For a number of years we negotiated with Computrace (only for recovering
laptops) to get them to lower their per laptop cost for a fleet of computers
for which their marginal cost for each computer was very small. I understand
their retail price given they have to build the cost of support into the
product, but the economics are quite different when discussing 750 computers
as we sought to cover.
Anyhow, Computrace never came close to the numbers that would have made any
economic sense even adding in the hard to quantify benefit of knowing who
stole a laptop. For us, it has been much cheaper to replace the stolen
computers than it would have been to purchase Computrace each year.
--
Tom Phelan
Director of Technology
Peddie School
On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 2:17 PM, Renee Ramig <rramig@sevenhillsschool.org>wrote:
> We weighed the cost of monitoring versus the lost equipment and found it
> to be more cost effective to replace equipment that was lost / broken
> than pay for tracking. I have found that most of the smaller, entry
> level technology (mp3 players, digital cameras, digital video cameras,
> etc.), only last us 2-3 years if we are truly letting students use them
> as much as possible. They are supplies not capital items. I think we
> should track them like we would a library book, with some type of
> check-out system.
>
> As for laptops and high end peripherals, you might have tighter reigns
> on how they are checked out and returned. We are pretty loose here, and
> last year we lost three laptops (they disappeared) and had two broken.
> (This does not include keyboards which break all the time, and Lenovo
> just sends us out new keyboards under warranty.) That is only five out
> of about 300, so a pretty good percentage and much cheaper to replace
> than paying for tracking.
>
> Renee Ramig
> Seven Hills School
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A forum for independent school educators
> [mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Brian Lee
> Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 10:51 AM
> To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: Re: tracking portable electronics
>
> For a more cost effective alternative, you can use Orbicule Undercover
> for
> the Mac.
>
> Brian Lee
> Manlius Pebble Hill School
>
>
>
> > From: "Brown, Jill" <BROWNJ@aa.edu>
> > Reply-To: A forum for independent school educators
> <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> > Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:40:41 -0700
> > To: <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> > Subject: tracking portable electronics
> >
> > Can anyone recommend companies/programs that facilitate tracking
> portable
> > electronics to get them returned if they are stolen, for us to
> recommend to
> > our parents/students for their home owned equipment?
> >
> > I looked through the archives and came across one recommendation,
> Computrace.
> > Computrace is a school solution with Lo Jack being their home
> solution. Any
> > feedback on Lo Jack and/or other services?
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Jill
> >
> > Jill R. Brown, PhD
> > Director, Educational Technology
> > Albuquerque Academy
> > brownj@aa.edu
> > (505) 858-8831
> > 6400 Wyoming Boulevard, NE
> > Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
> > Fax (505) 828-3320
> >
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