Exploring the use of iPads and mobile devices in education.

Are Keyboards Transitional Devices?

Im asked frequently about my thoughts on why Apple didn't add a physical keyboard to the iPad. My response, physical keyboards for tablets are simply transitional devices. We purchase them because we are not ready to let go of the them.

Fact, typing on the screen may never be as fast as typing on a physical keyboard, but is typing the goal? We need to look further ahead to comprehend that the use of tablet devices, as well as mobile devices, will be voice controlled. Now don't get me wrong, we will still have keyboards, both digital and physical, but we should not be surprised when our devices begin to respond to our direct commands.

We may currently have Siri and other voice controled phones, and I'm sure this feature will be added to the iPad3. What I really envision is technology that helps us organize our thoughts and create presentations all with voice commands. Imagine walking into your house and asking your computer to launch Keynote, "Mac, I have some ideas". Your computer replies by launching the application and let's you know it's ready to "brainstorm". The computer listens to your ideas, conducts a mind map of your thoughts and shares an outline. You then sign off and away it goes.... the computer searches for images and video, any related content related to the outline and presents you with two or three different presentations for you to choose from.