Would everyone have been happier if I directly called it the idiot-savant of the computer world?
It is very good for some what I would consider limited tasks, but almost torture for use in many common tasks. For example, I am using this ipad for connecting to a terminal server, and running outlook 2010. However, even though it will do it, it is taking at least three times longer to type than it would on my cell phone. Further tests on the ibook and kindle apps have also proven disappointing to the teachers who have tried it and they are not used to or willing to compromise. But, I still insist that it is a very usable tool. From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us [mailto:info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us] On Behalf Of Tim Limbert Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 1:54 PM To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: Re: [info-tech] First 18 hours with an IPad... I agree about the language, not so much about the unsolicited opinions. If Kurt had what he considered to be an educated opinion about a potential educational device (and one that we've been discussing quite a bit), I don't think it's unreasonable to "review" it. I disagree with some of his premises and conclusions, but that's not a problem. Am I off-base about that? I honestly ask, because if I had an iPad in my possession, I probably would have posted my opinions about it here, too. --- Timothy A. Limbert Technology Coordinator Newell-Fonda CSD 712.272.3324 --- http://newell-fondatech.blogspot.com Twitter: limbert65 Onverse avatar SurdeahP Onverse address Metroview Penthouse 15, house #1. ________________________________ From: "Lance Lennon" <llen...@eagle-grove.k12.ia.us> Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 10:38 AM To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: Re: [info-tech] First 18 hours with an IPad... I concur with Karl on this one. As much as I dislike some of the items that I have to support, if they are for the good of the students and the betterment of education, then I support them. Also agree with the reminder that this list is public and that offensive and off color remarks have no place here. This list is incredibly useful but is not the proper forum for venting and / or placing unsolicited critiques of new technologies. On Apr 30, 2010, at 10:28 AM, Karl Hehr wrote: Congratulations, you have poked me with a stick enough times to illicit a response. This review had no purpose and was "unsolicited". This list exists to answer questions, support and learn, not o offer "opinions" on products unless asked for. http://www.pcworld.com/article/195320/is_hps_slate_dead.html Your precious Slate might be DBA (Dead Before Arrival). In your "review" of this product did you download and use the Pages, Keynote, or Numbers, all productivity tools? Also, it is no big secret that you are an unabashed Apple hater so how may I ask were you objective? Is the iPad (or any other product) perfect, heck no. Comparing a product IN YOUR HAND to a product THAT DOES NOT EXIST is a pointless argument. Can you do that same things on an iPad you can do on a laptop, no. The iPad is a MOBILE device and NOT a computer. Can your Blackberry edit videos, upload to google docs, read books to you, edit pictures in photshop, or run Windows 7 NO it is a freakin mobile device. Next issue, did you even look at the tools available to deploy and control the administrative side of an iPad? The Wifi iPad goes through the same filters as all my computers when it is here on campus. Why is it so bad that a kid might spend some time looking at YouTube videos? (Different Diatribe for a different day) Now on to the next issue. It is not our job to decide what should and shouldn't be used in education, it is our job to listen to what is needed and make it happen. Even if the request is technically difficult or even requires a change in firewall policies. We are here to support education and the staff that has been hired to educate. We are not the gate keepers saying what can or will be done. I suggest, discuss, and implore but ultimately it is not my say. I want to unblock Facebook but my board says no, so I have to listen. Last bit, this is an archived and posted on the internet listserv so your comment about the "retarded" kids will now go down in all Internet history, which as an educator first I am embarrassed for you. As IT professionals in education we need to function in a different manner and work within a different rule set than our counterparts at Aviva or Wells Fargo. Karl H. Hehr Technology/Curriculum Director South Hamilton CSD www.s-hamilton.k12.ia.us 515.827.5418 (W) 515.209.9767 (C) 515.827.5368 (F) Luddite by Degrees 1) Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. 2) Anything that's invented between when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. 3) Anything invented after you're 35 is again the natural order of things --- Douglas Adams On Apr 30, 2010, at 10:25 AM, Stanzel, Matt wrote: > Actually, rumor has it the HP Slate has been kicked to the curb: > http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/29/hewlett-packard-to-kill-windows-7-table > t-project/ > > So maybe the holdouts can just pick up their iPad instead of waiting > for > the Slate now (me included). > > -----Original Message----- > From: Richardson,Tony [mailto:trichard...@humboldt.k12.ia.us] > Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 8:33 AM > To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us > Subject: RE: [info-tech] First 18 hours with an IPad... > > Wonderful! Good to hear! It will keep some of us from wasting our > districts money on this device. > > -----Original Message----- > From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us > [mailto:info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us] On Behalf Of McKenney, Kurt > Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 7:47 AM > To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us > Subject: [info-tech] First 18 hours with an IPad... > > > Before we get into this, understand this is an honest no holds barred > review. I will use some rough and possibly insulting language, but if > you read it with an open mind, I think there is some valuable > information, even if it is presented rather vividly. I will likely be > submitting this same review word for word to Amazon and some other > sites. > > A few years back, there was a kid who was about 14 who had an IQ of > about 40, but he could listen to a piece of music once and be able to > play it on a piano note for note. This ability really made him kind of > cool, but at the end of the day, you just can't escape that he's still > retarded. > > That's the Ipad in a nutshell. > > Despite that, I am giving this a solid buy recommendation for schools. > If that makes no sense, read on, and it will. > > If I try to compare this to windows 7, and I will, it's kinda > worthless. > The HP Slate is coming out in a couple months, and it will do > everything > that an IPad does, and everything that a windows 7 laptop does, and > costs less, or about the same actually. If you are a computer geek, > like > me, then the slate is a much better product. > > But we use the Kindle here a lot. Mainly the kindle is used is > remedial > reading and special-ed because the kindle will read aloud to a > student, > showing them the word being pronounced. Like most programs of this > nature, it's got it's problems, most notably lousy inflection and > pacing. But it's no worse than anything out there, and allows > virtually > any book to be used without additional processing. > > The Ipad has a Kindle app, and though I haven't fully tested it, I > have > no reason to think it functions any different. > > Now don't get me wrong, I like the kindle, for me. But I'm not buying > for me. Sure, the battery life rocks. Two weeks of a single charge, > that > is just awesome, the ability to buy through the cellular network > without > buying another account? Priceless. > > But the weak point on a kindle has always been it's administration. > Basically, if it's on there, the kid has access to it. That includes > google searches for porn. > > On the Ipad, if I don't want a kid to surf the internet, they don't. > If > I don't want them to load apps, they don't. You tube? Email? Whatever, > they don't, or should I say they can't. As you all know, keeping kids > out of where they do not belong is always a losing battle, special- > ed is > even more of a challenge than the other students. > > That's the cool part as far as actually useful stuff goes. Sure, there > are a lot of educational apps, great, great. The predictive text > feature > is awful from what I've seen of it, I'm working on installing an app > that is supposed to be much better. But really, that's the business > end > of the review. > > Now there's the fun stuff, or thing I should say. > > Google Maps is included with the Ipad, and for a damn good reason. It > takes total advantage of the multitouch interface. This is beyond > ubercool. This one goes straight to Geek Nirvana. I fell in lust with > Google Maps, and once I showed it to my girlfriend and her daughter, > they proceeded to fight over it for an hour. If you have not tried > this, > there is just no explaining how awesome this feature is. If I could > plug > in GPS, it would probably throw me into a transcendental state where I > spent he next 20 years in a darkened room playing with the user > interface and creating the Church of Jobs. > > Or at least until the battery died. > > Ok, so here's the summary. > > This is a niche market thing. It's great for schools and especially > special-ed. But if you are looking for a productive device, wait for > the > HP Slate. > --- > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus on the server > aea8.k12.ia.us] > > --------------------------------------------------------- > Archived messages from this list can be found at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us/ > --------------------------------------------------------- > > --- > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus on the server > aea8.k12.ia.us] > > --------------------------------------------------------- > Archived messages from this list can be found at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us/ > --------------------------------------------------------- > --- > [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus on the server > aea8.k12.ia.us] > > --------------------------------------------------------- > Archived messages from this list can be found at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us/ > --------------------------------------------------------- --- [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus on the server aea8.k12.ia.us] --------------------------------------------------------- Archived messages from this list can be found at: http://www.mail-archive.com/info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us/ --------------------------------------------------------- -- "We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities...still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin. " ~ Charles Darwin -- Lance L. Lennon District Technology Director Eagle Grove Community School District 515-448-4749 --- [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Declude Virus on the server aea8.k12.ia.us] --------------------------------------------------------- Archived messages from this list can be found at: http://www.mail-archive.com/info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us/ ---------------------------------------------------------
