This is the syllabus I used for my 2014 ‘Gadgets’ class at the Lopez Island Library. There might be some information here you’ll find useful. Enjoy!
Entertainment
Minimize cost, increase choice, and control what to watch TV and when
Enable access to web content, viewable on the TV screen
Choices (3)
Roku($50-100), Apple TV($75-100), ChromeCast($35) – plus subscriptions
NetFlix,Amazon Prime,Hulu Plus*
Mobility
Minimize cost, be connected/productive anytime/anywhere, portability
Choices
iPad1 & 2 plus keyboard/cellular (iOS – $200+), Nexus 7(Android – $150+), ChromeBook
(Chrome OS – $200+), accessories (introduce now but talk about more later)
Moto Xw/ Republic Wireless plans($300 for the phone, plus monthly plan charge) Productivity, navigation… apps
Business
Reduce credit card transaction fees, solution works most places (wifi or cellular)
Choices
SquareRegister, IntuitGoPayment, PayPalHere (all free to sign up) – and others
Mini PCs
Low-cost computing alternative (maybe), high cool factor
Choices
Android Mini PC($66), Raspberry Pi($50)
The myth: low-cost PCs might not be low cost. Revisit the ChromeBook option…
What I Use + Storage
Traveling kit – cell phone (w/ data plan), ChromeBook (wifi),nano($20), flashdrive($20), network and HDMI cables, chargers, usb ethernet adapter($18)
Home – Windows PC or Mac, plus ChromeBook, Roku, DVD drive
Note: Roku = 1, Apple TV = 2, ChromeCast = 3, Android Mini = 4, Raspberry Pi = 5
Roku($50-100)
Apple TV($75-100)
ChromeCast($35) – plus subscriptions
NetFlixsubscription
Amazon Prime subscription Hulu Plus subscription
iPad1 & 2 plus keyboard/cellular (iOS – $200+)
Nexus 7(Android – $150+)
ChromeBook(Chrome OS – $200+), accessories (introduce now but talk about more later)
Moto Xw/ Republic Wireless plans($300 for the phone, plus monthly plan charge, no contract)
SquareRegister (free, plus transaction fee)
IntuitGoPayment (free, plus transaction fee)
PayPalHere (free, plus transaction fee)
Android Mini PC($66)
Raspberry Pi($50)
Source: Wikipedia.org
What is Roku
A digital media player that allows customers to access internet streamedvideo or audio services through televisions, including subscription-based services as well as services that are available through the receiver free of charge. (con – no YouTube channel*)
What is Apple TV
A digital media player(network appliance) developed and sold by Apple Inc., designed to play digital content. (con – no Amazon Prime or Pandora, designed to up-sell content)
What is ChromeCast
Digital media playerdeveloped by Googlethat plays audio/video content on a high–definitiontelevisionby streamingvia Wi–Fi. Users select media to play from Chromecast-enabled mobileappsand Web apps, or through a betafeature called “tab casting” that can mirror content from the Chrome browser. (con – poor performance on slow networks, light on apps)
What is Streaming Media
Media that is constantly received by and presented to an end–userwhile being delivered by a provider. To ‘stream’, refers to the process of delivering media in this manner. A client media player can begin playing the data (such as a movie) before the entire file has been transmitted.
What is iPad
A line of tablet computersdesigned and marketed by Apple Inc., which run Apple’s iOS. The first iPad was released on April 3, 2010; the most recent iPad models, the iPad Airand secondgeneration iPad Mini, were revealed on October 22, 2013. The user interfaceis built around the device’s multi–touchscreen, including a virtual keyboard. Content is available via the App Store.
What is Nexus 7
A 7-inch tablet computerdeveloped for Google by Asus. The tablet, released in July 2012 is the first device to run Android4.1, and makes content available through Google Play—including ebooks,apps, music, and video.
What is Android
An operating systembased on the Linux kernel,[12]and designed primarily for touchscreenmobile devices such as smartphonesand tablet computers. The first publicly available smartphone running Android was released on October 22, 2008. The Androiduser interfaceis based on direct manipulation, using touch inputs that loosely correspond to real-world actions, like swiping, tapping, pinching and reverse pinching to manipulate on-screen objects. Android is open sourceand Google releases the source codeunder the Apache License.
What is ChromeBook
A ‘personal computer’ running Chrome OSas its operating system, designed to be used while connected to the Internet and support applications that reside on the Web, rather than traditional applications that reside on the machine itself. All data is stored in the “cloud” and is accessed by an internet connection. The first Chromebooks for sale, by Acer Inc.and Samsung, began shipping on June 15, 2011.
What is Moto X
An Androidsmartphonedeveloped and manufactured by Motorola Mobility(a Googlecompany) and released in August 2013. The Moto X is distinguished by features taking advantage of voice recognition and contextual awareness, and is assembled in the US.
What is Republic Wireless
A wireless communications services provider based in Raleigh, NC. Created in January 2010 as a subsidiary of Bandwidth, the company announced it would provide a monthly subscription of $19 per month for wireless service with unlimited calling, texting, and data on a “Hybrid
Calling” system. Republic Wireless began beta service on November 8, 2011, then on November 14, 2013, officially came out of its Beta testing period and began offering the Moto Xfor $299 with four new service plans starting at $5 per month. Republic Wireless is “inverting the network” in that “Wi–Fiis primary and cellular is a fallover.” The model relies on a proprietary VoIPapplication for the Androidoperating system that has the ability to seamlessly switch between Sprint‘sCDMAmobile networks, free roaming, and WiFi – depending on whether WiFi access is available.
What is Square
A merchant services aggregatorand mobile paymentscompany based in San Francisco, CA.
Founded in 2009 by Jack Dorseyand Jim McKelvey, they launched their first app and service in 2010. Square Register allows individuals and merchants in the United States, Canada, and Japan to accept debitand credit cardson their iOSor Androiddevices. The app supports manually entering the card details or swiping the card through the Square Reader, a small plastic device which plugs into the audio jack of a supported smartphone or tablet and reads the magneticstripe.
