Apple Computer Inc. on Wednesday said it will begin selling a version of its iMac personal computer for $899 for the education market as it bolsters its business aimed at students and teachers.
The company, known for its popular iPod digital music and video player, said the new iMac will have a 17-inch liquid crystal display and will be powered by Intel Corp.'s latest-generation chip, known as the Core Duo.
The computer, available immediately to students and teachers, replaces Apple's eMac, which had a bulkier display using older technology. It comes with multimedia applications for creating Web sites with Web logs and photos and has the latest Macintosh operating system.
Apple, based in Cupertino, California, has been offering discounts to students and teachers since the early 1980s as it competed with International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news), Dell Inc. (Nasdaq:DELL - news) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HPQ - news), among others, in the lucrative educational personal computer market.
Over 12 percent of Apple's net sales in 2005 were to the U.S. education market, including elementary and secondary schools, higher education and individuals buyers, the company said in its 2005 annual report.
An Apple spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.
China will set up a system to evaluate scientists to curb fraud following a series of high-profile scandals, the science minister was reported saying.
Science and Technology Minister Xu Guanhua said China would also improve the organizations in charge of evaluating academic research and establish archives to record scientists' mistakes and violation of regulations, Xinhua news agency said.
Assessment of scientific work should be authoritative and strict, Xu said, in a report delivered at a meeting of China's top advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, Xinhua said.
Organizations applying for national research funds would be more carefully evaluated, Xu said.
Scientists or research organizations that lose credibility would be warned, with their misdeeds made public, Xu said.
He stressed the importance of combating scientific fraud and misconduct, saying "its harm on China's scientific progress cannot be underestimated."
The ministry's decision follows a number of high-profile academic frauds.
