WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• iPad – you will need an iPad, any version including the iPad mini. Because some of your course readings are only available through iPad apps, other tablets won’t work. Below is a list of required and recommended apps. More information about the apps and an extended list of IMBA recommended apps are at the bottom of this page. If you are having trouble purchasing an iPad or any of the required apps, contact Director Amanda Miller at milleral@bu.edu BEFORE MARCH 1, 2013.
  • Required Apps
    • Pages
    • Numbers
    • Keynote
    • 10bii Financial Calculator
    • Print-n-Share or PrintCentral
    • iAnnotate
    • Inkling
    • Study.net
    • Dropbox
    • Prezi
    • Slideshark
  • Recommended Apps
    • Google Translate
    • Skype
    • TED
    • XE Currency
    • Twitter
    • BU Mobile
• Laptop – most students still find laptops essential for their studies. Dealing with numbers (Excel) and presentations (PowerPoint / Prezi) are still a lot easier on laptops than the iPad.
• Flash Drive – even with all these web-based services and technologies, there will be times when you need to move a large file from your computer to a classmates or to the printer shop.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE YOU START

• BU Email - all students have BU Google Apps, and as soon as you receive the Early Access email from BU, you can set your account up. 
• BU VPN - to access US-based (and some international) sites, you need to set your laptop and iPad up with BU’s VPN. When you are logged on to the BU VPN, you will be able to access all the BU web-based services including the online library and many of its databases as well as blocked sites like Facebook and Twitter and US-based sites like the US iTunes Store and Netflix.

WHAT BU PROVIDES

• Internet Access
  • Shanghai –  there’s wifi available in each apartment as well as in the Dong Hua University classroom.
  • Beijing - wifi is available in your rooms, the classroom and some public spaces such as the lobby.
    And now the caveats: it is China, and infrastructure is not always what you could expect at home. There will be times when the connection is very weak to non-existent and other times when it will be very slow. Plan accordingly. 
  • Boston – BU’s wifi is available in nearly all campus buildings including 580 Comm Ave.
• Printer Access
  • Shanghai – in the Huntington Apartments in Shanghai, you have access to a wifi printer in the IMBA office. You will also have access to other printers through the IMBA office computers at Dong Hua University (free)
  • Beijing - there will be a wifi printer in the classroom. You can also use the Business Center at the Crowne Plaza in Beijing (for a fee).
  • Boston – BU gives you a generous printing allotment for use in BU labs. Using MyPrint, you can print to BU printers using your laptop. (Currently printing from iPads is not available)
• Software & Hardware
  • Read&Write GOLD –  This is a FREE download through BU. This program provides support and structure for reading and research by providing text-to-speech tools, PDF reader, pronunciation tutor, translator, and more. It also includes a vocabulary list builder and fact mapper as well as many self-editing tools.

IMBA BOOKMARKS

It’s a big world out there, and you are probably already overwhelmed with how many new places you need to go to get information about your IMBA. Here’s a pretty comprehensive list of what you need.

MANAGING YOUR TIME

• IMBA Google Calendar – this is the official IMBA calendar, and it will be very valuable throughout your semester in China since the schedule does change on short notice
• GPO Calendar - this will be very imporant when you move on campus for fall and spring.

FINDING YOUR COURSEWORK

• SMG Tools - this is where many of your professors will set up course assignments, discussion threads, etc… We’ve got one shared tab for your semester in China, but once you’re back on campus in Boston, each professor will have her own tab – one-per-class.
• Study.net - you can access many of your course readings through the website or the iPad app.
• Inkling – your Marketing and Accounting materials will be available through this app. You can also use their website, but you will lose much of the functionality and special tools.
• BU Pardee Management Library – many of these resources are available online 24/7, which means that  if you’re on BU’s VPN, you can access them from China.

DEVELOPING YOUR NETWORK

• BU IMBA Facebook Page - this is the public BU IMBA page where general announcements and events are posted. This is also a page your family and friends can see to check out what you’re up to in the program.
• Boston University IMBA Facebook Group - this is a closed Facebook group limited to admitted IMBA students, current IMBA students, IMBA alums and faculty/staff related to the program.
• BU IMBA Twitter - here you will find up-to-date info about what’s going on in the IMBA / MBA world as well as the occasional student Tweeter.

WORKING ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• MBA Career Link – as your job search picks up, this will be an essential site. You’ll go here to register for Career Center events, search for jobs, get tips for the job search process and more.
• BU International MBA Linked In Group - this is a closed Linked In group limited to current IMBA students, IMBA alums and faculty/staff related to the program.

INFORMATION ABOUT BU / MBA CAMPUS LIFE

• SMG World – this is the general website for all things BU School of Management. You’ll find general building and program information and events as well as links.
• Graduate Student Council - this is your student government in action — events, information, clubs, socials and more!
• GSM Student Directory - from this site you can search current GSM students as well access other apps just for GSM students.
• School of Management Faculty/Staff Directory - helpful when you need to know who a certain professor is or where to find a specific office.
• SMG Tech Help – these are your local tech gurus, ready to help you with your specific GSM needs.
• BU IS&T TechWeb – lots of information about BU tech, how to use it, how to fix it and where to find it.

iPAD APP-ALOOZA

IMBA Alumni App

This FREE app will help  you keep in touch with the IMBA program and develop your IMBA alumni network. Download it now, and once the program starts on May 10, you’ll be able to access the password protected areas.

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APPS FOR COURSE READINGS 

Inkling [REQUIRED]

Through this FREE iPhone / Android app, you can download your coursework for your Marketing and Accounting classes.

Study.Net [REQUIRED]

This FREE iPad app lets you manages your Study.Net cases and readings.

 

GoodReader for iPad

This app will let you download pdfs, including your readings from Study.Net and SMG Tools,  so that you can manage your documents as well as take

notes directly on the document.

iAnnotate PDF [REQUIRED]

This is another pdf app similar to GoodReader that provides a more user-friendly platform for managing, reading and annotating pdfs.

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APPS FOR WRITING & CREATING DOCUMENTS

Pages [REQUIRED]

This app is Apple’s answer to MS Word.

 

Penultimate

This app lets you draw and hand-write notes as well as share them easily through DropBox and Evernote.

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APPS FOR PRESENTATIONS

Keynote [REQUIRED]

This is Apple’s answer to PowerPoint. With this app, you can create and display presentations.

Prezi [REQUIRED]

This FREE app lets you display, project and do light editing on your Prezi presentations. Prezi is a non-linear, web-based presentation program that is free to use.

SlideShark: View & Share Presentations [REQUIRED]

Print n Share for documents & email [REQUIRED]

PrintCentral  [REQUIRED]

This app lets you print directly from your iPad to a wifi printer, like we have in our Shanghai and Beijing classrooms.

APPS FOR WORKING WITH NUMBERS

Numbers [REQUIRED]

This app is Apple’s answer to Excel. It’s not nearly as robust or as user-friendly as Excel on a laptop, and many students prefer not to do heavy number work on the iPad.

10bii Financial Calculator [REQUIRED]

This app will replace a traditional financial calculator. It is required for your fall Finance course, but you will also use it in your summer Accounting and OM class.

APPS FOR CHINA

Explore Beijing Subway Map

This app has a detailed subway system map and tools to help you plan routes.

Explore Beijing Subway Map

This app has a detailed subway system map and tools to help you plan routes.

Zhao Cards Shanghai

This app helps you locate restaurant, shops, tourist areas and more in Shanghai. It also has a very useful Chinese phrase tool that will help you anywhere in China.

KTdict C-E (Chinese – English Dictionary)

This app has a paid and free version. It’s a solid dictionary that includes phrases and idioms as well as individual words.

KAYAK

XE Currency

This FREE app converts currencies easily.

Google Translate

This FREE app lets you translate between 63 languages and access the speak and listen function for many high frequency languages (more added all the time).

APPS FOR BOSTON