Kevin Brookhouser

On Tuesday Apple had a little product announcement that made the bloggosphere ‘ splode with excitement. The most interesting part for me as fully committed Google Drive fan-middle-aged-man is the iWork for iCloud beta announcement. Like Google Drive, the iWork suite is now free, and like Google Drive, it offers real-time collaboration. Sorry Microsoft SkyDrive 365 Office Sharepoint. If you don’t give your software away now, you’re in even bigger trouble. Last night on The Google Educast , Sean, Fred, and I put iWork collaboration to the test, and it actually kind of works. Here Sean is trying to get a rise out of me. Here are five reasons I think iWork for iCloud is not a Google Drive iKiller . 1. No collaborator cursor. I can't tell who is typing what. Without the cursor, words appear out of nowhere and I can't tell where my colleagues are working. Confusing. 2. No authentication. All of these docs are shared essentially as "anyone with the link can...

In my last post , I explained how I use quizlet.com to generate flashcards that randomly choose student names. In this video I explain how to use the Quizlet app on iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad to display those cards. I also demonstrate the Android app, Flashcards+ that can download your sets from the quizlet site. Yes, I know I have too many mobile devices.

On May 18 and 19, I am going to present a Tri-Cue Workshop on the iPad in Education . This hands-on workshop will focus on the use of technology to support teaching and learning. The session will be intended for an audience of teachers, administrators, or anyone else interested in education with intermediate technology skills. The content will focus on the use of the iPad in the classroom, including the use of digital textbooks and an overview of the best educational apps (and web-based resources) for enabling students to create, consume and reflect on their learning. Each participant will receive a 16 GB Wifi iPad ... the New one! Click here to register.

In January, Apple announced their initiative to get into the textbook market and a partnership with both Pearson and McGraw Hill. From what I could tell, these eBooks are incredible. They feature the same content as the print textbooks with added video, interactive visuals, built in flashcards, and quizzes. All at $14.99. Well played, Apple. This is great news for iPad owners. But what about the (granted dwindling) numbers of people without iPads? Now, Amazon and Google, it's your turn. The textbook selection in the Kindle Store and Google Play is pathetic. If you created a platform for publishers and teachers to produce interactive textbooks books to be distributed through your stores, we would be much more likely to adopt these books because they would be device neutral. It's worth noting that Kindle books do not have to be read on a Kindle. I read mine on my iPad and my laptop, and I could also read them on my fancy new Linux powered netbook . Amazon will hav...