Deploying iPads the new way

Oddly enough, the thing I struggled with the most for this entry was the title. Here were some that went through my head at various stages of deploying (or preparing to deploy) a new batch of shared iPad Minis this past week.

• Apple Configurator 2 Challenges
• Apple Configurator 2 and Profile Manager Challenges
• Why does DEP need to exist?
• iPads for Schools: Only if You're 1:1
• Apple Hates You

Over the last few years, we have been downloading codes for use with Configurator 1.x, and happily deploying to various iPad carts from separate computers across three sites. Certain options in Configurator even made it relatively easy to wipe and restore the iPads when they were returned from our pre-service Teacher Education students, something that I imagine is important in any iPad deployment where the iPads are shared.

In addition to Configurator, we have been using Meraki for some management and deployment. Our most recent acquisition of a new batch of iPads for use in the program pushed us over the 100 device limit for using Meraki for free. We started looking at the various MDM options, and the cost quickly added up. This is where Profile Manager comes in. This is also where dependency madness began.

Profile Manager and Configurator 2 lead to updates being required for virtually everything else. OS X had to be upgraded to El Capitan on the computer running Configurator. OS X Server had to be upgraded on our Mac Pro, which in turn also required El Capitan.

So, with everything ready, I started the deployment process. Well, actually, several different deployment processes trying to figure out just how to adequately manage over 100 shared iPads.

Now, the iPads are kept in carts, and they are numbered. The new iPads have numbers inscribed on them. The old iPads have labels affixed. Well, Configurator lets you automatically number iPads during the Prepare process, so great, right? Sort of. Here are the options in Configurator 2.

1. Plug in all of the iPads and let Configurator 2 name them, randomly assigning numbers that do not actually correspond to the numbers on the iPads.
2. Plug in all of the iPads and assign them all the same name in the Prepare process. Next, unplug all of them. Finally, plug them back in one at a time and manually name them.
3. Plug them in and Prepare them one at a time, manually assigning the name.

In other words, all the options suck, and it gets worse.

When wiping and restoring the iPads to ensure no personal photos or data are on them (remember, these are shared iPads), Configurator 2 completely forgets which iPad had which name! Are you kidding me, Apple?! I tried several methods to restore hoping that the name would be retained, but it was all in vain. I ended up giving up and assigning the same name to all the iPads, knowing full well what the repercussions would be.

With Profile Manager configured, I downloaded the management and trust profiles, and started the Prepare process. Of course, a few of the iPads had issues during this process and didn't finish completely. No problem, right? Oh, wait. The iPads do not have unique names that correspond to the iPad numbers! Now I have to pull the iPads out of the cart in search of the problematic ones! 

The next step was deploying apps. Our paid apps will have to wait, because Configurator 2 does not support the spreadsheet method anymore. We can convert all of our old licenses, but this has to be coordinated across multiple locations and departments (the reason we purchased downloadable codes with separate spreadsheets to begin with). This is also where Profile Manager comes in. I began pushing the apps (50 of them) out to the iPads. The iPads are all connected to the same WiFi network, and based on the progress, it seems like it's going to be a multi-day process. The best part? It would need to do this every time we need to wipe the iPads! They're shared devices, so we need to wipe them regularly. Oh, and an iPad can fail during this process as well, which means manually trying to figure out which iPad is the problem.

OK. So, use Configurator 2 to push the apps out, right? When I tried to setup our VPP account on Configurator 2, I am told that it will remove the management from Profile Manager, so I lose the remote management capability! Is this for real?!

OK, OK. I'll make a backup of an iPad with the apps already installed, then restore that backup to the rest of the iPads! Nope. Restoring the backup to a test iPad not only lacked any of the installed apps, it complained about failing to install the management profile! ARGH!!!

I need to circle back around a little, because an on-going issue with management profiles is Apple's DEP (Device Enrolment Program). The management profiles installed to the iPads can be removed by any user, without a password. The only way around this is to enroll in DEP, and only devices purchased within a given timeframe can be added to DEP (forget about the collection of iPad 2's we purchased several years ago). How does this make any sense?! How is it not possible for Apple to simply allow management profiles to be password protected?! This is absolutely insane!

I can only hope that I have missed some critical step somewhere. I have Googled and pretty much found nothing but complaints about being "forced into Configurator 2". I suspect the problems I have described are not currently "solvable".

It comes as no surprise to me that Chromebooks are gaining in popularity for education. iPad deployment, especially for shared devices, is a nightmare.

The New Apple

I can't help but wonder, has Apple jumped the shark?

Ever since the release of OS X Yosemite, I have heard complaints about the pinwheel constantly appearing and unresponsive UI. My own experiences on a work machine updated to El Capitan seem to confirm what others are reporting. Using this Mac feels a lot like the old Windows hourglass days.

More recently I updated my wife's iPhone to iOS 9. I did hold off until 9.0.2, but it just didn't seem to matter; iOS 9 is a beta OS that never should have been released. My wife actually said she is ready to throw her phone in the garbage! To put this into perspective, she has had a couple iPod Touches (2nd and 5th gen), and absolutely loves her MacBook Air (still rocking Mavericks). She is a typical Apple fan, and she's just about had enough.

I know it is an oft-used phrase, but I really do doubt the iOS 9 scenario would have "happened under Steve". To be clear, I do not admire Steve Jobs; he was a complete jerk who publicly berated employees. I would never want my child to "grow up to be the next Steve Jobs", but it is exactly because of who he was that, under his reign, it is unlikely we would be living with the glitchy OSes of the New Apple.

Toshiba Chromebook 2

I recently spent some time with Toshiba's Chromebook 2.

There is very little a manufacturer can do to stand out in the Chromebook space. This has to be one of the most challenging consumer segments for manufacturers. The idea behind Chrome OS is that you can log on to virtually any Chromebook, and it is "your" Chrome. The software experience, generally speaking, is outside of the control of the manufacturer. There is also an expectation that Chromebooks are very low cost, and many buyers will make their decision based on price alone.

Given those constraints, I believe Toshiba did a pretty good job with their trade-offs.

First, Toshiba chose Skullcandy speakers for the Chromebook 2. These are not the best speakers, but they are above average for low-cost laptops, and the Skullcandy branding will have an appeal to younger users. Those users may not be the buyers of the device itself, having something that will get buy-in from them can still be important.

The shell of the Chromebook 2 is plastic, but has a nice metallic look, and a texture that is not a fingerprint magnet. In situations where the Chromebook is shared by multiple users, it is nice that the shell doesn't look like it's been touched by a thousand greasy fingers. The Chromebook 2 also felt fairly rugged, which is important for a shared device.

The keyboard has decent travel and a good feel. The travel could possibly be a little better given the amount of free space at the sides. It isn't the greatest keyboard, but it was good for a low-cost laptop. The model I received had the "Canadian keyboard layout", which I always find frustrating. I was told it might be possible to specifically request the US layout if making a larger order. The trackpad, much like the keyboard, was good for a low-cost laptop. It was reasonably sensitive and accurate.

The Chromebook 2 uses Intel's dual-core Celeron N2840 with 2GB of RAM. Web browsing, various Chrome apps, and Netflix all worked very well. Restart, startup, and app launching were fast.

The built-in microphone was surprisingly good. You won't want to make any professional recordings with it, but it worked very well for video conferencing. Unfortunately the webcam was not nearly as good; it required strong lighting. The screen was clearly chosen for its low cost. It was a standard 1366x768 display with somewhat poor viewing angles. Toshiba has a more expensive (roughly $70 extra) version of the Chromebook 2 with a much higher quality 1080p screen.

At 1.3 Kg (2.86 lbs), it isn't the lightest laptop or Chromebook, but I would not go so far as to describe it as heavy. Battery life was good, and should be enough to get through a work/school day. The Chromebook 2 also had good standby time, and the battery would lose very little charge when the Chromebook wasn't in use.

Overall, the experience with the Chromebook 2 was positive. I wish the screen was slightly better, but there are always tough decisions to be made by manufacturers for low-cost laptops and Chromebooks.

Reflector 2 - AirPlay and Google Cast

Squirrels just released Reflector 2 with a significant addition. It can now support multiple Google Cast clients in addition to multiple AirPlay clients.

Last year, AirServer released AirServer Universal for the PC. The new version introduced support for the Miracast standard allowing virtually all devices to mirror to AirServer. I successfully mirrored a Windows laptop, a variety of Android devices, and of course AirPlay support was included. However, there were some special requirements and limitations.

First, AirServer Universal is not available for Mac, so the universal receiver is a Windows-only option. Second, the universal receiver must have a supported network chip/driver. I had to purchase a USB wireless adapter and disable the integrated wireless chip in my two-year old laptop to get Miracast support working. Next, only one Miracast device can connect at a time, although multiple AirPlay devices can connect simultaneously. Finally, and this is more of a Miracast protocol issue than one with AirServer, devices mirrored in portrait mode versus landscape could end up appearing very small if an AirPlay device was connected at the same time.

Despite these issues, AirServer Universal was the only option for supporting a device-agnostic screen-sharing classroom.

With the release of Reflector 2, you can now have multiple device screens shared on your Mac or PC, and those screens can be any combination of AirPlay or Google Cast devices. Many newer Android devices can mirror their screens with Google Cast, and devices running Chrome, including Macs, PCs, and Chromebooks can cast a tab from within the Chrome browser. After installing Reflector 2, I gathered up a variety of devices to test things out.

The collection of screens above consist of a Chromebook, Nexus 7 tablet, iPad, Nexus 5 phone, and MacBook Air. I was not able to connect the Tegra Note 7 Android tablet as it did not specifically have the Google Cast option; it only has Miracast. Although Squirrels suggests playing games on a big screen using Reflector, the lag on every device was roughly a half-second. That is far too long for any type of action game, but I suppose puzzle games would work OK. The mirrored screens were mostly smooth (the Chromebook was choppy), and I was able to watch YouTube videos from the MacBook without issue.

I also decided to purchase the new Reflector 2 companion iOS app, Reflector Director. This app gives you control over the devices that are sharing their screens. You can choose to show or hide each screen, whether a screen should show a device frame, and also select a screen to magnify. Devices are listed by name in Reflector Director, but unfortunately all Google Cast devices simply show up as Cast Device. AirPlay devices will show their actual device name (eg: Kyle's iPad).

There were a few bugs, but they were relatively minor. First, when hiding the frame on mirrored Android devices, the mirrored screen would shrink and split apart. This did not happen when removing the frame from the Chromebook. When I tried removing the frame from the MacBook Air using Reflector Director, the frame did not disappear. Also, after toggling screens on and off while testing Director, the MacBook screen ended up getting "stuck" on the screen and I had to quit Reflector completely to clear it.

Reflector 2 is $14.99 (or $9.99 to upgrade from a previous version). This is just slightly more than AirServer Universal ($11.99 for education). At these prices I would recommend getting both if you're using a PC.

Reflector 2 is the ideal receiver for Mac users wanting to share device screens. It may be the best choice for PC users as well, but it depends on your specific scenario. AirServer Universal's support of Miracast allows for mirroring of Windows devices (such as Surface tablets) and a wider range of Android devices, but you can only mirror a single Miracast device at a time. On the other hand, I was able to use the WiFi chip integrated in my laptop PC with Reflector 2; no special WiFi adapter or driver was required as it was with AirServer Universal.

Toshiba Encore 2 Windows 8 Tablet

I recently looked at the Acer Switch 10 convertible laptop and was, for the most part, pleasantly surprised by the sub-$400 laptop/tablet running Windows 8. Despite a couple of issues and concerns, the Switch 10 is a tempting alternative to iPads or Chromebooks for the classroom. The Toshiba Encore 2 WT8-B is a smaller, cheaper, Windows 8 tablet that has similar specifications to the Switch, but cuts a lot of corners along the way.

Encore 2 WT8-B

The most obvious change is the size. The Encore 2 has an 8-inch screen but keeps the same resolution as the Switch. While this does mean the Encore 2 has a higher PPI (pixel per inch), it was significantly more difficult to accurately interact with Windows Desktop applications. I often found I was not touching in the correct spot to minimize a window or click a checkbox.

The Encore 2 is also a tablet-only device. You could connect an external keyboard, but it would simply be another accessory that you have to carry with you. Toshiba sells a Bluetooth keyboard case for the Encore 2, but it is designed around the 10" model. It is also expensive making the combined price higher than the Switch 10.

Internally, the Encore appears to be nearly identical to the Switch. It uses the same chipset (CPU and graphics), has the same resolution screen, and the same amount of storage. The biggest difference is that the Encore 2 only has 1GB of RAM, half that of the Switch 10. This is not enough for any Windows device, and in fact the pre-installed Symantec utility warned of potential performance issues due to high memory usage. This message appeared immediately after powering the device on for the first time, and it was complaining about a core Windows service.

Speaking of pre-installed software, it always amazes me that Windows OEM's continue to find value loading up devices with applications that not only provide no value to the customer, but are actually detrimental to the experience the customer has with the device. The Switch 10 did have some pre-loaded software, but it was minimal and I was never prompted or interrupted by it. It is a different story with the Encore 2. The Symantec software has repeatedly popped up warning me about performance, asking me to register, or asking if I want my "toolbar back" in Chrome. The other drawback to pre-installed software, especially on these entry-level Windows devices, is the impact on storage. The Encore 2 has 32GB of storage, of which only 18.3GB is free out of the box.

The button layout of the Encore 2 was odd as well. The power and volume buttons were in fairly standard locations (on the left edge of the tablet when held in portrait mode), but the Windows button is on the top of the device. The Switch 10 used a capacitive button on the front of device just below the screen which is far more convenient. Reaching for the top of the Encore 2 for the Windows button just felt awkward every time.

At roughly $250 the Encore 2 is definitely in iPad Mini and Chromebook territory. The touch precision issue and lack of keyboard means that you would realistically be limited to apps specifically designed for Windows 8. Windows Desktop applications are virtually unusable. Considering the small amount of RAM and the device constantly complaining about memory-hogging processes, using the Encore 2 regularly would be quite frustrating. The Switch 10 was a compelling alternative to iPads or Chromebooks, but the Encore 2 8-inch tablet just cuts too many corners.

Note that there is a 10.1 inch Encore 2 that has specs nearly identical to the Switch 10, but it does not include the keyboard. If you add the keyboard, the Encore 2 10.1 inch model is significantly more expensive than the Switch 10.

Acer Switch 10 - A Windows laptop... or tablet

The Acer Switch 10 is a Windows 8 convertible laptop that can be used as either a laptop or tablet. The laptop mode is a typical clamshell design, but the screen can be easily detached by simply pulling it apart from the keyboard base allowing you to use it as a tablet. The screen is held to the keyboard using magnets. The connection is quite strong, and you can pick up and hold the laptop by the screen without the keyboard coming loose. Acer advertises two other modes as well, but I am hard pressed to think of examples where I would use them. The first is in a "tent" position with the screen facing out. The second is similar to the standard clamshell configuration, but having the screen facing away from the keyboard.

Obviously to function as a tablet, the Switch has a touch screen. The screen is bright, and uses a light sensor to adjust the brightness setting automatically. It was easy to read the screen in a variety of indoor lighting conditions, including a classroom. Although not the highest resolution screen (1280 x 800), there is enough detail to be productive. Touch accuracy was quite good, even when in Windows Desktop mode. I had little difficulty interacting with window controls (minimize, resize, move), or clicking on buttons, links, or other user interface elements.

As mentioned, the keyboard connects to the screen magnetically and holds quite well. This is partly due to the use of strong magnets, and partly because the keyboard is very light. The disadvantage to the weight of the screen versus keyboard is that if the screen is open too far, the laptop will tip over. If using the touch screen, the laptop doesn't need to be open very far to have a touch tip it over.

The keys on the keyboard are necessarily small with little key travel. Touch typists will find the keyboard uncomfortable, but students accustomed to using on-screen keyboards will have little trouble adapting.

The overall size of the Switch 10 is similar to an iPad though thicker (even without the keyboard). I was able to use the Switch with an iPad document camera stand, and it fits easily in our storage units for the iPads. It is heavier than an iPad, especially an iPad Air, but similar to many of the entry level Chromebooks.

The included storage is extremely small (32GB) for a Windows device. You will quickly run out of space once you start installing Windows applications, but there are options for file and media storage via a micro SD slot and USB port.

The Switch has 2GB of RAM and a quad-core Intel Atom processor. It is unfortunate that Intel continued with the Atom name for these newer CPU's. Many people recall the name from the netbook days and associate it with terrible performance. These newer Atom processors are far more competent (although still far from being fast). I installed SMART Notebook 14 and was able to open and use a fairly large Notebook file. I also installed the newest version of AirServer with Miracast support and successfully mirrored an Android device along with two iOS devices to the Switch. In general I was impressed with the performance but still would never recommend this class of device for any serious media editing.

I did have some issues with the Switch. Screen rotation was inconsistent and did not always automatically rotate when holding the tablet in portrait. Oddly auto rotation was most consistent when the keyboard was attached (and you are least likely to want to rotate it).

There is a full-size USB port on the keyboard base and I believe that is what caused Windows to complain (did not safely remove device) every time I disconnected the keyboard. The system froze on me a few times, and it seemed most likely when detaching the keyboard.

One other area of concern is durability. I always recommend a case for tablets but finding a case for the Switch will be a lot more difficult than finding one for an iPad or Samsung tablet. The Switch didn't feel fragile, but it didn't feel like it would survive a drop to the classroom floor either. The screen does make use of Gorilla Glass 3, so it is at least scratch resistant.

The Switch 10 costs less than $400, putting it in the same territory as the iPad and some Chromebooks. I think it is a compelling alternative. You are still able to run Chrome apps without losing the ability to run Windows programs. I was hoping to get it to boot Android-x86 but was unsuccessful in the limited time I had. Overall, I think Acer (and Microsoft) have a tough sell in the classroom. The Windows Store has little compelling to offer compared to the App Store or Google Play, and falls well short in terms of the number of available apps. However, if your school or district still uses a lot of Windows applications, the Switch 10 could be a good, low-cost choice.

Airserver Universal - iOS, Android, and Windows Wireless Mirroring

I have been searching for a software-based Miracast solution for quite some time. iOS and AirPlay have had Reflector, AirServer, and more, but mirroring from Android or Windows has required a hardware Miracast receiver.

This past summer Microsoft released updates to Windows 8.1 with some promising comments about using Windows as a Miracast receiver. The updates enabled the capability, but didn't add the actual receiver; that was up to developers and needed updated hardware drivers.

Then at the end of October AirServer announced AirServer Universal, a new version adding Miracast to their existing AirPlay receiver software. There are some specific requirements to get it working. Unfortunately for Mac users, this only works with Windows 8.1. Your computer must also have a network device with a new NDIS 6.40 device driver. If you don't have a supported network chip, you can simply add the Asus USB-AC56 adapter. The combined price of the adapter and AirServer is under $100. I also installed AirServer on a sub-$400 Acer Switch 10 convertible laptop and was satisfied with the performance, even with two iPads (2nd generation) connected along with a Nexus 5. The Switch 10 did not require the Asus adapter.

AirServer has worked well as a Miracast receiver with every device I have tried, including a Nexus 5, Nexus 7 (2013), Nvidia Tegra Note 7, and Acer Switch 10 Windows 8 convertible laptop. Miracast connections from the Nexus devices did take longer to establish than other devices, and initially appeared to have significant input lag, but it improves fairly quickly. I created a video showing the Nexus 5 used alongside an iPad 3, connecting with a Nexus 7, and a game. The audio in the game is choppy, but that has been true with every Miracast receiver I have used. One interesting discovery is that I had to use the Asus USB-AC56 to get the Miracast capability of AirServer installed, but then was able to just use my laptop's existing wireless chip. I removed the Asus adapter completely and was still able to connect from the Nexus 5, Tegra Note, and Acer Switch. The Nexus 7 still saw AirServer as a receiver but it wouldn't connect unless I used the Asus adapter.

In addition to the system requirements, there are other limitations. AirServer only supports one Miracast device at a time. You can still have multiple iOS devices along with that single Miracast device. AirServer says support for multiple Miracast devices is coming. The other limitation is actually a Miracast issue more than a problem with AirServer. A device sending a Miracast signal will always send a landscape image. If your screen is in portrait mode, the device will rotate it and convert it to landscape before sending it to AirServer. If that is the only device being mirrored, it's not a problem. It is a problem when sharing the screen with an iOS device. In those situations the Miracast screen appears smaller than the iOS screen (as seen in the video linked above). AirServer may implement a workaround in a future update but isn't making any promises.

While not perfect, Airserver Universal is a step in the right direction for enabling a true BYOD environment.