Schools Out For Summer!

My first year as a faculty member has come to a conclusion. To my students, have a great summer! To those graduating, I wish  you luck and hope you keep in touch – If you need help with interviews/resumes/etc please feel free to send me an email.

My plans for summer? Not quite sure this year. Lots of time surfing – thats a must. Lots of time writing – hoping to get out 1-2 papers.

Adobe scraps iphone support

apple not supporting adobe but google is. Could this be the end of apples popularity? not likely but it will give people reason to convert to droid. Apple should have never done this IMO:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20003006-264.html?tag=newsLeadStoriesArea.1

Apple Blocks Adobe’s Flash-to-iPhone Compiler in Latest SDK Agreement

Dear Apple,

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? Why are you blocking Adobe’s new conversion application for iphone and ipad? This could be a make or break for smartphones. If Adobe starts working with google or MS, I fear Apple will lose the smartphone war. While Apple is supporting HTML5, it is years away from replacing flash, if it ever does.

Link to article: http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/08/apple-blocks-adobes-flash-to-iphone-compiler-in-latest-sdk-agreement/

iPad Reviews

here are some reviews of the ipad by cnn:

Here’s a point-by-point about this new “slate” computer, which is like a touch-screen laptop without a keyboard, or, as The New York Times writes, “basically a gigantic iPod Touch.”

* Overall impressions: Most tech reviewers are pretty gaga over the iPad, but there’s some variance in how much they love the device. The Chicago Sun-Times is ready for a commitment ceremony, declaring the iPad “pure innovation” and “one of best computers ever.” The New York Times isn’t as sold.
* Typing: The iPad doesn’t have a keyboard, so you have to tap on the screen the screen to type. NYT says it’s “barely usable,” plus: “When the very glossy 9.7-inch screen is off, every fingerprint is grossly apparent.” Wall Street Journal takes the opposite view: “I found the iPad virtual keyboard more comfortable and accurate to use than the cramped keyboards and touchpads on many netbooks.”
* Better than a laptop?: WSJ says the iPad is “pretty close” to being a laptop killer.
* Multitasking: You can’t run more than one program at once on the iPad, which disappoints the blog Engadget: “There’s no multitasking at all. It’s a real disappointment. All this power and very little you can do with it at once. No multitasking means no streaming Pandora when you’re working in Pages … It’s a real setback for this device.”
* Creating documents: The WSJ likes the virtual keyboard, but doesn’t think it will work for all business functions: “If you need to create or edit giant spreadsheets or long documents, or you have elaborate systems for organizing e-mail, or need to perform video chats, the iPad isn’t going to cut it as your go-to device.”
* Multimedia books: BoingBoing says colorful, clickable books and apps make the iPad. It highlights those from Marvel Comics, Reuters news agency and the Epicurious recipe site.
* Color books: USA TODAY says the fact that your can read books in color on the iPad is a big deal. You can’t do that on many e-reader competitors: “Judged solely from a sizzle standpoint: There’s no contest. Titles on the iPad such as Winnie the Pooh (which comes preloaded on the iPad) boast colorful illustrations. The 6-inch Kindle screen is grayscale.”
* No Flash: The iPad doesn’t support Flash video. NYT: “Apple has this thing against Flash, the Web’s most popular video format; says it’s buggy, it’s not secure and depletes the battery. Well, fine, but meanwhile, thousands of Web sites show up with empty white squares on the iPad — places where videos or animations are supposed to play.”
* Cameras: The iPad doesn’t have a camera, which means you can’t use it for video conferencing. USA TODAY makes another point along these lines: There’s no USB connection to hook up the camera you already have. But the paper says there’s a workaround: “Some will decry the absence of a USB port or other connectors, which might let you hook up a printer or bolster storage. Everything comes through the standard iPod-like dock connector on the bottom of the iPad. You can purchase a $29 iPad Camera Connection Kit…”
* Maps: “Maps become real maps, like the paper ones” on the iPad’s larger screen, NYT says.
* Love factor: Some writers seem to be just downright in love with the device. Scary in love with it. From BoingBoing: “The form just feels good, not too lightweight or heavy, nor too thin or thick. It’s sensual. It’s tactile … the iPad hits a completely new pleasure spot.”

source: http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/01/from-sensual-to-disappointment-ipad-reviews-are-in/?hpt=Sbin

HTML5

What is HTML5? So far little information is known…well at least confirmed as its still in development. However, speculation is that html5 will:

1. add many new html tags
2. combine html, css, and javascript
3. get rid of plugin support? what, no flash? apparently html5 will be able to create rich user interfaces

Only time will tell where this goes but i am more than curious to see how it plays out..especially since both Apple and Google are pushing html5. And the new ipad and all iphones do not support applications like flash.

Apple Ipad

So are you getting the latest apple product, the ipad?

Is this device just a big iphone or does it fill a need of some kind? Only time will tell once the product is released and in my hands. However, with the recent popularity of netbooks (mini laptops) I am guessing this device will be just as popular and be the biggest seller in the netbook market, even though this is considered a pad, rather than a netbook.

There are a few things that I find interesting about this new product:

1. App integration. All apps in the apple store can be used with this pad, which is awesome.
2. Small and thin – this device is really thin and is small enough to easily fit in a bag with books…but how durable is it?
3. Internet service – for $30 a month you can utilize AT&T to have unlimited internet on the device regardless of where you are. This is very cool. Too bad it doesnt work with verizon. However, phone service internet is pretty slow at this point. Slower than what I remember of the old 128 bps modems.
4. keyboard compatibility – You can set this up with a keyboard/mouse and make it a mini desktop computer
5. Are these pads new? No, these type of pad have been around for years. Then again, so were PDAs and Smartphones but the iphone/ipod touch took over the market, so if thats any indication, the ipad is here is stay.

Apple Ipad

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2010! In the next few weeks I will have a lot of new posts to this blog. To all of my students, I am going to try to put all of our class tutorials on this blog, so please check back here often to review what we have covered in class.

– Dr. Pastore

Welcome!

Welcome to Ray Pastore’s technology blog. The purpose of this blog will be to introduce both corporate and academic (K-16) practitioners to various technologies that I teach my students how to use in my classes. I will also just talk about some cool technologies as I explore and learn how to use them myself.