75% of my Apple iOS devices will soon be "obsolete"

As you may suspect, I have a number of Apple gadgets in my home. We have a few iPods (various generations), an iPad, an iPhone 4S, an iPod touch, a MacBook Pro, and even a Newton Messagepad (remember those?)

I tend to keep my old devices, so my iPod touch is a 2nd generation device. The current iPod touch is a 4th generation model. If you have an iPod touch, do you know what generation your device falls into?

I also have the first generation iPad (do you think this will become a collector's item someday?)

The sad reality that I must accept is that many of my iOS devices will soon become "obsolete." My current iPod touch is running iOS 4.2.1 because it doesn't support iOS 5 (or any updated version of iOS 4). This means that I can't run certain medical apps (like the Sermo app) on my old iPod touch.

The exciting announcement about iOS 6 wasn't too thrilling for me since my first generation iPad won't support iOS 6. I'll be stuck with the obsolete iOS 5 on my iPad.

The hardware on mobile devices changes so rapidly that it's nearly impossible to keep up with technology. Do you feel that way too? Let's look at the bright side: Soon, we'll be calling these devices "vintage."

Fortunately, someone within our household has an iPhone 4S, so we're not all behind the times.

iOS 4.2 brings multitasking to iPads

Apple has released iOS 4.2 to the iPad (and iPhone and iPod touch). This software update brings multitasking features to the Apple iPad. Plus, it allows you to have access to over 100 new features. Certain features are only available on the newest iPod touch models.

Apple's iOS 4.2 Available Today for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch

Major Software Update Brings Multitasking, Folders, Unified Inbox, Game Center, AirPlay & AirPrint to iPad

CUPERTINO, California-November 22, 2010-Apple® today announced that iOS 4.2, the latest version of the world's most advanced mobile operating system, is available today for download for iPad™, iPhone® and iPod touch®. iOS 4.2 brings over 100 new features from iOS 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2 to iPad including Multitasking, Folders, Unified Inbox, Game Center, AirPlay® and AirPrint.

Why I'd get an HP Slate over an Apple iPad

Here's why I'd get an HP Slate over an Apple iPad:

• HP Slate has 2 webcams. Current iPad has none.
• HP Slate supports Adobe Flash (no work-around required).
• HP Slate runs Windows 7. Won't be waiting for apps to get developed.
• HP Slate is less expensive (for the same amount of storage space)
• HP Slate will have a built-in SD card slot.
• HP Slate will have a built-in USB 2.0 port.
• I already own an iPod touch (it's like a small iPad).

Here's why I'd prefer the iPad over the HP Slate:

• Much longer battery life (10 hrs vs. 5 hrs).

I'm a huge fan of both Apple and HP, but when it comes to iPad vs. Slate, I think I'd rather spend the money on the HP Slate. I'm a power user. I'm not just looking for an e-book reader that has a color screen. I'm not looking for a consumer device that's mainly designed for entertainment. I have an iPod touch that can do all of that. 

Guided tours of the Apple iPad

Even though you haven't had a chance to hold an iPad, you can view these "guided tour" videos on the Apple website. This way, when you go to the Apple store, you'll be fully equipped to test the iPad so that you can determine if you should buy this device.

You're probably already familiar with the "pinch-to-zoom" feature that's found on the iPod touch and iPhone. Additional multi-touch gestures make navigation very easy on the iPad.   Well, I doubt I'll buy one this year, but maybe I'll get an iPad through a drawing or on Christmas.

To view the iPad Guided Tours, visit: http://www.apple.com/ipad/guided-tours/

The iPad as a patient empowerment tool

Patients want to be empowered. Physicians want their patients to improve the self-management of chronic conditions. Will the new Apple iPad bridge some of these gaps and become an effective patient empowerment tool?

On one hand, the iPad can be used by health care providers to teach patients about diseases and conditions. Imagine if every patient went to a doctor's visit with an iPad. The doctor could help the patient record some notes, access important patient education materials, and could also provide the patient with some digital media that could be used to help that patient manage his/her disease when he/she returns home. Patients frequently forget the majority of the conversation after leaving the doctor's office, so why not leverage digital media technology to capture some of the key points during that encounter with the physician?

When the patient gets home, imagine if he/she were to use the iPad as an entertainment device. Suddenly, the device could beep and remind the patient to take his/her pills. Also, a reminder could pop up to remind the patient to watch the disease management video that highlights some of the lifestyle modifications this patient needs to make over the next few weeks. The patient could record progress on the iPad and take the device to his/her next visit.

• The large screen on the iPad is ideal for those who have poor vision.
• The iPad is thin and light. It can be carried almost anywhere.
• Most doctors will know how to use an iPad. Don't they already use the iPhone?
• The iPad is easy for many people to use. After all, who's never used an iPod touch or an iPhone?
• The multimedia capabilities found on the iPad can be used to teach and empower patients.

Some have said that 2010 will be the year of the tablet PC. I think it's going to be the year when mobile slate devices begin to revolutionize health care.

Should medical schools require an iPad?

We've heard of several medical schools requiring students to use either an Apple iPhone or iPod touch, but what about the iPad? Some schools have been experimenting with digital e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle. Medical textbooks are frequently filled with photos and other color-rich images, so the grayscale Kindle isn't the ideal e-book reader for medical students who wish to carry their textbooks electronically. This is where the Apple iPad could revolutionize the way medical students learn.

Will some medical schools try to educate their students using digital technology? I'm sure it's bound to happen. What I don't know is whether the iPad will improve the way students learn medicine. Since I'm a technology advocate, I could make several compelling arguments to say that interactive learning is much more effective than traditional lectures and didactic education. I could also say that retention could be enhanced with the use of digital quizzes that occur at the point-of-learning. You can't do that with a text book, but you could do that with a digital version. I could argue that multimedia enhances the educational experience compared to static color images. But all these arguments could fail if students are not ready and willing to embrace technology to enhance their education.

The average pre-med college student is probably tech-savvy and digitally connected via a smartphone, several social media accounts, and a laptop computer. If you hand that student an iPad filled with medical textbooks and multimedia resources, will that student learn effectively? I would think so.

Electronic book readers are becoming very popular

Electronic book (or e-book) readers are becoming very popular this holiday season. The Apple iPod revolutionized the digital music industry. I think we're witnessing a revolution within the digital book industry and we're only seeing the first and second generation models with the Kindle and Nook, so we know that significant changes will occur over the next few years. Of course, Sony has made several revisions to its digital reader, but nothing has been truly revolutionary yet.

Remember the first Apple iPod? How many people do you know who owned one of these devices? I'm talking about the one with the mechanical scroll wheel, a center select button, and 4 buttons around the wheel. It had a grayscale screen and it was expensive. If we look at iPods today, we see significant changes. Who would have thought that the original iPod would have evolved to the current iPod touch?

I'm sure we will see significant changes in e-book readers as well. In fact, my prediction is that we will see some convergence with mobile internet devices, multimedia players like the iPod touch, and e-book readers. As a result, grayscale screens will be a thing of the past. My big question right now is: who's going to release the first e-book reader that has a color screen?

More rumors about the Apple Tablet emerge

Rumors about the upcoming Apple Tablet seem to never end.

Here are some of the latest rumors circulating on the Internet:

• 10.1" multi-touch screen
• Release around March/April 2010
• Roughly $1,000 (yikes!)
• It will compete against other e-readers like the Nook and Kindle with a 30/70 revenue split (30% to Apple and 70% to publishers)
  

If this thing is really going to sell for $1k, then I'd have to think that this tablet will run OS X. If it's just an oversized iPod touch, then $1k seems way too ridiculous to me. $1k also is way too high for an e-reader that has a color screen, Internet, and some multi-media functionality.

So what's it going to be Apple? When will we see the real deal instead of all these fake images?

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

I'm excited about the upcoming Archos 9, but the Archos 5 appears to be a great little mobile device that you can easily slip in your pocket. Unlike the OQO model 02, the Archos 5 is very thin.

Archos has confused consumers by using the name "Archos 5" to refer to two different products:

• an Internet Media Tablet (I'll call this the media tablet)
  
• an Internet Tablet (I'll call this the Internet tablet)
  

Confused? They both have the word "Internet" and "tablet" in their names, so I agree that it's a bit confusing. The media tablet is a fancy media player that also includes a web browser. The Internet tablet includes some of the features found on the media tablet but it also runs Google Android and it has an internal GPS. So, the Internet Tablet is more like a mini computer. Would it be more clear to use the common phrase Mobile Internet Device (MID)? Archos likes to be different.

Now, some may argue that it doesn't make sense to purchase an Internet Tablet if you already use a smartphone. That's a reasonable argument. However, I have a smartphone and I also have an iPod touch. Some may say that the iPod touch is a media tablet. Others may call it an Internet tablet. I suppose if Apple releases a tablet some day, then things could start to get really interesting. However, until we see that happen, we're really talking about devices that are being defined by their screen sizes and storage capacities. Do you have a smartphone that has a 5" screen? Would you want to use a smartphone if it had a 5" screen?

Tablet PCs and drug reps

These days, when a pharmaceutical sales representative comes to your visit to provide some "drug detailing," you can expect to see some multimedia. Tablet PCs have revolutionized the way that information is now delivered. You can use a tablet and give an interactive presentation while you're standing up. There's no need to sit down and open your laptop. No need for a "slim jim" or any other type of printed visual aid if you have a color LCD screen on a tablet computer.

Sometimes I wonder if Tablet PCs have lost their "wow" factor. After all, we see computers everywhere now. So if someone comes to your office and pulls out a cool gadget (like an iPod touch or an ultra-mobile PC), the novelty factor seems lost. Maybe the upcoming Apple tablet will rejuvenate some of that lost "wow" factor and perhaps we'll see every pharma drug rep equipped with an Apple Tablet in 2010. Probably not.

Will the Apple Tablet kill the Amazon Kindle?

The Amazon Kindle has taken e-book readers to a new level. A recent Time.com story compares how the Apple iPod revolutionized the digital music movement and how the Amazon Kindle has done the same thing in the e-book world.

If that's true, then Apple wants a piece of the e-book world and that's probably why they're going to launch a consumer-friendly color tablet that will also be a really great e-book reader. Soon, the Kindle will need to resemble an iPod touch to stay competitive. I'm guessing that Sony is prepping a color Digital Reader in anticipation of the Apple Tablet.

Apple Tablet (or iPad) to be a giant iPod touch

So, the latest rumors on the Apple Tablet is that this device will simply be a giant iPod touch. Disappointing.

I was hoping to see a robust Apple Tablet running Mac OS X, but instead it looks like we're only going to see a large multimedia tablet that will have a web browser (mobile Safari) and multimedia capabilities. I suppose for those physicians and medical students who want to use a really BIG iPod touch (or iPhone), then the new iPad (or whatever they end up calling it) will be a nice device. Maybe it will be the perfect device for those older docs who don't want to use reading glasses when they're using a digital device.

Apple Tablet in Feb 2010?

The rumors continue to circulate online. Will we see an Apple tablet (macTablet? iTablet?) next Feb? Will it have a small screen or a large screen? The folks at Brighthand are saying 9.6" screen. Will this just be a giant iPod touch (hopefully with a built-in camera this time) or a functional computer running Mac OS X?

At this point, there are probably more questions than answers. I'm sure engineers at Apple are playing with all sorts of prototypes ranging from small to large devices. At the end of all of this, maybe they will offer the tablet in different versions:

• iTablet nano
• iTablet mini
• iTablet classic
  
• iTablet Pro
• iTablet Newton? 

It's hard to believe that we're already talking about 2010. Where did 2009 go?

No Apple tablet announced

I was quite disappointed by the fact that Apple did not announce a tablet. I was also not impressed by the updated iPod touch. They seemed to make some nice changes to the iPod nano, but all the other iPods really didn't get much of an update.

So, will we see an Apple tablet this fall? I have some serious doubts that we'll see anything impressive. Sorry, but a giant iPod touch simply won't impress me.

New Apple iPods and Tablet?

We're expecting that Apple will announce some new iPod touch models this week (3rd generation iPod touch). I currently have a 2nd generation iPod touch and I wonder if things are going to get confusing again as people try to differentiate among the various generations. According to multiple rumors, this new iPod touch will have a built-in camera, so that should make it easy to tell it apart from the older models.

The big question in my mind is this: will Apple unveil a tablet this year? Or will we have to wait until 2010 (or potentially later)? If Apple reveals a tablet, how big will it be (rumors are very inconsistent here). Plus, what operating system will be on this device? (maybe it will have both the iPod touch OS and Mac OS X).

More rumors emerge about the Apple tablet

I hate to be spreading rumors that may be false, but I can't help myself. According to the folks at Brighthand, the Apple tablet may be larger than what we may be expecting. Of course, since these rumors are being generated in Asia, I would take them with a grain of salt because you never know what could get lost in translation.
OK, so the latest is this:

• One tablet will have a 13" screen
  
• The other will have a 15" screen
• At least one tablet will be running OS X

Here are my thoughts: the 13 and 15 inch screen sizes are equal to the screen sizes found on the MacBook Pro series. Are we sure we're not just looking at some screens for the MacBook Pro? I think Apple is more likely to release a smaller tablet so the can compete against low-priced netbooks.

Also, OS X on the Apple tablet? If Apple releases one that is large enough, perhaps it will run both OS X and the iPod touch / iPhone OS. The fall is approaching quickly and I hope we see something come out soon so that I can justify a trip to the Apple store. If this thing ends up simply being a giant iPod touch, then I'll pass.

More discussions about the Apple Tablet

Have you read the BusinessWeek story about the upcoming Apple Tablet? Will we see different screen size configurations in this upcoming tablet? Will the price point of less than $700 be enough for consumers during this economic depression? Will it compete against the Amazon Kindle as some form of an e-book reader? Will it run the iPod OS or some modified version of Mac OS X? Will early adopters who buy the new Apple tablet get punished as they lower the price after a few months? Will there be a keyboard option? (I'm guessing you'll be able to use a Bluetooth keyboard, but that's just a guess). Will it have an internal GPS chip?

Click here to read the BusinessWeek story.

Thoughts on the Apple tablet (giant iPod touch)

The upcoming giant iPod touch (Apple tablet) may be running the iPod touch OS (operating system). I doubt that it will run the full version of OS-X. The iPod touch OS may not be ideal for something as large as this upcoming tablet unless it's purely meant to be a multimedia device. I'm a pen-based computing guy, so I don't think the iPod touch OS alone will be sufficient for me. I need something more robust that allows me to run work-based productivity software. Maybe Apple is "beta testing" the tablet concept with this first generation model. I won't be surprised if subsequent models run a more robust OS that will allow for some type of pen-based computing.

Speaking of pen-based computing, this may be difficult if the upcoming tablet has the same type of screen that's currently found on existing iPods and iPhones. Although there are some stylus pens available for capacitive touch screens, the capacitive touch screen isn't the most popular type for pen-based computers. So, will the 2nd or 3rd generation models employ some type of dual-input screen? (capacitive and Wacom-based active digitizer?) Maybe by then, Apple will release a full Mac OS-X -based tablet computer.

Can't wait for the Apple Tablet (giant iPod touch)

There are so many rumors circulating about this mysterious device that's about to come out very soon (next month?). I like to call it the Apple tablet. Others may call it the giant iPod touch. Either way, I think it's going to be a really innovative device. I just hope you'll be able to change the battery on it. Something in me tells me that it's not going to have a user-replaceable battery.

Barnes and Noble eReader

There was a period in my life when I used to spend all my time at a Barnes and Noble bookstore. I used to read, study, browse the web, and even tutor students at the bookstore. Now, B&N is feeling the heat because the Amazon Kindle has taken off and the future is e-book or e-reader technology. B&N is planning on working with Plastic Logic to create an e-book, but in the meanwhile, they're working on getting a head start. They've announced free eReader software for the Apple iPhone/iPod touch, BlackBerry, the PC, and the Mac. Where's Windows Mobile in all this? What about webOS on the Palm Pre or Google Android?

Well, I suppose if they can get many subscribers to start using this eReader software, then it'll be much easier to switch to the e-book made by Plastic Logic.

PC Magazine has reviewed the Barnes and Noble eReader software.

Bottom line:

Barnes & Noble joins the e-book fray but, unlike Amazon, doesn't make you buy an expensive reader. The Windows software is serviceable and the iPhone version outstanding, but the Mac version could stand beefing up.

Pros:

• Huge library of titles.
  
• Cross-platform support.
  
• Excellent iPhone reader.

Cons:

• Books can't be purchased within app.
  
• Bare-bones Mac version.

Do you see yourself migrating to an eReader of some type? I already do all my reading on my Thinkpad X200 tablet. Since it's a convertible tablet, I can swivel the screen and hold the machine in my hand when I'm on the plane. It's a great way to read PDFs.