MY FAVOURITE LESSON
It’s no secret that I like gadgets – and up until now it’ always been a BlackBerry device. But following on from the various Macs I have when Apple released the iPhone 3G here in Italy I jumped at the chance of getting one and thought I’d be a paradise, I wasn’t, I missed the BlackBerry that I had become accustomed to, the battery life that lasted me all day, the multitasking and the speed of the e-mail and messaging services not to mention the reliability. I left my iPhone on my desk to collect dust for such a long time, but would occasionally use it as a calculator lol. It wasn’t until my presence on Twitter and forever hearing and noticing that most of my colleagues supported an iPhone – after a while I found I was quite curious to understand why they raved so much about the iPhone, I wondered if there was perhaps something I was missing so I dusted down my iPhone and gave a it a second try. The first thing I did notice after a long time of not using it was the vast amount of apps, this is very much the down side with the BlackBerry some of the popular apps that the iPhone has aren’t available on the BlackBerry or aren’t as good as and sometimes the BlackBerry folks miss out completely. This was really the only thing that hit me initially – I tried to use the same programmes I have running on the BB, wifi and 3G , push notifications you name it everything that I use on the BB, guess what??? The iPhone’s battery was flat by lunchtime whereas the BlackBerry would get me through the day – how ever would I survive on the iPhone? I actually bought a battery booster which gives you 3 extra full charges, not cheap and seeing as Apple doesn’t give away iPhones it really is a let down.
That said after the initial Keynote at the beginning of the year with mention of the new iPhone os and then with the recent one earlier this month announcing the latest iPhone4, excites me and that much to get another one, what you say after moaning about the other ha ha. The things I complained about multitasking and battery life will be a leap forward and many other added new features one of which is FaceTime. If I abandon my BlackBerry completely then it will mean that Apple have put their finger on the button if not I will continue to use both devices as I do now, some things a BlackBerry does better and viceversa.
A growing number of teachers now use smart phones whether BlackBerry, iPhone or something else. Personally I find for social networking I couldn’t live without my gadgets, I can be on the go and be updating my Twitter account answering tweets, messages and emails, chatting on Skype and/or booking lessons for students – I would never have the freedom and extra time if I had to do this stuck sitting in front of a computer.
Do you use a smart phone? Are you passionate about the BlackBerry? Are you tempted by the iPhone4? Have you already pre-ordered it? I know a lot of my colleagues who do use smart phones but there are many of you who I don’t know. Leave a comment with your preferences of what and why you use them or if you hope to get one in the near future – finally, how can education benefit from this forever growing technology?
Hello,
I enjoy reading your blog. I hope you’ll take a look at mine, hank-englisheducation.blogspot.com.
Sincerely,
Hank Kellner
My students use their iPhones to record their homework assignments. I see them checking email and even reading online magazines. I wonder if the Apple iPad will prove useful in the classroom. It is very portable, although somewhat expensive.
I am a “blackberry chick” as well and would never give up my ‘bberry as my cell phone. However, I do have an iPad and absolutely and unequivocally love it! I think having the two is the best of both worlds.
My blackberry is my lifeline – I would have to admit I take it into the bathroom with me on occasion. It is my device for social networking on the fly, email, IM etc. My iPad is my mobile laptop replacement. It allows me to work from virtually anywhere without feeling a technology pinch or the concern of a quickly draining battery. It seems iPhone owners are forever tethered by that conspicuous white charge cord wherever they go.
Hello.
Interesting article! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hope you will keep on update about the issue! I’m curious to know more considerations after some more months of iPhone 4 use.
I’m going to buy an iPhone too, but in the last weeks I’m ,more and more, considering a blackberry as a valid alternative (I had no chance to try one until now). I think the iPhone is a great piece of tech with a lot of room for further improvment, but blackberry seems to me a more concreate phone for real life, a more discreet device. Something to have always with you without worring to damage it or for the money value you are carrying with you….
But, after two year of iPod touch use (with which I’m now writing), I’m asking myself what I will miss in daily practical use…for istance…almost system and apps wide copy and paste, the ability to download and store files, if not with safari, at least with goodreader or ifiles app, software “international” keyboard, instapaper and simplenote app and so on… When a new usefull service hit the market, the iPhone is often the first to have an app and sometimes the only..
Have you some more advices?
Thanks!
Hi Jose, I can imagine the iPad being very useful for scholars, reading magazines as you mentioned and with a bigger screen, a great portable device as is the iPhone. All comes down to the needs of a person. I have all 3 meaning, iPad, iPhone and the BlackBerry. Regarding Kathleen being a BBChick I would say the BB is still the most reliable but the iPhone is very innovative and in the recent version it’s a lot better. So Giuseppe my reply would be this, the BB is very much a business phone and it won’t let you down – a bit limited on apps compared to the iPhone but if you need it for work it’s the way to go, if you can afford both (not that I am rolling in it ahaha having them both or all 3 is the best of both worlds!
Thanks!
I was thinking to buy both too…(oh my money..) maybe an iphone and a too not expensive curve (in order to continue to manage my two numbers).
So an other question, if I can. Does it make sense to buy a blackberry that works only on EDGE (8520, for the good price…)? Maybe blackberry servers can manage datas in a way that doesn’t let you miss too much a 3G network?
Yes, sounds like a good idea or even the Pearl 3G – the iPhone is just getting better and better, I was very critical of it in the past but it really is incredible this time around, am I am actually able to work on it, so there you go…
Hi, I’ve been teaching English in Italy’s southern regions for about 10 years, but access to (and cooperation with) technology isn’t great. Can you suggest a good “gadget” to make my lessons more tech savvy without wireless/ wi-fi? I have the ability to connect at home, but not in the schools themselves.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Maybe the iPad would be a good idea as you could use its 3G capabilities as you say there is no wifi at school. Another thing that springs to mind would be to use Twitter there are always loads of ideas on there – this way you wouldn’t even have to use a gadget. Let me know.
After having an iPhone for quite a long time, I don’t know if I would ever get accustomed to a BlackBerry, although these times I have been immensely considering buying one!
And believe me, your comments have helped a lot once I need some personal opinions on both smartphones so that I don’t get confused and regret in the future. And as THE TEACHER says, ”having them all is the BEST of both worlds”. Let’s see what mum says about that lol.
Cheers.
I have to say that I find my iPhone to be extremely useful at work; however, there is a growing resistance or reticence to teachers using personal technology in schools.
In my opinion, it is the reason why in America teachers are not really trusted with time anymore. Long gone are the days of extended planning or assessment periods. Word was recently that some districts were trying to establish rules that staff should not use district computers to access home email.
Back to the iPhone…I can access my school email anyplace with. If we were a forward thinking community we could use them to text during emergencies, field trips, when students have decided to wander the hallway rather than head to class…the use of instant communication can be a rather effective tool for teachers.
Technology should allow us to move out from behind our desks (teachers and students) and out into the world…yet, sometimes the desktops or laptops serve as an anchor. How many times have I walked by a classroom only to see a teacher hunkered down behind the computer?
Forward thinkers…we need more pioneers than historians.
In the old language school I used to work they didn’t have any equipment to play MP3 files (and that’s what I needed most for my song lessons), so I had to hook up my mp3 player with their stereo with a bunch of cables, and it took a lot of trial and error, I should say!