Dear Google and Apple: An Open Letter from EdReach
Dear Google and Apple,
Both Google and Apple have done wonderful things for education and I am sure that we don’t know the entire story on how much your companies truly do. I am not writing to request money. I am not requesting anything for just myself. I am requesting your help on something that could do a lot of good for education. For the betterment of education, can you please get along? I don’t mean on every issue as I do realize that you are competitors in many ways. I just want to see one major issue fixed!
Just in case you don’t know, the iPad and Google Education Apps don’t play nicely together. The iPad is a fantastic device that is revolutionizing technology. Google Education Apps has become many school district’s central tool for their online learning platform. While there are some apps that try to ease the problems of using Google Education Apps on the iPad, these “work around apps” still miss the mark in so many ways.
While its nice that both companies are reaching out to other companies such as Facebook and Twitter, wouldn’t it be nice to pick up the phone and call each other to get this problem fixed? Also, I do understand that their are some benefits to both of your companies competing as well. Yes, I know that Google has a vested interest in the Android platform which means that you really don’t have as much incentive to develop for the iOS platform. Apple doesn’t have a lot of incentive to help Google develop their suite of apps as it certainly is a major competitor to the iWorks platform. Can’t you see though, the marriage of the iPad and Google Education Apps is probably the single greatest factor for schools not wanting to adopt the iPad or Google Education Apps completely?
If both companies truly care about education, you can find a way to bring the two together. Can Google or Apple turn a blind eye to the bottom line and do what’s best for education? The iPad and Google Education Apps are the best at what they do and not having them play nicely is putting a damper on education. Let’s have an #eduwin and bring these two giant companies together for the betterment of education.
With much love and respect,
Scott Meech
12:05 pm
Amen
9:26 pm
Thank You Scott. My thoughts exactly. Can I sign my name to this letter too?
11:50 pm
I’m signing this open letter to Google and Apple.
Dan Rezac
6:52 am
Great thoughts Scott.
3:43 pm
You are right on point. I have sent this to my PLN and some Google Circles with Googlers. I hope they work it out.
9:02 pm
Well said Scott and so true! What a great impact for everyone in education if they listen to you!
9:42 am
Exactly! Great points, Scott. This one would be huge.
2:00 pm
YES, well said!!!!
11:15 pm
Ummm… Google apps for education don’t work on android either.
It’s a mobile browser issue, not an iOS issue.
As soon as mobile browsers are powerful enough, I have no doubt google education apps will work as googles goal is always to be as prevalent on as many systems as possible, as that is their business model.
10:54 am
First of all… Scott, what a well thought out and articulate post! As an educator who utilizes many free Web 2.0 apps (Google Apps included) and the iPad, I am often left with the same sentiments. This could be soooooo great if folks in all camps (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Adobe, etc.) viewed education as a separate enterprise. A “Let’s Get Friendly” initiative is surely needed with regard to apps for students and teachers that JUST PLAIN WORK!
It seems we have made so many advancements in technology but one… Playing nice in the sandbox of educational resources.
1:46 am
“The iPad is a fantastic device that is revolutionizing technology”
Well, it is not revolutionizing learning. You and a lot of others think it is. You are wrong. Here are some of the reasons why people think the iPad is superior to laptops when it comes to learning, and some facts that proves it wrong:
1. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because it is more mobile; it is easier to carry and holds power longer.
Fact:
Most ultra-books weighs a max of 1,5 kg. They have, like all laptops, a rear side of the screen, which protects it from knocks and bumps.
Most ultra-books have a battery lifetime of + 8 hours – it’s not quite as long as an iPad, but longer than most kids are in school. In addition, it takes almost 6 hours to recharge the new iPad – which is much longer, than it takes to recharge an ultrabook.
2. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because there are more relevant, educational materials for it.
Fact:
Windows and MacOS will within. 6 months be out in versions, which, both let you, run Apps and traditional programs on your laptop.
Availability of Web-based services has been growing rapidly in recent years, and the vast majority of them work far better on a bigger screen and with the use of keyboard and mouse/track pad.
90 % of all existing e-learning material is developed in Flash, and can not run on an iPad. Flash may disappear from all mobile units within the next few years, but will still be able to run on laptops.
3. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because it is intuitively designed and easy to use in education.
Fact:
Several studies shows that iPads and other tablets are not used for a lot of work tasks. The iPad is a consumption tool, and as such not suitable for large production of text. Although an iPad can be used for production, a laptop can be used for the same – only better.
Prolonged use of tablets is, because of the poor ergonomics, unhealthy for the shoulders, hands and neck.
Studies also show, that a majority of students in secondary schools prefer to bring their laptop to class rather than their iPad – even if they own both.
4. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because it makes it easier to check whether students are doing irrelevant things on the screen during lectures / whiteboard teaching.
Fact:
On a laptop you can close the lid – you cannot do that on an iPad.
5. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because it’s much faster to boot up from hibernation.
Fact:
An ultra book starts up from hibernation within a maximum of 7 seconds. That is almost as fast as an iPad.
6. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because it is easier to connect to projectors, etc.
Fact:
An iPad requires converter for both VGA and HDMI to connect to projectors and smart boards. A laptop doesn’t.
7. An iPad supports learning better than a laptop because you can do everything on it.
Fact:
An iPad is primarily designed for consuming information, not for producing it. A laptop on the other hand is designed for both consumption and production of information.
10:55 pm
Niel … I appreciate your comments but please supply links to studies if you reference them. You spout facts that can be argued as opinion. The iPad is a very different tool than a netbook, laptop and desktop. Unfortunately, everyone of your facts is debatable.