An "App" is an application for a mobile phone, especially a smartphone. Apps range from games to study guides and everywhere in between and on the sides. I had a hard time tracking down exact numbers for apps since there are plenty of new apps every day. In 2010, ZDnet had Android apps hitting 50,000 so we know that there are more than 50k apps today, unless some have been deleted. I forget where I read this and was not able to pull up the webpage again, but the person in charge of app development at Google was disappointed in the speed of development of droid apps. As far as Apple goes, there are over 350k apps available (you have to look at the heading of the page to see the reference to the 350k apps). An apptivity is an activity using an App. It's a great idea and I think it might be something that could eventually be used educationally.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/google/50000-android-apps-just-in-time-for-the-droid-incredible/2019
http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/app-store.html
Sunday, March 13, 2011
How have cameras and video conferencing capabilities in cell phones affected the way we communicate today? How have they affected education (K-12 and Higher Education)? How have they affected Corporate America?
Cellphone users now have the ability to video conference through their phones, if their phones are equipped with the right technology (2 cameras and software for video conferencing). However, I don't know anyone who actually uses this feature. Personally, I think I'd be more comfortable video conferencing on a computer than I would be on my phone, mostly because I'm moving around when I'm on my phone. I don't know how much video conferencing has affected education because I am not a teacher and I have not seen the technology used. However, like I mentioned in one of the discussion board posts today, I think that it has a place in the classroom when a lecturer or a guest cannot physically be in the classroom. It is certainly applicable in business as businesses are often spread out over distances and individuals need to be able to communicate and face to face communication is often more productive. It also saves on travel costs as 10 people don' t have to fly to one location to have a meeting anymore. They can simply hook up a camera and some speakers and be ready to go.
What is 4G?
4G is the next generation of cellular networks and was preceded by 2G and 3G networks. It allows data to travel faster than it ever has before. Speeds will vary from 100Mb/s to 1Gb/S. It is not currently available everywhere in the country right now. But what most people don't know is that even if your phone says that it's 4G or LTE, that's doesn't mean it is and it doesn't mean that you have access to a 4G or LTE network. I found an interesting article (it's a little older) but it's about the technology and how we're being fed....misleading?....information:
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/03/24/4g-in-america-lies-lies-and-more-damn-lies/
http://www.intomobile.com/2010/03/24/4g-in-america-lies-lies-and-more-damn-lies/
What is a Mifi card? How can you use your smartphone as a wireless hotspot?
I have owned a MiFi card and I have used my blackberry as a hotspot. A MiFi Card allows a user to connect a device with wireless to the Verizon network. It basically works as a mobile hotspot for where ever you are as long as you are on their network. You can use many smartphones these days as a wireless hotspot as well. The phones connect to your wireless device and acts as a wireless router of sorts, allowing the secondary device to feed off of its signal. I think the precursor to this was the technology where you could connect your laptop or wireless device to your Blackberry (or other device) via a cable and access data transmitted through the blackberry. This service preserved my sanity while on 16-hour long EMS tours!
How is the iPhone and iPad 2 different from a Droid device?
One of the main differences between the iPhone and iPad's and the Droid devices is the operating system. The iphone and iPad run on a proprietary software developed by Apple and is closely guarded. They do allow the development of Apps, but they are carefully monitored. The Droid platform seems to be much looser in development and it is open source software which is owned by Google. As such, there is a lot of freedom in what can be developed for this phone.
The HTC Thunderbolt
The HTC Thunderbolt is a release from the HTC family of products and it too like the Zoom runs off of the Android 2.2 platform. It is also running the newest version of the HTC Sense. What makes this phone different from some of the other smartphones, including the iPhone, is that it is capable of running on the LTE network. The recent release of the iPhone from version was not a phone that is capable of running on the LTE or 4G network (I keep up with this because I'm am desperately awaiting the release of the iPhone 5 this summer so I can switch back from AT&T. I figure, why buy a new phone that's going to be outdated in less than 4 months) Anyway...The HTC Thunderbolt has a 1 ghz processor and cameras on both the front and back of the phone. According to CNET's reviews, it's incredibly fast and much awaited, though at the time of the video, not available for purchase yet.
• How is the Motorola Xoom different than a smartphone like the Droid Thunderbolt? How is it similar? What is Android 3.0? What new features do the next wave of pc tablets and smartphones have?
There are at least a few things that clearly stand out. The Motorola Zoom is a tablet and not a phone. It is also running off the Android 3.0 platform instead of 2.2. It is different than the iPad in that it is closer to the original iPad size but it more of a wide screen than the iPad. It is also heavier than the iPad, which is a big consideration for users since it is constantly being held. It has many of the same features: input types, cameras on the front and back, flash, and speakers. However, it is also different in some ways and speaks to the future of touchscreen devices with the lack of "tactile navigation buttons". Instead, all of the buttons are no included in the OS and are available on the touch screen.
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