UANP 6013 INFORMATICS IN SOCIETY

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Allan Wheeler
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1 UANP 6013 INFORMATICS IN SOCIETY INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT NO1 TITLE: The ipad and i BY HASLINA MD SARKAN PAN FOR DR RASIMAH CHE MOHD YUSOFF 1

2 INTRODUCTION The current technology trend indicates that computer devices are becoming smaller and more portable day by day. At the same time, their computing power and storage capacity are increasing at great speed. There is a phenomenon that is making great impact in a few disciplines mainly due to this lighter and smaller technology of tablets. It is called the New Media [1] where technology brings about devices and tools forming connections that are network-based which encourage creativity and interactivity using smart phones, tablets and smart community TVs. Apple s version of tablet is known as the ipad. ipad singles out from other tablets due to its unique apps and services. It is also a useful application first of all due to its slim and elegant figure. It can easily be carried around even in a handbag or a book bag. The ipad s interface is built around multi touch screen and its connectivity functions through Wi-Fi or cellular networks. ipad can do many things such as play music, capture photos, shoot video, web browsing and Apple provides lots of apps. THE EVOLUTION OF COMPUTER DEVICES Computer has always been used to facilitate and to improve work through productivity software like web browsers and word processors. Therefore, processor speed and storage capability, are among the main factors to be considered when buying a computing device as want to work fast and store many things. At the same time portability and mobility are other factors that seem appealing to consumers because they want to be able to use their devices almost everywhere. It is even used in schools for teaching and learning purposes [2] and online social networking [3]. A brief history of the mini and microcomputers before the author continues about the ipad. It was in the mid 1960s that the minicomputer development started, and the evolution 2

became more significant in the 1970s. The mini computers had less processing and storage capacity, sold at lower costs, and promised much lower margins than mainframes which was popular at that time.

3 became more significant in the 1970s. The mini computers had less processing and storage capacity, sold at lower costs, and promised much lower margins than mainframes which was popular at that time. IBM launched the first PC in Over the years, the technical performance of microcomputers became competitive against workstations and computers became more and more portable, not forgetting the improved performance. Towards the early 2000s, notebook performance became competitive with desktops. Not long after that came the era of the tablet computer. A tablet is very portable and light with appealing design such that there is a touch screen as an input device on a single panel. Tablets are larger than smart phones and they have more computing power and storage capacity. After the Microsoft Tablet PC, companies like Nokia, Samsung, and Hewlett-Packard experimented with tablet-like formats [4]. Figure 1 illustrates the evolution of minicomputers until the ipad by Apple. Figure 1: The evolution of computers (source from WHY ipad? In 2010, the first widely diffused tablet computer known as the ipad was launched by Apple. At that time, it was described as the larger iphone and this bigger version of iphone 3

4 stormed the whole world and was lauded as a revolutionary product [4]. The author was among the first who was excited about this device, could not wait too long and ended buying the first generation ipad in Singapore at that time because it took many months later before it entered the Malaysian market. ipad usage has been expanded to various applications including to increase usability, to extend educational opportunities, to enhance classroom environment and to handle classroom integration challenges [2]. Even though there are many competitors in the tablet market, ipad is still popular as it has a number of advantages and also disadvantages. In this write up, the author will discuss two of its advantages and disadvantages each. The first advantage is without any doubt, the Apple App Store. Currently there are about 300,000 apps specifically designed for the ipad in the market! (See 128GB.html) On top of that, ipad can also run about compatible 500,000 iphone apps. These apps have been carefully reviewed by Apple before it is put in the App Store so that it can ensure that the app will execute what it says it will do and at the same time this will protect the buyer from malware or any other harmful apps. At the same time, Apple outlines an app approval process that makes sure all bugs are eliminated before a particular app can be approved. It also makes a malware more difficult to attack the device. This is a very good selling point for the consumer. Another advantage is the stability of the ipad. It is simple and easy to use and most importantly, very stable. Apple controls the hardware and the software of the ipad. This concept is called a closed system. The developpers of ipad and Apple support very limited number of tablets that are based on the same basic hardware. The author loves it because ipad is compatible with the iphone and that it has a very supportive ecosystem. For example, Apple provides the icloud facility that makes sharing among the Apple products easy and convenient. However, when stability and ease of use are highlighted, it shows on the other hand that the ipad has little customization ability and at the same time, the ability to expand. When 4

5 customization is limited, it also means there are no widgets on the home screen because some apps are not available for the ipad. The approval process of Apple tends to keep certain apps from be found in the app store. These apps can be easily obtained on Android but not ipad. A second disadvantage is that an ipad is less expandable. It does not support flash drives and microsd for example. In order to expand storage, users can only use Dropbox or a few external drives that work with ipad. Else, users will have to delete the images, apps and music on the ipad. It is less expandable than a notebook and more limited in than other Android tablets. ipad S IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THE LAST 5 YEARS Throughout the last 5 years, ipad has evolved from the first generation ipad, to ipad2, ipad3, ipad4 and ipad Air. Physically it can be seen that the ipad got thinner and lighter. The author has outlined the evolution of ipads for the last 5 years since its first existence in Figure 2. Figure 2: ipad evolution over the from 2010 till

6 At the moment, ipad Air is said to be Apple s best achievement. The latest version is ipad Air 2. It is thinner and lighter than its predecessor and has a better screen. Its battery life is also getting better and it includes the famous Touch ID and Apple Pay features (See And without doubt, Apple provides better camera than any other tablet and this camera performance gets better with each new model. CONCLUSION The author concludes here that ipad is one of the existing applications that helps make every day life easier and more fun due to the fact that it is handy and can be carried almost everywhere. This makes it available to be used for many purposes. The author can do work, read the news or e-book, socializing over the internet, capture sweet moments and do many other activities with the ipad. The author also believes that the ipad will continue to improve its performance over the coming years. Even though the use of tablets is predicted to fall, the ipad has a whole life in front thanks to the extensive and reliable services provided by Apple compared to other tablet manufacturers. REFERENCES [1] S. Forgo, New Media, New Media Literacy, New Methods in Education, IEEE 63 rd Annual Conference International Council for Education Media, (ICEM), pp.1-9, [2] T. Wang and D. Churchill, Educational Applications of Touchpad Technology in Higher Education in Hong Kong: Explorative Case Studies of University Teachers Adoption of ipads IEEE 63rd Annual Conference International Council for Educational Media (ICEM), pp. 1-6, [3] Z. Liu, Y. Feng and B. Li, Socialize Spontaneously with Mobile Applications, IEEE INFOCOM Proceedings, pp , [4] M.N. Cortimiglia, A.G. Frank & L. Seben, Tablets: The Next Disruptive Computing Technology?, IT Professional, vol. 15, no. 3, pp , May-June

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