I run WordPress on all my blogs and mostly I am able to blog from my office at home using my iMac. Today though I am working at school teaching English in Banyoles and I have to write my blog posts using the iPad only. I could actually use some Windows computers in the staffroom, but I would really rather not.

So far I have written todays’ post for Mac20Q Blogathon using Byword on the iPad and it has been a good experience. I have the bluetooth keyboard from my iMac with me and even though I don’t mind typing on the iPad screen itself, this does work out more comfortble and faster. I do seem to lose the automatic spelling checking and word replacement by using the external keyboard. It is kind of swings and roundabouts with that one.

Getting the images uploaded to the internet

This is where I am struggling. I can’t get the pictures uploaded while in WordPress to my blog. I can get access to the media library I have there already, but I can’t get new images sent in. I get as far as the dialog box for it and then it all falls apart. I have thought about using a WordPress app that I have but that is not doing it either. I tried to send images to DropBox and then get the url. That looked like it was going to work, I got the url from DropBox but it was rejected by the WordPress image uploader.

Where is the FTP app when you need it?

What I need is an FTP application that will connect directly to the web hosting that I have and let me send images directly. I have one more to try on that. I looked at the possibility of sending the image to Flickr. I uploaded one image there but couldn’t find a url so that I could put into WordPress.

Getting a blog post published with Blogsy

The latest idea is to use the blogging software for the ipad called Blogsy. It looks very capable and what I am doing now is writing this using Byword so that I can write in Markdown. In Blogsy the page was expecting html code and although I could write that way, I would prefer to do it with Markdown. It is so much easier and less likely that I will make a mistake with the html code. I will see if I can upload and insert an image using Blogsy.

Blogsy connects with quite a few blogging platforms including LiveType, WordPress and of course Blogger. There have been a lot of changes to the app recently and I have to re set up all of the blogs from scratch. It is not too difficult and I have all the passwords for it in 1Password.

Missing the talking to my computer.

I could dictate using the Dragon Dictate app for the iPad but I doubt if it would work to well in a noisy staffroom. Talking to the computer in a quiet staffroom would also be annnoying for the other teachers too. Besides the mobile application, while very good is not as accurate as the desktop version of Dragon Dictate. In the mobile version you have to have an internet connection and the voice recording must get sent off to be converted to editable text. I find that if I leave it too long until I edit it I have difficulty remembering exactly what I really did mean to say.

Yippee – I got the image uploading working with Blogsy

It took me a while to work it out, but I read a how to guide for Blogsy and discovered how to complete the task. I will have to make a little video to put on the Wizardgold YouTube Channel to show how it is done. I am starting to like the Blogsy Application now. I also discovered a WSYWYG view for entering text into Blogsy. I think I prefer the Markdown in Byword as it is constantly being saved into iCloud. Much better for back up purposes. I can also bring images into Blogsy blog posts from Picasa and Flickr. In fact, it looks like I can grab stuff from YouTube too.

Battery life of my iPad 1

I started the day with 100% and now at 3pm the iPad is down to 42%. I still have work for the iPad to do this afternoon so I am hoping it will last until after the last class of the day. I have my camera with me today so I might go into the playground of the school and record some video.

It is a service that has a web page where you can make collages using your own images or the images you can collect from other users. You can also bring all those visual elements together then make something new and exciting. There is also an iPad application that you can use to have this sort of artistic fun and sharing is all part of the package.

Getting started with Mixel on the iPad

The first thing to do is to get yourself an account and connect up your Facebook and your Twitter accounts. Like I said, sharing is what Mixel is all about. next thing to do is to start making an image using bits and pieces of your own photos and images or see what other people have shared. What people seem to like to do is say something with the pictures. I was asked to join in with a Mixel recently that was basically a comparison between two images. One was some poor soul getting a full frontal lobotomy and a picture of a row of beer bottles. This all started with the silly saying – I would rather have a full bottle in front of me that a full frontal lobotomy. So the resulting images that other Mixel users came up with either joined in with the joke or did something all together different.

Getting creative with Mixel iPad App

At the top of the app you can choose from My Mixels, Updates and Popular. In the popular section you will see a few featured Mixel pictures and a bunch of other ones to choose from under that. In My Mixels you have the pictures you have posted and under that the re mixes that have been done. Your pictures will be either totally original or images that you have taken from other people and remixed yourself.

In the Updates section you will see all the updates from the people that you follow and you are also given the option to follow more people. Also in this area you can start a new picture, which is reasonable because you might well get inspiration from the Mixels you see on that page of the iPad application.

Making your first Mixel

you get an empty page and there is a bottom in the bottom right corner that invites you to click to start your image. You are then shown your options. You can get images from your Facebook account, from your iPad photo application, popular images on Mixel and you can do a web image search. I doubt if there is much a problem with copyrighted images as the use is completely artistic and most likely not for resale. Often by the time you have finished messing with the images they are pretty unrecognisable from the original anyway.

The image that you bring in has a red box around it and you can resize and rotate it, no problem at all. Then there are controls at he bottom of the screen to let you crop, flip, send to the front or the back and duplicate. You can have a bit of fun using this application. next thing to do is to hit the Add Image button in the bottom right of the screen again and bring in another object to work with. You are given random sets of images to grab also.

Manipulating pictures in Mixel

You can use the pinch gestures to change the size of the image object and use two fingers to rotate the picture to which ever orientation you want to put it into. It is simplicity itself to move it around the screen to create something marvellous. It would be nice in the Mixel iPad app to have a way to erase parts to give a soft edge, rather that have only the hard cut outs that you get from cropping.

As with all art it is all about making choices and decisions about what you put where. I really miss the chance to soften edges to get more of a smooth blend happening, but I suppose I could open up another app like Art Studio and save an image to the photo folder to use in Mixel.

Sharing your images

Once you click on Post you get a reminder to tell you that anyone can see your Mixel on the service and also use it as a whole or take the parts to use in other Mixel images. Once they are posted they can’t be deleted. When you get to that stage of the game you can also share your image on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

One of the most important parts of making a movie is creating the audio soundtrack that goes with that movie. Whether it is for a business video to be shown on a DVD, to be displayed on a website, destined for the movie theatres or is a YouTube video, sound is one very important part of the mix. When people are watching your videos and movies, they may forgive some not very good picture quality, but watchers will always stop watching if the sound is bad.

Final Cut Pro X audio tools

In the past when I have been using Final Cut Pro, I have tended to export audio out of the application to work with in Amadeus Pro, which is a dedicated audio editing application. Today while making a video about how to do audio ducking in Final Cut, I also found there are more tools hidden underneath the surface. It may be that from now on, I will be less inclined to jump into another Mac program for audio editing. This is because the quality of the audio editing tools in Final Cut Pro X is very good indeed. These audio editing tools can be found in the effects browser.

Audio ducking in Final Cut Pro X

When I initially started using Final Cut Pro, I thought I needed to individually create keyframes for where I wanted things to happen to either the audio or the video. I have since found that there are a couple of short cuts to make things quicker and easier. So instead of running with my mouse to the top right-hand corner of the screen where the information and settings for objects are situated, I can use the option key with a mouse click. Directly in the timeline I can option click to insert a keyframe allowing me to directly control settings for audio.

Controlling audio effects in FCPX

I also found it is very easy to add various effects to my audio clips. You have strange effects available to give your voice an alien effect and then there are also useful things such as tools to reduce noise. By showing the audio animation area in Final Cut Pro, you can also control multiple levels and effects within one single clip. For example, it may be that at the beginning you want to have a certain effect at a higher level and for it to be reduced and be more subtle further along the timeline. By using the timeline and the audio animation area you get a visual representation of how that is happening. When you are working with audio it is a good idea to increase the size of the tracks within the timeline, so that you get a better view of the waveforms.

Final Cut Pro X yet? Have you needed to do audio ducking in Final Cut Pro X?

It is hardly surprising with the quality and power of an application like Final Cut Pro that there are numerous people on the Internet searching for a Final Cut Pro serial number. This is even though with Final Cut Pro X you buy it from the Mac App Store and therefore don’t need a serial number. Making videos for various purposes such as YouTube, or just for personal use within your family is becoming very popular. This is because of the cost of the video capturing technology has come down so much. Everybody is looking for the chance to use the best Mac video editing software. There are bound to be people that want to get it for free.

Tempted by a Final Cut Pro X tutorial

There are plenty of ways to learn how to use Final Cut Pro X, but for me I find that the video Final Cut Pro X tutorial, the best way to learn quickly. Have a look at the Final Cut Pro and Motion tutorials on the Wizardgold channel over at YouTube. While it may be possible to get your hands on a Final Cut Pro free download, is it absolutely necessary to go that route. When you consider that the price of the app for video editing suites have come down so much to be quite reasonable, why take the risk searching for a Final Cut Pro serial number.

Choose other video editing software instead

There is always the option to choose to use other video editing software. This may limit what you can do in terms of the final product of your video editing, but at least you know you will have not opened the door to malware for Mac on your computer. One piece of software that you may decide to choose could be ScreenFlow. ScreenFlow, first of all is screen capture software, it also has excellent easy-to-use video editing included. With ScreenFlow you can take a video editing project from start to finish. Included within the application you have the ability to save directly into YouTube. You may also find that there are other free online video editing options that you could use in a pinch.

Use iMovie rather than look for a Final Cut Pro serial

The latest version of iMovie which you will have got for free with your Apple Computer is very capable. It does have some limitations compared to Final Cut Pro X, but you certainly may find that it is good enough for what you want to do. For example with iMovie you can even do green screen and other fancy effects.

I’m just your average 21st century renaissance woman. My career thus far has been anything but linear. I don’t feel constrained by implicit boundaries. I have been a web developer, dairy goat farmer, entrepreneur, management consultant, crafter, facilitator, grant manager and management analyst. I see and understand the world differently than the average bear. It is this very wealth of experience that made me the tech whisperer that I am today. You can find me blogging at http://techwhisperer.biz.

Eva Schweber

I have been a Mac user since 1988 (I started with a Mac Classic) and I certainly suffer from the cocky attitude that Mac’s don’t get viruses. I have smugly revelled in my ability to avoid the challenges (and cost ) that come with anti-virus software.  But like most things in life, you have to look under the surface to get a full sense of the issue.

What is the problem?

A few weeks ago, Sophos, a company that makes anti-virus software for both Macs and PCs, released their 2012 Security Threat report.

What exactly is Mac Malware?

Sophos defines its this way:

Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent. It can include viruses, worms, spyware, adware and Trojans. With some types of malware, you may not even know you’re infected. Many web malware attacks are designed to steal personal information and passwords or use your machine for distributing spam, more malware or inappropriate content without your knowledge.

Malware Vectors

Not all malware is directed or transmitted through operating systems anymore.  Adobe products, including Flash and PDF are known vectors transmittable through your browser or email.  Flash drives are also vulnerable and can transmit Mac malware from one device to another.  Sophos tested 50 flash drives and found that 66% were infected with malware.

How can you protect your data and devices from Mac Malware?

There are some fairly easy practices that will reduce your risk of receiving or transmitting malware.

1. Make sure your security settings are up to date.  Either set your computer and applications for automatic updates or install updates manually on a fairly frequent basis.
2. Beware of false or limited Mac malware protection.  Mac Defender, Mac Security and Mac Guard are widely advertised, but they are scams.

Mac Lion offers some Mac malware protection, but it is very limited, so don’t rely on it alone to protect you.

1. Clear out your Downloads folder daily. Move files you want to keep out of your download folder by the end of every session.  Then delete the contents of the downloads folder every time you shut down.
2. Clear out your browser and email caches daily.  In Firefox you can clear the cache by selecting “Clear Recent History” in the “Tools” menu.  Click on “details” and select “cache.”  To figure out how to clear your cache in your email system, look in the help menu.

There are also a couple of slightly more complex ways to protect yourself as well:

1. Keep Flash, PDFs and Javascript disabled in your browser unless necessary.
2. Read your emails in plain text mode and disable previews, Javascript and Flash.
3. Remain vigilant—there are new malware vectors being developed all of the time.  Keep your eyes and ears open for new developments.

I always find it amazing, the large amount of free software available for Mac users. Some of it might be free versions to give you a taste for higher functioning paid versions. On the other hand, there is an awful lot of software that is full featured, that is completely free to download. All sorts of top end features can be included in applications, that are so good that you might not believe that they’re free.

Where do you find free downloads for Mac computers

In the past it was necessary to visit either individual websites for the developers of the software to find your free stuff. Or there were websites where there would be lists of free applications you could download. Now it has become more convenient with the introduction of the Apple App Store or the Mac App Store. We have one place where we can go to, to find a huge supply of free downloads for Mac computer users.

Within the Mac App Store you could find things such as, free logo maker software or free video recording software. If you wanted to download free photo editor applications, no problem, there are plenty to choose from. It is fairly simple to find the best free video editor in the App Store by using the search facility. Or what you could do is, to look in the list of the top free applications and it is quite likely that you will find what you are looking for. It is handy to know that all of the apps within the App Store will work just fine on the latest operating system from Apple.

Get your hands on iPad free apps

Maybe your computing needs have gone more into the realm of the iPad and mobile computing, in which case you can look in the App Store within iTunes. The iOS applications are kept in a separate place, but again there are huge numbers of them available for free. You will have everything there whether you are looking for free voice recording software, or you need to get a free photo editing program.

Make a logo for free with free logo maker software

One of my favourite programs for using on my Mac is Art Text 2 and I use it for a variety of design jobs. I could make a banner with it, a logo design or a web button graphic to use on one of my websites. You will be pleased to hear that now there is Art Text 2 Lite which is available for free in the Mac App Store. There are also plenty of other graphic design applications in the Mac App Store and some of them are available as free downloads for Mac.

The best free downloads for Mac users

Of course you have the basics for general computer use, available for free. Obviously you’re going to need to do some notetaking and for this Evernote, immediately springs to mind. It is quite likely that you will need to convert a number of videos and you have free Mac video converters available such as iConvert and Smart Converter. Of course there is no shortage of free Twitter clients for Mac and you can also download a free photo editor to enhance your photos, from the App Store. Don’t forget that you also have the built in free apps such as the ability to video record your screen.

Computer utilities as free downloads for Mac

I particularly like the Mac get things done software called Wunderlist, which is free. Then I also have an application called Alfred which I use as a Mac program launcher, very useful indeed. I use the screen capture application called Skitch on a daily basis and I would be lost without it. I like to use the paid application Byword or Writeroom for writing and editing text, but there is a free text editor called Textwrangler, which I would recommend if you don’t want to spend any money. NVAlt is a great text editor.

Other free Mac utilities

With the amount of information that constantly flows towards us we need to use applications such as Read It Later which connects to the service which is now called Pocket. This application lets you collect information from various sources, webpages, Twitter clients, both on iOS and also on the Mac and you can read it all later.

Your games as free downloads for Mac

You have the game called Pawn’d which will entertain you for at least a few minutes. There are games such as Mahjong, doodle hangman, Fantastic 4 In a Row Free and of course you will be able to find games to play like sudoku, computer basketball, bowling, Texas poker and so on. Some of these games will be fairly simple, while there may be others which will test your gaming skills to a higher level.

Free downloads for Mac are addictive

Because it is so easy to get your hands on these [free downloads for Mac], is it any wonder that you download so many of these applications to your Apple computer. Some of these applications that you download you will find indispensable and continue using them on a daily basis. Then there will be others that you might only use for a few minutes and will never use again. These applications could quickly stack up, filling up valuable hard disk space. If this happens to you and your Mac computer, then I suggest that once every month or so, you have a little bit of a clear out.

Leave a comment below to tell us which are your favourite free downloads for Mac. Are there any of these free Mac applications that you find indispensable?

Being a life long learner with iTunesU

Having been a teacher in the past and once again working as a teacher it is no surprise that I am a great believer in lifelong learning and the iPad and education. In the dark old days of the past a man or woman could leave school with the minimum qualifications, happy in the knowledge that they would never again have to darken the doorstep of any educational establishment again. Reading would be strictly restricted to the Sun newspaper, which as we all know if more for looking at the pictures that actually reading words.

iPad education apps and You don’t know what you don’t know

That is the thing, isn’t it, that you can be blissfully ignorant in the world. You have no idea what information is out there that could be useful to you, if you knew it. Proper ignorance is when you don’t know this fact and if you did know you still wouldn’t care. I am starting to suspect though, that many more people that previously would run a mile rather than read a book are actually turning to learning new things. There is the financial crisis which is forcing people to learn. You have computers in homes and parents don’t want to feel too stupid when their children are running rings around them with technology. Time to break out the iPad education apps. Do some life long learning with educational apps for ipad is more fun that stuffy old book.

What is being done to embrace life long learners needs?

Of course countries that have a decent education system are making courses available to those that want them or can afford to pay for them. The politics of crisis mean that people are willing now to pay to learn things too. People need these courses to get the jobs and some that were anti school before, are realising that there may be some need of education after all. Then again it can be difficult to go back to learning stuff when you don’t know how to do it effectively. You might not have the skills or the willingness to sit in a classroom, to hear a teacher bleating on about whatever subject you think you have to get through to get that certificate. So what is there for the section of the community that want to learn, but are not sure how to get started? How about iTunesU to get you away from the starting blocks towards becoming a life long learner. Make a start with some iPad education apps

A wide range of courses available in iTunes U

Have you seen the huge number of courses that are now available and most of them are free too. You won’t get the certificate from the university unless you enroll properly, but you can get the information. You can use the course materials to be a self motivated student on a great number of subjects. Honestly, it is phenomenal the amount of learning experience you can get from iTunesU. You can even find course that will help you organise how you learn. Audio and video courses with additional written material for all sorts of subjects. Learn how to cope with working and fitting in learning something new at the same time.

iTunesU Courses I have signed up for or just considered

I have just selected a course which is for teachers wishing to bring iPads into the classroom learning experience. I will have a look at it to see if there any gems in the that I might be able to learn and put into practice. Already, I am using my iPad in the classroom and I would love it if I was in a school that all the students had iPads. I could have gone for quantum physics, I saw a course there, that is presented by Professor Brian Cox. You have Maths, physics and all of the scientific and technical subjects along with plenty of choice with the arts based courses. I have the one which is about creative writing and writing plays. That’s just the way that I roll, what can I say.

Popular courses

One of the most popular courses that many people downloaded early on in the rise of iTunesU, was the course for learning to be an iPhone programmer from Stanford. I watched a few of the courses and I did think that the technical side could be improved upon. Particularly the audio that was on the video tracks, could be poor sometimes. Microphones need to be attached to the speaker and you need a decent camera man that knows how to keep up and shoot this type of event. I would expect this to improve over time.

Should I buy an iPad

iBooks Author will be a game changer

When the iBooks Author software was released by Apple this was another big step, with Apple leading the way regards life long learning and the use of iPad technology in the classroom. I expect that in time we will see some amazing new ebook iPad textbooks that will make learning more interesting and more efficient. I like to learn new things and using Apple technology makes it easier for me. I have Bento for the database I can use in the class, although I could do lists with Numbers. I have not made any Keynote presentations yet, but I might be tempted. I like having a notebook that will let me write on the screen of the iPad if I need to show an English word to my students. I could type it too, if I wanted to. It would be faster and probably more readable. Quite a range of education apps for ipad are available.

Other iTunes University courses

I could start with ‘An Introduction to Nuclear Energy’ followed by a course on the ‘Core Concepts of Chemistry’. Just kidding – I would likely go for iPad for education courses on writing and the arts based subjects, even though I could learn about String Theory for some brain expanding and exploding, types of subjects. If you are without a job and you go to an interview and can talk about some of this stuff, even if you have not got the pieces of paper to back it up, it could still be impressive. It is fortunate that we have free ipad apps for education. It is all part of the Apple educational way of looking at life, they have made it possible to have a large number of education apps for iPad. Both the ipad educational apps and the iPad eText book innitiative. Which iPad education apps or iTunesU courses do you like the look of?

Moving files on and off the iPad

Moving files on and off the iPad has for some people seemed to be one of things that is quite difficult. I honestly don’t know what people should think like that as I have been using DropBox to send files to the iPad and also to get files out of the iPad. I have also used GoodReader and also iTunes to get files on and off the iPad. So how hard is it to do an iPad transfer of data.

I have even tried a couple of movements of files to or from the iPad using WebDav. This is where the iPad gives you a url that looks like http://192.168.1.1:8800. I just made that one up, but it would look something like that. So on the Mac or on a Windows computer just the same you could put that url in the browser to see a list of files available to download to your computer. It has worked for me. Still it is easier to use iTunes though or DropBox. Now we also have iCloud which allows movement of files from one platform to another. It does kind of work in a different way though.

Despite there being these built in ways to transfer files to iPad or move files from the iPad, there are third party applications that have appeared that are made especially to do this task. I can’t help but wonder why. One such file transfer program that is for moving files is iExplorer HD and with a name like that it must be aimed at the Window users of the world. I have watched the videos that show me how to use it that are just video and no audio. I felt just as baffled after watching as before. Some audio in the tutorial video would help for learning how to transfer files from pc to iPad using this app. Same with iPad file transfer. There must be lots of people that want to know how to transfer files from pc to iPad.

Using iExplorer to move files on and of the iPad

What you get first of all is a hierarchical sort of view with a local disk and all there is in it is the tutorial folder. You then can add some cloud storage places. The first in the list is Windows servers and then you have the Cloud services. There are eleven cloud services that you can connect to. All of the usual suspects like DropBox, MobileMe, Skydrive, Box.net, Google docs and WebDAV servers. Handy I suppose to have plenty of places where you can get your stuff from. I just connected to DropBox to start with. You have to be happy with going up and down the file system file tree. You can make new folders and send files from this iExplorer HD application to other apps. I reckon that you could get used to this app and easily transfer files from iPad to PC. Or use it to transfer documents to iPad.

Making folders and files in iExplorer HD

In the local folder I created a folder easy enough and I was also able to create a text document. It was the only type of document I could create and to be able to do so, I had to tap on the edit button at the top of the list to get the options to do anything. Otherwise there is only a button below which gets you to help files. I thought that was a unusual use of the edit button. Normally that gets you to where to can select a pile of files and perhaps delete them. It took me a while to work out what I needed to do in this app.

After I had made the text file I was able to go into it and type in some text. I could also send the text to be opened in other applications. I think I would not be likely to do this activity with iExplorer HD as I have plenty of text apps on the iPad with better facilities.

Transfer files to iPad by Bluetooth with iExplorer

When you do select a file there is a menu that will let you make a copy, send by bluetooth, zip it up, you can even transfer by bluetooth or send out as an email. I did zip up a file and it worked well or I think so, I will find out more when I try to unzip it.
I tried a few things with this and it didn’t work when I wanted to have a file synchronised to the local folder. The dialog box that came up looked a bit weird too, so it looks like there a few rough edges to be cleared off this app.

There are few things that this application can do like moving files to the iPad via services like Dropbox but then I already have the DropBox app on the iPad. It could be useful if you wanted to connect up to a WebDAV server to transfer files to iPad. There were options for connecting to a LAN Windows server which I couldn’t try. Overall I can’t find a use for iExplorer on my iPad and I am not so keen on the way the buttons of the interface work. The button that gets you a menu should become available as soon as you select a file, but here you have to hit the Edit button first before the button you need becomes visible.

iPd Manual

What are your views on this application

You can read a few file types within the app, such as CHM, ePub, PDF and so on. It is also possible to play music and video without copying them to the device. So there is a fair amount of functionlaity in this file transfer program. I get the impression too that the developer is keen to improve the app as he is asking for users to email if they encounter any problems.

I would be interested to hear from other users of this application for connecting the iPad to other computers to know if you have a specific use case that makes it worth having or even indispensable. How do you transfer files to iPad , what works best for you?

In the Mac 20 Questions podcast, I have already spoken to a guy that was responsible for deploying 120 iPads within his school in Scotland. In that case the school had taken the forward-looking decision to use iPads for educational purposes. Fraser Spiers saw to it that all of the students in the school had an iPad to use of their own. Teachers sorted out what educational iPad apps should be used on the Apple tablet. It seems that the teachers needed to experiment to work out which were the best educational apps for iPad to use for their subject. Without a doubt, we are going to see a lot more of the iPad in education. I certainly wish that I had, had the opportunity of an iPad education.

Making it happen – iPads in education

Honestly, making sure that all of the students and teachers within a school had iPads would be a mammoth task. Even in a school that is fairly small. There is the problem of getting the powers that be to make the decision in the first place. Much of the decision will also revolve around the cost of implementing the iPad in education. Money has to be found, first of all to buy the hardware and then also, money has to be put to one side to fund the best educational iPad apps. There are also a number of schools in America that have managed to persuade the school district to let them have the iPad in the classroom. Here in Spain, Apple do not have a very good hold on the computer market in general. Despite the phenomenal interest in the iPad internationally, within Spain you are more likely to see cheap Windows computers being used. This is the case in the school in which I teach English.

The best iPad apps for education

Interactivity and a rich experience with a variety of media is what you would expect to see in the best iPad apps for education. Children have to learn an enormous amount of information, facts and figures, that have to be committed to memory. It seems a little bit of an anomaly in this computer information age, that’s the only way to test a child thinking abilities is to have lessons where they have to remember stuff and prove that they have remembered it in an exam or tests.

Wouldn’t it be better to have some way of testing the skills of creative thinking and showing initiative. Even though there are always changes being brought about within education, they come from within the education system itself. For this reason, many are changes that are at best tweaks, to what is already there. Will it be that the disruptive force of technology and the Internet will finally have a creative effect on education.

My own experience of iPads in education

In the school where I am teaching, my iPad is the only iPad in the school. There is one teacher in there that uses a Mac and all of the other poor souls have to rely on the crappy Windows interface. There are cheap laptop computers, one in each room that is locked away for the teachers use. It is connected to an overhead projector and I have used one to show video clips to the class. I haven’t looked in all of the classrooms, but I haven’t yet found one with one of those interactive electronic blackboards that you find in most, if not all English schools. I would love to be able to have a play with one of those latest pieces of educational technology. It would be nicer still, if I was able to connect a Mac or even better an iPad to the device.

iPads in education for the teacher

On account of the fact that I dislike using the Windows computers so much, I have made as much use of my iPad while teaching as possible. Yesterday in school I used my iPad to take the class register of attendance. For that I used the database application called Bento. This might not be one of the best iPad apps for education, but it certainly is very useful. There are Bento templates available that have been designed by teachers for use in education establishments.

Another use I have found for iPads in education is for the playing of audio clips. I have found that the volume is loud enough within a normal sized classroom for me to be able to play a section of audio to the class. This is much better than using a CD with the audio, as it is much easier to repeat a track and also to select within a track. To do this iPad education trick, I used the music application on the iPad. I had all the tracks from the CD ripped into an album, that I could get to quickly while in class.

Other uses for iPads in education

I have found that one of the best iPad apps for education is a plain note taking application. I used one of the notetaking applications that allows me to write and draw, either with a stylus or just with the finger. I find that pieces of paper always get lost, so having an iPad application that allows me to make quick written notes is very useful. When I have a small group of people in my class, I can write a word or two on the iPad screen to show them. What is also possible, with these iPad education apps is for me to send the note to my students as a PDF after the class is done and finished. This way they get a reminder of what we did in the classroom which helps them store the information into long-term memory. Of course I also use Evernote and Skitch everyday.

iPads in education is the future

It does look like Apple has the educational market fairly well sewn up with the iPad. This would be on account of the large number of educational apps for iPad, available for teachers and students. Teachers can create an iPad education for the classroom using the best iPad apps for education. How have you used the iPad for educational purposes? What about textbooks for the iPad? Do you expect to use iPads in Education? Leave a comment below, I am looking forward to hearing from you.

The best mac applications are what turns your Apple computer into a powerhouse that will get things done for you. If you a Mac user already then you will know this, for new guys on the block you will soon fall in love with the style and panache you get with Mac apps. Whether you are looking for the best movie editing software or something to do some vector drawing, you will be sure to find some great Mac apps that will have you doing what you want to do. No reason why your creativity and productivity will not take off as you use the best mac applications on your computer.

Best Mac Applications for Writers

Do you want the best editing software for writing your novel, then you need Scrivener. It is used by so many published authors and I make use of it for all of the writing that I do for my websites. What about the best video capture software? well, for me there is nothing to beat Screenflow for the best screen capture software. I use that whenever I sit down to make a screencast.

Best Mac Applications for Bloggers

I like nothing more than getting stuck into creating a load of content with my apps, my favourite applications that let me say what I want to say and get it published. When I am blogging, my workflow sees me using Marsedit from red sweater software after I have written the meat and potatoes of the article using Dragon Dictate. Do you need a picture editor for Mac then you can’t go far wrong by getting Pixelmator. Very good image editing software and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Byword open on both devices although on the iPad it is in the background and as soon as I opened it up in the Byword Mac everything I had changed was there, so that I could work from where I left off. I am impressed. I also like that I can have the paragraph focus or the line focus. This is where the part of the text you are working on is more visible than the rest of the text of the document. Sweet – I like that and the whole text becomes fully visible again when you start to scroll your words. Byword has to be amongst the best Mac Applications for productivity.

ToDo application for Mac

When you are looking for productivity applications for Mac then on the list of best applications for Mac will be a to do application. I like Wunderlist because it is free and very useful at the same time. Some say that the best to do app for Mac is OmniFocus, these people tend to be those with more money than sense. I find that one to be too expensive for a GTD application. If you don’t yet have a Mac to be able to work with all of these great apps – The Get a Mac and you will wonder what took you so long.