Welcome

This site contains information about the technology – laptops and software – that is available to you at Acadia.   From laptop purchases and support, free Collaboration tools via Microsoft Office 365 and classroom software, the Technology Store is available to you.

Have Questions?

The Service Desk is available to assist you with any questions you have about the purchase. You can contact several ways. Contact us by calling 902-585-4357 | 1-888-609-3330, using the Live Chat (Acadia email required), email at helpdesk@acadiau.ca, or via the HUB Service Portal.

Recommended Laptops for Acadia

Each student is required to have a laptop that meets the recommended specifications. While you may purchase any laptop type that meets the University's requirements, we recommend Dell or Apple laptops for their durability, performance, and support. Acadia students and staff are also eligible for educational pricing on Dell and Apple products.

When purchasing a laptop, our recommended minimum specifications are a recent generation i5 (Windows) or M Series processor (Mac), 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB flash storage hard drive.

Before you begin your purchase, please keep these things in mind:

  • If you require financial aid for assistance purchasing a laptop, please contact our Scholarships and Financial Aid office
  • In the event of a hardware failure, support is offered through Apple and Dell. In some cases, we may be able to facilitate repairs through Technology Services.
  • Verify your specific program software requirements. Nutrition and/or Engineering programs require some Windows-based programs that are not compatible with Apple computers. They also require a 512GB hard drive.
  • Chromebooks and tablets (such as iPads) are not considered appropriate replacements for a laptop computer.
  • You will need a credit card to complete to purchase a computer online. For Apple, alternate arrangements can be made by calling 1-800-MY-APPLE and indicating that you are an Acadia student.

Purchase your Laptop

The following links will direct you on your path to purchasing a Dell or Apple laptop. The pricing offered on these store sites is made available to you through Acadia's participation with Dell and Apple Campus Programs.

Purchase a Dell

 Enter the Dell Store

Purchase an Apple

 Enter the Apple Store

Microsoft Office 365

The Modern Workplace

Tools that will allow you to connect, share and collaborate with anyone, on any device, from virtually anywhere. Members of the university community have access to cloud-based services that will increase storage capacity, enhance the ability to share and collaborate while improving the safety of your data.

As a registered Acadia student, faculty, or staff member, you have free access to Microsoft Office 365 products including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. You can install Office 365 on up to 5 computers, including both Windows and Apple computers.

You can work on documents using desktop apps, the Office website, and apps for iOS and Android. You'll receive 1TB of cloud storage so you can store your documents securely, collaborate with others in realtime, and easily keep your work in sync no matter where you edit it.

Your Microsoft Office 365 Collaborative Toolkit includes:

Email & Calendar

The university's email and calendars are in the cloud-based Office 365 boosting the storage capacity of your inbox, improving security features and integrates with the other Office 365 productivity tools.

One Drive

OneDrive is a great place where you can store, sync, and share your files and documents. Save your files in OneDrive and access them from any device at any time.

Office Applications

Microsoft 365 Apps is the most productive and most secure Office experience with cloud-connected apps and services allowing your teams to work together seamlessly from anywhere, anytime.

Teams

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration app that helps your team stay organized and have conversations—all in one place.

 

Software Needs

Software is available via the Software Portal, through particular vendors and through Technology Services. If you require software for a class, your professor will provide you that information.

All students are provided with the Office 365 productivity suite. This includes desktop and cloud versions of its popular applications.

Some academic software programs (Nutrition and Engineering) require a Windows Operating System. Please verify with your professor or Technology Services to ensure you purchase the correct laptop for your program.

Academic Course Software

There are several places to locate specific academic software. Most course-specific Academic Software is available through Technology Services or the Vendor. Requirements will be provided by your professor.

 Acadia's Software Portal

Anti-Virus Solutions

There are many anti-virus services/solutions available. Some are free (AVG, AVAST, Microsoft Security Essentials) and others you may subscribe to for a monthly fee. Paying for an anti-virus solution does not necessarily provide you with better protection; most paid versions include additional features that are not required to sufficiently protect yourself.