The Verge: Apple iPad versus Windows 8 (Preview) Tablets

Joshua Topolsky of The Verge has created the nifty video above detailing some of the advantages and disadvantages of Apple's iPad compared to devices powered by Microsoft's newest Windows, Windows 8.

Note: The version of Windows used in this comparison video is a pre-release version and many, if not most, issues with the operating system have since been remedied.

Autistic Student in Michigan Finds His Voice Using Technology

Taylor Parrish an autistic student attending Pleasant Ridge Elementary School in Saline, Michigan is finally to be able to communicate in the classroom using an Ipad. Until recently, his teachers and parents had no idea the extent of his knowledge and understanding. Taylor is able to type out what he wants to say and the Ipad is able to speak for him. The Ipad was provided by Saline Areas Schools Instructional Department and has revolutionized Taylor's ability to learn and share in the classroom.

In a school district like Saline school district that struggles with budgeting issues, is this something that they should spend their money on? Should Ipads or Tablets be available only in the Special Education department or all departments?

Source: The Saline Reporter

Armando Ferreira: Apple iPad Mini vs. Google Nexus 7

YouTuber Armando Ferreira takes a look at the pros and cons of the two most prominent small-size tablets on the market today. Is price truly the biggest difference between the two, or is there something more?

Scott Forstall Forced to Leave Apple, Changes Coming for iOS?

Scott Forstall, a former Apple executive in charge of Apple's iOS development and design was forced to resign recently after the recent catastrophic disaster that was Maps in iOS 6. According to sources, The Verge reports that Scott Forstall refused to sign a document apologising for the issues caused by the change in technologies, including notoriously bad maps and broken directions. Jony Ive has taken-over as his replacement.

According to The Verge, "Forstall is said to love so-called skeuomorphic interfaces that imitate real-life objects (leather binding, wood, paper, and so on) while [Jony] Ive is firmly against them."

If this is the cast, will we see Apple make a swift move away from its skeumorphic design practices in iOS? How will this affect the user experience on iOS devices? Leave your thoughts in the comments section down below.

Source: The Verge

Armando Ferreira: Comparing iOS to Android, Nexus 7 to iPad Mini

YouTuber Armando Ferreira discusses Apple's new iPad Mini and compares Apple's advertising and marketing strategies to reality. In this video, he discusses product durability, compatibility, and utility.

Betanews: Chromebook vs. Surface in the Classrooms, iPad Out of the Picture?

Technology has become so critical to the classroom that teachers are constantly left wondering what schools will be provided with next for their word-processing and Internet-based research needs. For some time since the release of Apple's iPad, a emphasis was placed on smaller, more portable devices that students could use when and how they needed to. Derrick Wlodarz of Betanews argues, however, that the conversation of educational technology has shifted away from Apple iPad and onto Google's Chromebooks and Microsoft's Surface.

Click the source article for more.

Source: Betanews.

The Verge: iPad Mini Pricing is a Concern in the Classroom

The Verge's Bryan Bishop talks about Apple's new iPad Mini, a smaller 7.9" version of its larger 9.7" cousin, the iPad announced earlier today. The new Apple device is priced at $329 for the entry-level model with 16 GB of storage space. However, in a world where a similar device offering comparable services with a better screen, the Nexus 7, a 7" Android 4.1 based tablet sells for $200 on the Google Play store, it's hard to justify the purchase of a device with so high a premium, even if Apple is making an effort toward better support for education with their latest updates to iBooks. See the full story at the source link below.

Source: The Verge