It’s not like I have the money to buy any more iPads or any more Netbooks but I’ve been thinking about which one to recommend if the question comes up at our district tech meetings. I’m basing this pro and con comparison on my classroom. I have 14 first generation iPads and I’m borrowing five Dell Inspiron Minis (netbooks). I also have 10 iMacs but they’re desktops so don’t fit well under the mobile device category. So here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
iPad pros –
1. Mobile
2. Fast start
3. Potential of interactive apps
4. Motivating
5. Long Battery Life (thanks, Ian!)
iPad cons –
1. Can’t use any Flash-based Web 2.0 sites.
2. Typing is not easy.
3. Google Apps services is a tremendous pain.
4. I have 1st gen iPads so NO camera!!!
Netbook pros –
1. Mobile
2. Ability to create multiple accounts (for each period)
3. Able to use any Web 2.0 website.
4. Easy to use FTP
5. Webcam
6. Typing is easier.
7. Can work on school network so that students can access their own accounts.
Netbook cons –
1. Slow, sometimes terribly so.
2. Will be as expensive as an iPad in order to have hard drive space.
3. Short battery life (often not a full day)
What else should we consider?
