iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad

Blackboard has recently announced free software for the iPhone. For information see http://www.blackboard.com/Teaching-Learning/Learn-Resources/Whats-New/Learn-for-iPhone.aspx. The application allows you to get announcements, grades, and other course related information on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The bad news is that this application only works with Blackboard Learn Release 9.0 so it won't work with the blackboard system currently in use at the University of Saskatchewan.

The good news is that the U of S intends to have a Blackboard Learn 9 system ready for people to pilot courses in by September 2009.

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Learn how to connect to the campus WiFi network without typing in a username and password each time.

Continue reading "Campus Wireless without Typing Passwords" »

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some people have shown interest in using iPhone technology to access course materials in Blackboard and PAWS. It turns out that the Safari web browser will work for most things in Blackboard and PAWS, but not all things.

Continue reading "Using iPhone with Blackboard and PAWS" »

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 04:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the advantages of the iPod Touch is built in wireless access. This gives you access to the internet for email or web browsing. The touch can also use the wireless system to implement the "where am I" feature in maps and other applications.

For information about the campus wireless system including maps of wireless access points see http://www.usask.ca/its/services/networks/wireless/.

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The University of Saskatchewan has been using classroom response (clicker) technology for several years. Now one vendor, Turning Technologies, has released an application that lets you use your iPhone or Touch as a clicker instead of buying an actual clicker.

This only works when instructors are using the web-based clicker-hosting software to gather clicker information. At this time, the U of S has not licensed that technology. We are still using the older radio frequency technology that requires actual clicker hardware. So don't go out and buy an iPod Touch for this because you won't be able to use it on campus ... yet. ITS is investigating the new technology.

Also, you still have to pay to register you iPhone as a clicker. While the initial registration is cheaper than buying a clicker, you must renew this registration every year. So in the long run, it is more expensive than purchasing a clicker.

For more information see http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/01/06/turning-tech-brings-classroom-response-system-to-iphone-ipod-touch.aspx

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The University of Saskatchewan Computer Science department is hosting a developers workshop for iPhone and iPod Touch developers in February called "iPhoneU". A great resource for anyone planning on developing applications for these devices.

For more information please see http://iphoneu.usask.ca/

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 02:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Univeristy of Saskatchewan Computer Science department is teaching about the iPhone as part of its CMPT 436 class taught by Ralph Deters in 2008.

You can see the PDF documents for the lecture at http://www.cs.usask.ca/classes/436/t1/Notes/W11/iPhone.pdf

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 02:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The U of S ITS training group offers training on the iPhone and iPod Touch. For more information see http://taurus.usask.ca/courses/registrationcourse.cfm?courseid=703

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our very own U of S campus computer store sells iPod Touches. For more information on the Computer Store's iPod offerings see:

http://ccs.usask.ca/Apple/iPod/iPod.php

The computer store does not currently sell the iPhone. It is only available through Rogers and Fido distributors. For more information on the iPhone see http://ccs.usask.ca/Apple/iPhone/index.php

Posted by Kevin Lowey at 01:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)