Ryan Collins

🕹️ Do Something Great! 😄

Tag: iPod Touch

  • Bought my 6 year old daughter an iPhone

    My daughter is an avid reader and writer, so as she is preparing to go
    into 1st grade, I wanted to give her an outlet to publish online. What I
    did was set up a Tumblr blog for her at gracyl.ryancollins.org. I
    chose Tumblr because it allows her to easily post through email, so she
    can post through her computer, my cellphone or her mom’s cellphone.

    In the process of setting her up, I decided I wanted a more portable way
    for her to write posts. I thought about giving her my 1G iPod Touch, but
    went on eBay to look at the iPhone 3G (I wonder how you are supposed to
    use the plural of iPhone 3G?). They seem to be selling for right around
    \$150, so I bid on a couple and finally won one at \$138. I’m not
    planning on activating cell service on it and will use it just like an
    iPod Touch    . The advantage of the iPhone 3G of the iPod Touch is the
    inclusion of the camera and GPS (I’m not certain the GPS works without
    cell service, I guess I’ll find out).

    With the Tumblr app installed, she will be able to post to her blog
    anywhere she has wifi access. I’m excited to see how well it works, and
    if she’ll stay away from Tap Fish long enough to find out what else the
    iPhone can do!

  • Organize your email with a Flagged folder

    I have multiple email accounts, and read it from various devices. It’s
    all based on IMAP, so folders, messages read, etc. stay the same
    from device to device. The problem I was having was when I’d read a
    message on my iPod Touch or Samsung Omnia (a Windows Mobile
    cellphone). Sometimes it would be a message that I would need to act on,
    but can’t right at that moment. A lot of email clients allow you to flag
    a message so you can remember to go back to it, but that’s not an option
    on my iPod Touch or the Omnia. At first I’d just
    mark the messages unread, but that also gets messy (not knowing if I
    have new messages because of the unread indicator).

    What I’ve done now is to create a folder called Flagged for each one of
    my email accounts. Now when I get a message I need to act upon it later,
    I’ll move it to this Flagged folder.

    Sometimes I will just forward the message to my Remember the Milk
    account, but that’s a post for another day. 🙂

    ![][]

  • Interactive response systems

    [Esperando a Missa começar][]
    [Creative Commons License][] photo credit:
    swperman    As we investigate ways to use mobile Internet
    devices in our classrooms, it hit me that they could be used as an
    interactive student response system (ISRS). Since current ISRSs are
    around \$100 per person, why not invest in a more useful device such as
    the iPod Touch, Sony PSP, or Nintendo DS (with Opera)?

    I found one company that already is thinking this way, Pocket Mobility
    with their Quizzler Pro     product. Me on the other hand, loves the
    challenge of coding something up myself.

    Has anyone worked with ISRSs? What did you like? What didn’t you like?
    Is this something I should look at as a summer project? 🙂

    [Esperando a Missa começar]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66012103@N00/2368050904/
    “Esperando a Missa começar”
    [Creative Commons License]: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
    “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License”

  • The iPod Touch Trial

    I’ve ordered three iPod Touches to be used in a trial at the high
    school, middle school, and elementary level. Stealing some ideas from
    John Schinker, I’m putting forth the following questions for the
    participants to answer:

    Does this device work well enough to have a place in our schools?

    How could this be used effectively with students?

    What limitations are there that would affect its usefulness?

    Are there solutions to overcome those limitations?

    What technical hurdles would have to be overcome to make the use of
    these devices successful?

    If we were to start using these computers, what could they replace?
    What could we buy fewer of to make this cost effective?

    Are these durable enough for student use?

    Is the iPod Touch too complicated / different / cumbersome / annoying
    to be used in this environment?

    I’ve started to come up with some ideas on how they can be used. My main
    goal to start is to focus mainly on communication. I’ve setup the
    Prologue theme for WordPress, and am currently recruiting teachers to
    try it out. I’ve also installed the Elgg.org Open Source social
    network software at the HS and am investigating ways that it can be used
    in the classroom.

    What are some of the important aspects that you can see implementing
    with a 1-to-1 program?

    p.s. I’m trying out publishing from Google Docs, let’s see how well that
    works!

  • Google Reader and the iPhone/iPod Touch

    Using my RSS reader of choice Google Reader, I’ve discovered two ways to
    use it on my iPod Touch. If I navigate to:
    http://google.com/reader/m I get a slightly different interface than
    using http://google.com/m#reader. The former address gives me a nice
    icon when I add it to my home screen, but the latter address works
    better on my touch.

    Does anyone know what the differences are? Why can’t I get the nice icon
    to add to my home screen with the second address?

  • Day 4 with the iPod Touch

    The honeymoon isn’t over yet with the Touch. The battery so far hasn’t
    had a problem lasting through the day, and that is with me using wifi a
    lot! The keyboard is interesting. As long as I keep typing the
    autocorrect really does its thing, making email and this post pretty
    easy to do. I do have problems typing certain characters, but I think
    that is a combination of me learning and the case I have.

    I ordered a couple for the district and will have a couple of teachers
    trying of our in their classrooms.

  • The iPod Touch

    I picked up an iPod Touch on Saturday, and am I impressed. I have been
    testing out the Nokia N800, but when it comes to Internet usability, the
    Touch wins hands down. Surfing is very, very usable.

    I’m still getting used to the onscreen keyboard, but it is already a lot
    better than the N800. The question I have remaining, “Is the touch more
    useful I’m the classroom than the Asus eeePC?