper versions of the iPod, notably the iPod Mini and iPod Nano with the purchase of a new computer.

Second, this effectively will put a mobile computing device in the hands of thousands of impressionable minds. If you believe, as I do, that Apple is gearing up to make a big push for mobile computing this year (perhaps even taking on Microsoft Mesh with a new .Mac syncing replacement dubbed “Me”), this could be an important entry point.

Apple can get students started using their free iPod Touches. Then perhaps they opt to upgrade to an iPhone. Then maybe they’ll buy a new Mac Tablet or Newton-type device if and when it comes out. You can kiss the desktop computer goodbye. It’s time to start training the young minds of today about the future of computing: mobile.

Students can also opt to get an 8 gigabyte iPod Nano, though I’m not sure why they would as it’s valued $100 less than the iPod Touch.

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  1. June 3rd, 2008
    12:46 am

    despuesdegoogle » Blog Archive » Macrumores said:

    [...] Mañana Apple lanzará su campaña anual Back-to-School con esta oferta para escolares: iPod Touch 8 Gb gratis por la compra de un Mac (Venture Beat [...]

  2. June 3rd, 2008
    10:04 am

    Students: Get an iPod touch free with qualifying Mac purchase | Mac Newsly | The place to be for Macintosh information said:

    [...] VentureBeat goes further, contending that putting Apple’s mobile platform in the hands of students practically ensures its dominance in the marketplace. “You can kiss the desktop computer goodbye,” MG Siegler writes. “It’s time to start training the young minds of today about the future of computing: mobile.” [...]

  3. June 3rd, 2008
    10:46 am

    Students: Get an iPod touch free with qualifying Mac purchase said:

    [...] to college students who buy a qualifying Mac (MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, Mac Pro).”VentureBeat goes further, contending that putting Apple’s mobile platform in the hands of students practically [...]

  4. June 4th, 2008
    3:04 pm

    Snow Leopard on the prowl at WWDC, set to pounce at MacWorld 2009? » VentureBeat said:

    [...] on mobile device may be a major component. Apple is said to be working on a few different mobile computing devices beyond the iPhone, and this OS could be what powers such devices. A version could be [...]

  5. AT&T iPhone deal extended to 2010. Did Apple mortgage its future for a subsidy? » VentureBeat said:

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