Everything Apple Announced at Today's Educational Event in Under Three Minutes

[bflowers]

Can we just bring back the Apple IIe at a bargain price? Kids can learn typing, some coding with LogoWriter, and play a little Oregon Trail. That's all they really need.

 

[dannyyankou]

You realize Blackboard can cost well over $1000 per student/year.

Oh I had no idea. I guess that’s factored into the tuition costs. I hope Apple’s app succeeds, I have my fair share of issues with blackboard. But it’s pretty firmly established in the majority of schools.

 

[trrosen]

The new iPad is missing a smart connector. Such a glaringly obvious omission. Students more than most users will need a keyboard. Not being able to use the Smart Keyboard is so strange, specially after teachers asked for non Bluetooth keyboards to avoid pairing problems and Apple has already deployed a low cost, simple solution. It’s inexplicable how they left that out.

did you not see them mention the NOT bluetooth logitech keyboard case that doesn't require pairing.

 

[RedKite]

Nothing for me in this presentation but that’s okay. I’m a reasonable consumer and understand not every event will be for me.... that said I am still very happy at all of this! Having tried iPads before it wasn’t until the iPad Pro with a Pencil that made me jump right in. So much so that I even gave my Macbook Pro to my eldest! For schools and kids to have a new cheap option at jumping into this tech then I am very pleased for them!!! I still need my iMac for work related things..... but this iPad for everything else as well as some work related things!

Great work Apple. One thing though..... please reduce the price of the Pencil.

 

[JungeQuex]

No Mac Pro (which hasn’t seen an update since 2013) and no Mac Mini (which hasn’t seen an update since 2014). No iPhone SE (which hasn’t seen any update outside of a storage bump since 2016). No standalone display and no AirPort because those departments were shut down (by the richest company in the world).

But hey, we have new watch bands! That’s more important than all of the products mentioned above. Thanks, Tim!

The Mac Pro is in the works. I don't know about the rest.

 

[bunnicula]

They specifically said it’s an education event beforehand. They specifically chose not to live stream it because they knew it wasn’t for everyone.

I don’t understand people with regards to Apples behaviour - they can never do right. What were they supposed to do? Not announce the products at all? Announce them but be really clear about how they’re not actually a big deal? Haha.

This was a perfectly fine little event for the things they are targeting. And the possibility of all future iPads having pencil support is great. We don’t need a new Apple Pencil either, they’re already best in class. Any additions would be appreciated but not at all necessary.

They are well aware that they have done March events for a while now that showcased products for everyone. They needed to get their comms people out spreading the word that there would ONLY be education-based products during this event and what NOT to expect in the store afterward (like AirPower, for example).

I don't think that it was wrong for them to hold an education-only event or that they only had education announcements, but they did slip new accessories into the store while everyone has been waiting for AirPower, new AirPods wireless case, an upgrade to iPad Mini, etc.

Maybe being clear that the rumors about a release for AirPower weren't accurate? Maybe an update as to when it can be expected? They showed it off last FALL.

And? Still not available for sale. That is the real issue. There have been rumors that it would arrive in March and here we are, on March 28th and not an AirPower in sight. No case for AirPods, either.

Again, I doubt most people would have had much to say about what they did NOT see if Apple did a better job of communicating. Don't throw out hints of new products in the same month as an event and nobody will expect they might see them at the event or in the store afterward.
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No disagreement. But... here's some perspective commentary:

Apple is indeed a 'profit-first' company. OK... so why do they keep leaving profit on the table?

Consider ONE use-case: the non-portable device, aka Mac Mini. They don't sell very many because the hardware specs are freakin OLD. If they would simply commit to a 2-year upgrade cycle and provide demonstrable value from those upgrades (more capable processors, faster/more memory, better data access, better graphics, etc.) then people would buy them. Likely in droves.

Sure, there is some overhead to be considered, but for an almost trillion-dollar company surely there is a small group of engineers that would like to work on this.

Now take that same scenario across every product they make. They sell craploads of iPhones because the UPGRADE THEM. There's a simple lesson to be had there.

I do not disagree with you. I think that schools are moving to portable everything, though. So, while I think Mac Mini is a great option for home users, they'd only be good at schools in some sort of lab setting or library. Still, I think that would be a good thing to upgrade and have available to schools that would choose that route, but would it compete with the iPads they want to sell? Yes... and probably not in the way that Apple would prefer. The reality is that they are going to move to something like the iPad for EVERYONE and move away from laptops and computers other than the Pro line.

I have seen them hinting at it for a while now, but until they can get an iPad to perform like a Surface, which is pretty much a laptop with a display and computer in one piece, instead of in a clamshell, with an optional keyboard, they will not get people off laptops.

 

[sysphonecase]

just so so

 

[kc2kth]

Can we just bring back the Apple IIe at a bargain price? Kids can learn typing, some coding with LogoWriter, and play a little Oregon Trail. That's all they really need.

Can we revive Br0derbund and get them an updated version of Bank Street Writer while we're
at it?

 

[Rogifan]

Tim Cook doesn’t even know the price of the new iPad. #fail

Recode (@Recode)
3/28/18, 10:21 AM
Apple CEO Tim Cook: We price things as low as we can. We took an iPad and put iPad pro features in it and charged $249. #RevolutionCHI

kif (@kifleswing)
3/28/18, 10:24 AM
If an accurate transcription, this is not the first time Tim Cook has lowballed his own iPad prices. "But if you look across our product lines, you can buy an iPad today for under $300."
https://t.co/IAM1fCeczt

 

[0924487]

The new iPad is missing a smart connector. Such a glaringly obvious omission. Students more than most users will need a keyboard. Not being able to use the Smart Keyboard is so strange, specially after teachers asked for non Bluetooth keyboards to avoid pairing problems and Apple has already deployed a low cost, simple solution. It’s inexplicable how they left that out.

It is because smart connector requires extra controllers and more expensive battery technology. Also, the cost of Smart keyboard plus the cost of Apple Pencil is more than the iPad itself, and you have to buy a cover or case.. They don't have a budget for that. If they do, they will buy iPad Pro line instead, like most private schools have done.

 

[vernmc]

I am really not sure what Apple has that would make a school change to the iPad. What scares me is Apple is now releasing half done products that will get better after a update. I don't think schools are going to like that. I think it's time for Tim Cook to go run for Governor. Politics seems to be where his heart is. He needs to find a good replacement that is more like Steve Jobs.

 

[harriska2]

This is designed for grade schoolers. The crayon is designed for their hands. The software is designed for worksheets and textbook/book handing out and turning in. The cost is for semi affluent schools. This is Apple’s first real stab at trying to break into the education market by not competing with chromebooks because that is NOT what they are giving kinder through third or fourth graders. This is for really small tykes.

 

[DevNull0]

Come again?
If ipads are using wifi at 5GHz, the wifi won't scramble BT.
I guess the keyboard, with distance of zero centimeters from ipad, doesn't get too much interference from others?
Did I guess wrong? The problem isn't between wifi & BT?

There's a lot of evidence that 5GHz WiFi still interferes with bluetooth because of frequency harmonics.

But even if you don't believe that, do you believe you can have 30 bluetooth keyboards all working happily in an area the size of a classroom? 120 in an area the size of 4 classrooms?

If you guess there won't be interference, then yes, you did guess wrong.

Not to mention all the fun when a kid brings in a 2.4GHz jammer they ordered off the internet on some critical day.

 

[bflowers]

Can we revive Br0derbund and get them an updated version of Bank Street Writer while we're
at it?

Sure, some great old titles out there, but LogoWriter is actually very versatile. They could probably make a system on a chip using ARM, and sell it like a Raspberry Pi or those PC sticks. With all the abandonware out there, I've considered buying an old one off eBay for my kids. Lots they could learn without exposure to the Web.

 

[SgtPepper12]

Umm... why not? Education is about learning, including how to learn, then how to communicate that knowledge. For thousands of years people hand-wrote formula. Now you're saying that isn't good enough? As long as the written communication is clear, intelligent and readable... why would you even care? If I was your student you would be told to pound sand. And yes... I took on several professors... and won.

So you say in academia we should settle for good enough? I mean, yes, why bother with putting effort into anything, really, when you can get through life in the comfort zone. Producing legible, pleasing typesetting and creating illustrations is easier than ever before and you think now is the time to start throwing all that away and going back a thousand years, because it's good enough? I don't think so

 

[harriska2]

Yes, I've used Google Docs for 70 page documents with 10+ authors. The formatting is as good as Word, but the collaboration is much better. Chrome does crash a lot, unfortunately and can be slow, but Word is also extremely flaky.
I haven't really tried iWork.

That’s funny as we used a Macbook and safari to access the google apps and it never crashed. 4 were collaborating on the documents. Very, very cool.

 

[mi7chy]

Can we just bring back the Apple IIe at a bargain price? Kids can learn typing, some coding with LogoWriter, and play a little Oregon Trail. That's all they really need.

I started out on the Apple IIe/IIgs and while they are the best Woz & Jobs Apple computers ever made the $10 Raspberry Pi Zero W is the better extension of that open architecture for learning. Plus, is it can fully emulate the Apple IIe along with other computers like Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, TRS-80, TI-99/4A, Atari 5200/7800, etc.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-zero-w/

 

[toke lahti]

There's a lot of evidence that 5GHz WiFi still interferes with bluetooth because of frequency harmonics.

But even if you don't believe that, do you believe you can have 30 bluetooth keyboards all working happily in an area the size of a classroom? 120 in an area the size of 4 classrooms?

If you guess there won't be interference, then yes, you did guess wrong.

Not to mention all the fun when a kid brings in a 2.4GHz jammer they ordered off the internet on some critical day.

Show me a study of that harmonics interference?
5 divided by 2 isn’t 2.4.
You do understand how omnidirectional electromagnetic signal strength weakens to the power of third? When keyboard is ONE centimeter away from ipad and next keyboard is 100 centimeters away?

 

[DevNull0]

Show me a study of that harmonics interference?
5 divided by 2 isn’t 2.4.
You do understand how omnidirectional electromagnetic signal strength weakens to the power of third? When keyboard is ONE centimeter away from ipad and next keyboard is 100 centimeters away?

I don't believe 5GHz interferes with 2.4GHz bluetooth, others do. Google it. Also, it's not 2,400,000,000 vs 5,000,000,000 cycles per second we're talking here. Those are large bands with many channels in each one and there are frequencies that are exactly double other frequencies within the two bands. You don't seem to get what a radio band is here.

Also, you're right i most certainly don't know the "power of third" you seem to be going on about. RF signal strength is a 1/R^2 property. So you do believe you can have 120 bluetooth connections within the area of 4 classrooms? Wow you really don't know about electromagnetics at all.

If you think you can have 2 computers 1m apart using the exact same bluetooth channel even with keyboards 1cm away, you really don't know anything about this discussion, bluetooth, or RF.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

So you say in academia we should settle for good enough? I mean, yes, why bother with putting effort into anything, really, when you can get through life in the comfort zone. Producing legible, pleasing typesetting and creating illustrations is easier than ever before and you think now is the time to start throwing all that away and going back a thousand years, because it's good enough? I don't think so

Not at all, and I fully support making things better. However, to me there is a certain arrogance in academia that manifests in the notion of "if you don't do it my favorite way it's no good". Technology is changing rapidly and will continue to do so. I just think education should be more about the foundation and process than what the output looks like.
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You realize Blackboard can cost well over $1000 per student/year.
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You do realize the the logitech keyboard isnt bluetooth and connects directly to the iPad?

Yes, but the particular discussion was about Bluetooth in general rathe than about the Logitech keyboard.

 

[toke lahti]

I don't believe 5GHz interferes with 2.4GHz bluetooth, others do. Google it. Also, it's not 2,400,000,000 vs 5,000,000,000 cycles per second we're talking here. Those are large bands with many channels in each one and there are frequencies that are exactly double other frequencies within the two bands. You don't seem to get what a radio band is here.

Also, you're right i most certainly don't know the "power of third" you seem to be going on about. RF signal strength is a 1/R^2 property. So you do believe you can have 120 bluetooth connections within the area of 4 classrooms? Wow you really don't know about electromagnetics at all.

If you think you can have 2 computers 1m apart using the exact same bluetooth channel even with keyboards 1cm away, you really don't know anything about this discussion, bluetooth, or RF.

Oh yes, I just thought about 3 dimensional radiation, but it's about the surface area of a ball, since small bt transmitters are isotropic, aren't they?
So, if we compare transmit strength of 5 cm and 100 cm the closer one has 400 times more signal strength. That's about 26 dB. How much SNR bt keyboard really needs?

Normal wifi-ap has transmitting power of 100mW and that bt class3 has 1mW. Which one would be the major issue here?

 

[4jasontv]

No but it does support Bluetooth keyboards like the one in the Logitech case they announced today which is good enough for me. The pencil was the primary reason I made the purchase. I viewed the Smart Keyboard cover as a nice addition versus the Bluetooth keyboard cases that were out there at the time but if I would’ve known I could get the pencil and a keyboard, even if it wasn’t as slick of a solution as the Smart Keyboard cover, for 50% less then I would’ve waited and saved a nice chunk of change.

Either way I’m glad they did this. The next time I upgrade I’ll keep the lower cost solution in mind.

I wasn't complaining, I was letting someone know. I personally don't like the smart keyboards because I find them small. I got a Fintie case off of Amazon that wraps the Apple Keyboard perfect. Unfolds and becomes a iPad stand. I have a pretty beefy case too and it holds in portrait mode just fine.

Not being attached makes it really easy to pick up and write with the pencil if I need to do that.

My biggest complaint about Apple right now is the 5 GB free space. Even 200 GB is a bit small. Microsoft OneDrive for education gives me 5 TB. Oh, and it works PC, Mac, and iOS.

 

[bflowers]

I started out on the Apple IIe/IIgs and while they are the best Woz & Jobs Apple computers ever made the $10 Raspberry Pi Zero W is the better extension of that open architecture for learning. Plus, is it can fully emulate the Apple IIe along with other computers like Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, TRS-80, TI-99/4A, Atari 5200/7800, etc.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-zero-w/

I did actually mention the Pi in my next comment (3 above yours). My original comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but I've been trying to reassemble my grandmother's LC II with the IIe daughter card so that my kids can play/learn on it. I've replaced the hard drive and just need to buy an old Apple CRT. I guess I recycled the original one at some point.