iPad makes it to school.

conor.hogan.2

A kindle would be a proper proper waste of money, it cant do half as much as any tablet or netbook.

Sad Professor

The Kindle is far better for reading though. I'm not into ebooks, but if I was I'd get a Kindle.

-Chris-

I guess it depends what you're trying to do - if you're just replacing the books but you'll still be using a pencil and copybook, then a Kindle's probably the right choice.
If you're replacing all paperwork with an electronic device (i.e. no pens & pencils) then there probably needs to be a debate as to whether the students will need "proper" keyboards

conor.hogan.2

The kindle is better for books, but the kindle isnt the best and writing essays, notes and full color interactive maps, periodic tables and apps that show the workings of the heart etc.

fasty

I got a Kindle to deal with the technical books that I work though and to be honest, for the sort of text it's pretty useless. I would imagine the same to be true for text books with lots of diagrams for school.

spannerotoole

I was talking about the fact that a lot of users have bad security habits, It will only be a matter of time before a serious virus affects apple products.

I was using elk cloner as an example, not telling you all to get protection from it, and as for trojans not being viruses, trojans can harbour viruses.

But still I'd like to keep clean from all badware.

Sad Professor

spannerotoole wrote: »

I was talking about the fact that a lot of users have bad security habits, It will only be a matter of time before a serious virus affects apple products.

Apple products or iOS? Because a minute ago you were suggesting that someone might ssh into iOS or send an app with a virus to an iPad via bluetooth. Neither of which is probably possible because iOS is a closed system and there is no root access. The only way a virus is likely to get onto an non-jailbroken iOS device is if Apple let one slip through on the App Store.

And as for it only been a matter of time before Macs are affected by a serious virus, you are probably right, but people have been saying that for years. The fact that it still hasn't happened yet is just contributing to the complacency of Mac users, who need to be cautious of course, but also shouldn't be wasting their time installing AV software when there's currently no threat to speak of.

spannerotoole

I use linux on my machines so I too am at less threat of a badware infection. I currently use ClamAV as my antivirus, it is available for the mac too from www.clamxav.com. You might not be at risk of windows viruses, but that doesn't mean that you can't pass them on.

As for iDevices, apart from the fact that name iOS is a confusing name because the name is actually owned by Cisco and is currently in use in high end cisco devices, no system is unbreakable. There are ways and means of introducing badware to a closed system. Look at windows for example, Windows is a closed system, with no access to the source code, yet it remains the most attacked system to date.

-Chris-

Does every thread have to go down the same route?

Apple products can get viruses, oh no they can't, oh yes they can
Apple products are more stable, oh no they're not, oh yes they are
Apple products are more expensive, yeah but they're higher spec, no but they're too expensive



Is the iPad the correct choice for the students in this case, and students in general, bearing in mind the practicalities and impracticalities of the iPad?

Sad Professor

spannerotoole wrote: »

You might not be at risk of windows viruses, but that doesn't mean that you can't pass them on.

That's true, but the AV software for Windows can probably deal with that better than any Mac AV software can, most of which is crappy bloatware.

As for iDevices, apart from the fact that name iOS is a confusing name because the name is actually owned by Cisco and is currently in use in high end cisco devices, no system is unbreakable. There are ways and means of introducing badware to a closed system. Look at windows for example, Windows is a closed system, with no access to the source code, yet it remains the most attacked system to date.

Windows is closed source, not closed system. It's extremely difficult to attack a closed system like iOS. Mac users probably do need to be concerned about security, but iOS users really don't. It's the big advantage of iOS over Android.

Sad Professor

-Chris- wrote: »

Does every thread have to go down the same route?

Apple products can get viruses, oh no they can't, oh yes they can
Apple products are more stable, oh no they're not, oh yes they are
Apple products are more expensive, yeah but they're higher spec, no but they're too expensive

I agree with you. The problem is a lot of people are misinformed about Apple products, so unfortunately we have go through this bs on a regular basis.

spannerotoole

Don't forget the breakable screen issue :-)

What if the students have to do an introduction to programming or web design where they must run java or flash on their device. A lot of users won't be able to do this and it means having to get a second device to test it on. Unless of course apple start being more friendly with the Developers kit. Then kids could really learn to play with the device.

conor.hogan.2

I agree users do have bad security habits - and its better to have normal people especially students using iOS where you really really cant do that much damage should spyware or a virus should ever hit it.

Spanner if they do any development they wont be able to do it on a nook, kindle or netbook or android device either.

spannerotoole

They might not be able to do it on the device itself, but they would be able to do it for the device itself, but apple locks the users out of the device so their is no real way to test the app.

You can do this on any android device as you can install the app on the device easily enough and google won't stop you doing this.

spannerotoole

open your ssh client
type in your ipads ip address

Username : root
Password : alpine

Now say you have a 3g ipad, it's suddenly easy to break into.

Greentree_uk

spannerotoole wrote: »

open your ssh client
type in your ipads ip address

Username : root
Password : alpine

Now say you have a 3g ipad, it's suddenly easy to break into.

Hellooo..... This only works on a jail broken ipad! if you are stupid enough to Jailbreak one and not change the default password then you deserve for someone to break it.

conor.hogan.2

Newsflash if I leave my ipad down and walk away you can also break it, if i leave the password blank on any machine ditto and on a rooted android phone can you not do the same?

DamoRed

Never mind making it to school... I saw a kid in a creche with one last week! Near p|ssed myself laughing.

ozt9vdujny3srf

spannerotoole wrote: »

Don't forget the breakable screen issue :-)

What if the students have to do an introduction to programming or web design where they must run java or flash on their device. A lot of users won't be able to do this and it means having to get a second device to test it on. Unless of course apple start being more friendly with the Developers kit. Then kids could really learn to play with the device.

Anyone who puts Java for Flash into an introduction to programming or web development course needs a Java Textbook to the head.

I think iPads are a great idea, you'd have better value with the Kindle however since color is such a powerful trigger to the memory black and white wont cut it. I hope they have styluses do for doing math equations. The reasons tablets are better over laptops is really the battery and if the books are pre-installed the school wouldn't need the Wi-Fi access as a standard. Also those who don't have computers especially with iOS5 coming out it would be very friendly. The problem with Android tablets is usually that they don't have very good capacitive screens until you go to Samsung or Motorola which costs about the same as an iPad. And from that point publishers are definitely going to develop their books and education kits for the iPad.

Jerry10

Well their initiative seems to have attracted some attention from abroad. Just read today on the article below that the students at St Colman's have a chance to get a free iPad.

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/life-a-style/item/3308-uk-soccer-club-chairman-to-give-free-ipads-to-claremorris-students.html