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CCI sales stalled pending model information from Apple and Intel

UNC’s Carolina Computing Initiative is normally fielding laptop orders from incoming students by April 1. But with May quickly approaching, CCI hasn’t yet announced what models it will offer.

David Eckert, CCI program manager, said he is concerned the delay will affect sales.

Eckert said UNC was waiting for Intel to release its new generation of processors, so the models CCI offers this summer will be as current as possible.

“(Intel’s) timeline is different from our timeline,” he said.

John Gorsuch, director of Student Stores, said Intel released the processor on Monday.

But the CCI program is still waiting on Apple, Gorsuch said, adding that new Lenovo models are ready to be announced.

“Things, at least on the Lenovo side, might be more public and fleshed out any day now, but Apple is the unknown quantity right now,” he said.

CCI sells laptops to UNC students and faculty, currently offering Lenovo ThinkPads and MacBook Pros.

Last year was the first year CCI offered Macs to students.

Eckert said sales to undergraduate students were split evenly between Macs and Lenovos, but more Lenovos were sold to graduate students.

Gorsuch said it’s hard to predict how sales will compare between Macs and Lenovos this summer.

“You got the Mac-PC preference battle — you could say, like, who likes Coca-Cola,” he said.

“It was 50-50 last year, and it could easily be 50-50 this year. I don’t have a feel for it yet.”

Eckert said while he can’t predict summer sales, he said he has gotten as many questions about Lenovos as Macs.

“I do think by having both Lenovo and Apple, we have an option for most everybody,” he said.

Lucie Kloak, an incoming UNC student, said she thinks she would buy a Mac over a Lenovo.

“I heard they’re really reliable,” she said. “My friends in college have Macs.”

Eckert said he expects to be able to announce the models any day now.

“We’re already so far behind, it’ll be as soon as possible at this point,” he said.

“There’s still a decision or two to be made, but the lineup will be similar to last year.”

Eckert said once they can announce the new models, they will publicize them as much as possible.

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“We’ll let students know the computers are finalized, we’ll open up ordering and we’ll send an email to incoming students,” he said.

Gorsuch said it’s too early to say how the delay will affect sales because this has never happened before.

“I know the IT department has been sending out postcards to the admitted students just to make these new students aware of the CCI program and that there’s more information to come so hopefully that was enough to make people pause.”

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.

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