Netbooks vs. iPod touch

I've spent a lot of time on this blog sharing information about using iPod touch in teaching and learning. As you can tell, I believe it's a fantastic tool for educators and students.

But, is there a better tool for the classroom?

I've also written about netbooks--those low-cost notebook computers with screens between 7 and 10 inches in size. Netbooks are becoming cheaper everyday and are in high demand. I've been using an ASUS 1000HA Eee PC that runs Windows XP, has a 120GB hard drive, a 10.2 inch screen, a keyboard that is 92% the size of a standard keyboard, and a 1.6 Mhz processor. I love using my Eee PC and it really could replace my trusty MacBook.

Let's compare netbooks like the Eee PC 1000HA to iPod touch.

Both iPod touch and netbooks:

• seem to hold up to being dropped
• have Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet
• are small enough to fit on a desk along with a book or paper
• can play podcasts and media from iTunes U
• support voice recording
• hold a charge longer than a laptop computer
• excite student to use them

iPod touch:

• requires very little technical support
• gets no viruses
• is used in conjunction with a desktop computer
• is backed up each time synced
• has slightly longer battery life
• easily fits in a pocket or backpack
• has a very fast reboot time
• is priced at $230

Netbooks:

• have a real life keyboard
• play Flash videos and interactive Flash content
• often have a built-in webcam and microphone
• support the use of USB devices, including flash drives
• play a variety of video formats (not just mpeg-4)
• can print to USB and networked printers
• make it easier to work with full sized websites because of the larger screen
• can use the full desktop iTunes version (if it's a netbook with Windows)
• connect to file servers
• do not require a credit card on file to download software
• appear more serious and less gimmicky
• are manufactured by a variety of companies in a variety of configurations
• are price at $300+

If I were given the choice in what kind of devices to get for my classroom, it would be an easy one. Since I'd want my students to blog, contribute to a wiki, create podcasts, and edit video, my choice would have to be netbooks. But, I'd want netbooks with plenty of memory and a larger screen. The current netbooks that are priced similarly to the iPod touch are underpowered and their 7 inch screen makes them annoying to use.

If it wasn't important to have my students type with a real keyboard and I wasn't planning on sending them to interactive sites with Flash content, then iPod touch deserves a second look. iPod touch would be perfect for specific center or station activities and I know that the library of educational apps is only going to expand. All in all, I'd like to choose both. I'd love to have students use the netbooks to make content for iPod touch. As a teacher, I'd certainly be thrilled to have either netbooks or iPod touch in the hands of my students.

We had a similar discussion to this one two years on this blog before the term netbook was coined and before the iPod touch was released. Like two years ago, feel free to share your thoughts in a comment.

12 Days of iPod touch concludes tomorrow with my best tips for Safari, text entry, and the Home screen.

Comments

[Bob]

I teach computer science and bought a 16G iPod touch for personal use. I hoped to use it as a very compact computer. Although a beautifully designed machine, it was difficult or impossible to do many of the things I wanted. In fact, I found it downright frustrating. For example, I wanted to use it as a USB stick to move files around. But I discovered this was impossible without jailbreaking the Touch. And even then I would have had to use ftp to move the files to/from the iPod, although I suspect there is now an app that makes this easy to transfer files - for a small fee, of course. Yes, the iPod also kept costing me more money because of the proprietary interfaces/software. Like a simple video out cable that cost a staggering $60. The final straw, though, was iTunes insisting on a software upgrade that took the iPod from 1.1.4 to 2.0 and cost $20 (the previous upgrades were free). The upgrade itself apparently included nothing but the "purchase" of three little applets that I didn't want. As far as I could tell there was no other way to upgrade to 2.0 without buying the applets. So I figured either I pay the $20 ransom so that I could continue upgrading, or I ditch the iPod after only six months. So I sold it to an enthusiastic teenage consumer, and bought the Acer netbook which has done all the things I originally hoped the iPod would do - and has cost me virtually nothing extra. My wife, who is not at all computer savvy, also bought a netbook and loves it too. So although I agree Touch is a nicely designed display device, it's a poor choice if you want to do anything out of the ordinary (i.e. anything other than what Apple wants you to do). And if you do go with the Touch, don't forget to budget for those upgrades/add-ons!

[Angela]

Bob,

I enjoyed reading your post because I have been debating on the benefits of the iPod Touch vs. netbooks. Like you, I have been leaning toward the netbook. I am wondering, however, how you would feel about certain smartphones, aside from the iPhone. For example, my HTC Diamond records video, employs Flash, and has a high-quality camera... all things that the iPhone does not do/have. Besides these qualities that the iPhone lacks, the HTC Diamond also shares some of the same features, such as storing mp3's. I guess my point is that consumers often run to Apple products because of the brand recognition, whereas, in cases such as the smartphone, there are other products out there that are superior in usability.

Do you think that, had you purchased a non-Apple smartphone rather than an iTouch, you would have had more functionality?

Angie

[Bob]

In a word, yes. But proprietary is proprietary, and I'm sure I would have run into similar (if not as severe) problems. That's just the way it is when there's a buck to be made. However, I'm keeping an eye on the open source Android stack. I know HTC is involved in that initiative, and has released an Android cell phone called the "Magic". Alas, it's not yet available in Canada, as far as I can tell. But it should be here in the not too distant future, along with a number of other Android phones from other cell phone makers. When that happy day arrives, I'll take a serious look at smartphones...in the meantime I'll stick with my netbook.