Is anyone using the IPAD ?

[Karen Anderson]

Is anyone using the IPAD, either as an e-reader, or for other applications.  How do you manage the ownership and application purchasing in your schools?  Who controls the Itunes application and synchronization.

 

[Sarah Kinder]

2 questions about the iPad -- can you view a text book in a 2 page spread view? wondering about how some of the graphics/charts etc would look. Also, can you hook it up to a projector?
thanks!

[Linda Martin]

I looked at the Samsung Galaxy (running Android 2.2)  and the iPad today - Santa is interested in bringing me a tablet.  My question is: aside from screen size (and accompanying weight) is there anything the iPad can do that the Galaxy cannot?  So far, I haven't found anything.  The Galaxy is 16 gig, but expandable.  The iPad has multiple sizes, but no expandability.  The iPad does not support Flash, the Galaxy does.  The Galaxy has a camera (front and back) and a videorecorder.  iPad - not yet.  Yes, it would be easier to type on the larger keyboard of the iPad, but I think you could attach a usb keyboard to the Galaxy.  I am truly torn about this and am looking for advice.

[Jason W. Eckert]

I agree - I love the iPad, but it is a computer that is used for web browsing and games - check out today's post from TechCrunch entitled "Survey Says: The iPad is no Kindle Killer" @ http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/03/ipad-not-kindle-killer/?utm_source...

Cheenar gupte said:

NO!!!!NO!!!!NO!!!!NO!!!!

Now that I have your attention, DO NOT BUY IT FOR AN E READER!!!!

The iPad is a toy for trouble. You will read like 4 pages a year. You will read some from that new book you bought but wait, look, 30 new emails, better check them, oh I forgot facebook and twitter. I am sorry if I sound rude but the iPad is a distraction from reading. Apple only threw in iBooks to make it pass as a e reader

[Elisabeth LeBris]

Yes. I bought mine in June. The more I use it, the more I use it: at work, at home, on the road everywhere. It has become a wonderful blend with my phone. Cannot imagine life without it now.
PS no problem reading off it in any light. I just adjust the brightness for the local.

[Sherry]

I think the "cross platform" mentioned in this post is very important. The iPad IS heavier and somewhat clunky, but there is something to be said for one device....

Mardy McGaw said:

I have an iPad and I have great battery life which makes it a joy to use! I am not always searching for the power outlet! What I like about the iPad is I can read my books from which ever company I have used to purchase my eBook. I have the Nook App, the Kindle App and iBook app. I am spending time now reviewing the differences and advantages of each of programs. I want to be able to highlight text, take notes, save them and share them with my group. Still investigating, I will let you know what I find!

[Marianna DeMott]

Hi Linn,

What brand/style of screen cover did you use?

Linn McDonald said:

I put on a matte screen cover that also hides fingerprints. It's a BEAR to put on, but it works really well. This has made my reading experience on the iPad much more enjoyable.
That said, the iPad is quite a bit heavier than a Kindle or Nook, so holding it for long periods of time is not comfortable. I can't really see myself reading a book on the device, but browsing a magazine is wonderful due to the high resolution and color capability of the iPad.

Sarah Kinder said:

I would imagine that the glossy, computer-like screen would be hard on the eyes after awhile. Does the iPad have a setting that gives it a more matte finish for reading??

[Marianna DeMott]

Cheenar gupte said:

NO!!!!NO!!!!NO!!!!NO!!!!

Now that I have your attention, DO NOT BUY IT FOR AN E READER!!!!

The iPad is a toy for trouble. You will read like 4 pages a year. You will read some from that new book you bought but wait, look, 30 new emails, better check them, oh I forgot facebook and twitter. I am sorry if I sound rude but the iPad is a distraction from reading. Apple only threw in iBooks to make it pass as a e reader

[Linda L. Rosario Torres]

I wonder if what Jason means about the short life of the battery is meaning using in the classroom or library when the periods of use are continues due the nature of the reading activity... Same happens to me with laptops. Mine have a long battery life being the same as the students, but i am not using it each class period like them.
Mardy McGaw said:

I have an iPad and I have great battery life which makes it a joy to use! I am not always searching for the power outlet! What I like about the iPad is I can read my books from which ever company I have used to purchase my eBook. I have the Nook App, the Kindle App and iBook app. I am spending time now reviewing the differences and advantages of each of programs. I want to be able to highlight text, take notes, save them and share them with my group. Still investigating, I will let you know what I find!

[Jason W. Eckert]

No problem - I guess I should clarify that.  The devices we use are actually distributed to college students (they own it) and used continuously.  What we found out is that a typical student who uses it for reading also uses it to play games and browse the Internet several times during the day - as a result, the charge doesn't last more than a day, so students would need to remember to charge their iPad each night before they bring it to their classes the next day (unlikely).  Plus, the students treated the device like a toy rather than a serious learning tool (they played more games of Angry Birds and spent more time on Facebook than they read their textbooks). 

What we were looking for was a way to replace printed media (traditional printed textbooks) with digital media (eBooks) in the classroom - in order to be taken as a serious learning tool, it would need to be like a printed book - you would need to be able to read it in any light condition, anywhere (on a bus, in a cafe) - which means that it would need to seem less like a digital device - the Kindle DX goes 3 weeks between charging with heavy use (with the wireless connection turned off), and the students love reading the crystal-clear display.  Plus, they end up reading instead of playing games or browsing Facebook.  So that is why we use the Kindle DX compared to the iPad in our college programs. 

However, an iPad may better suit the needs of a different organization - for example, in elementary schools, the plethora of educational applications that are available on the iPad have far more value in the classroom than the ability to read volumes of material.

Linda L. Rosario Torres said:

I wonder if what Jason means about the short life of the battery is meaning using in the classroom or library when the periods of use are continues due the nature of the reading activity... Same happens to me with laptops. Mine have a long battery life being the same as the students, but i am not using it each class period like them.
Mardy McGaw said:

I have an iPad and I have great battery life which makes it a joy to use! I am not always searching for the power outlet! What I like about the iPad is I can read my books from which ever company I have used to purchase my eBook. I have the Nook App, the Kindle App and iBook app. I am spending time now reviewing the differences and advantages of each of programs. I want to be able to highlight text, take notes, save them and share them with my group. Still investigating, I will let you know what I find!

[Kathy M Burnette]

I agree that the DX would be better if you are looking to replace textbooks and trade books used in the classroom. Many people seem to think of the iPad as an e-reader but it's NOT.  Although, yes, you can read on it. 

 

One of the reasons I went with an e-reader was because I didnt want students to have the distraction of games and apps.  Most students, at least in the middle school, do not use their iPads for reading but have a separate device. 

 

I can see a tablet being useful in elementary/middle school as a way to leverage additional teaching tools.

 

Jason W. Eckert said:

However, an iPad may better suit the needs of a different organization - for example, in elementary schools, the plethora of educational applications that are available on the iPad have far more value in the classroom than the ability to read volumes of material.