iPad .... or is it

Actually IMHO, I think the iPad should be called the MyPad. I'll explain below -

GREAT JOB
So these are some first impressions of a few days of iPad usage. Right out in front I have to say Apple got a lot right in the iPad. In fact I'll go as far as saying they pretty well nailed it on how a tablet interface should work. The touch menus and general operation and layout work well. Some of the touch operations can be frustrating but over all very useable.But using a touch screen means the screen will become a smudgy mess in short order. However this is the nature of tablets and the smudging does not horribly affect clarity. That said, I would like the option of say a 2 inch touch space below the screen where I could choose to make some of the finger gestures used in common operation.

THE MyPad and iTunes Whaaaaaa ?
Now we come to a couple of issues - the iPad is very well targeted for its consumer environment. I had expected it to be very simple - but I also expected it to have some of the elements of Apples OS X operating system. And by that I expected it to allow the creation of user accounts. That would allow an account for Mom and Dad and one for the kids --- the kids account could be a PG13 and the adult account have more open access etc. Nope - every one uses the same space - everything is wide open. Thats why I call it a MyPad ... I love my wife but do I want her massive collection of show-tunes and chick-music to be lumped in with my blues-rock-jazz ---- I don't think so. And thats just on the music side ...   This is MyPad, she'll have to get her own.

Now we come to the iTunes issue. I like iTunes and am an avid user - but I was a little floored that to really even use an iPad you need to have an iTunes account. I do not think that is an option - because your password for your iTunes account is the master password (admin password) for the iPad. YIKES ! Now I do see why Apple did this and it comes back to a term I used in another post - DRM or Digital Rights Management. With all that copyrighted material that the iPad is designed to deliver (music - movies - books) Apple uses iTunes as the master gate-keeper. However, there are better ways to create wall of sorts to control the copyrighted materials.
Neither of the above issues are issues for a consumer device ---- but for a device to be used in a multi-user classroom and our district enterprise network - not so good.

A NATURAL READER
OK - I again have to give kudos. Apples iBook on the iPad is fantastic. In fact its so good I had to really try it out and I purchased a Sci-Fi book to read. I've read it over the weekend and it was a very natural and pleasurable experience. I've also downloaded a classic book for free - The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I'll dive into some of those stories next. Now how this would work in the classroom I'm not sure - more work there to do.

AN ACCESSORY RICH ENVIRONMENT
This is both a plus and a minus. One word - BlueTooth. Want to listen to music or a movie --- you need a BlueTooth headphone set. Which compared to a mini-jack headphone is $$. Now multiply $$ times how many units you have. And I quiver in fear at 15 - 20 - or 30 BlueTooth headsets all negotiating a connection with fidgety impatient students. The good news ----- its a totally wire free experience to use. Joy

A HAM-STRUNG COMPUTER
A final comment on the overall Apple approach - as we have heard and speculated, the iPad is a consumer device really aimed at consumption of media. Versus a laptop - desktop - or netbook which are computers that allow for the easy creation of content be that documents or movies etc. To be fair I've not gone thru this process yet on the iPad - yet .... but I fear it will make me long for the relative ease of using a netbook.

So thats my initial impression from a technical and K12 support point of view ...

iPad teaser ...

I have seen the future of mobile computing --- and it is shweet. After about 48hrs with the device I can see it as a template for future tablets, and setting the bar in many ways for future devices.
However ... there is trouble in paradise. While I've barely scratched the surface of this device - I find some serious flaws right out of the chute. Full post coming.

And keep in mind, the challenge for all of us is to get past the flash - glitz - hype and determine how exactly will a device help a student ...

Initial Netbook Thoughts

I've been using 2 different netbooks since May of this year. I've used the Dell model that we have purchased for use in our classes. and an ASUS that we purchased as an evaluation unit. Currently I'm using the ASUS as my netbook for school use rather than using a laptop. And to be fair I have a Dell laptop of my own personal use. And -- I've been demo'ing an iPad for about 48hrs now ....

My current thoughts on the netbook using pluses and minuses:
+ It is a light weight ultra-portable
+ It is a traditional fully capable computer
+/-  Over all ease of use is "OK" but the keyboard and screen are cramped
+ Over ruggedness of each netbook is decent and they seem durable
+ Battery power seems to be very adequate 


The smaller screen and keyboard would not make it my first choice as a browser or a document creation device. However on the flip side the netbooks strong suit is its ultra-portable nature. You can go mobile and still get your work done - while at home or office plug in the usual USB keyboard - mouse and larger screen.

Overall, keeping in mind the more nimble fingers and eyes of our target audience - students - I feel they could be a real asset in classrooms.

E-Readers can impair reading speed ?

I will at times be the nay-sayer on these here tablet doo-hickeys. Or at best do my best to be impartial. I have not gone through the entire article below but it is a reason to pause. Is this a real issue - an adaptation issue - or ?  

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/07/05/1537215/Reading-E-Books-Takes-Longer-Than-Reading-Paper-Books

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2366065,00.asp


There are probably many factors at work here - one being that the whole ebook experience is new. But its also been a fact that current LCD displays can be irritating to the eyes - your eyes are working harder. One solution coming in the next 3-5yrs is Organic LEDs  (OLEDs) which promise to be easier on the eyes. OLEDs don't require back lighting and can be as thin as paper.

Some Favorite Tech Links and Blogs

Starting with some useful and light info is LifeHacker. A useful mix of tech and life style tips:
http://lifehacker.com/

Next up is the light hearted  - The Register. Techno news with a British flair for humor
http://www.theregister.co.uk/

Slightly more hard core is  SlashDot. Breaking techno info across the spectrum
http://slashdot.org/

All things Mac
http://www.macworld.com/


Would be good to collect some ebook and e-reader links too

Next Up - Operating System

The Operating System (OS) makes up the nice "graphical wrapper" that allows you to use the computer. Using a mouse - double clicking on an icon to open Firefox or MS Word - saving files to a disk ... the OS facilitates all of this and much more behind the scenes.

I just wanted to touch on this because for a tablet device the OS becomes a hugely important element. Many tablet computers have been offered in the past and all have really failed, and that is primarily because the OS was just Co-Opted from a desktop computer. That works on a laptop, but a tablet device needs a much simpler interface because a mouse or keyboard may not be present or wanted. It needs to be simple - intuitive - and robust.

Here is a recent example: Just after the iPad launch, Hewlett Packard (HP) one of the top 3 PC vendors cancelled its planned tablet PC just weeks prior to launching it. The reason, the version of Windows 7 Microsoft made for tablet devices was found to be too clunky and difficult for a good tablet experience. Think about that, the leading OS product from Microsoft was found to be too clunky for what might be the next wave of mobile devices. Ouch ! HP quickly purchased a company that had developed a OS just for mobile devices - they promise a product in November of 2010.

So far the iPad is the only tablet device to really resonate with consumers and so far be a hit. A big part of that is certainly its OS and ease of use. Which we will evaluate over the Summer. However, the iPad OS is not without issues and the primary reason is DRM (Digital Rights Management). But that is for a future post on this thorny issue,

Lastly, we cannot count out Google and its Android OS which is still getting its kinks worked out.

Mobile Devices - Some Basic Info

If we look at mobile devices like laptops - netbooks - tablets, the LCD Display is driving several elements of the overall design.

- As a rule of thumb the LCD Display is responsible for 50% of the cost of a device. So if an iPad costs $499 then the display is about $250 of that cost. The other half of the cost covers all the hardware (chips - connectors - batteries- etc), product design, and the ever important software and operating system development.
- In both netbooks and tablets, manufacturers are working hard to find the perfect screen size to optimize useability, readability, functionality, and cost. I believe netbooks will get just a tiny bit bigger (bigger keypad and screen), but tablet devices are wide open as to the best size.
- Screen resolution is a key factor and also contributes to the cost of the display. In base terms the resolution refers to the pixel count of the display, and the more pixels the detail and clarity you get. However, the more pixels on the screen means more bytes have to be processed (by the hardware) which requires more powerful hardware. More powerful hardware consumes more power and generates more heat - both of these are bad for mobile devices.
- In any type of mobile device the size of the screen is a crucial element. Both NetBooks and the coming wave of Tablets will be trying to find that balance point between: Nice and Readable and The right size for portability.