iPhone / iPod Touch Department
Thousands (25,000+) of iPhone / iPod Touch Applications have been developed, some good some bad, some free some not free, and many for education. Two recent free apps: Blackboard Learn & Skype.
The new Blackboard Learn app is being panned by users, and from my experience with it, rightfully so. For me, there are too many timeouts and not enough utility. However, I believe and hope that this will get Blackboard, Inc. to quickly come out with versions 2, 3, 4, etc. i.e. it has great potential, and constructive feedback may turn the tide.
Skype is very interesting! Imagine free calls from any WiFi location on either the iPhone or iPod Touch? I will be fully testing this one. BTW, I do not have an iPhone, but I do have the required iPod Touch 2nd Generation, so to fully test Skype I will have to purchase its optional microphone. Meanwhile I can Skype-chat. To make it sing, however, future iDevices will need a built-in video camera.
What are your favorite iApps?
Interesting post, Bruce. Do you have any links to reviews of the Blackboard iPhone app? It’s encouraging to see Bb moving in that direction, though it would be more encouraging if the app worked!!
Perhaps also worth mentioning: the new Kindle app for the iPhone seems to have gotten good reviews so far.
And, like you, I’m an iPhone admirer from afar, at least for now.
I have the Kindle app on my iPod Touch and it’s pretty good, but I like the real Kindle size better. Can’t wait until textbooks (with illustrations) are available in large quantity for the Kindle. Then it will realize its educational potential.
Re: Blackboard App
Here is an article: http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2009/03/26/Blackboard-Brings-LMS-App-to-iPhone.aspx
You can also read reviews in the App Store.
I’m a big fan of Stanza for reading free ebooks on the iPhone. I haven’t yet delved into the world of paying for apps (not sure that’s a rabbit hole I want to enter).
[...] Blogger extraordinaire Bruce Naples continues to show us how it’s done with posts on iPhones/iPods and Brainify. Notice that on the latter post, the creator of the tool described in Bruce’s [...]
Yes, in fact Stanza is a PC Magazine “Editor’s Choice”, touted as an Kindle 2 alternative. Read about it here.
Looks like skype might be in trouble now with Joltid refusal to let ebay use the app to its fullest potential.
nice info guys, i will read the reviews, thanks for the links
ethan
I for one could not live without my ipod touch and its apps. Thanks for the read.
Wow! This is really a great interesting post ever as I love iPone gadget and according to my research that the iPhone 4 is no small thing to review. As most readers of Engadget are well aware, in the gadget world a new piece of Apple hardware is a major event, preceded by rumors, speculation, an over-the-top announcement, and finally days, weeks, or months of anticipation from an ever-widening fan base. Thanks for sharing such quality blog it really broaden my knowledge as well.