Nintendo - start addressing the challenge from Apple
Nintendo DSi
Nintendo have launched a new version of their handheld console (DS) called the DSi.
The two main features of the device are 2 built in 0.3 megapixel cameras and an SD card slot. There will be software for playing MP3 software included as default as well as camera software. The Gameboy cartridge interface has now been removed so it is no longer backward compatible with the Gameboy. There is a Nov 1st launch in Japan and Spring 2009 for Europe.
This is an interesting move - especially if this is part of an evolution for the DS. I hope Apple are paying attention to this - and not just because Nintendo have put an i in their product name. As I wrote a few weeks back - Apple have started to position the iPod Touch and iPhone in the gaming marketplace in addition to the MP3 market and phone market. The DS has always had Wifi - but in most cases this is under used by games and software - but it is slowly getting there. I think the DSi as a gaming and MP3 platform will be very attractive to younger children and it is a real pity that the DS doesn’t have an open way for 3rd parties to write and distribute software to compete with the iTouch/iPhone/iTunes model.
The addition of the SD card though removes a fundamental problem that the DS has and that was that games could not be downloaded because there was not enough writable storage to put them on - not any more.
I hope that this is the first step in the evolution of a great and innovative platform - and that it will be opened up in the same way that the Wii has - and gets a good delivery platform also. It will be interesting to see if they start making the OS updatable too.
Tags: ds-lite, handy education, iphone, iPod, iPod Touch, learning, mLearning, mobile-learning, nintendo
02.Oct.08 
devices, education, handy education, m-learning, mLearning 
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What about Android in education?
The T-mobile launch of the first Android phone (The G1) begs the question - does this already fragmented world need another mobile operating system? For me specifically how will this new OS affect those of us trying to build useful educational software?
I’ve been following Android since the first announcement last November with interest and excitement at the potential disruption that it could bring to the mobile eco-system and our niche of that eco-system. From my early assessment of Android it was clear that had the typical Computer Science led over engineering of a Google project which mean it was doing some really radical things from technical perspective. I really like how the system has been built and how they have got over the low resource problems in a much more creative way than the iPhone OS with it’s lack of background processes.
I was luckily enough to interview Rich Miner in January of this year and he gave me a picture of how seriously Google and the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) were taking the openess of Android. Not only will the OS become Open Source when it hits version 1.0, but it is open to 3rd party apps. The architecture is so open that you can supply alternate programs to manage any task on the phone. The system is so open you can override the core software that comes with the phone if you choose and replace the default dialer with another. Rich made it clear to me that all OHA members are required to keep the platform open - and to implement the core of the OS.
A core part of the power of the iPhone solution is the powerful, simple and well used distribution and payment mechanism that is iTunes. Google have tried to address the lack of an iTunes App Store with the Android marketplace - but missed the point and made it complex by involving operators in the billing - we can only hope this soon gets simplified. The G1 also comes with an unlimited internet connection so that is a match for the iPhone - we can only assume all other Android phones will also. The T-mobile G1 will also launch with an MP3 store from Amazon - one of the few competitors for iTunes - now if Amazon, OHA and operators could come up with a simplified App Marketplace - that would be interesting!
The big worry with Android is that it will quickly fragment as device manufacturers and operators fall into their old habits but Rich gave many convincing arguments as to why this would not happen. The least of which is that members of OHA have all pledged not to.
What worries me most about all the devices is that there is no easy way for consumers to understand that this phone and that phone are similar. If you get a Windows phone you know that it is windows - there will be at least a sticker or logo. Most consumers also know about the Java brand even if they don’t understand it. The iPhone brand is strong even if it is only a single phone. How will consumers know that a T-mobile G1 can run the same software as a Motorola G345 (say). The only brand on the G1 is Google not Android or OHA - will this remain on all Android phones?
Until it is clear what consumer reaction to the G1 is and we can also see how other operators take up Android a lot of these questions won’t matter. This creates a chicken and egg situation: the hope for Android phones is that they will be seen by consumers as internet and application phones in the same way that the iPhone is perceived. for this perception to be true there needs to be lots of apps that consumers talk about and use a lot that will persuade others to get a similar phone. This in turn relies on developers writing for Android which means there will have to be enough users to justify the investment in developing for a quite different platform.
What does all of this mean for education? In my opinion Android is a slow burner - it will take time until there are enough devices out there. For 15-21 year olds it might grab a big marketshare if it is cheap and or cool but so far there is little indication of either. It also lacks a non-phone companion like the iPhone which makes it a lot less appealing for schools to recommend. I cannot see Android worrying Sony or Nintendo in the same way the iPhone must currently be doing.
Standby though there are rumours that Android is really targetted at more than phones and it may become the defacto low power OS on phones, set top boxes, netbooks and many other smaller devices. If it does you can bet that Android will have a big impact on education in developed and developing economies.
Tags: android, devices, handy education, iphone, mobile-learning
01.Oct.08 devices, education, handy education Comments (0)
Why is the iPod Touch important for education?
I was asked last week why it is that I am fixated on the iPod Touch and its use as an educatonal tool. Once I had answered this adequately it was pointed out to me that I have not explained the point well enough on this blog. So here it is…
iPod Touch 2G
iPod Touch as a mobile computing platform
The introduction of the second version of the iPod Touch OS brought with it the ability to run third party applications. The opening of the OS in this way meant that the iPod had graduated from being a media player into a mobile computer platform.
The route that the iPod has taken to become a mobile computer platform is as important as the technology that has been used. The brand of Apple was not well known outside of computer users 10 years ago - but with the the iPod it is now a household name. That the iPod is now well known is great - that it dominates the MP3 player market with 75% market share is part and parcel of this. To become a mobile computing platform with this heritage and the buzz of the Apple marketing machine means that the iPod Touch is a much more acceptable and ‘cool’ device for learning than a Windows based PDA.
The ‘cool’ competition
There are other brands that can also move into this space with more teenage credibility than Microsoft - Sony with it’s playstation brand and Nintendo with the DS. It seems that the heritage of both these companies as gaming companies does not allow them to open up their platforms to a plethora of 3rd party developers as Apple has done with the iPod Touch and Microsoft to a much greater extent with Windows Mobile. The gaming device companies have had a business model for years that involves selling devices at a loss and then making money back with licensing fees from the developers. Apple has always made a profit on every device it sells and therefore opening their platform provides an opportunity for extra income and does not risk existing income.
Sony and Nintendo have also created very targeted gaming devices with inputs and controls that are only found on gaming devices. Nintendo embraced touch and audio input prior to Apple - but the touch area is quite small. The issues for Sony and Nintendo to overcome with the physical aspects of their devices can be resolved in future models and they both still offer the best competition to Apple in terms of ‘cool’ devices.
A final characteristic of both gaming devices is that they rely on physical media to primarily distribute content. This again reflects the heritage of selling games via retail channels. Apple has been extremely lucky with the dominance of the iPod because this has also allowed Apple to become one of the largest digital content retailers with the iTunes Store.
So the iPod Touch is cool and as a mobile computing platform and it faces little ‘cool’ competition as such. Apple is getting aggressive and has inspirations for the iPod Touch to move into gaming and compete with the gaming devices rather than waiting for them to move into the mobile computing market.
The death of the PDA
There are two other types of devices that can be used for mobile computing in education - Windows based PDA devices and smartphones. The PDAs have a long heritage in mobile computing and provide a very open platform with digital delivery (however lacking a single easy retail channel to compete with the iTunes Store). The problem for PDA devices is that their market is shrinking thanks to competition from smartphones and gaming devices. For business and personal use a PDA makes little sense when a user can get a smartphone that can provide them with the same functionality and the functions of a phone.
This shrinking market means that one of the markets where non-phone devices make sense is when schools or other education institutions sponsor the use of a particular device. Non-phone devices are preferable in schools because they create no problems related to the payment of phone bills and connectivity can be more easily controlled through school WiFi connections. It is not clear if this market is big enough for it to be viable for device manufacturers to continue creating PDA devices.
The device already in the pocket
The final type of devices that offer competition to the iPod Touch as a mobile computing platform for education are the smartphones. Statistics only show the smartphone market to be increasing every year and this had led to a very competitive marketplace that is driving down costs. Smartphones are very fragmented though with many different platforms:
*Windows Mobile
*Blackberry
*Symbian (Nokia, SonyEricsson and Motorola)
*Linux
*Android (from Google autumn 2008)
All of these platforms are open (more open than the iPod Touch) and on many of the platforms are Java compatible. However there are lots of different screen sizes and input mechanisms that vary across the devices. The variations in device specifications mean that there are phones for every type of user but make it much harder to write software and some phones are just not powerful or large enough for educational content to work.
Phones are ‘cool’/desirable and already in the pockets of students - but the lack of standard configurations means that there is very little software for these devices. The lack of an ‘education standard’ makes it hard for consumers to choose devices, schools to put their weight behind particular configurations and developers to focus their support.
I am writing this article on a plane with my Nokia N810 so I feel I should also quickly mention the ‘Internet Tablet’ devices. These devices are the successors to the PDAs and are very powerful - with great off-line capabilities, a keyboard and great application distribution features. They lack however any media player credibility (they do it - but not as effortlessly as an iPod). The power & flexibility of these devices is also a flaw when compared with the simplicity & usability of the iPod for “non-geek” users.
Other ‘netbook’ computers like the Asus EEE are not pocket devices and not up for consideration.
Conclusions:The iPod Touch has the least flaws and the most advantages at the moment
The iPod Touch / iPhone platform is a single configuration of screen size and input mechanism which helps in the creation of content. The brand is also well known and understood by consumers as desirable and ‘cool’. It is easier for school to encourage the use of iPods with students and parents.
The heritage of the iPod as a media player provides compelling reasons for students to use one with or without educational content. The addition of gaming to the iPod Touch only makes the devices more compelling to students.
The iPhone is a great device for consumers who want the functionality of a smartphone but can run all the same software as an iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is great for schools who do not want to be involved in billing issues. (The media player market is more secure than that for PDA devices and a better investment for schools.)
The digital delivery platform greatly reduces the barriers for developers of niche software (such as education) to compete globally and find viable markets. This distribution method also means that operating system upgrades are applied more easily and more widely than any other mobile platform.
The iPod platform has flaws:
*Lack of keyboard input
*little competition to drive down price
*no compatibility with existing software
*A psuedo-open platform that is tightly controlled by Apple
In my opinion at the moment the advantages mean these flaws are acceptable and in some ways these flaws are a consequence of the advantages.
It has become clear to me in writing this article that to seriously compete with the iPod Touch platform would take a combination of something like Nokia, Nintendo and Amazon.
I hope this has laid out in a bit more detail why I see the iPod Touch and iPhone as being highly important as a mobile platform for education. I welcome comments and opinion to help sharpen my understanding and thoughts on the issues facing students, educators and parents in choosing and using mobile devices in education.
Tags: devices, handy education, iphone, iPod Touch
16.Sep.08 devices, education, handy education, m-learning, mobile development, mobile phones, tools, uHavePassed Comments (4)
iPhones in education? A US university is taking the initiative
I came across an initiative last week from from Freed-Hardeman University which is planning to give their students a uniform collection of technology including a macbook and either an iPod Touch or iPhone.
I think this is an interesting approach, because most other approaches focus on either a laptop or a PDA when looking to give equipement to students. When the focus is on just handheld computers then a lot of work must go into helping students create content using handhelds with creative tools. The small screen may be OK for creating small pieces of work - but is not suitable for essay writing or creating presentations (I know it is possible and is used for this - but my argument is that it is not really suitable).
As mentioned before we think the Mobile Phone or Handlheld is suitable for delivery of some content, revision, planning and a group of things we call Handy Education.
So to provide students with both devices seems to me to make a lot of sense - I am keen to find out the results of this initiative. One thing that concerns me is the lack of useful tools for the iPhone - iPod Touch platform - especially that synchronise data with a laptop (be it PC or mac).
Tags: handy education, iphone, mLearning, mobile-learning
20.Aug.08 devices, education, handy education, m-learning, mLearning, mobile phones, off-topic, tools Comment (1)
More on the iPhone and iPod Touch in Education
If Apple hit their sale goals (and there is every indication they will) there will be another 10 million iPhones in circulation by the end of 2008. This will bring the total number worldwide to close to 14 million iPhones.
I can’t find detailed figures on the iPod Touch - but I have found references saying that the touch is now outselling the iPod Classic, and others saying that Apple is downgrading sales figures for the iPod Touch this year. (If someone can contact me with better figures I’d be grateful!). For the sake of this article let’s assume there are already 6 million iPod Touch devices and that these numbers will continue to increase at a pace similar to the iPhone.
This means that by the end of this year there will be at least 20 million iPhone/iPod Touch devices in the hand of real people.
The really important question is who are these people? I would like to get an idea of the demographics of iPhone and iPod Touch users. It would seem to me that the iPod Touch is more likely to be a school or university student from 15-21 and the iPhone is more likely to be a professional 25-35 - but that is purely gut feeling. At this high level it is clear to see that educational software would be different for those two audiences and gives an indication about what types of sftware would be useful to them.
Can anyone help me get better figures for the iPod Touch sales? I know that it has none of the country constraints of the iPhone and is available world-wide. Also how can we get to better understand the demographic - has anyone seen any research in this area?
The lack of a good input mechanism make both of these devices of less use in education for classroom work, but the multi-media capabilities are great. The Touch could do with a microphone and camera though so that in can capture in addition to play multi-media (lets hope both of these get announced with GPS for the iPod Touch in September).
Tags: education, handy education, iphone, mLearning, mobile-learning
18.Aug.08 devices, education, handy education, luzia research, m-learning, mLearning, mobile phones, off-topic, tools, uHavePassed Comments (0)
iPhone / iPod Touch canvas size
Above is the canvas size of the iPhone and iPod touch - quite big isn’t it!
I’ve updated the popular post we have on designing for the small screen to include some notes on the iPhone / iPod Touch screen canvas.
Just showing the screen canvas on a normal computer monitor I think is quite instructive about how much smaller it still is to a computer - but the post also shows the canvas size in relation to other mobile phones.
Tags: handy education, iphone, mobile development, mobile-learning
11.Aug.08 devices, handy education, m-learning, mLearning, mobile development, mobile phones Comments (0)
Handy education - not mobile learning
When I first got involved with mobile phones and education - my first impressions of the usefulness of having support on your mobile phone were completely wrong.
The first tool I wrote was a tool to help me learn German vocabulary - I had a list of 1000 words that I wanted to be able to remember and I already had made a pile of flashcards for the first 100 words that I carried in my pocket. I wanted to stop having to remember to take carry the flashcards with me - so putting them on my mobile phone made a lot of sense. I purchased a Windows mobile and in a couple of days wrote a program to help me track and manage these virtual flashcards.
My vision was that I would use these flashcards in the same places I was using the real flashcards - whilst waiting for people, on a train etc. The idea for me was simple - the phone program would make life easier by tracking which vocabulary I knew already and which I didn’t and if I my memory for it was getting progressively better. The program would also mean I would not have to remember to take the flashcards with me.
What really happened though was that I started flicking through the cards in many places, taking 2 minutes here whilst waiting for the kettle to boil at work - another 2 minutes whilst on hold on a phone call etc. I would flick though the cards whilst sitting in front of the telly, lying in bed and in many other unexpected situations.
What became clear to me was that having the program on the mobile phone - did not only help me study outside of the house and office - where it was more difficult before, but it removed barriers to studying in those normal places also. Before I had to go and get the flashcards - organise them in piles, and then work through them - once finished I would have to make sure they were put away carefully and then return them to their place of origin. Now I had ot reach into my pocket and press 2 buttons - state was restored from my previous session and off I went, when finished - press one button - lock the phone and back in my pocket.
The realisation that my mobile program had reduced a barrier to me building my vocabulary, rather than just allow me a more convenient way to package a learning resource was key for me.
Indeed with uHavePassed we receive information back from our users about when they use the software (each time they synchronise with the server) - we can see what time they take tests and it turns out that very late in the evening is a very popular time. It is our assumption that our users are in bed at this time and taking practice tests. The motivation and effectiveness of studying before sleeping should be the subject of a separate debate, but I found this to be further evidence that programs on mobile phones do as much to encourage and support students in the house, school or place of work as they do outside of these places.
Whenever I talk to others about the tools we write for mobile phones - the picture they first create is of people on a bus or train etc. It takes some time to realise that mobile learning tools can be used anywhere (even infront of a computer) because they are designed for short interaction periods, focused only on specific tasks and give good continuity through start / resume functions.
For us the phrase mobile learning is a great way to first introduce the tools we create, but is highly inaccurate in detail - our tools can be used anywhere, but location is not key.
In German the word for mobile phone is Handy (just to prove that first program worked) and reflecting on the English meaning of this word, convenient, says to me it would be better if we thought of what we did as Handy Education - not mobile learning.
Tags: education, handy education, learning, mobile phone, mobile-learning, mobilelearning
04.Aug.08 devices, education, handy education, languages, luzia research, m-learning, mLearning, memory, mobile development, mobile phones, tools Comments (5)