Written By: Kimberly Palencia
Distance Learning Support Administrator
Quinnipiac University Online

Podcast/Audio Transcript: Click here to listen
*Note: To Download MP3 File, simply right click link above and select “Save Target As” to save to computer.

.
Within 10 years we have hit technology peaks and our technology is rapidly
growing and changing. I remember thinking my Sony Walkman and beeper was the coolest thing growing up. Between you and me, I didn’t have a cell phone until just a few years ago. Needing to pick up a phone every time it rang whenever and wherever I went was ludicrous.

This all changed in the summer of 05’, it was a cool and breezy summer, and it’s when I received my very first iPod, an iPod mini to be exact. I received it as a gift and forcefully jumped the Apple bandwagon, but to my surprise it was easy to use and quite fun.  My next gift was an Apple Shuffle and I began running around with tunes playing in my head and the shuffle clipped on to my bag.

.

The Beginning of the Apple Craze

With the iPod, which is simply a portable media player that houses hundreds of songs, cassete and CD Players  instantly became pre-historic. The iPod craze began in early 2000, shortly after came the iPod mini and then the Apple Shuffle, which was a mini-er version of the iPod mini.

In 2007, Apple announced the iPhone, and soon after the iPod touch (which you can think of as an iPhone without the cellular connectivity). The iPhone combined the iPod, a cell phone, a camera, a video camera, a GPS, and much more, into one small device.  This mobile device changed the way we began communicating, accessing e-mail, news, social networks and even e-learning.  It was obvious that Apple was taking over the music and mobile industry by storm. It became a running joke in late night comedy,  take a look at this MadTv Skit.

.

“Moving on up..”

Jumping to the iPhone/iTouch was another story. I saw them around, but was hesitant at first because  the iPod was one thing, it played music and that was the end of it, but the iPhone was not merely a phone any more, it was a phone on steroids. It could do more things than I could do. It could play music, make calls, play games, gather all my e-mail accounts into on place and much more…after my jealously of its abilities wore off..

I finally got one, as another gift, and then I understood what the craze was all about, the perfectly sized device fit flawlessly on my palm, and the touch screen worked with precision. I first started with making phone calls, then I added my numerous e-mail accounts, and then I really ventured out, and started adding apps.

.
An app is short for “applications”, and you are able to download apps on your smartphone. Below is a screen of my iPhone, and what is truly amazing is that I was able to take a screen shot of my iPhone screen, e-mail it to myself with a click and insert the image in about 10 seconds. This is how an iPhone screen looks like. The small icons are the apps and you can have pages of apps. I organize my apps by the level use. The first page being ones I access the most.
.

“I’ve Got an App for that”

The iPhone comes with the basic apps, such as:

• Calendar
• Map/GPS,
• Clock
• Camera
• Calculator
• Weather

Many apps are free and in order to purchase or download free apps, one simply needs to select the “App Store” app and you are able to search within seconds.  Most companies have developed apps for mobile devices, so there are thousands, if not millions, of apps that you can search for.

.

Gooooooooooooooaaaaalllll for iPad

But just when you thought Apple reached it’s limitation, the iPad was unvielded. Many people thought that the iPad was simply the iTouch, but much larger, however, the idea of it becoming the new notebook is an idea many people are beginning to share. iPads were selling out even before they hit the market. And people were jumping around like World Cup fever!!

The iPad has quite a few specifications and features:

• Up to 10 Hours of battery life.
• The LED-Blacklight display is 9.7 inches , which has a “178 degree viewing angle”, so you can hold it almost any way you want and still get a brilliant picture.”
• Additionally, it is very thin and very light, “it’s slightly smaller than a magazine. At just 1.5 pounds and 0.5 inches thin, you can use it anywhere.”

• The iPad has the multi-touch screen , which is the same technology used on the iPhone/iTouch.
• It is wireless, however, you also have the option to purchase the iPad with Wi-Fi and 3G, which costs significantly more (499.00-829.00)  but your network coverage range is much broader.  If you are not fimiliar with what 3G is, let me explain. If you are not in an area with WI-FI, you are can still connect to the web anywhere and everywhere you have a cellular connection. That’s right, if your phone can make calls, then your iPad can connect to the web.
• The iPad also comes with some features that will assist people with disabilities. The features include: Voiceover, Mono Audio, Zoom, and Closed Captioning.

iPad Apps

In addition, to checking your e-mail, reading books, news, searching the web, there are thousands of apps available for you to use. For more information about the apps available visit: http://www.apple.com/ipad/apps-for-ipad/ .The apps available are just one reason on getting this device, however, there are also some cool features, such as the iPad Camera Connection Kit, which allows for you to connect your Camera’s USBcable or insert the SD card.

I don’t think I am going to purchase an iPad just yet, if I did, I would wait until at least the second generation, where I would not be surprised if it came with a better battery life, a camera and more. Or maybe like the other Apple products in my life, I will get it as a gift! Hint…hint…

A Door Opens

Like with any new revolutionizing products, comes change, new way of thinking, and masses of people using a product. Students and faculty alike are using the same technology and can connect using it.

So, how can you use them in your Online Course?  Are you currently using Apps for your online course? If so, share them with us. We would love to hear about it.

Stay tuned for my next post on what apps you can use inside the classroom, such as the Citrix app for students/faculty to access the Quinnipiac Library Database from off campus, the Adobe Connect App to login to virtual meetings, and training sessions QU Online offers, and much more…

And if you want to learn more about the iPad, here are guided tours on each tool on the ipad: http://www.apple.com/ipad/guided-tours/ .