I think it could, at least if these requirements are met:
First of all, the iBook-store-thing has to include textbooks, and be available worldwide. Hopefully, it will be easy for smaller publishers to add books, so that even books from more specialized and/or non-US publishers will be available.
Secondly, there should be some kind of systemwide document management - it could be as simple as having some kind of iDisk integration with APIs to allow all apps to open/save files there. (This would make MobileMe lot more attractive). At least at my university, a lot of our curriculum, as well as slides for lectures etc are available as PDFs, and putting these on an iDisk and having them available on the iPad would be great.
The PDFs lead to a third point: Apple should make Mobile Preview for displaying PDF (and pictures), that allows making annotations, highlights etc. Or some third party could do it (maybe the developers of Skim is reading this for example....). This is what makes some kind of document management required - if I make annotations/highlights during a lecture, or just while reading, this has to be saved somewhere I can use it later with my other macs.
If those things are implemented in some way, either by apple or if something similar is made possible by third parties, I think the iPad would be a great tool for students:
- It is small and easy to carry around
- Compared to a laptop, and especially a netbook, reading books/PDFs seems infinitely better on the iPad - which is a big selling point
- It's not something you would write an essay on or use for scientific stuff/programming. But even when working on a regular computer, it could be used as a great tool to search up information online or through specialized apps
- When you're not being productive, you have the Internets, books, games etc (you would with a laptop too, of course, but the iPad seems to be superior in those areas)
- For people who commute, it gives you the option of being productive more productive. I would never take out my laptop (an Air, so it's quite portable) on the bus and start reading, but I can imagine doing this with the iPad. Today I often use my iPhone when commuting, but only for reading news - the screen is too small for reading serious stuff.
So, what do you people think - can the iPad be a good tool for student, or are my arguments just bad excuses for buying an unnecessary toy?
First of all, the iBook-store-thing has to include textbooks, and be available worldwide. Hopefully, it will be easy for smaller publishers to add books, so that even books from more specialized and/or non-US publishers will be available.
Secondly, there should be some kind of systemwide document management - it could be as simple as having some kind of iDisk integration with APIs to allow all apps to open/save files there. (This would make MobileMe lot more attractive). At least at my university, a lot of our curriculum, as well as slides for lectures etc are available as PDFs, and putting these on an iDisk and having them available on the iPad would be great.
The PDFs lead to a third point: Apple should make Mobile Preview for displaying PDF (and pictures), that allows making annotations, highlights etc. Or some third party could do it (maybe the developers of Skim is reading this for example....). This is what makes some kind of document management required - if I make annotations/highlights during a lecture, or just while reading, this has to be saved somewhere I can use it later with my other macs.
If those things are implemented in some way, either by apple or if something similar is made possible by third parties, I think the iPad would be a great tool for students:
- It is small and easy to carry around
- Compared to a laptop, and especially a netbook, reading books/PDFs seems infinitely better on the iPad - which is a big selling point
- It's not something you would write an essay on or use for scientific stuff/programming. But even when working on a regular computer, it could be used as a great tool to search up information online or through specialized apps
- When you're not being productive, you have the Internets, books, games etc (you would with a laptop too, of course, but the iPad seems to be superior in those areas)
- For people who commute, it gives you the option of being productive more productive. I would never take out my laptop (an Air, so it's quite portable) on the bus and start reading, but I can imagine doing this with the iPad. Today I often use my iPhone when commuting, but only for reading news - the screen is too small for reading serious stuff.
So, what do you people think - can the iPad be a good tool for student, or are my arguments just bad excuses for buying an unnecessary toy?