Category: Apple

iPad trial at Leicester City Council sparks union anger

~ Chris Hall ~ 3 Comments

“A union has criticised Leicester City Council for considering buying iPads for its councillors despite planning up to 1,000 job cuts.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-10859748

At the risk of being accused of continuing my one man campaign against the iPad, this story is typical of managers who don’t really know what they are doing, falling for the iPad hype. Why just iPads if they are running a trial? Why not the plethora of other devices. Then again, if all you know about technology is what Rory Cellan-Jones tells you and what you read in the Sunday papers……..

Google App Inventor. So easy a cat can do it?

~ Chris Hall ~ Leave a comment

According to Google, the Google App Inventor is built on the idea that you do not need to be a developer to build great mobile applications. Instead of code, App Inventor allows you to visually design applications and use blocks to specify application logic.

Use the GPS-location sensor to build location aware apps
For example, build an app to help you remember where you parked your car.

Make your apps communicate by using the phone functionality
For example, build an app that periodically texts “missing you” to your loved ones.

Integrate with the web to build mashup applications
For example, build an app that talks to your favorite website like Twitter.

Will Apple make things as open? How will this affect the apps market?
More from appinventor.googlelabs.com

More competition for the iHype

~ Chris Hall ~ Leave a comment

It’s been around for a while but I’ve only just seen this prototype from ASUS. It’s a 12 inch tablet with a docking station that turns into a laptop. Oh and it has USB, a card reader and flash. There is also a 10 inch version as well. Don’t sell your soul for an iHype just yet….