Monday, June 6, 2011

Hmm. Free (or pretty cheap) Storage and More From Apple.

http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/11piubpwiqubf06/event/

This Steve Jobs keynote at WWDC may not have been too exciting when compared to those from the past, but I think there are some interesting developments for academic users here.  Yes, it was essentially an all software talk and the hardware Steve-notes are more glamorous, but what that software can do is very interesting.

Easy use of the internet to update all of your devices!  I will be able to load pictures on my computer/iPhone/iPod (take your pick) and they will go out to all my other computers/iPods/iPhones.

That's it.  Nothing to hook up.  No discs.  Just enjoy the pictures on your devices...

Sounds like that's the way it will work with music too.  Cool.  I don't know how many times I wished I had brought something from my home computer to work to share with my music classes.  I always seem to have things on the wrong iPod, too.

iPad in school? as part of a 1:1 effort? I think this may answer many of the questions I have about iPads in school.  How do you get work from one place to another with an iPad?  Apple is making that look easier.  I think there are some real uses around a school for all of this.  It would be nice to see school work hand itself out or better yet, turn itself in.

THE thing this does for iPad and other iOS devices is make the computer unnecessary.  Update and sync files over the wireless.  Back-up?  Over the wireless.  At least two important take-care-of-business chores made easier.  Does not having to buy the computer make a lab of iPads easier to afford?  How about individuals needing to bring SOMETHING to school?  I don't know... I think the iPad may be an excellent choice for a first computer.

Will there be a way to update all of a district's devices via iCloud?  Right now, it sounds like there will be limits that favor individual or family accounts.  What if you need to get an app installed on 152 iPads?

The proverbial question used to be "Mac or PC?"  Now, how about "Mac, PC or iOS?"  The sensible answer has always been "Does it run what you need?"  I hope certain software companies are keeping an eye on iOS.  MakeMusic and Microsoft are companies that aren't there with what I would call full packages of programs (yet.)

Most of what iCloud does is possible to do all with other products, but iCloud seems more seamless.  We'll have to see how this shakes out when it hits the real world.  It is going to be an interesting fall.

3 comments:

mrG said...

LOL. Free? ... Cheap? ... y'know, we have a saying, that when things seem too good to be true, they usually are. Have you by chance done any research to find out just where the iCloud is to be located, or how it is going to be powered? Well, I'll save you the trip: North Carolina, and powered by coal. Because coal is cheap, and NC is eager for coal business, and because they know that everyone is so dazzled by the slick kewl of i-anything that no one will stop to ask where all this coolness comes from, or who really is paying for it.

ok, that's it. just wanted to say :)

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

You are right. Everything has a cost. But if it wasn't coal, what would it be? Wind, solar, nuke? 2 of the 3 of those aren't on all the time and the third makes people nervous.

I also think that net storage is going to help me cut down on my personal paper use...any ideas on how that changes my carbon footprint?

I know, I know, the iKewl reality distortion field does have its costs. But I'm not ready to do the Ted Kaczynski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kaczynski) and move to a 10 by 10 foot shack and start complaining about technology full time.

July 5, 2011 8:03 PM