In a huge turn of irony, at least if one considers how Bill Gates began his programming career, a spat over Office 365 coming to the ipad and Apple's desire to get 30% commissions for anyone signing up for the service if it originates on the ipad, may mean that office 365 won't come to the ipad at all. The evolution of the platform to tablet devices is critical to software companies and yet, many balk at the steep cut some like Apple take. It is interesting to watch, but there is a bigger issue here. Microsoft continues to have the best Office suite, but, as with Google Drive, many move because of a lack of ubiquity and collaborative ability driven by the walls erected by Microsoft in their traditional, but understandable proprietary system. I have to think that there are bigger issues at stake for Microsoft here. These are interesting times, to say the least, as I sit here watching Batman on my Apple TV streaming via the wifi and read this article on my ipad as I blog in the den using a bluetooth logitech keyboard.
An excellent list of airplay enabled apps - although this was out a bit before the current Apple TV, I'm finding that these are some of the highest rated apps on the store with some very cool video capabilities.
For example, the free ShowMe app combs your networks and serves up video that your friends are watching -- not to your ipad (although that is possible) but to your TV that is enabled with the Apple TV. I'm finding the Apple TV higher quality than my Roku box, although I'm keeping my Roku box because it has Amazon and my Apple TV does not. If you get an Apple TV, make sure you set up Remote and download some of these apps.
Did you know that you can have USB quality mic on your ipad into garageband -- this is the ipad camera connection kit - it can be used with Mics to be able to connect to garageband - get the USB kit. Thought some of you podcasters would want to know.
Swift Playgrounds, an innovative new iPad app from Apple that makes learning to code easy and fun for everyone, is now available on the App Store. With Swift Playgrounds, real coding concepts are brought to life with an interactive interface that allows students and beginners to explore working with Swift, the easy-to-learn programming language from Apple used by professional developers to create world-class apps.
The iPad is coming, the iPad is coming -- apple tablet computer - sort of like a large iphone has rumors flying that it is coming very soon with a really amazing price point -- between $500-$700.
What makes this app interesting is that you can use the whiteboard, but you can also record and record things "or over video streaming** without changing of application". So, you can record what you're doing and it records what you're doing and voice and drawings. FAscinating app but a tad more expensive at $4.99
Free Christmas game for math for your ipad. Students can download and play. This helps with sequencing. I recommend this for children. This is part of the 12 games of Christmas that is free from tes. If you have ipads in your elementary school - this is a definite download. (Note: Full disclosure, I do work for TES promoting products of theirs that I like. What I feature is totally up to me. See my blog for details.)
The fact is that Tablets are here, they are useful, and they are proliferating as we speak. Most of my money this Christmas was spent at Amazon and the Apple store. Apps and music are where we spend our money. Two of my kids wanted iphones and the other, an ipad mini. Merry Christmas to Apple - I think many others are like that as well. I've been testing the Kenna tablet from SchoolTube which is a heavy duty droid tablet with slots for just about everything. Tablets are everywhere.
Very interesting tool to use for your classroom that sort of turns your ipad into a document camera/ presenter tool. It has already won several awards in the Apple app store. You might want to take a look at this if you're 1:1 ipad as an option to get rid of document cameras or not buy them at all. Very cool
A truly amazing Apple App for learning maths. Download the host or client app to your Apple device and set maths quizzes to complete in real time together in class. The apps communicate through a wireless network or Bluetooth and the host device tracks and keeps all the data for each quiz so you can see where your class need to improve. To set questions you just turn the sections on or off and the app chooses questions from these at random.
http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Maths
Google's Cyber weekend deals are a serious reason to at least download Google Play for iOS on your ipad. I'm picking up Malcom Gladwell's book for 3.49 and reading it in the app for just this reason.
Book lovers must go over this list, but the chromecast stick is worth a look as it is basically a Roku/ Apple TV on a stick for just $35.