iPod

Finally, A Surprise From Apple

/ Cole Camplese / 5 Comments

Man, that felt good! You know, going to the Apple site and seeing something that wasn’t on every single rumor site around. The new Nike plus iPod hookup is interesting on a lot of levels. Obviously Nike working to extend the overall functionality of the iPod with their little iPod Sport Kit is interesting unto itself … these things empower you to actually use your (1) sneakers to record your work-out progress that then (2) auto syncs to your iPod to (3)your computer to the (4) Internet and merge your data with (5) everyone else’s. Man, other than the sneakers, it sounds a lot like a system I’d like to investigate in the education space.

If Nike can build something, probably with some help from Apple, that can interact at that level with an iPod Nano we can certainly do something. That’s we — the education technology community. Imagine how we can use the iPod to collect all sorts of data. With a custom dongle (or whatever that thing is connected to the bottom) and some data transfer the iPod could be used for a lot more. It shows everyone that the iPod is a very powerful, capable, and ubiquitous device that can act as a data collection bridge.

Its a bridge because with the right software it can be used to sync all sorts of interesting classroom interactions. We used to look at Palm Pilots this way … a small classroom data collection device that was easy to use. We grew very tired of it — and we never saw commercial innovation like the iPod plus Nike deal on the Palm. Will this signal a real move towards the recognition of the iPod Platform? We’ve seen lots of interesting things in the iPod space, but this seems to be a move that could convince people that the iPod is actually a computer with its own UI, expandability, and OS. It might be time to investigate the developer opportunities around the iPod. Just a thought …

ProfCast Thoughts … The Podcast

/ Cole Camplese / 2 Comments

After I posted about the missing podcasting link last week I got a couple of comments asking for my ProfCast thoughts … I am not going to do an all out review, but instead thought I’d share my thoughts as a Podcast … surprisingly not using ProfCast. Not that it isn’t a good tool, its just I needed to edit it a bit and that is the big hang up with that tool for me right now. I did have a chance to speak to the founder of the company that makes ProfCast and he assured me that good things are coming.

At any rate, take a listen to the podcast … it is only about 13 minutes long and weighs in around 7 MB.

My New iPod

/ Cole Camplese / 2 Comments

Of course I had to get one … I tried to hold out, but the guy at the Apple Store in Orlando made me do it … as in, when I asked him if they had them he said yes. To me, that is making me get one. It is amazing. Period … really I love all the iPods, but this thing is a work of art. It is what an iPod should be. It looks so much bigger, but it is the same width, the same height, and so much thinner than my other one. My new Nano is sick, but this thing is what it is all about. Ok, enough love.

Here’s the rub, they did away with the little remote control plug thing next to the headphone jack, so all the accersories I care about no longer work. I can’t use it in my car because all I have is a CD player and the iTrip no longer works. I can’t use my iTalk anymore, so there goes mobile podcasting. Crap. I didn’t really think about that when I bought it. Not that it pisses me off to the point where I am going to scream, but it just bothers me becasue I have no options. I guess I can spend the $75.00-$100.00 on an adaptor for my Honda Accord to run it throught the CD Changer input, but that’s another 100 bucks. What I want is an option … the only option I’ll get is to wait.

Here’s what I think Apple should do … oh how I wish I had enough pull to make this stuff happen … just a little list:

  • The iPod Camera Connector: That thing is another wonderful little device. If you don’t know, it lets you plug your USB digital camera into the iPod and directly import photos. works slowly, but is very nice. What would be kickass would be if they let you use that same thing to plug in a USB powered microphone … I just got one of these killer new USB Samson Audio C01U mics and it would be really sweet to be able to just plug the connector onto the bottom and plug my new mic into the other side. Shazam … with the new stereo recording capability (that I have no idea if it works) I could actually have a more or less pro quality mobile podcast studio. That would be perfect.
  • Five Star Ratings: They killed the ability to do on the go ratings on my iPod! I use that so much … I can’t even explain what a kick in the ass this one is. I have been a big proponent of rating student podcasts on the fly using that 5 star rating system. Without it, that is over. I am not sure if they took it away for music because I have yet to put my music collection on the thing, but it isn’t there for video or audio podcasts. Again, crap. Apple, give me that back!
  • A Case: Once again Apple gives us a case, but the sleeve it comes in isn’t what I need or want. They do this every time … they surprise everyone, including vendors … in the meantime my iPod looks like I ran it through the wash. Argh … a case wouldn’t kill you. Let’s not even talk about a dock!

Oh well, there are other things, but all in all this is a killer piece of equipment. It just seems to me that if you are going to add some amazing features for education, how about keeping the ones that have already had an impact. BTW, go get one … at least look at it. It is worth it.

Orlando Grab Bag

/ Cole Camplese / Leave a comment

So, I’m in Orlando … hmm, Orlando. The land of magic, fun, and all around interestingness (?) … I finally have a little bandwidth for the moment. I am standing in the Apple Podcast Suite just wrapping up a nice interview with James Hilton and Lynne Johnson from the University of Michigan … we spent the better part of 40 minutes talking about their use of iTunes in their School of Dentistry. Really interesting stuff. Later in the day I’ll be hanging out with some folks from Ohio State about teaching and learning with technology. Should be cool — but what is it with me and the Big Ten schools. The U Mich people gave me a little grief about the football game last weekend, but not on tape. At any rate, here is the feed that will pump out all the Apple ADCE Podcasts.

I spent the first several days down here with my wife and little girl, Madeline … we went to the Disney kingdom. We hit the Animal Kingdom and Epcot on day one and then did the Magic Kingdom and back to Epcot on day 2. Here’s the deal, that Disney stuff is expensive but it does grab the attention of a 4 year old. The thing we noticed is how the folks at Disney allow you to purchase adult beverages in Animal Kingdom and Epcot but not the Magic Kingdom — hence the 2 trips to Epcot. If you’ve been there then you know all about the countries … we like Great Britain. And we spent a lot of time there drinking pints of Stella while Madeline slept on day two. I can’t tell you much easier the whole Disney experience is with a buzz. Here’s the evidence, when you go to the Magic Kingdom (no adult beverages allowed) you notice how all the parents will lose their shit on their kids at least once or twice. It is actually funny to hear everyone going nuts in different languages … see we are all the same down deep. By the time we got to Epcot, Madeline was sleeping and it was straight to the pub for a few pints … that made it all much easier.

Mixing work with vacation can be a drag, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Several things left this week here with Apple and then it is back home and back to reality. At any rate its been fun. Oh, by the way … I got to see and hold one of the new iPods — you know with video. It is an amazing device … a lot cooler that I thought it would be. One huge disappointment is that you cannot do ratings on videos. That is just lame — imagine how easily you can use those 5 stars to assess student work on the fly. If you are going to give us new features, don’t take away old ones! I want that back in. Ok, that’s it. I’ll be back later this week or over the weekend. Later … back to spending money in the land of Disney.

Apple is Really Supporting Podcasting Now!

/ Cole Camplese / 2 Comments

Here is a great sign from Apple — iPods now record in stereo and at multiple levels! Mobile podcasters rejoice … the big knock (as far as I am concerned) on the last several rounds of iPods were their pathetic recording qualities. I wonder if the iTalk works with these? Here is the proof … it says this on the iPod tech specs page, Voice recording settings:

  • Low (22.05 KHz, mono)
  • High (44.1 KHz, stereo)

Now I simply must get one … you know, for research purposes.

The New iPod … Are We There Yet?

/ Cole Camplese / 2 Comments

I haven’t really been spending much time writing about stuff Apple releases … tons of other people do that — and do it much better than I. At any rate, I listened like everyone else to Steve telling us over and over again that we didn’t want a video capable iPod … then, he told us we did need one and gave us one — all in the same day.

I have to say that now that I see it, I am impressed with it. You can go read all the tech specs yourself, but what is really important here is that opens another set of opportunities for teaching and learning. I have said it before that you cannot walk across campus and not see every other student with white ear buds. Granted these aren’t yet video iPods, but it won’t be long. When that starts to happen, I can go from podcaster to videocaster and actually show my students a thing or two. On the flip side, they can do the same. By using the class blog, RSS enclosures, a video assignment, and a subscription I can now auto receive their work, watch it while I walk (or eat lunch, or whatever), and use the rating system to grade it. I do like it.

I can see this having a potential impact on hybrid/blended class and pure distance education classes … shipping assignments via a cross platform application like iTUnes (or a web site) and allowing students to download portable lessons on the fly. I don’t know about you, but I have seen very slcik Keynote presentation that have been turned into killer voice-overed QuickTime files that do a great job of teaching. I know there are things like Breeze out there, but the ability to quickly produce a learning experience that is filled with video, audio, and stills is interesting. It is actually getting close to the enclosure bundle concept. At any rate, here is hoping there is some killer context for the next great thing. BTW, I need one.

iTunes Fix … Sorta

/ Cole Camplese / 1 Comment

The other day before I left for NECC, I upgraded my main machine’s iTunes to 4.9 to take advantage of the podcasting features … if you recall, my library got crushed. I got back last night and reimported all my music — minus the playlists, ratings, and play counts. That is a little bothersome, but you do what you do. It is actually giving me a cahnce to sort of “reset” my musical life. I just did my podcast subscriptions and resynced my iPod — yeah that got crushed too. At any rate, other than my little issue, the new iTunes with podcasting is great!