Tag Archives: iPad
Developing a Website on the iPad
The iPad has a reputation as being only for media consumption. It wasn’t possible to really create with the device. Any serious computer work had to be done on your laptop or desktop. I needed to prove this wrong.
This write-up has some bias. I very much want my iPad to be a computer replacement, for battery life, size, and ease of use alone. I set out to see if I could develop and maintain a website using only the iPad.
The project chosen was Quotey.net. A WordPress based site filled with quotes, poems, and essays. To be clear this was created from scratch on the iPad. There was no previous version I was updating
Textastic: The iPad Text Editor for Developers
Textastic ($9.99) is the text editor for the iPad that i’ve been waiting for. What sets it apart is syntax highlighting. This makes it much MUCH easier edit HTML, XML, Objective-C, C#, PHP, Perl, Python, SQL, JavaScript, CSS, with support for over 80 languages.
I really only need this App to edit HTML, CSS, and PHP files (mostly WordPress and Tumblr theme documents). I’ve tried many other Apps that claimed to do this. Most of them can simply open up HTML files but not give me syntax support. Without syntax, these files are a pain to edit.
If you are editing Objective-C, C#, or other languages that I don’t use, your results may not be as ideal as I find them. You will have to test and see for yourself.
The latest version also add dropbox and ftp support, which makes everything just that much easier. I am now able to grab a file off ftp from my website, edit it locally, and load it back to the live site.
I would like to see support for MobileMe, but this is me stretching for negatives to say. And an iPhone version would be nice. All in all this is the text editor I’ve wanted on my iPad since the day I got it, and was definitely worth the high end App price tag.
You can download it here.
App Review: Diptic
I’ll be honest, before this App I’d never heard of a diptych or triptych photo. The App grew on me quick though. Everything was easy to create, edit, and refine all from within the App. The finished results, looked like a classier collage. Simple editing controls made it easy to give all the pictures an uniformed look (similar color and brightness) without having to edit each picture in a different App.
There is a Diptic Flickr Group where you can see what others are doing with the App, and just how creative you can be.
Here is a quick triptych I was able to make with some pictures from a trip up to Vermont. (more…)
10 (more) iPad Apps for the Classroom
The first installment of ‘10 iPad Apps for the Classroom’ was popular enough, I decided to do a follow up. A lot more time and a lot more Apps have been developed for the iPad since the last article. I’ll highlight some of my favorites and most useful ones.
Frog Dissection ($4.99) – A digital interpretation of a classroom classic. I’ve covered this App once in an earlier review here. A recent update has added more information and data for students to explore. The App is nicely put together, very east to use and graphically sharp. Notes: no internet connection required.
EMD PTE – Periodic Table (Free) – In the previous article I noted Elements (14.99) as a great periodic table/science App. EMD PTE isn’t as feature rich but the price is right, free. This App provides good information on each element in a clean interface. The information doesn’t go much beyond what you would find in a typical classroom poster. Notes: universal app, no internet connection required.
10 iPad Apps for the Classroom
A follow up to The iPad and Education post. This is a quick list of 10 apps on the iPad that you can use with your students, most of which are free. The list is broken up into subjects; Math, English, Science, Social Studies, and Note Taking. If you have any app suggestions of your own, please leave a note in the comments.
Math
Quick Graph (free) – A complete graphic calculator application. Able to handle both 2D and 3D graphs. Input as many formulas as you want. A custom keyboard makes inputting easier. No need to go through the tedious Apple keyboard sub-menus to get to math functions (great for writing, not for math).
The iPad and Education
Since the iPad was first announced there has been a lot of talk about its uses for education. Specifically, the focus has been on college and university students. I would like to take a look at younger grades, elementary and middle school students. Students in these grades have not yet developed the way they take in data or their own study habits. These students would be more open to learning with new technologies and get a greater benefit. A student that grew up learning with technology will be more prepared in the future, rather than just giving them technology in college at the latter end of their academic career.
