Smith IT Help Desk starts specializing in iPads

The University of Maryland business school information technology help desk has been working with faculty and one of the newest tools available to them­­–iPads.

The information technology (IT) help desk of the Robert H. Smith Business School has been working with faculty and departments in adapting iPads. The help desk sets up the iPad with some apps and Internet connection while also troubleshooting for users.

Jesse Veihmeyer, an employee at the Smith IT help desk, says the iPad, though slow to integration, is being shown to be a useful tool at the university. He describes the Smith School as a "networking hub for the pioneering stuff" of iPads. About 50 iPads are in use by departments and faculty at the university

 "We have people piloting new software that are allowing software to grow," he said, including apps that can connect to a central server online and allow access to Microsoft office and other programs from an iPad. "Everything goes straight to the web."

Veihmeyer says that the iPads are creating a lot of questions about supporting the devices as enterprise devices, meaning large group implementation, controlling how the device is used, spending on the device, and securing the device if lost. Faculty are already finding new ways to fit the iPad into their work, he says.

"It's a really powerful tool. Now with HDMI output we can let them project their iPads in the classrooms. We're seeing people able to switch entirely over to the iPad. We have a couple of people who just have their desktop and an iPad. And it works for them," he said.

Robert DiMauro, a junior accounting major, says he has seen friends and teachers using iPads in daily work. He says the convenience of the iPads is something that makes him consider using one when he graduates as well.

"iPads are still in the preliminary stage of consumer adoption, so to speak. Be that as it may, I could definitely see iPads taking over the business world some time in the future. I think iPads could replace the employee work desktop because of their ease of use, portability, and overall effectiveness," he said.

Veihmeyer says the iPads at the university are an investment for the future. Integration is still preliminary, and the goal now is to make people "aware of what they can do with it" and increase discourse about the use of iPads and how useful they can be.

"Soon we'll probably have [and iPad] tethered to our desk for sign in. People will be able to interactively work with iPad to deal with some issues such as password resets. It's an eye grabber; it's cool and nifty."

"They are just so convenient," Dimauro says, "and once the price of the iPad dilutes a little and more people become comfortable with using them, they will take the business world by storm."