I am always curious how some analysts make their predictions. Magic 8 Ball?
I am definitely not going to say they're wrong, but it is difficult to believe that
Windows Phone will actually gain as much market share as they claim.
Windows 8 has the potential to
combine the laptop and tablet worlds, and some of the early designs
actually look appealing.
At the same time, critics are pointing out that Microsoft is making too
many compromises on the traditional interface in order to make Windows 8
a tablet operating system (OS). If Windows fails to be more than just a mobile-centric OS, I doubt many people will switch from their current mobile OS.
On the Google front, Android phones seem to be doing well, but Google hasn't made as much
headway against the iPad as they would like. The Android-based Kindle Fire did really well, but cut Google out of the profit loop by linking to Amazon's store and not Google Play. Additionally, the Fire used Android 2.3 rather than the tablet-centric Honeycomb, and lacked several other features that are found in many other tablets (camera, microphone, bluetooth, GPS, video out, accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor). It would seem that Google is looking to get personally involved with Android's success in tablets with the rumoured launch of the $199 to $249 7-inch Nexus Tablet with Android 4.1
(Jelly Bean).
Not to be out-rumoured, there are claims that Apple is looking to shake things up with iOS devices this year. There have been various photos of the supposed iPhone 5 with a larger screen, and rumours of a new iPad with a smaller screen.
Chances are you will want your phone and tablet running from the same
"store". No one really wants to buy an app multiple times. A strong
tablet launch by any of these players could really change the market share of the phones as well.
As for RIM in 2016, well... Recall that in the late 90's there were many people predicting the demise of Apple. Will RIM be like Apple, or more like Palm?
I guess all I'm saying is that there is no way I'd want to it to be my job to be trying to predict which phone/tablet OS is going to be on top in four years.
Staying Connected in the US - May 2012
In November, 2011, I wrote about the cellular options for travelers to the US who wanted voice and data service. At that time, AT&T had a pay-as-you-go plan (Go Phone) that was just $2 per day, and you were able to purchase data packages of 10MB ($5), 50MB ($15), and 500MB ($25).
The data would expire within 30 days of buying the package unless another data package was purchased prior to the expiry date. Signing up for automatic renewal would allow for "roll over" data. Although only in the US a few days at a time, I am there regularly so I decided to purchase 500MB, then sign up for a $5 per month 10MB automatic renewal. I use the data for web and email, so I would normally only use about 30MB to 70MB per trip. At the end of my last trip to the US in April, I had roughly 350MB remaining on my account.
I returned to the US on the May long weekend to discover that all of my data was gone. It seems that AT&T no longer offers data packages to those on the $2 per day plan, so my data was not automatically renewed. AT&T simply canceled the plan, took my data, and ran.
So what does AT&T offer now? You must be on a monthly plan just to be able to purchase a data package, and smartphone users must purchase data packages (they aren't eligible for the data included in monthly plans). The cheapest monthly plan they offer is $25. Imagine staying at a hotel for a few nights, asking about Internet access, and being told that you can only access the Internet if you rent a room for a month! Yes, it is that ridiculous!
I estimate that I used to pay roughly $12 to $15 per month based on the number of days I would be in the US, including my $5 automatic renewal for the data, plus the odd extra charges incurred calling back to Canada. Now AT&T is expecting me to pay at least $30 per month for a plan with some smartphone data. Not only that, but that plan actually includes less than the $2 per day plan as far as calling and texting goes!
Obviously I must renew my search for the ideal provider for staying connected in the US. It would seem that a new roaming agreement between AT&T and T-Mobile might actually help. T-Mobile has per day plans that include data, with national coverage and no roaming charges. Unfortunately, T-Mobile's site is light on the "fine print", so I'll have to figure out if the data works with smartphones, and if the texting includes messages to Canada (or at least how much each message to Canada will cost).
If things do indeed work out with T-Mobile, AT&T's cash grab is going to backfire on them. I'm just thankful that the proposed buyout fell through last year.
The data would expire within 30 days of buying the package unless another data package was purchased prior to the expiry date. Signing up for automatic renewal would allow for "roll over" data. Although only in the US a few days at a time, I am there regularly so I decided to purchase 500MB, then sign up for a $5 per month 10MB automatic renewal. I use the data for web and email, so I would normally only use about 30MB to 70MB per trip. At the end of my last trip to the US in April, I had roughly 350MB remaining on my account.
I returned to the US on the May long weekend to discover that all of my data was gone. It seems that AT&T no longer offers data packages to those on the $2 per day plan, so my data was not automatically renewed. AT&T simply canceled the plan, took my data, and ran.
So what does AT&T offer now? You must be on a monthly plan just to be able to purchase a data package, and smartphone users must purchase data packages (they aren't eligible for the data included in monthly plans). The cheapest monthly plan they offer is $25. Imagine staying at a hotel for a few nights, asking about Internet access, and being told that you can only access the Internet if you rent a room for a month! Yes, it is that ridiculous!
I estimate that I used to pay roughly $12 to $15 per month based on the number of days I would be in the US, including my $5 automatic renewal for the data, plus the odd extra charges incurred calling back to Canada. Now AT&T is expecting me to pay at least $30 per month for a plan with some smartphone data. Not only that, but that plan actually includes less than the $2 per day plan as far as calling and texting goes!
Obviously I must renew my search for the ideal provider for staying connected in the US. It would seem that a new roaming agreement between AT&T and T-Mobile might actually help. T-Mobile has per day plans that include data, with national coverage and no roaming charges. Unfortunately, T-Mobile's site is light on the "fine print", so I'll have to figure out if the data works with smartphones, and if the texting includes messages to Canada (or at least how much each message to Canada will cost).
If things do indeed work out with T-Mobile, AT&T's cash grab is going to backfire on them. I'm just thankful that the proposed buyout fell through last year.
SMART Classroom Audio
Introduction
We recently acquired a variety of SMART Classroom tools including a SMART Classroom Audio system. We already have several rooms outfitted with FrontRow classroom audio systems, and have been mostly pleased with their performance.Installation
The system includes four wall mount speakers (or ceiling mount speakers), IR receiver, IR microphone and charger, and control box. When unboxing and checking the installation instructions, it didn't take long to hit a snag. The IR receiver is designed specifically for rooms with drop-ceiling tiles. Our classrooms do not have drop-ceilings, and the room we were installing in has a very high (over 17 foot) ceiling. The local installer we use for AV systems had not installed a SMART Audio system before and had a couple of ideas, but couldn't guarantee that the receiver would be effective.The room was to be a SMART room, so a SMART technician came on-site to provide some guidance. We had already installed a new 800-series interactive board with the UX60 short-throw projector. The technician recommended installing an arm above the projector that would extend from the wall roughly two feet, and suspend the receiver from the arm. The receiver is quite light, so the arm doesn't need to be fabricated from a particularly heavy material.
 |
| The custom arm supporting the infrared receiver. |
Sure enough, once everything was installed, the receiver worked quite well. It is unfortunate that SMART doesn't include such an arm, or give instructions in the manual for this type of install. Having to manufacture a custom arm to support the receiver adds quite a bit to the installation cost.
Microphone and Inputs
The included microphone is a blocky device with volume buttons, a mute button, and two 3.5mm RCA jacks on either side. There is an additional, unlabelled button that is apparently for use with a school-wide system, but otherwise doesn't do anything. The microphone sits inside a rubber sleeve that, unfortunately, covers up the labels on the two RCA jacks. One jack is a mic in, while the other is line-in. This is useful for quickly amplifying your MP3 player or phone.
 |
| Microphone with the lanyard clip attached, and the belt clip on the right. |
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| Pull the microphone lanyard tight to avoid noise from the microphone rubbing on your shirt. |
The control box has two pairs of 5mm RCA (red/white) inputs. If you are installing with a projector that passes through audio (like the UX60), you can run the output from the projector to one of the inputs. We have a wall plate with another set of RCA connectors that can be used to plug in any audio source (MP3 player, stereo system, etc).
 |
| This set of RCA connectors runs to the projector. The projector passes the audio through to the classroom audio system. |
 |
| From left to right: HDMI to the projector, 5mm RCA to the classroom audio, and VGA to the projector. |
The control box also has a USB cable that will work as a standard USB audio device when plugged into a computer. With a clean install, the only two parts of the control box that the user needs to worry about are the power button and USB cable.
 |
| The control box. |
All of the audio inputs will play simultaneously, enabling various voice-over activities (like karaoke). Overall, the audio input options are remarkably flexible.
Audio Quality
The sound quality of the speakers is quite good, maintaining a consistent tone and volume throughout the classroom. Although there are four speakers (two on each side of the room), they do not produce surround, or even stereo, effects. It is important to remember that the purpose of classroom audio is to ensure everyone is the room is hearing the audio equally well.Integration
As mentioned, the audio system was installed along with an 800-series SMART Board and UX60 short-throw projector. The UX60 has inputs for HDMI, RCA, and VGA. Additionally, the extender for the 800-series boards enables USB audio through the same USB cable used to connect the board.I connected various pieces of equipment in a variety of ways. A Kodak Play camera sent video and audio over HDMI. A computer sent video over VGA, while the single USB cable to the SMART Board enabled both the interactive board and audio. I was able to plug my phone into the 5mm RCA wall plate (with an adapter), and into the line-in on the wireless mic and play music. I connected an XBox 360 to the RCA (red/white/yellow) connectors, and started playing. Everything just worked.
 |
| Complete system: infrared receiver above the UX60 projector, SMART Board, and classroom audio control box underneath and to the left. |
Summary
I only had a couple of issues with the SMART Classroom Audio system. First, SMART needs to include an arm for mounting the IR receiver to the wall. Second, the microphone needs a better lanyard solution, and the rubber microphone holder shouldn't hide the input labels.
Once everything is installed, and you are familiar with the microphone, everything just works, and works well. Honestly, the biggest challenge using the audio system is remembering to turn it on.
Remembering the Support in IT Support
To say that I have noticed an increase in the number of laptops students are bringing to the campus would be an understatement. During my first few years in the Faculty of Education (I started here in 2000), there were probably only a handful of laptops brought on campus by students regularly. In recent years, there are so many students bringing laptops that many IT departments are running into a problem. Students are looking for power, and will unplug whatever they have to in order to get it.
A member of the Central IT department sent out an email to other Lab Support staff in other universities, specifically asking how to prevent students from unplugging the computers. Apparently only one of the responses actually suggested buying power bars to let students plug in without affecting the lab computers. The other responses were simply methods to prevent students from accessing the power plugs.
Sadly, this is a typical response by many IT support staff, and it doesn't "support" what the clearly identified need is.
Unfortunately, students unplugging lab computers is a real problem. In many cases, the computers will be unplugged while the computer is running (very bad). The other problem associated with this is it interferes with lab software management. Most managed labs will use software that enables the IT staff to remotely install updates and new software. The software will even allow a lab computer to be started if it is turned off. Obviously, this doesn't work if the computer is unplugged, and the IT staff member now has to spend time going to the lab to figure out why the computer isn't starting up. This becomes a bigger issue when trying to initiate a task on an entire lab of computers. It reaches a point where it's not worth writing down the list of computers that aren't responding, and you just go over to the lab and manually check any computer with nothing on the monitor.
Fortunately, we have people who recognize that it is important to find solutions that address a need rather than simply "fixing the problem". Sean, who works with me part-time, came up with a proposal to rearrange the lab in a way that provides table space with easy access to power, and without introducing any tripping hazards. The instructors that use the lab supported the change, and Maria, the Director of Facilities, purchased what we needed to make it happen.
To start, some of the computers that used to face the wall were moved so that they would extend out from the wall in groups of three. This slight change still left plenty of table space for students to work at when not using a lab computer.
By extending them out from the wall, we ensured there wouldn't be any cables running along the floor for people to trip on. A 12-outlet power bar was mounted to the top of the three computer desks. Only 6 of the 12 outlets are needed, so there are 6 spare outlets a very short distance from a table that was added to the end. This was done on both the left and right side of the room, with a total of 6 groups of three computers.
Of course, I'm not convinced that there still won't be instances of people unplugging computers. People will always do unexpected things. I also know that our specific solution won't be universal. What should be universal though is the desire to find real solutions, not just additional challenges for our users to overcome. I am actually looking forward to seeing what unique "solutions" the end-users in the "lock down lab" come up with for getting at the power they need. I'm already thinking of one method that would probably work, but I'm not going to share it here.
A member of the Central IT department sent out an email to other Lab Support staff in other universities, specifically asking how to prevent students from unplugging the computers. Apparently only one of the responses actually suggested buying power bars to let students plug in without affecting the lab computers. The other responses were simply methods to prevent students from accessing the power plugs.
 |
| Proposed solution to preventing students from unplugging lab computers to plug in personal laptops. |
Sadly, this is a typical response by many IT support staff, and it doesn't "support" what the clearly identified need is.
Unfortunately, students unplugging lab computers is a real problem. In many cases, the computers will be unplugged while the computer is running (very bad). The other problem associated with this is it interferes with lab software management. Most managed labs will use software that enables the IT staff to remotely install updates and new software. The software will even allow a lab computer to be started if it is turned off. Obviously, this doesn't work if the computer is unplugged, and the IT staff member now has to spend time going to the lab to figure out why the computer isn't starting up. This becomes a bigger issue when trying to initiate a task on an entire lab of computers. It reaches a point where it's not worth writing down the list of computers that aren't responding, and you just go over to the lab and manually check any computer with nothing on the monitor.
Fortunately, we have people who recognize that it is important to find solutions that address a need rather than simply "fixing the problem". Sean, who works with me part-time, came up with a proposal to rearrange the lab in a way that provides table space with easy access to power, and without introducing any tripping hazards. The instructors that use the lab supported the change, and Maria, the Director of Facilities, purchased what we needed to make it happen.
To start, some of the computers that used to face the wall were moved so that they would extend out from the wall in groups of three. This slight change still left plenty of table space for students to work at when not using a lab computer.
 |
| Groups of computers extend from the wall to avoid power cables on the floor. |
 |
| There are 6 spare outlets for student devices at each of the 6 additional tables. |
Tablet experiences and updates
After spending some time with the Asus Transformer, a few things have happened.
Asus Transformer Prime
Asus released the Transformer Prime in December. It's hard to believe that it is now possible to get a quad-core processor in a tablet. I really don't think there's much benefit to it right now, but I would like to test out the Transformer's video editing app again. The reviews of the Prime are mostly favourable, but there are a few things worth noting.
The dock / battery from the original Transformer isn't compatible with the Prime. The wireless network signal is hampered by the new, all-aluminum design. The GPS is having reception issues as well. Anandtech has a good description of what's going on with the WiFi and GPS reception issues.
iPad 2
The iPad 2 has been out for a while but I just recently had the chance to use one for several weeks. Compared to the iPad 1, it's thinner, it has a camera, and the faster processor and increased RAM make for a slightly smoother interface. The increased performance is nice, and is a natural evolution for gadgets, but that alone would not have made the iPad 2 a worthwhile upgrade.
After using it for an extended session I didn't actually notice it's "thinness". I am not a small person, so I really don't get excited about the push for thin and light. If anything, I would prefer the size and feel of the iPad 1.
The camera is definitely a welcome feature. More specifically, the front camera enables video conferencing which can be a very useful feature for tablets.
iOS 5 on the original iPad
I updated my iPad 1 to iOS 5 (5.0.1 to be precise). What a mistake. I mean that in the sense that it was a mistake for me to update, and it was a mistake for Apple to release such an unstable update. I am not alone in the experience. I have only a few apps installed, no iCloud sync, and no media, and it is common to crash to the home screen. I mostly use the iPad for web browsing, and Safari crashes. A lot.
iOS 5 wasn't ready. Period. I'm honestly surprised Apple let it out the door. The biggest issue I had with the iPad before the update was the checkerboard background when scrolling pages quickly. I'm going to look into rolling back to iOS 4.
More tablets and Ice Cream Sandwich
There are a number of Android tablets due out soon, and we can expect to see many running Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). I am looking forward to ones like the 10 inch Acer Iconia Tab A200 and the 7 inch Archos 70b IT which should offer some decent performance at lower prices ($329 and $200 respectively).
Asus Transformer Prime
Asus released the Transformer Prime in December. It's hard to believe that it is now possible to get a quad-core processor in a tablet. I really don't think there's much benefit to it right now, but I would like to test out the Transformer's video editing app again. The reviews of the Prime are mostly favourable, but there are a few things worth noting.
The dock / battery from the original Transformer isn't compatible with the Prime. The wireless network signal is hampered by the new, all-aluminum design. The GPS is having reception issues as well. Anandtech has a good description of what's going on with the WiFi and GPS reception issues.
iPad 2
The iPad 2 has been out for a while but I just recently had the chance to use one for several weeks. Compared to the iPad 1, it's thinner, it has a camera, and the faster processor and increased RAM make for a slightly smoother interface. The increased performance is nice, and is a natural evolution for gadgets, but that alone would not have made the iPad 2 a worthwhile upgrade.
After using it for an extended session I didn't actually notice it's "thinness". I am not a small person, so I really don't get excited about the push for thin and light. If anything, I would prefer the size and feel of the iPad 1.
The camera is definitely a welcome feature. More specifically, the front camera enables video conferencing which can be a very useful feature for tablets.
iOS 5 on the original iPad
I updated my iPad 1 to iOS 5 (5.0.1 to be precise). What a mistake. I mean that in the sense that it was a mistake for me to update, and it was a mistake for Apple to release such an unstable update. I am not alone in the experience. I have only a few apps installed, no iCloud sync, and no media, and it is common to crash to the home screen. I mostly use the iPad for web browsing, and Safari crashes. A lot.
iOS 5 wasn't ready. Period. I'm honestly surprised Apple let it out the door. The biggest issue I had with the iPad before the update was the checkerboard background when scrolling pages quickly. I'm going to look into rolling back to iOS 4.
More tablets and Ice Cream Sandwich
There are a number of Android tablets due out soon, and we can expect to see many running Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich). I am looking forward to ones like the 10 inch Acer Iconia Tab A200 and the 7 inch Archos 70b IT which should offer some decent performance at lower prices ($329 and $200 respectively).
Staying Connected in the US
Note: AT&T recently changed their Go Phone plans, and the information here isn't correct. If you want a "daily" type pay-as-you-go plan, and want data, then AT&T has nothing for you. Their new options are absolutely ridiculous.
I have been travelling back and forth to Kentucky regularly for nearly five years. In the early years I would try and stop to eat at Burger King, the only chain that consistently had WiFi at that time. I would get off the highway, order my meal, and quickly check my email on my Windows Mobile phone. Even then I had long given up on trying to use Pocket Internet Explorer to check my favourite sites.
Apart from the occasional fast food/Internet fix I would typically just accept that I was going to be out of touch for my weekend dashes to Kentucky. Just answering the phone would cost me $4, and then another buck or two per minute after the first minute.
Eventually my Sweetie (now my wife) got high-speed Internet and, using Skype, it was easier to stay connected. We married in 2010 and still travel to visit her parents who live in eastern Kentucky and use dial-up to connect. So much for high-speed.
In the fall of 2010 I switched away from Telus as my cell provider and tried out Wind Mobile. I know not everyone has had the best experience with Wind, but it has been great for my family. One big advantage is using the phone in the States. Wind charges 25 cents per minute for using the phone in the States, and no additional "roaming charge". It's still not cheap enough that you want to have extended conversations, but I don't have to worry about answering my phone to talk for a couple of minutes.
This helped quite a bit but we soon found out that we were limited to T-Mobile coverage and sadly much of eastern Kentucky isn't covered. I already had an unlocked phone so the next challenge was to figure out which US pay-as-you-go provider was the best choice for us.
AT&T's GoPhone service has a $2 per day service for unlimited calls within the US, 19 cents per minute to Canada, and unlimited texting in the US and Canada. You only have to pay the $2 on the days you actually use the phone, and if you add $25 at a time the balance doesn't expire for 90 days.
As for data, earlier this year AT&T updated their data packages for GoPhone to include 10MB for $5, 100MB for $15, and 500MB for $25. This isn't exactly what I would call cheap, but honestly I find that checking my email, some web pages, Twitter, and Google+ only uses about 25 to 30MB over a few days. It's definitely enough to stay connected. It isn't enough for streaming audio or video, but that isn't realistic in the hills of Kentucky anyway. I end up on AT&T's EDGE (2G) network in Lee County Kentucky and typically see speeds around 200 Kilobit per second. That is about 5 times faster than dial-up; slow but usable for non-streaming types of applications.
Smartphones have also improved by incredible amounts in the last five years. I switched to an Android phone when I switched to Wind. Most of my online activities can be done easily on my phone, but I can even use my phone as a WiFi hotspot if necessary. This entire blog was typed on my phone using the Blogger app.
As for Wind in the States, my wife's phone, with the Wind SIM card still installed, actually registered on AT&T's network this past weekend. We looked at each other surprised when her phone rang at her parents' place. Maybe Wind has updated their US partnerships.
Staying connected while traveling in the States has become progressively easier over the last five years. Hopefully things keep getting better.
I have been travelling back and forth to Kentucky regularly for nearly five years. In the early years I would try and stop to eat at Burger King, the only chain that consistently had WiFi at that time. I would get off the highway, order my meal, and quickly check my email on my Windows Mobile phone. Even then I had long given up on trying to use Pocket Internet Explorer to check my favourite sites.
Apart from the occasional fast food/Internet fix I would typically just accept that I was going to be out of touch for my weekend dashes to Kentucky. Just answering the phone would cost me $4, and then another buck or two per minute after the first minute.
Eventually my Sweetie (now my wife) got high-speed Internet and, using Skype, it was easier to stay connected. We married in 2010 and still travel to visit her parents who live in eastern Kentucky and use dial-up to connect. So much for high-speed.
In the fall of 2010 I switched away from Telus as my cell provider and tried out Wind Mobile. I know not everyone has had the best experience with Wind, but it has been great for my family. One big advantage is using the phone in the States. Wind charges 25 cents per minute for using the phone in the States, and no additional "roaming charge". It's still not cheap enough that you want to have extended conversations, but I don't have to worry about answering my phone to talk for a couple of minutes.
This helped quite a bit but we soon found out that we were limited to T-Mobile coverage and sadly much of eastern Kentucky isn't covered. I already had an unlocked phone so the next challenge was to figure out which US pay-as-you-go provider was the best choice for us.
AT&T's GoPhone service has a $2 per day service for unlimited calls within the US, 19 cents per minute to Canada, and unlimited texting in the US and Canada. You only have to pay the $2 on the days you actually use the phone, and if you add $25 at a time the balance doesn't expire for 90 days.
As for data, earlier this year AT&T updated their data packages for GoPhone to include 10MB for $5, 100MB for $15, and 500MB for $25. This isn't exactly what I would call cheap, but honestly I find that checking my email, some web pages, Twitter, and Google+ only uses about 25 to 30MB over a few days. It's definitely enough to stay connected. It isn't enough for streaming audio or video, but that isn't realistic in the hills of Kentucky anyway. I end up on AT&T's EDGE (2G) network in Lee County Kentucky and typically see speeds around 200 Kilobit per second. That is about 5 times faster than dial-up; slow but usable for non-streaming types of applications.
Smartphones have also improved by incredible amounts in the last five years. I switched to an Android phone when I switched to Wind. Most of my online activities can be done easily on my phone, but I can even use my phone as a WiFi hotspot if necessary. This entire blog was typed on my phone using the Blogger app.
As for Wind in the States, my wife's phone, with the Wind SIM card still installed, actually registered on AT&T's network this past weekend. We looked at each other surprised when her phone rang at her parents' place. Maybe Wind has updated their US partnerships.
Staying connected while traveling in the States has become progressively easier over the last five years. Hopefully things keep getting better.
Are you a Mac or PC?
The one question that IT support staff (or anyone considered to be "computer savvy") consistently hear is "Mac or PC?" Unfortunately, this question is also all-to-frequently answered with one or the other, and the reasoning more often than not is defended with a religious zeal. I have heard just about every argument imaginable about why one entire platform is "better" than the other. Unfortunately, the arguments really aren't about the entire platform, but rather focus on a very special use-case scenario that will only affect a tiny number of people.
When I see the tools that most "bleeding edge" educators are recommending, they tend to be Internet-based services moreso than actual hardware or traditional software tools. Anyone reading this has, no doubt, heard the term "the cloud", and probably understands that the essence of "the cloud" is Internet-based services, most of which take the form of web-based applications.
Even when looking at actual hardware and software tools that are either commonly found in education or are recommended by educators, you will notice that they are, in most cases, available for or supported by either platform. SMART, Livescribe, iPad/iPods, and Microsoft Office come to mind here.
What is frustrating is that even those educators who encourage the use of Internet-based services are among those convincing others to "make the switch" to Macs. It is absolutely ridiculous to believe that someone who has always used Windows should purchase a Mac laptop, the least expensive of which is $1000, just so they can run web-based applications, PowerPoint, or SMART Notebook.
This is a list of the products and services that I have seen used, taught, or recommended in the educational environment in the last year. This is by no means an exhaustive list, because there have been so many web-based tools referenced in this last year I cannot possibly remember them all.
There isn't a single item on that list that requires a Mac or a Windows machine specifically.
Although it may seem that I am arguing against purchasing Macs, I honestly am not. I would not try to convince someone to "make a switch". If you have always used Macs, then by all means, continue using them because you will be more comfortable using a Mac than trying to switch. If you have always used Windows, continue using Windows and don't buy into the "Mac is better" hype.
When I see the tools that most "bleeding edge" educators are recommending, they tend to be Internet-based services moreso than actual hardware or traditional software tools. Anyone reading this has, no doubt, heard the term "the cloud", and probably understands that the essence of "the cloud" is Internet-based services, most of which take the form of web-based applications.
Even when looking at actual hardware and software tools that are either commonly found in education or are recommended by educators, you will notice that they are, in most cases, available for or supported by either platform. SMART, Livescribe, iPad/iPods, and Microsoft Office come to mind here.
What is frustrating is that even those educators who encourage the use of Internet-based services are among those convincing others to "make the switch" to Macs. It is absolutely ridiculous to believe that someone who has always used Windows should purchase a Mac laptop, the least expensive of which is $1000, just so they can run web-based applications, PowerPoint, or SMART Notebook.
This is a list of the products and services that I have seen used, taught, or recommended in the educational environment in the last year. This is by no means an exhaustive list, because there have been so many web-based tools referenced in this last year I cannot possibly remember them all.
- iPads / iPods
- Google+, Docs, Sites
- Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
- Blogs (various)
- Ning
- pearltrees
- timetoast
- Skype
- delicious
- screenr
- Prezi
- SlideRocket
- SMART (Notebook)
- YouTube
There isn't a single item on that list that requires a Mac or a Windows machine specifically.
Although it may seem that I am arguing against purchasing Macs, I honestly am not. I would not try to convince someone to "make a switch". If you have always used Macs, then by all means, continue using them because you will be more comfortable using a Mac than trying to switch. If you have always used Windows, continue using Windows and don't buy into the "Mac is better" hype.
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