Category Archives: iphone

iphone

Geocaching with the iPhone

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This is the first guest post I have had on this blog. Mick Mullane from Yorkshire Coast College is a mobile learning innovator whom I only actually met for the first time at the original MoLeNET Launch Conference at the Oval back in September 2007. Since then in our roles as MoLeNET Mentors we have worked together on supporting MoLeNET projects and have delivered a fair few workshops for MoLeNET as well. At the mLearn 2008 conference I found out that Mick does Geocaching, here is his post.

Geocaching is a worldwide fun activity that combines navigation with clue solving and treasrue hunting skills (google it!)

Since the introduction of the iPhone 3g and it’s GPS capabilities geocachers have been crying out for some practical applications on the iPhone, rather than just being able to find a skinny latte around canary wharf…

Given that the web browser is so good it makes it a breeze to log on to a geocaching website like www.geocaching.com and find some caches.  Ok the website doesn’t know where you are so you have to enter your postcode, or if you are a full time geocacher, your coordinates.  Once you have done that you can search for caches nearby, or ones that take your fancy.

That’s one of the joys of geocaching – takes you to places you would never think of going and gives you lots of local knowledge and history – it’s like a real world wikipedia…

Anyhow once you have selcted the cache you want to hunt then click on the google maps link at the bottom of the page.  The integration on the iPhone is such that it will drop a pin at the location of the cache on google maps, you then either work out your own way to the cache or ask google maps for directions – which could be interesting in the middle of a field somewhere…

It works very well…

Download the movie from here.

Drawbacks are that you need a signal – there’s no permanent maps stored on the phone, they have to be downloaded.  Indeed it’s a shame that we can’t get OS maps on the device yet like you can on a windows mobile device…  but hey it’s an iPhone, apprantly they can do other fun things too like games and music…

Mick Mullane

iphone, ipod touch, keynote, psp

Doing other things with PowerPoint

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There are some other nice things you can do with PowerPoint presentations apart from show them as just presentations, or even view them again.

PowerPoint slides can be easily saved as images as mentioned by Phil in his blog posting on this issue.

Show them on a mobile device, ie a mobile phone, a PSP, an iPod or similar. It should be noted that the iPod touch (and the iPhone) can show PowerPoint presentations natively using the media viewer. Presentations can either me sent via e-mail or moved to the iPod touch using one of the file management applications now available for it.

You could also incorporate the images of the slides into Microsoft Photostory 3 and add narration or even more images.

Phil in his blog posting talking about loading the images ontot a DVD.

I suppose you could even burn them onto a DVD and look at them on your TV via a DVD player: now that’s an exciting night in!

In terms of DVDs, one thing that I have done is to use Apple’s Keynote to import a PowerPoint presentation, and add a voice over and export as a movie. This movie as well as being exported to various mobile devices or embedded onto a webpage and I have taken this movie and burnt it to DVD.

One of the reasons for doing this is that some learners may not have a computer at home or a media capable mobile device, but probably have a (£15) DVD player from Asda or similar.

Today a lot of teaching staff are still using PowerPoint, but there is nothing to stop them or learners viewing those presentations in different ways and on different devices.

What we do is provide the hardware and software so that learners undertake the conversion process themselves. Though we are looking at tools to make the process easier and more transparent.

google, iphone, ipod touch, nokia

No Flash player on the Google G1

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After posting my video of my first experience of touching the Google G1, I went back and looked at it again.

This time I got to have a go on the keyboard and it worked quite well, a little small for me and I did hit the wrong key now and again and all I was doing was entering search terms into Google.

According to the rep I spoke to there is no Flash player on the Google G1.

This surprised me, however the problem arose due to the cost of providing a player on the phone.

I decided then to try out YouTube and see what happens, and what you get is a similar experience to the iPhone in that the phone downloads the video and plays it outside the browser in the media player. The quality was similar to the experience on the iPhone (well the iPod touch).

I also got a photo of the Google G1 next to the iPod touch.

No Flash player on the Google G1

One of the quotes that I like about the differences between the iPhone and the Nokia N95 came from quoted by Josie Fraser. EDIT: original blog post from which the quote came and Ian’s blog posting which references it.

You use the iPhone to consume content whilst you use the Nokia N95 if you want to create content.

This I agree with owning both an iPod touch and the Nokia N95.

If I want to watch video, listen to audio, see photographs or browse the web, the iPod touch wins out every time. There is no camera and no microphone so almost impossible to create original content – though the iPhone does have a (still) camera and a microphone.

Whereas on the Nokia N95, the browsing experience is painful unless you are using mobile sites. Video works as does audio, but as it doesn’t interface with iPhoto, images have to be organised manually on the phone. However in creating content, the N95 wins out, great camera for both stills and video. Third party applications allow you to get those images and films out onto the web, I use Shozu, Qik and Seesmic to do this.

So what has this got to do with the Google G1?

Well I am wondering if the Google G1 could be the first phone which is good at both creating content and consuming content.

Experiences so far show that content consumption works well on the G1, certainly viewing video and browsing the web was pretty nice and easy to do.

I did use the camera, but did not have a chance to create some content, but as the platform is relatively open I suspect we will see third party applications such as Shozu and Qik very soon.

Looking forward to getting one (if possible).

Overall I am still impressed with the phone.

google, iphone, mobile

Feeling and touching the Google G1

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I have felt, touched and used the Google G1.

Here’s the proof…

First impressions? Well I am impressed.

The web browsing experience is very nice, same kind of touch interface as the iPhone, but with the addition of a scroll wheel which means you don’t need to use your finger unless you want to.

The keyboard is quite small, but looks quite usable and certainly more usable than the numeric keypad of phones like the Nokia N95.

The camera works as would be expected from a cameraphone, I did think that the quality could have been better, but the iPhone and N95 are just as “bad” so it’s not really a disadvanatage.

It was only a quick hands on, so didn’t have a chance to try other features or applications.

It will be in the shops in the UK on the 1st November, and for new customers will be free on £40 per month contracts, on cheaper contracts you will need to pay for the phone.

For existing customers (ie me) a different story depending on your contract, where you are in that contract and how much you pay per month.

It is different to the iPhone, but I am seriously considering getting one now.

apple, iphone

iPhone Developer University Program

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Apple has announced an interesting development for US Universities, the iPhone Developer University Program.

The iPhone Developer University Program is a free program designed for higher education institutions looking to introduce curriculum for developing iPhone or iPod touch applications. The University Program provides a wealth of development resources, sophisticated tools for testing and debugging, and the ability to share applications within the same development team. Institutions can also submit applications for distribution in the App Store.

Alas this is not a program(me) to develop learning applications for the iPhone, but merely a programme to teach students how to develop applications.

google, iphone, mobile, news

Google phone to be on sale in UK in time for Christmas…

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I did say in my previous post.

I wonder how long it will be before it comes to the UK.

Well according to the BBC it will be in the UK in time for Christmas on T-Mobile.

The T-Mobile G1 handset will be available in the UK in time for Christmas.

The first device to run the search giant’s operating system will feature a touch screen as well as a Qwerty keyboard.

It will be available for free on T-Mobile tariffs of over £40 a month and includes unlimited net browsing.

Other features include a three megapixel camera, a ‘one click’ contextual search and a browser that users can zoom in on by tapping the screen.

I think it has potential, but is it going to match the iPhone?

I don’t think it will have the buzz that the iPhone had. However the applications that the Google Phone could have and the way that they are installed on the phone means that it may have more potential as a learning device than the iPhone.Google phone to be on sale in UK in time for Christmas...

google, iphone, mobile, news

Google Phone to be launched today

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In the US today sees the unveiling of the widely anticipated Google Phone.

The BBC reports that

The first mobile telephone using Google’s Android software is due to be unveiled on 23 September.

It will be available on the US network of T-Mobile and is expected to be on sale in October.

The first device to run the search giant’s operating system will be a handset from Taiwanese firm HTC called the “Dream”.

No price for the phone has been given yet but it is expected to be below the important $200 (£107) price point.

So why the interest in the phone?

Well as the BBC article goes on…

Google announced its plans for the Android phone software in November 2007 with a declared aim of making it easier to get at the web while on the move.

More and more people are using their phones less for making phone calls and more for using the web whilst on the move. Apple’s iPhone showed that you could use the web on the move, will Google’s Android do more than just the web?Google Phone to be launched today

apple, iphone, ipod touch

MacBook touch (perhaps?)

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Okay this is a rumour, which basically means that it may have absolutely no foundation in truth and is just purely a figment of someone’s imagination.

It is rumoured (did I say this was a rumour) that Apple in October may be releasing a MacBook touch.

MacBook touch (perhaps?)

This product would have the touch interface of the iPhone and the iPod touch with the capability of a proper MacBook.

Gizmodo quotes MacDailyNews:

Think MacBook screen, possibly a bit smaller, in glass with iPhone-like, but fuller-featured multi-touch. Gesture library. Full Mac OS X. This is why they bought P.A. Semi. Possibly with Immersion’s haptic tech. Slot-loading SuperDrive. Accelerometer. GPS.

I would certainly like to see an Apple Tablet type device.

blog, iphone, ipod touch

WordPress App on the iPod touch

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As you may have already seen, with the new WordPress App for the iPhone and the iPod touch, it is possible to easily blog from the iPhone or the iPod.

Wordpress App on the iPod touch

The interface is not fantastic, though having looked a little more into it, if you had an iPhone (it has a camera) you can add photos quite easily; from the iPod touch you can only (obviously) use images stored on the device.

Wordpress App on the iPod touch

I am reasonably impressed with the app and if it allows me to blog more easily and more often then that can only make my blog better (or will it).

blog, iphone, ipod touch

Posting from my iPod touch

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With the release of firmware 2.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch you can now install third party applications on your device.

One which has just been released is a WordPress app which allows you to write and publish blog entries from your iPhone or iPod touch as I am doing now.

Seems to work well so far.

Though it has to be said that typing on an iPod touch is not fantastic, and without copy and paste means you can’t copy stuff from another application or the web.