Was Going to be About a New RSSReader

My favorite seat, outside Bruegger’s Bagels, across from American Airlines gates, bound for places many hours away.

It was a little disconcerting that during my recent train trip to New York and address presentation to the faculty of the Delaware Valley School District in Pennsylvania, I pulled out my iPad only once, other than to show it to my brother (who’s in advertising, so nothing new to him). What brought the device out was some tweaking I wanted to do my online handouts blog, after the Mac was already setup on stage and playing some music over the house sound. To be fair, it’s one of the main uses that I had in mind when I bought the thing.

But I have mentioned before that I have been reading a lot more since purchasing my iPad, especially keeping much more abreast of my RSS feeds than ever before. I do not believe that it’s the novelty of the device (it’s not about the technology). Instead, it’s exactly what educator-bloggers have been complainining about — the iPad is an information consumption machine. That’s right. The problem is that when I’m at my Mac, I am producing. I’m blogging, programming, planning a presentation, or some other form of making. Sitting and reading is a waste of a good mouse and keyboard.

The iPad, on the other hand is a screen that connects to the web and gives me access to stuff that I can read, watch and listen to. I’m not satisfied with that, especially when thinking about the ideal learning tools for formal learners — and I’m continuing to try to push the device as a production tool, not to equal a laptop, but to serve the general functions of learning by doing.

I started this blog entry to talk about a new RSS reader I’m trying on my iPad, Google Reader being mildly problematic. But since then (last night) I’m back with Google, until something else comes up.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

9 thoughts on “Was Going to be About a New RSSReader”

  1. I was looking for the details of a ‘new’ RSS reader… Maybe consider revising the title?

    Regardless, I don’t have an iPad so I’m not sure what apps might be available for it, but I think you can probably find something more robust than google’s reader. Adding integration for Tweets, Deliciou, etc makes that consumption networkable. 🙂

  2. David,

    Sorry to hear that you are a little disappointed in your iPad. I understand what you are saying about the difference between the info consuming vs info producing computers. I know that my Android is definitely a consuming device because it is just to clumsy to be a producing computer.

    I also want to thank you for using Odiogo to produce the audio podcast of your blog. I’m not saying that I am unobservant, but this is the first time that I saw this on your blog. I was so impressed that I added this to Dr. Z Reflects and reflected on it a little.

    Keep up the good work and I will see you at ISTE ’10

    Leigh
    http://drzreflects.com

  3. If you have NO machines would the iPad be a great thing to produce on? The fact that so many of the reviews of iPads come from people who own serious laptops AND iPads AND desktops AND iPhones leaves me wondering. What percentage of our students or teachers have a MacBook to compare it to?

    I agree we need to push the productive capabilities. Leave your other devices home next time. I bet you adapt pretty fast.

  4. I have now had my ipad for about a month. I have almost completely stopped using my laptop. Anytime I actually need to do something that requires firefox, I use cloud browse. Anytime I need to edit a google doc, I use desktop connect to hop on my laptop running at home. I have blogged every day from the iPad and I have even done presentations and run meetings. I haven’t really figured out anything that the iPad isn’t good at, so long as I have it jail broken. I’m not saying this is everyone’s experience, but serious creation is just too easy and engaging on a touch device.

  5. Putting together ideas and presentations on the fly without having to open the laptop would be great. Unfortunately we are used to building and presenting on the same machine and it is hard to realize that something out there would help. Production on one machine and then present on another. That was the reason I got rid of my desktop and went with the laptop. Can the iPad make it easier to produce something and move it to my laptop to present? That is what I am hoping.

    1. It’s called a Griffin A-Frame. You can use it to stand your iPad up, or incline it, as I had it set at the airport. I’m pretty happy with it, except that it is a bit heavy. Very solid and clean design. Works very well…

      — dave —

  6. To be contrarian, perhaps having a machine for consuming is a good thing. You, yourself, said you are reading more. Maybe it’s good to not be distracted by all that producing.

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