There is no box

thinking out loud about technology, education and life

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K-12 Superintendent, reformed IT guy, educator, 1:1 evangelist, life long learner, father, husband, geek, ex self-propelled field artillery turret mechanic, GCT, CCTO, INFP

Category: iPads

  • My New Favorite Thing

    The 9.7″ iPad Pro arrived this week and I think the picture says it all. The ink experience on this thing is amazing. I’m an old college rule notebook note taker, and in the modern laptop era, I never really made the switch to typing notes because I like to doodle. Enter the iPad Pro…

  • The Patten Solution – MDM For iPads That Works

    I spent yesterday morning in a Mobile Device Management shootout listening to a series of MDM vendors tell me they all did basically the same thing when it comes to MDM on iPads. The reason, or blame, is Apple’s APIs. The fact of the matter is, the MDM solutions can pretty much only do what…

  • 5 Easy Steps To SBAC Testing On An iPad

    There has been much discussion about the best way to administer the SBAC test on iPads. Look no further. Follow this simple 5 step process and you’ll be all set. Step 1: Buy a Digital AV HDMI Adapter (brand unknown) Step 2: Buy a Logitech Wired Keyboard For iPad (30-Pin) Step 3: Connect HDMI Adapter to…

  • iOS7: So Far, Not So Good

    So iOS 7 happened. Two months into the start of a new school year. Again. And right after we handed out iPads to teachers and students. All that UI training, gone. Poof. The number one question I get now; “Where did the airplay icon go?” Seriously. Maybe it’s a good thing people can’t find it,…

  • My AppleID Strategy: For Better Or Worse

    I was recently asked what my AppleID strategy is for teachers and iPads. It’s very simple and it stems from an issue we have, at least in California public schools known as “Gifting” public funds. When iPads first came out, the organization that advises schools on finance matters in California released a scary document that…

  • Time For An App Stipend For Teachers

    I just spent $6.99 for the FluencyFinder app for my iPad. It was an impulse buy, granted but after having read about it in a blog post, it looked like an app I should be familiar with. But then, I do admit to a compulsive app buying habit dating back to my first iPad when…

  • Standby

    In the continuing saga of my iPad mini v. Nexus 7 use, I’ve come up against another issue. Standby time. I’m using both devices daily now. The Nexus 7 is my breakfast table news reader. I spend about 25 minutes in the morning on Flipboard reading the headlines before I set it down for the…

  • My New Nemesis, The iPad mini

    I don’t think the iPad mini likes me very much. This is an update regarding the picture quality of the iPad mini when used as a doc cam. Upon further research, it turns out the rear camera on the mini should be just as good as the iPad (3rd & 4th Gens) so I have…

  • Apple Fan Boy – The Holy Wars Return

    Apparently to some Android fanboys on Google+ I came off sounding like an Apple fan in my last post about the Nexus 7 and the iPad mini. Well, I have been running iOS devices since the iPhone 3 days so yes, I’m a bit entrenched in the iOS ecosystem. (And yes, I shouldn’t let a…

  • iPad mini – Star Teck Tech At A Premium Price

    A few Sundays ago I just happened to be within a stones throw of an Apple Store. Long story short, I walked in, hailed down a blue shirt and bought a black 64GB Wifi iPad Mini. On opening weekend, it was all that was left. I paid $529 for it. I immediately took it home,…