Sue


 * Sue's thoughts, etc.**

1/6/2010 - started discussing the idea of putting in for a SoE Research Grant to explore the educational values of the iPad 2/6/2010 - Tony started ball rolling with ideas in document which we all added to over the coming week to come up with the final proposal 2/6/2010 - URLs that may be appropriate to mention in our project at some stage:
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3/6/2010 - meeting to discuss project 10/6/2010 - Terrence Hayes confirmed that he would mentor our project. 11/6/2010 - submitted proposal for grant (see Project Documents page) 27/6/2010 - Tony sent around a document to start writing paper for UNE ULT Colloquium 28/6/2010 - Notified that Internal research grant successful (rang Mac1 and ordered the iPad and assessories) 15/7/2010 - Notified of account details - able to purchase iPads now 16/7/2010 - Contacted Mac1 - iPads weren't in stock - had to order 19/7/2010 - Picked up new iPads and docks - other accessories weren't in stock 19/7/2010 - Tony helped Sue set up her iPad and gave her a lesson on how to use it 19/7/2010 - Sue's children helped her to set up the iPad and download aps - spent several hours doing this 20/7/2010 - Let the IT team know of our successful grant in meeting 20/7/2010 - Discussed iPad with Terrence (as he is our mentor) and he suggested good aps were flight ones. However, I don't travel that much, so weren't appropriate to me. 20/7/2010 - Registered iPad with Mitch and set up iTunes account 20/7/2010 - Downloaded more aps - went overnight (all free at this stage). Will start documenting what I have found, what's good, what's not.

//Initial thoughts of the iPad//. They are very clumsy in ordering the pages. Moving icons around is easy, but is easier through iTunes on the computer. However, when updating (syncing) the iPad with iTunes, the page order didn't transfer across - a lot of wasted time. Will have to do from iPad, unless I can work out how to do the reverse (which is easier).

There are 15,000 aps available - many of them free. It is difficult to find the aps through the iPad as you have to look at each page individually and after you have started to download one, it starts at the beginning again. That is a lot of pages to scroll through. Decided to download through computer via iTunes - much more effective, efficient and quick in finding appropriate apps to download.

22/7/2010 - ordered SIM cards for the iPads (started the paperwork) 24/7/2010 - tried reading a book on the iPad in bed. Would be good to keep the orientation from moving. Managed to find a way to read without the orientation moving too much. 27/7/2010 - have gotten used to the iPad and reading in bed. It is excellent as don't have to turn on the lamp and disturb anyone. The light is directed onto the words enabling reading much better than a book. Now, to find all the books!!! 1/8/2010 - discovered some very interactive tools yesterday when demonstrating to my niece who is in final year of teaching. A version of sudoku is designed to make the most of the iPad. You just need to draw the number in the square and it changes it into typeface. 17/8/2010 - have learnt a lot about iPads in the past few weeks and am becoming more familiar with them. 20/8/2010 - finally might get our sim cards for the iPads today 26/8/2010 - Received sim cards. It appears that there is no way of monitoring usage - so have to be very careful 28/8/2010 - Away for the weekend - needed to check emails - able to do so on the iPad (fantastic). Made sure I didn't stay on long, however, good tool. 4/9/2010 - Away for the weekend again - checked emails using the 3G network - needed to check documents before sending back, etc. Multi-tasking not a strong point. Looking forward to the operating system upgrade. 9/9/2010 - continue to download free apps - haven't looked at all I have downloaded, but there are some good ones. I have learnt that even though you only have 11 screens for apps, the iPad still stores them. If you go to the iPad's first screen and click on the keyboard button, you can search for any app that isn't viewable. You just have to remember their name. You can, of course, see the name in iTunes. Found a great app called "App Tracker" that tracks new free apps, but also tracks those apps that have been reduced to zero. Many apps go on the market and then the seller decides to sell for free, or has a "sale" day. This is a great way to get better quality apps of $0.
 * Downloaded app to run Second Life on the iPad - Cost $3.99. My first purchase and what a disappointment. I could go home, talk, see inventory, friends. But I couldn't walk. I believe you can teleport, but didn't work out how to do that.
 * Tony showed me how to lock the screen in place
 * Tony demonstrated the remote Keynote - was able to do his presentation with Mitch at TLC with the presentation on his computer back in his office in Milton.
 * Discussed doing a SoE Seminar with Tony and Mitch. Decided that Tony would look at iPad from lecturers point of view, Mitch from student's point of view and Sue from social networking point
 * I now know how to rotate the iPad and keep the orientation (a button on the side). I know how to turn off the screen (button on the side) - amazing to find all these buttons that do things.
 * I have tried Internet banking on the iPad - a lot slower than using a laptop.
 * Still find the keyboard slow - much faster at typing on regular keyboard - at least you know that your fingers are on the correct keys.
 * Have been attempting to find the best app for alerts/to do list. Many are good, but nothing great yet (of course, still only looking at freebies)
 * I like the interactivity of the iPad, but really need multi-tasking capabilities and folders
 * Have filled up all 11 screens with apps (freebies of course) - have only paid for one app as outlined above - it was disappointing. A lot sound good, but don't want to spend just yet - still need to explore more.
 * Tried out remote connection to laptop. Worked okay, but very slow. Wouldn't like to use it this way
 * The biggest thing at the moment, I believe, with the iPad is that even though it is interactive, a touch screen and has a multitude of abilities, it reminds me of when computers first came out with the aquarium screen saver - we still get excited by simple things.