I was looking forward to February 10, 2011 for several months. I didn’t sleep well the night before worrying about out of stock situations. Verizon and Apple were finally ready to work together and I got my first iPhone. I’d never had a smartphone and had been out of Mac loop for about 5 years and missed it terribly. I’m having a lot of fun with the phone and see a ton of education and learning opportunities. There are some limitations but I think the advantages far outweigh them.
Tablets and netbooks are similar in their performance but netbooks have a keyboard attached. There are after-market portable keyboards but if you really need to type that much a netbook might be the best choice for you. The iPad 2 has 512 MB of memory, up to 64 GB of storage, up to a month of standby battery life and is only 1.3 pounds, it starts at $499. A Dell Mini netbook has 512 MB of memory, an 8 GB of storage and 4 hours of battery life, weighs 2.28 pounds and starts at $399. The keyboard on a netbook is not a standard full size but is very close. So depending on what you want to do there are pros and cons to each. If you are briefly browsing the web, watching video or keeping in touch with social networking sites than a tablet is really all you need. But for any more complex tasks like playing games getting home or school work done a netbook or pc is probably going to be a better choice, but mostly because of the keyboard. From a teacher and computer lab teachers’ point of view I would also be considering durability as an issue. I would think the protection of the top would be a good idea. But they don’t have the apps you can use on the smartphones and tablets.
The apps are what make the smartphones are what make them so fun, productive and useful. I’ve been using Evernote as a digital organizer. For students it would be a great way to keep track of assignments, taking notes and organizing your schedule. I also love the app Vocab Ahead, Word of the Day. I get the email version, so I didn’t have to pay the $1.99 fee. It gives a word each day and the definition is animated. It’s great for SAT prep. I also use a few apps with my 5 year old and 3 year old. They like the newness of the phone and touch screen, so it’s very fun for them. Preschool Memory Match is a great one for increasing their memory and is available in easy, medium and hard. Kids Math Fun is a great one we’ve been using a lot with my kindergartener. There are versions for different grade levels and it’s free. ABC Tracing is one both girls have been using and really enjoy. The only negative I’ve heard about this is that the kids are not using a pencil to learn to write their letters, they are using their fingers but it is great in my opinion for learning letter recognition and how to make the letters.
For my own personal school work I have downloaded the Blackboard app, but I have only used it a few times. I just don’t have the need since my situation does not call me to be far from a computer for long periods. I do check my discussion board on Facebook on my iPhone a lot. I can read new posts when they are posted and give them some thought and then respond when I’m at my computer. I feel connected and up to date but it doesn’t make me feel like I can respond and get actual work done.
Tracy-
ReplyDeleteI also LOVE my driod phone. I think the apps. are great! I often use my BB app. to just check on assignments when I am away from my computer.
One day I will catch up with the smart phone users. Thank you for including your own personal experiences and the technical comparison.
ReplyDeleteI loved your last comment: "I feel connected and up to date but it doesn’t make me feel like I can respond and get actual work done."
ReplyDeleteThat is sooooo true! I have had to teach myself to somewhat ignore my phone when I am trying to get work done. I tap the button to check and see who the message is from/what kind of message it is and then push it aside if it doesn't require my immediate attention.
I would love to have an iphone and they sound like a lot of fun as well as practical. My little one would love the memory game, because she frequently kicks our butt on the living room floor with her Dora cards all spread out.
ReplyDeleteSo I have Evernote on my desktop, laptop, droid phone and iPad and it is a great app to access files from various devices. I have even put web pages in Evernote so I can read them when I am away from my computer. In fact I like reading on my mobile devices, I find I have less eye fatigue.
ReplyDeleteI don't do a lot of typing on my devices, but if it is the only thing I have access to, it gets the job done. I am amazed at how quickly my 14 year old daughter can type on one. I had to accompany a faculty member that was hurt at work one day (his finger was dislocated when he reached out to grab a door and someone on the other side opened the door) and I met our safety rep at the emergency room and I was able to pull up all his information to complete his paperwork while he was being seen so he didn't have to worry about anything. And when you have the ability to sync with your computer, you do all the inputing on a regular computer then access it from your device, it works so well.
Who doesn't love Evernote? I think I was off my "rocker" for not knowing about it until this class...lol Boy >>>Thank you UCM and Ms. S!
ReplyDeleteI agree...Evernote is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI have an Android and have been using my daughter's iPod when she's at school. I love both but the iPod/Apple apps are a lot more fun -- just more of them that's all. When she's at school I tend to bakery and restaurant and although she's tired of playing with them now I still play with them because I now feel they're my responsibility, HA! The iPod's been fun for the girls to do their quizzes on and it does keep them still at dr. appointments :) Great post and whoohoo for Evernote!
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