I borrowed an iPad over the Christmas holidays to see what kind of benefits it could bring to me. My aim was to look at it from multiple angles teacher, student, administrator and casual user. Here is a quick review of my finding, there are more to come as I have only managed to get it into work today 🙂

As an administrator

• the first hurdle I faced was setting up an iTunes account that did not have a credit card associated with it or a gift card. It turns out the easiest way to do this is to “purchase” a free app from the store and the create the account, which you can then select none as a payment method.
• Installing apps is better done from the iPad in the 1st instance but don’t forget to back it up to the PC every now and then or you risk losing a week worth of apps and work if it enters restore mode.
• Joining the school wireless was painless but I did need to enter my network user name and password to negotiate the proxy, bear this in mind if there is a class set.
• Some apps just do not work with the filter and will time out before you get a chance to enter your details (if you even get the chance)
• VNC and RDC support so you can use it for a windows server admin
• VPN support for home use

As a teacher

• storing files on the iPad is bit annoying and the easiest way is just to upload them to a website or email them. You can use itunes to upload them but it is a bit of a faff to be honest.
• The iPad is a single user device so you need to plan ahead if you expect many pupils to be using the one.  This is especially true if it is going to be used across departments, a pane per department or folders might help keep the apps arranged.
• Free apps work well and should get you by for quite a while.
• The lack of flash makes a lot of educational websites a nightmare.
• Connecting it to the projector is not as good as it should be 🙁

As a student

• The Internet 🙂
• Small and light
• No camera 🙁
• Intuitive

Casual user

• The ultimate in armchair TV/Internet surfing
• Good range of social apps for free
• TV Guide
• Wait for the next generation

I have been very impressed with the iPad over the last 10 days or so, not enough to run out and buy one for myself. However, with some thought and direction I think it will make a nice little study tool for classes.