CLIPP Board

iPad 2

It has been a while (June 2010) since I originally blogged (and commented) about the Apple iPad, initial thoughts, accessibility and wider support issues, but a lot has changed, not least rumours of a new version, faster and with Facetime camera. A number of staff have since borrowed the CLIPP iPad, I regularly take it to Costa, and usually bought one for themselves!

The newest versions of many Apps now incorporate the latest iOS developments(eg. MultiTasking, AirPlay, AirPrint, tethering*, free MobileMe Find My iPhone/iPad), with more to come in iOS 4.3, and also incorporate VGA out for presentations. Some Apps like Dropbox have become almost universal and sync with other Apps, like GoodReader and iAnnotate, to add even more to the expanding iOS Ecosystem.

The iPad 2 anounced on 2nd March, is released in UK on 25th March:

Some of the features that bring new benefits to Teaching and Learning include:

• Apple Digital AV Adapter - supports HDMI video out for iPad, iPhone 4, and iPod touch (4th generation)! and routes digital audio to screens that support it. *The previous VGA adapter will also work on iPad 2, but on the original iPad it is limited to ‘app specific’ VGA out support as before.
• Use the Apple Digital AV Adapter to mirror whatever’s on your iPad 2 screen — apps(ALL apps!*), presentations, websites, and more — on your HDTV or HDMI-compatible display in up to 1080p HD (movies play at up to 720p). A second 30-pin connector built into the AV adapter lets you charge and sync your device while it’s connected to your HDMI-compatible display.
• Front-facing camera features VGA quality video at 30 frames per second, which is the main camera people will use during FaceTime chats, rear camera on the iPad features HD-quality video at 720p resolution.
• iMovie(iPad2 only) & Garageband for iPad via the App store – to create and edit podcasts and more
• Mobile Safari now has faster Javascript, iTunes Homesharing is supported, and AirPlay video enhancements, including websites.

As well as personal and Education use, Enterprise and their suppliers have also enthusiastically embraced the iPad and features in the announcement video(70 min). It also demonstrates all the features mentioned above. There is also a useful iPad2 FAQ here.

iPad

by  Yutaka Tsutano

I’ve been experimenting with the new Apple iPad for a week or so. A number of people have already bought their own, and with the millions sold already, that reflects their primary purpose – as a personal device. We are obviously looking at the potential to harness or integrate it as a tool for Learning and Teaching.

Like the iPhone and iPod Touch it runs a mobile version of MacOS X and is tied into Apple’s iTunes for syncing and managing apps, music, photos and other media. The iPad integrates well with Aston email and wireless networks – it ‘just works’. We bought the wifi only version and several CLIPP staff have already borrowed it to get a feel for it. I will bring it along to the LTWG Dissemination event on Friday 9th July in SW309 – try it with coffee and muffins!

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CLIPP Good Practice day 18/1/10

Carl Senior(LHS) was first on at 9am on a Monday morning but at least weather was OK. Despite the sexy title and initial content it was about using SMS – I decided not to challenge two inaccurate comments about the reasons for resorting to traditional SMS over the latest fashionable and power hungry gadgets. At least they seeded the idea that required a more pragmatic solution.

http://www1.aston.ac.uk/clipp/projects/2009/
There were parallel sessions running in SW305 & 309 most of which are available as Echo360 lecture captures on the CLIPP link above.

Next session Nicola Bullivant(ABS) raised the interesting issue of whether Pebblepad(Pp) is an aid to developing reflective practice or a technological hurdle – results from 2nd phase pilot seem to suggest the later, mostly due to lack of intuitive user interface. I must admit that while I like the concept, I have to wrestle the interface hurdles too frequently for comfort, especially from an IT literate perspective like the pilot group students.

After Coffee I went to another Pp presentation by Georgina Hardy(LIS) about information literacy. I intend to go through the special Profile they have setup in Pp and share it with them(no one else has yet!).

Urszula Clark(LSS) presented a pilot on using Articulate for DL MSc materials. It looked very easy to use and flexible, particularly for creating new DL content, and the only caveat seems to be the differences with Adobe Presenter and licensing at Aston.

Olivia Hunt(LHS) presented the iPodTouch Optometry project which I’ve helped with. It certainly seems to have improved quality and timeliness of feedback to students. I’m also helping facilitate development of an iPod/Phone app for streamlined data collection and distribution which may have wider uses in future.

After lunch I attended Ellen Pope’s(LDC) TurnITIn presentation. CLIPP are planning external training for both admins and instructors to look at the broader use of the software.

It was a very useful and though provoking day.

WordPress for iPhone

Mobile blogging from my iPod – I’m in Cafe Libro!

Capture that moment of inspiration while it is still fresh, even if only a draft copy to reflect on later.

WordPress for iPhone – free from Apple’s iTunes App store

FAQ

Exchange sync everywhere?

My previous post “What is RSS?” explained how I manage web information across multiple computers of different types, at work, home and anywhere else.

I also do the same with my Aston email, contacts and calendars(Aston & Google).

I use Microsoft(MS) Outlook on my work PC. Outlook is part of MS Office(I have the latest Office 2007, but previously used 2003 version). I prefer to use Google Calendar for multiple work and private calendars, and I can access it from any web enabled device, but functionality and usability are not always as convenient as dedicated applications.

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New phone test

I’ve borrowed a mobile sized version  of our regular desk phone from ISA for a trial from the start of July.
It is a lot smaller and lighter than the 2 way radios we use in AV-support(Media & Learning Technologies) but still a little larger than modern mobile phone, and by no means ‘hands free’ for opening doors or carrying things. I haven’t tried it with a headset, but then I’d find that intrusive in other ways.

Apart from the convenience of having a mobile desk phone, without the cost of a mobile phone license, how useful is it in practice?

After I ‘sign in’ at my desk phone, I ‘CallForward’ my normal phone (x4228, and shared x4221) and it has most of the same facilities including Directory*, Messages & Services. The battery lasts more than a full day and slightly more than our 2 way radios. *Corporate directory requests fail at present.

The least convenient feature, so far, is that calls show MY extension number (a function of CallForward, I’m told) until you answer, only then do you see the caller’s ID, so you need to reply in a more formal manner. This may not seem like a problem, but it doesn’t give you the thinking time that you normally get to ‘compose yourself’, so I find myself  giving a rather terse ‘hello’ or similar. You don’t get much chance to see the display before it gets to ear level and assuming your correct hand is free.

The other problems are more serious. It only works on Aston ‘Private’ wireless LAN which handles the Quality of Service required for Voice on our IP network. Despite that there are occasional dropouts with no indication and poor or no cover in some areas of campus.

Poor cover:      Main reception, MB7th floor

No cover:        Conf. Aston/Lakeside, phase1 new catering area.! Guild?

So, will I continue to use it? If I had the choice, then yes, but there are the wider issues of cost, manageability and availability of the handsets. Now if I had an iPhone with a VoIP app … and Aston Call Manager is updated to support SIP protocol?

What is RSS?

See that PostIt note above? It also has 2 RSS icons on it.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss

Blogs, like podcasts, rely on RSS feeds to alert interested internet users of changes and new information without having to visit each site just in case, or filling your email inbox with extra alerts.

You can ‘subscribe’ to either or both of the 2 feeds by clicking or dragging the RSS icon to any software that acts as a feed reader. Some web browers support it natively, and Google offers a web based ‘Reader’, even Outlook 2007 supports it.

I use software on several different computers that synchronizes what I have read so I don’t have to read it again later, for example when I’m at home, work, or having a coffee somewhere else.

I see the feeds on my work PC(Windows FeedDemon), home Apple Mac and wireless Apple iPodTouch – both the later use NetNewsWire software and synced with FeedDemon via Newsgator.com.

I subscribe to hundreds of different RSS feeds related to both work and pleasure, and I can choose which ones to see and read on which computer. I categorise them in folders accordingly, for example Leisure, IT, Learning & Teaching, Software and News.

It means I can keep my email inbox to between 20 and 30 active or pending emails!

I can also use my emails, calendar and contacts on the same computers and synchronized in the the same way! That is a forthcoming post…

UPDATE 31/7/09:

Newsgator have just announced that they are moving to Google Reader as their web and management engine for individual users, and updating FeedDemon and Netnewswire to reflect the changes. I’ll post again when I’ve got all my syncs working, hopefully before the 31st August deadline.

UPDATE 25/9/09:

Well, I finally bit the bullet and upgraded, first was FeedDemon3.0 which led me through conversion to GoogleReader sync, including my folders and clippings, very painlessly. Then I updated Netnewswire3.2 on my home Mac(OSX 10.5) which ‘just worked’, and finally NetNewsWire2.0 iPhone app.

The only drawback, a small ‘Ad’ window, bottom left in the Free versions of each of the Applications. I must also say that FeedDemon is still very ‘clunky’ compared to the NetNewsWire versions.

More UPDATES in Comments…