Scott is a strategic consultant in the customer care industry and an avid amateur photographer.
He has experience in the high-technology industry in management, engineering, and support positions with Time Warner Cable, Dell Computer Corporation, UUNET Technologies, Wayport and others.
Scott started his degree program in 2003, and had no prior college credit before jumping into the distance learning environment. He graduated in October 2007 having attained an A.A.S. in Information Technology and a B.S. in Management from Kaplan University.
In 2009, he graduated with his MBA from Norwich University and is now a student at Walden University.
Scott LOVES fan mail. You can e-mail him any questions about distance learning at ask.scott.about.elearning@gmail.com
Or e-mail your questions to ask.scott.about.elearning@gmail.com
I’ve been reading some articles about how the new iPad is going to revolutionize education (and anything else you can think of). Unless you’ve been completely out of touch, I’m sure you have seen some of the same articles. Many of my friends and I have vowed not to buy an iPad. Not because we don’t like Apple or their products, mind you. But there are several other good reasons not to.
First, a wise man once said, “Never buy the first generation of any major electronic gadget. It will lose half its value in the first 24 hours and will be outdated in a matter of months.” Next, the cost can be prohibitive. The cheapest model is $500.00 and it only goes up from there. If you’re an “accessory freak” like me, you would want the external keyboard ($70.00) and whatever else they offer for it.
Third, this is a first-generation product that not only has a long way to go before it is mature, but for the money you would spend getting an iPad, you can buy a very functional laptop computer that does everything the iPad can do, and more! It simply doesn’t make sense from a financial perspective to spend that much money unless you are such an Apple fan that nothing, including common sense, can dissuade you from making that purchase.
That being said, let me tell you a story. Last weekend, I went to the Apple store to “look around”. This was my first time seeing the iPad in person. I left the store WITHOUT an iPad. It was the hardest thing I have done in months. The iPad is a revolutionary product that has the potential to redefine mobile computing. It has the potential to change the way people think about learning. I wanted one. Bad!
I picked one up and held it. I played with it and walked around with it. I took delight in the accessories. I pondered. I called my wife to make sure we could afford the mid-range model at $599.00 and a keyboard. She said that we absolutely could, “if I really had to have it”. That translates to, “Of course we can afford it, but do you REALLY need another computer of ANY type?”
After about an hour, common sense kicked in and I put it down. Why would I need to pay that much money for a first generation product that does everything a small laptop can do? The answer: Because it’s revolutionary and it’s just plain awesome!
I walked out with a 64-gig version of the iPod touch to replace my aging (1-year old) 32-gig model iPod touch. So my wife gets the old one and I am a happy camper. I struggled with my decision for hours afterward, but I am completely confident that I made the right decision. Don’t get caught up in the hype. The next version of the iPad will probably be cheaper and better!
I haven't bothered to check it out, since I already know I'm not going to buy one. But I am curious about one thing: What can the iPad do that tablet computers can't? It's as though with the iPad everyone thinks that Apple invented the tablet. They didn't!