Apple, for many years now, has offered students and teachers a modest price break on new Apple computers.  The exact amount varies according to model, but for some of us, that discount makes a substantial difference.  With the release of the iPad for pre-order, I decided to see how much of a discount Apple was extending to students and teachers.  Imagine my surprise when I saw the education store pricing is identical to the regular price.   Apparently, Apple itself is not considering the iPad as a computer, but an enhanced iPod device (Apple discontinued education pricing on iPods sometime in 2006).

I think this is an unfortunate decision as it takes away yet another incentive for individual teachers and students to purchase iPads for use in classroom settings.  (Note: I’m not able to determine educational institution pricing for the iPad at this time.)

Way back in 1989, Apple released another revolutionary device, the Newton Message Pad.  The Newton was a part of Apple’s lineup until 1998.  The Newton (and its cousin, the eMate 300) had an amazing set of features including built-in faxing, infrared beaming, ethernet, dialup networking, cellular access, and, most importantly, a handwriting recognition system that is, even today, considered to be one of the best ever created.  I came to the Newton party very late, getting my first Newton 2100 about 2 years ago.  I was amazed at how it improved my life.  I was able to easily write notes, schedule appointments, and even print via IR to an old HP LaserJet I had.  The following video gives a good overview of just a few of the amazing abilities the Newton had.

Eventually, however, I set my Newton aside and replaced it with a Blackberry.  The Newton was just too large to carry around as my scheduling device.

I’ve kept my old Newtons, though, and I’ve started using them again to take notes and brainstorm projects in my Masters program.  For me, there is something about the physical act of moving a pen (stylus) across a page (screen) that causes my creative juices to flow much better than sitting at a keyboard.

I know that some of you are probably wondering why I’m spending so much time talking about the Newton when this post is supposed to be about the new iPad.  Let me explain.  My hope for the iPad was that Apple would (finally) release an updated Newton-style device; a device that was, essentially, a digital piece of paper, just waiting for me to pour my thoughts out onto it.  Instead, Apple presented us with a device that is essentially an oversized iPod Touch.

The first thing I noticed while following a live blog of today’s keynote, was the iPad seems very unwieldy.  If you saw the video or pictures of the keynote, you noticed that whenever someone was using the iPad they either sat down in a chair or laid the device on a table.  Not once did I see anyone using it while moving around.

The next thing I noticed was that the virtual keyboard (which is the default method of text entry on the iPad) seems like it would be very difficult for a touch typist to use, even if the iPad were laying on a flat surface.  There was an image in the live blog I was following this afternoon of someone typing on the iPad and they had their wrists bent at a very odd angle in order to allow them to type on the screen.  I also wonder if extended periods of typing on an unyielding glass screen might be painful after a time.  Apple does have a keyboard dock accessory, but that forces the device to be used in the portrait orientation.

I really, really wanted to see a handwriting interface for the iPad.  The beauty of such an interface is that it can be use without setting the device down, with one hand supporting it and the other using a stylus.

Several other things struck me as potential areas of concern for teachers and administrators considering the iPad for classroom use.

First, like the iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad does not support Flash-enabled websites.  I’ve heard all sorts of explanations as to why this is the case, but regardless, Flash is a very important Web technology that is appearing on more and more sites, particularly those with high degrees of user interaction.  The iPad can’t access any of them.

Second, the iPad (again, just like the iPhone and iPod Touch) cannot multitask.  In other words, with the exception of a few special applications (like the iPod features), the iPad can run exactly one application at a time.  This has the potential to be at least an annoyance for using the device to search the Internet for information and take notes on what is found.

Next, Apple chose to not include a camera on the iPad.  The current iPhone does have a camera, while the iPod Touch does not.  You might also remember that Apple recently added a video camera to the iPod Nano.  With the increasing importance of multimedia to 21st Century learning, I thought it would be a “no-brainer” to have a camera on the Apple tablet.  I was chatting with a friend this afternoon about how useful it would be if the iPad had a decent camera and the ability to do simple photo and video editing using it, especially since Apple hinted at the ability of the iPad to easily connect to a digital projector.

The inclusion of iWorks is amazing.  I’m hoping that Apple will provide some sort of volume license arrangement for schools to include this software on their iPadsI haven’t found any information, though, on how students might be able to transfer their created files to a computer or other device.  I also noted that no mention was made of being able to print directly from the iPad.

I also thought the builtin calendar was breath-taking.  It just looked great.

What about cost?  The entry-level, Wi-Fi only 16 GB iPad is priced at $499.  Apple may or may not reduce the price for schools.  If they do, on a device in this price range, Apple usually reduces the price by $50.  So that would make the price $449.  According to Steve Jobs, each program in the iWorks suite is $9.99, adding about $30 for the set to the price, taking it to $479-529 depending on price reductions.  This also doesn’t include the keyboard dock (no price has yet been announce for that accessory).  It’s very possible that may add another $50 or more to the price, bringing it into the $525-575 range.  $575 is almost enough to buy two netbook PCs or one, very-nice, full-featured PC laptop.  It’s also enough to buy one Mac Mini (minus keyboard, display, and mouse) running the full OS X operating system.

This is going to be a very difficult decision for schools to make.  The iPad is not designed to take the place of a laptop (Jobs even said as much).  Will its inherent limitations cripple its usefulness in the classroom?  My personal opinion is yes, the iPad is too limited to fulfill a major classroom role.  The lack of handwriting input and/or a good keyboard solution (by the way, Apple, why not let the iPad work with your very nice Bluetooth keyboard?) will make the device frustrating for students to use.  The omission of a camera means the iPad cannot become a digital creation hub and the pricepoint makes it about as expensive as a good, full-sized laptop.

So, I guess I will still cling to my hope that Apple will one day recapture some of the revolutionary thinking that went into the Newtons of yesteryear and create that piece of virtual paper for me.  Maybe I will change my mind once I actually get an opportunity to see and use the iPad in person.

What are your thoughts on today’s release?  We’d love to hear them in the comments below or on the forum.

Note: I am not an anti-Apple computer user.  I own several Macs and even successfully introduced an Apple-based mobile laptop cart into a PC-only school.

A recent Wall Street Journal article claims that:

In developing the device, Apple focused on the role the gadget could play in homes and in classrooms, say people familiar with the situation. The company envisions that the tablet can be shared by multiple family members to read news and check email in homes, these people say.
For classrooms, Apple has been exploring electronic-textbook technology, these people add.

The classroom suitability of any Apple tablet is going to be heavily dependent on features, though.  Would a scaled-up iPhone-style device, able to access some websites (recall that Apple’s iPhone does not yet support Flash-enabled websites) and electronic copies of textbooks be a good investment for your school?  If the device’s sole means of text entry is an on-screen virtual keyboard, would this be a strike against using it in your classroom?

On the other hand, what if the new device is more computer-like than iPhone-like and can run applications like Microsoft Word in addition to providing digital textbook support and a good Internet experience for your students?  Would that be enough?  What if handwriting recognition joins the virtual keyboard as a means to enter and annotate text?

What features would such a device need to have to take the place of traditional laptops in one-to-one initiative?  Here’s my list:

• 8+ hour battery life to last an entire school day on a single charge (12+ hours would be better, to allow the device to be used after school)
• Screen large enough to allow a full page of text to be displayed without zooming or scrolling
• Multi-touch user interface with on-screen keyboard
• Stylus for direct handwriting input (written input must be more than a mere afterthought)
• An integral screen cover to protect the (almost assuredly) glass display
• Ability to run full applications, not just “apps”
• Full Internet experience, not just mobile-ready websites
• Wi-Fi

Things that would be nice to have, but not essential:

• Video/Still camera to create media that can be embedded in written work
• Capability to dock with external keyboard, mouse, and display
• Induction charging
• Built-in projector

Image by dvortygirl. Used under Creative Commons licence.

My dream classroom computing device would be able to replace every paper product a student normally carries (textbook, notebook, assignment book) in addition to taking the place of a laptop.  We’ll see if that device materializes Monday.

What do you think?  Does a tablet device have a place in your classroom?  What features would you like to see?  Let us know what you think via comment or in the forum.

The new iPod Nano is priced at $149 for 8 GB (twice the capacity of the Flip) and $179 for 16 GB.  The highest capacity Flip comes in at 8 GB for $199.  The iPod Nano doesn’t film in high-definition, but its resolution is the same as the standard definition Flips (640 x 480).

Video can be edited using iPhoto on the Mac (no mention of iMovie) or using photo software on the PC.

The iPod Nano is also smaller than the Flip and has a bigger screen.

So, why could the new iPod Nano be a game changer for the classroom?  Many classrooms and schools have purchased Flip video cameras to use in digital storytelling or other projects, which is great.  However, the Flip is only a video camera.  The iPod Nano offers the same features as the Flip (with double the capacity) for the same price and it can also play other digital media files.  Using iTunes, the iPod Nano can be loaded with a wealth of content from iTunes U or with podcasts from around the world.  So when the class isn’t using the iPod to shoot video, they can use it to access free content from MIT, Standford, Concordia Seminary, or access podcasts to help them with foreign language skills, history, or literature.

The new iPod Nano is a great way to bring the power of video and free, on-demand multimedia content into your classroom.