Mobile Learning: Which Device Will Put You at the Head of the Class?

There’s certainly a lot going on in the mobile device world lately. We just got done trying out our brand new iPads, here at gWhiz and now Google is releasing its own tablet according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. The competition is definitely getting hotter in the mobile world and according to market research group, the NPD group, the Android OS is leading the way for smart phone operating systems and is ahead of the iPhone OS which is closely followed by RIM’s OS. So what does this mean for mobile learning and which device will lead the way?

In Educause’s latest whitepaper on mobile learning they talk about pioneering schools that have done some great work with iPods and iPhones in the classroom. Based on our own experience, we are hearing from more teachers, students and school officials every day. So far we’ve had the greatest demand for apps for the i devices. But with the Android growing in popularity it is anyone’s guess right now, and BlackBerry still has the lion’s share among professional users. gWhiz currently has more than 40 apps in the iTunes store including our best selling GRE Vocabulary app, which is also available for the Android and BlackBerry. We also get quite a few requests for professional test prep apps. Our latest sets apps to help busy professionals on the go are now in the iTunes store, and include the Wiley CPA app as well as the Leeds Building Design & Construction and Green Associate Apps.

When we partnered with Florida Virtual School they were interested in developing the meStudying:Algebra 1 app geared toward students for both the Android and the iPod/iPad/iPhone and we have more on the way. Similarly Kaplan’s Medical Terms for nurses, a professional test prep app is also available on for the iPod/iPad/iPhone and the BlackBerry. And we’ve always offered gFlash Pro, gRef Pro, gCalc Pro, and got 2 Pro both in the iTunes store and at BlackBerry App World because they make great learning and productivity tools for students and professionals alike. With the concept of mobile learning starting to pick up some pretty serious steam, we are excited by the growing awareness about the impact that mobile learning has on students, both young and old. We look forward to continuing to a provide apps for a life time of learning, from the school aged, to the college student to aspiring professional. Visit www.gwhizmobile.com to see what's new or to request promo codes so you can test drive our latest apps.

Why the iPad is a "Big Deal"

When I first heard about Apple's iPad I said, (like many others) "It's just a big iPod Touch. Why not get a netbook? Do I need another device that's somewhere between my iPod Touch and my laptop? Do I really want to write code for yet another platform? What's the big deal?"

But, after spending quality time with the iPad over the last several weeks, I can report that the big deal is that... (drum roll, please):

The iPad is a big iPod Touch

No, really. That is a big deal.

The iPod Touch (like its iPhone sibling) is an awesome device - it plays music and videos, it can manage your contact lists, emails, and photo albums. It has an accelerometer that detects screen orientation and user movement. The user interface is easy to use with simple, intuitive navigation. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot: it has a nifty little touch screen that's leveraged by a bazillion or so AppStore apps.

The iPod's only major shortcoming comes from its fit-in-your-pocket design: the small screen size limits what developers can offer in one app. Thus, the iPod is great for on-the-go use, but not as great for high-content and feature-intensive apps.

So along comes the iPad. It's just like the iPod Touch, but bigger. Although you can't put the iPad in your pocket it's still small enough to tuck into a student's notebook. And like the Touch, the iPad is easy to use and has access to a bazillion iTunes apps, the email features, and the accelerometer.

But it's the expanded touch screen that makes it a Big Deal.

The larger screen dramatically sweetens the user experience. For an example, let's compare difference between our FLVS Algebra app on the iPod and iPad versions. First, let's look at the iPhone/iPod Touch app:


This app is a nice little mobile utility used by students to practice Algebra. Now, let's look at the same app on the iPad.



On the iPad, everything is easily accessible - categories, questions, answers, and explanations. There's even room for a calculator.



And check out the scratch pad shown below - users can write directly on the screen to work out equations. It's not a feature that you'd find on a laptop, and it wouldn't work very well on the small iPhone screen, but on the iPad...




"But it's just a big iPod Touch!"

Yup.