Businessweek has posted an article on the fight against Autism going High Tech, meaning that technology is becoming the avenue autistic people are using to overcome their social isolation brought on by the disorder.  Mentioned there are a number of different devices that are becoming more mainstream:  iPods and apps for Autism (229 and counting), robots instead of people for reliable, comfortable communication, and other tools each provide an autistic child with an opportunity to work through their disability and interact with others. 

I’ve posted several reviews on apps on the iPod/iPad that help autistic children learn, and each my son has enjoyed.  I still maintain that Apple’s true potential in their popular multitouch platform has yet to be tapped or even advertised, and that is it’s ability to enable those who are disabled.  But this is more than finding a technological solution to a problem, it’s about finding how autistic children interact, and catering to that method.

For instance, aside from robots that have preset interaction ideas, dogs can provide a save interaction variable for autistic children.  That’s because dogs are perhaps more straightforward in their responses, and remain very honest and predictable in how they will interact with children.  That is, in general at least.  There are some exceptions to that rule, but by and large dogs provide a predictable interaction experience for autistic children. 

But what about vacations?  Many parents with autistic children tend to shy away from vacations in general, and particularly large resorts with lots of people.  I’ve had several parents post comments about how they would love to have their children go to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, but fear the reaction with so many people in such a close space. 

Remember that Disney has a policy:  Every guest is to have a good experience.  As such they have a special pass for those who are unable to wait in long lines for extended periods of time.  Those parents with an autistic child can get one of these passes for up to 5 people plus the special needs individual (if I remember right, it may just be 5 people).  This pass was a life saver for my family, as my son was able to ride his now favorite ride (other than the Carousel), Finding Nemo, without having to wait the full 40+ minutes to get in. 

Disney also has another interaction activity mentioned by the Businessweek article:  "Turtle Talk with Crush".  Apparently this activity, where children get to talk with Crush the Turtle from Finding Nemo has been very well received by children with lower functioning autism, and they even come away repeating more of the words that Crush has said.  My family didn’t get a chance to see this activity (it’s in Disneyland’s California Adventures park), but you can guarantee that we will be there the next time we go to Disneyland. 

There is a lot happening with Autism in this day and age.  More people are becoming aware of the disorder, more parents are getting timely information on how to manage the disorder, genetic markers and causes are being discovered, potential treatments are being investigated, acceptance is becoming more common, and technology is quickly enabling those with Autism to interact with those who are not more readily.  It’s an exciting time for parents of children with this now very wide spread disability. 

Since I purchased my iPad, I’ve had a lot of questions come my way.  Is it really worth it?  Do you like it?  Are you just an Apple Fan-boy, or do you have too much money?  Many of them are questions based on media coverage of the iPad, the assumptions made by technologists on the iPad, and the arguments made by others in the industry that feel threatened by the new medium of tablets.  So, I thought I would talk about why I have the iPad, why I purchase Apple products, and how it relates to my son’s condition.

First, if you have iTunes, open up to the iTunes Store, and then run a search for Autism.  As of this writing, there are 153 apps for the iPhone that come up, and an additional 7 that are specifically for the iPad.  Most of these are flash card apps for learning to write, read, and speak.  But at the heart of these are augmentative and alternative communication software like Proloquo2go, iCommunicate, iSpeak4U, and so on.  That means any person who has trouble talking or is completely non-verbal can use an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad as a communication device.  At its most expensive it would be roughly $700.00 for such a device.

There is an alternative to using an iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, and that is to buy an AAC device.  These tend to run in the thousands, between $5000.00 to $10,000.00.  The software is similar (if not the same), and the results are the same.  So, in the end, Apple, with the help of several third party developers, have managed to mainstream a specialty device, making it more affordable for those families that are in need but can’t afford $5000.00 for a device to help their child speak.

Now, you may say that Apple isn’t the only tablet on the block, and you would be right.  There are several tablets that currently exist, which are tablet PC’s, and can have normal software installed on them.  They generally run at $2,000.00 (roughly), with an additional $200.00 for AAC software to be installed.  So the Apple solution is still a bargain.

But what about the Android market?  Surely I can’t spend all my time looking at Apple when Linux in the form of Android is there.  Well, I checked out the Android Marketplace through AndoidZoom.com, and searched for Autism.  I found a total of three apps, one for recording your voice and matching it to a picture, one for learning phonics, and one to give suggestions for treatment of Autism (which I would consider suspect until it is proven useful).  Not one was an AAC system,  Now, this of course is not Andoid’s fault, or Google’s, but rather the marketplace that Android represents.  Obviously interest in Autism and helping nonverbal people communicate is not a priority for third party developers that want to target the Andriod market.

So where does that leave those families that have a need of some assistance and tools, but don’t have the funds for truly expensive devices?  Quite frankly, it leaves them with Apple and their iPhone OS lineup.  At least for the moment.  As Android (as an OS) has finally outsold the iPhone (I don’t think the iPhone OS, just the iPhone), the market is expanding.  And with the rumored Tablets coming, it looks like things can get interesting.  If the HP Slate ever gets released with a full version of Windows 7, it could present a huge leap forward for AAC devices in the mainstream.

We are at an exciting period in technology.  Smaller, full featured devices are becoming more common, less expensive, more portable, and easier to use.  That means those with disabilities can and will be better served with even more affordable solutions.  So before you start labeling everyone with an iPad a “fan-boi,” perhaps you should consider the real, grown-up reasons for tablets and how they can be used.  That’s something that is rarely reported on in the Technology columns, and remains a disappointment for me.

This week has been really interesting, and really busy.  For that reason, I’m doing another week in review (and it’s only Thursday!). 

First, Apple Training.  I taught the Mac OS X 10.6 Server Essentials course this week, and had two students.  Both were sharp, but one, Aaron Hix, works with Apple.  It was fun to talk with him, learn some things from his experiences, and talk about people we know.  I also got to see him at work (three laptops, an iPad, and an iPhone all running).  It was great fun, and we got a lot accomplished, and quickly!  It was the first time the Server Essentials class finished in 3 days instead of 4 (though we did skip exercises that both students were not anxious to go through). 

Second, I ordered an iPad from the Campus bookstore.  They had a sale where sales tax was not included in the price of all Apple merchandise, so I thought I would go for it.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have any iPads in stock (none!  Not even the 32GB which is supposed to be the unpopular one).  So, I placed the order and paid for it anyway, and I’m still waiting for it to show up (it could be in as late as next week).  In the mean time, I’m getting my apps ready, my pictures put together, and other fun things that come with getting a new device. 

Third, I became a Master Trainer for Apple IT classes, which means that we at the University of Utah can offer T3 courses.  It’s pretty exciting, and I’m looking forward to some being scheduled.  I also found out that we are unique among Apple Authorized Training Centers because we are able to run classes with just two students.  Other AATC’s usually need to have 5 to 8 to run a class.  We are hoping this means we get more students coming to our site, knowing we won’t cancel on them. 

Now for the Politics.  Apparently former Illinois Governor Blagojavich wants to have President Obama testify in his corruption trial, as part of the defense.  It will be interesting to see if a federal judge will try to subpoena the President in this matter.  My guess is he will not find reason to do so, though it’s always possible.  Even if it doesn’t happen here in Federal Court, it may be taken to the Supreme Court where the President will be asked again to testify.  And if asked, will the President make a personal appearance, or will he participate in some other way?  I’m keeping my eye on this one, just because it’s an interesting situation for the Judicial and the Executive branches. 

Apple vs. Adobe:  An interesting game of attacks, primarily from Adobe.  All over Flash..  Sure, Flash is a big part of the web (advertising, at least for my part), and it’s quite popular.  But Apple doesn’t want it on their iPhone or iPad.  So, Adobe tried to work around it by using Flash to develop apps for the iPhone and iPad, which Apple killed with the 4.0 user agreement (which also killed Titanium from Appcelerator).  Rumors were flying about Adobe suing Apple, but today they attacked Apple by saying they would rather work with Open platforms with their proprietary platform than with Apple’s closed ecosystem that supports open standards.  Apple fired back, the first time the Company has said anything publicly, while Adobe as a company and as individuals have been spewing forth hatred and ire at Apple. 

Now, I really like Apple.  I teach about their technologies, and I’m developing for the iPhone using their tools (mostly because I can’t use Titanium for my class I’m developing).  I like Adobe.  Photoshop is great, as are many of their other products.  But, much like fanbois for any technology that attack others for their choices, Adobe as a company has been very, well, surprisingly unprofessional.  So has Steve Jobs in his remarks, though they were never made publicly (I don’t consider a company meeting public, as it’s within the private company). 

I come away from this liking the experience I have with Apple’s tools, not having stupid Flash ads pop up over websites I’m trying to read, and enjoying the idea of having open standards grow faster on the Internet.  I also come away from this with a bad taste in my mouth for Adobe.  Perhaps I should start to look at the GIMP a bit more.  Also, I come away with having less respect for Steve Jobs as a person, though he seems to be doing very well as a CEO. 

Anyway, that’s the week in review.  Hopefully there will be some new news on the iPad soon, as in tomorrow.  But if not, I’ll be talking about it when I finally get my hands on it.

This week I got an email from the developers at FizzBrain about their apps for children with Autism.  They offered to give me some free time to try out their apps and consider writing a review.  I checked out the website and liked what I saw, so I replied and offered to try them out and review the app.  Here is the write-up they gave me about the games.

"Look in my Eyes," a game to help children on the autism spectrum

"Look in My Eyes" is a game for the iPhone and iPod touch designed to help children on the autism spectrum practice eye contact. The game rewards children for quickly focusing in on a person’s eyes. Through repeated practice we attempt to develop a habit that families can transfer to real life settings as they remind children to use the skills they have practiced in the game. The game makes practice fun as players use the points they earn to buy items for their own virtual world, such as a restaurant or autoshop – a unique reward system that grew out of our decades of classroom teaching experience (we are both teachers, one with a masters degree in special education). We have combined this experience with our extensive training in best education practices and many years of close personal relationships with children who have Asperger’s Syndrome and autism to create a social skills game we hope will benefit your child! We also have some promo codes available for free downloads to families who could benefit. Contact abbiejcort@msn.com if you are interested. We have many more games to come in the future so check back frequently. Read more about the games, read reviews from parents, and see screenshots at www.fizzbrain.com
or http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/fizzbrain/id349835342

These two apps are designed specifically to help those with Autism and Asperger’s to look someone in the eyes.  The idea is simple:  provide some detail in the eyes (in this case a briefly showing number), ask the person to identify the number, and they receive a reward.  Once they have built up their rewards, they can use it to "purchase" additional rewards. 

As those with Special Education experience will no doubt recognize, this is simple, effective, and commonly used Behavior learning techniques.  Ideal, I might add, for most if not all children in on the Spectrum.  It’s not surprising when you learn that the developers have the benefit of a Masters in Special Education.  And it works.  It works very well.

I downloaded the apps and tried them on my son.  At first I just opened it and let him go at it, at which point he promptly switched out of it and into his favorite apps.  Realizing this will take some time, I then sat him down next to me, started an app, and played with it a little bit.  He then was hooked.  He didn’t play it as it was designed to play, as he didn’t really care about amassing the reward dollars.  Instead, as he is learning his numbers now in preschool, he did it purely for the number recognition. 

This is something the app doesn’t advertise, and yet does beautifully.  My son is excellent with his letter recognition, and can’t be tripped up with the wrong letter.  But he’s not so strong on his numbers.  So the application does two things:  teaches him to look into the eyes of other children and adults, while also helping him with his number recognition.  It’s brilliant! 

Now, I did bill these apps as unique.  Why?  Because they don’t focus on communication.  At all.  Instead, they focus on behavior, which children with Autism really need along with their communication skills.  So while a lot of Autism billed apps focus on helping children recognize words, learn to speak, for speak for them, these apps help children deal with a basic social experience:  looking someone in the eye. 

I can highly recommend these apps for any parent with a child on the Spectrum.  Don’t be surprised if they don’t play the game as you would expect, but as long as they get the basic idea (look in the eyes, see the number, touch the number), you will see benefits.  I only hope to see more apps like this coming from the Autism community that focus on real social skills beyond simple communication. 

If you are interested in learning more about the applications, feel free to contact them.  They also said they would be willing to offer free promotional codes to parents to read the review on this blog, so if you are interested email Abbie at the address above, and mention the blog. 

Thanks FizzBrain for the work, and I’m looking forward to other programs you have coming down the pipe!

Here is my problem:  I don’t want to get another laptop, but I need a mobile device that will let me accomplish some specific tasks.  Tasks like writing and editing documents, surfing the web, checking and responding to email, watching videos and listening to music, and a number of other very specific tasks, and all while on the go.  I had hoped that the iPod Touch would take care of all that, but it’s lacking in a couple of areas, mostly because while I like the virtual keyboard it’s too small to type fast enough to keep up with my brain.  So, taking a page from Patrick Thornton’s blog on how he would use the iPad, let me outline mine:

On The Go:

• The Bus and LightRail:  I currently commute using the MAX bus to TRAX up to the University of Utah.  Using a laptop is awkward at best, because of how close the seats are.  The frustration comes from the form factor:  the clamshell may allow for a touch-type keyboard, but it doesn’t allow for easy use with the seat in front of me.  The iPod Touch works well in this environment, even when I am cramped in a corner, but the screen is too small for me to do any effective typing.  Unlike many younger than I am, I am not adept at "texting", and therefore my thumbs seem to be good for only one thing:  the spacebar. 

  It’s in this case that a tablet with a virtual keyboard would be ideal.  It’s small enough to pull out without taking too much effort, and typing on the screen within my lap would take less space than using a clamshell screen.  At this point, since I would naturally be looking at the right angle to my lap, I could see what I was typing without having to adjust a screen to the right angle.  Also, given 3G or the eventually promised WiFi on the bus system Internet access would allow me to be productive the minute I’m able to sit down. 

• The Car:  While I normally drive the car, and therefore never use mobile devices while driving, it would be nice to have a device with a large screen for the kids to see while driving.  Some have suggested that I get a DVD player, but I don’t want to mess with DVD’s, as my son with Autism tends to break them easily.  That’s mostly why I opted for the Apple TV to begin with.  So while DVD’s are out, I need another solution.  An iPod Touch works great for one child, but what about the other one?  Well, we could use two iPod Touches, but by that point we are pretty much spending the same amount for an iPad, which both could see.  Add a car mount to be between the front seats and an audio cable to pug into the car stereo, and the device starts to make sense.
• Walking:  Even my little 12" Powerbook G4 is pretty heavy when I carry it around, though it’s dimensions are the same (if thicker) than the iPad.  The weight starts to tell when carrying books for students, note pads for book and software ideas, etc.  In fact, I often need to switch from my message bag to a backpack just to carry the laptop, power cable, etc. with me.  The iPad would take a lot of weight away, making my daily walks easier to manage. 
• Long Commutes:  I commute an average of 2.5 hours a day, it being about 1 hour 15 minutes (give or take) from my house to my office, and then the same back.  Long commutes mean the need for long battery life.  Here my iPod does ok, but the battery is really running low by the end of the day from all the activity I use it for, and that’s with a 6 hour video time.  That’s also roughly what most modern laptops get as well, though that is shortened by the boot/wake delay.  With a tablet that is always on and has at least 10 hours of battery life, I can not worry about having to charge the device at work as well as at home.  The benefits here is a device that is always on, therefore has no wait time. 
• Flying:  Occasionally my job requires me to travel.  Flying is troublesome enough without having to lug a laptop with me.  It takes up a lot of valuable space in my carry-ons, which I can use for something else.  A flat tablet would give me the work ability I would need while flying, and the long battery life would let me watch those videos I want to see.  And even if I needed to take a laptop with me, I would prefer to use a tablet in the cramped areas of the airplane (as I inevitably get to sit with the other larger guys on the flight) with more comfort than the clamshell form factor. 

In the Office:

• Notes:  Typing on a larger screen makes it easier to take notes than on my iPod Touch, and therefore would make it that much more useful than the iPod Touch. A laptop would be awkward to carry into a meeting, use, and set aside when not needed.  Not to mention battery life issues and the screen going blank when I don’t want it to.
• Presentations:  Using a laptop for presentations becomes tedious, because it requires a lot of hookups and cables, a place to set it, and I become tethered to be within reach.  A tablet with a display cable that was long enough (or could be extended) to allow me to wander about with the presentation in my hands would make that much easier, even if all my slides were just in a PDF format.  I could simply swipe through each of them if needed.  Creating or editing presentations isn’t that important, though it would be nice.  I have really wanted to have a version of PowerPoint or Keynote on the iPod Touch for a long time, if only just as a viewer.  Having it available for real makes it that much better.

At Home:

• On the Couch:  Right now having a laptop is not a good option for me while sitting at my couch with the kids running around, trying to get something accomplished.  You see, both my kids like to grab the screen and pull it down their way (opposite me) to see what I’m doing.  Almost immediately it means having to quickly stop their action, which gets in the way of what I’m trying to accomplish.  It can also potentially damage the screen (though to date I’ve been lucky with my PowerBook).  A tablet would make working from the couch with the kids much easier, as they can see what I’m doing immediately without having to move a screen or pull the thing out of my hands. 
•  Reading:  I am a prolific reader.  I love to read, and use my iPod Touch extensively for reading in both Stanza and the Kindle app.  I don’t use a laptop because it’s awkward to read from while sitting or lounging on the couch or bed.  A tablet of some sort would be ideal in this situation, where the clamshell form factor just isn’t.  It also would beat out the smaller tablets because of real estate.
• Special Needs Interaction:  My son is autistic, and as such has very special needs.  Part of that is his need to find a way to focus his mind in order to calm down.  Currently the iPod Touch works for that, though it’s very small and doesn’t have much real estate for him to work.  I would never let him use a clamshell device because he would inevitably break the screen because it moves.  With a single tablet device with little to no moving parts all the concerns about his breaking is has been reduced.  He’s very careful about placing large things like books down, and so wouldn’t throw the iPad.  There are also several apps that are targeted directly to children and adults with Autism, making the iPhone OS an excellent choice for me.  Is anyone aware of Autism apps for Android?  I would like to know.

So what about the complaints against the iPad?

• No Flash:  I hate Flash, though not because of the platform, just for what it’s used.  Flash to me means annoying ads that fly in front of text I’m trying to read for the news.  I don’t play Flash games, and I don’t use Hulu (I found it very unfriendly to use).  When we use YouTube as a family (such as viewing rollercoaster rides for our son), we use the Apple TV primarily.  Why do I like to avoid Flash?  Because it gets in the way.  Sure, other technologies will probably come along that the iPad supports that will get in the way to, but right now it’s Flash that is my big complaint.  If there is a Flash only website, I tend to avoid it like I would lima beans.

  Some may say I’m missing out on the richness of the Web by avoiding Flash, but I would counter by saying they are missing out of my patronage by forcing me to use an intrusive program that defeats the purpose of visiting the site in the first place.  It would be like forcing me to install Adware just to use an operating system.  I would quickly find another operating system.

• No Camera:  I’ve never once used video conferencing, even when I had cameras.  Text typing tends to be faster, and I don’t have to be dressed up or shave my face to use it.  Audio chat is fine too.  That, and I don’t see video chat on a Tablet being very useful, because it would be hard to use the tablet still while talking.  Nope, for video chat, a clamshell format would be ideal.  And if I really want to video chat, it would be from my office on my iMac. 
• No Multitasking:  This isn’t strictly true, as the iPod Touch already multitasks, in that I can get email, have a webpage load, play a song with iTunes, and still play a game.  It is more accurate to say that multitasking all apps is not available, and generally, I don’t need to.  The only types of apps I would like to have multitask for me is a telephony app like a VoIP app, a voice chat app, or a text chat app.  Other than that, I don’t use it a lot, and have learned to do without with these all running at the same time.  As I use one tool at a time, and don’t use it much in the background until I come back to it, I don’t really see the need for "multitasking".  How do you multitask with your mobile devices?  Let me know, because it would be interesting to see how people use multitasking on mobile devices.
• No Physical Keyboard:  This is true, though quite honestly I consider it a plus in my book.  I would much rather use an onscreen tablet than a clamshell while out and about, because it doesn’t require as much space to use.  Why is that?  Because with a clamshell on your lap, you need to either lean back to see what is going on, or rotate the screen back (almost doubling the flat area of the laptop) to see what you are doing.  Nope, this is definitely a benefit of the Tablet.
• Closed System:  While I’m all for Open Source, and have taught and worked with Linux as an Operating System, for a tablet device to work well I think it needs to have a controlled environment.  Otherwise you start running into battery issues, performance issues, and all sorts of headaches.  I honestly think this is why Google has Android and their app store:  It keeps the apps somewhat controlled, and therefore controls the user environment.  For small computing devices, I see this as a huge benefit, and so the iPhone OS isn’t a barrier for me, it’s a blessing.
• Not A Full OS:  Why do you need a full OS for a tablet anyway?  Most are slow enough on more beefy hardware like a laptop, let alone a device built for less power consumption.  I’ve heard this argument before, and I can’t for the life of me see the benefit of a full OS on a tablet vs. a specialized OS for the tablet.  All I can think of is software.  But why would you want to run a full fledged desktop program on a tablet?  Most desktop programs are designed for a mouse and keyboard input setup, which doesn’t port over easily to a touchscreen (another reason Flash would be a beast on a tablet).  While you won’t find a replacement for Photoshop or Dreamweaver for the iPhone, I wouldn’t be surprised if similar apps start to show their heads now that the iPad allows them far more real estate to work with. 
• AT&T As The Partner:  Simple:  Don’t use them.  The 3G version is open, though there isn’t another carrier in the US that will support it, and with a MiFi-type device from any other carrier, you have the same benefits as the 3G version, but on the WiFi only version.  While this could be a valid complaint for the iPhone itself, I don’t see it as a problem on the iPad. 
• There’s No Phone:  VoIP with a headset aside, did you really think you were going to put something this big against your face?  Really?  The iPad and tablets don’t replace smartphones, and they are not meant to. 
• No USB/SD Card Slots:  This I can see as a legitimate complaint, though the more the device has to power another device connected to it, the more it will deplete the battery.  While it would be nice to have an SD card slot for additional storage or as a way to quickly upload video/photos from a camera, there are adapters out there for SD and USB connections for cameras that upload into their iPhoto app.  And, just between you and me, I have yet to fill my iPod Touch 16 GB and use it all. 
• The Name/It’s Made By Apple/It’s Overpriced:  The name argument is just, well, stupid.  Does it really matter that much to you?  Really?  Well, you can get the Adam if you want, or Nook, or Kindle, or Pete.  Heck, you can call it Pete, or iPete, or RePete.  I don’t consider that a real complaint.  Don’t want people looking at the name?  Get a skin for your RePete, or better yet, make one.  It shouldn’t be that hard, I would imagine.

  As for it being made by Apple and you for some reason hate them because of their marketing success, personal bias, or resentment of how they treat Windows as a platform; well, there are lots of other tablets coming to market, each with their pros and cons.  Some with Windows 7, some with Android, and eventually some with the Chrome OS if rumors are true.  If you don’t like a product, you can get one elsewhere.  It’s not going to hurt my feelings, and it shouldn’t hurt yours if I prefer an Apple product or experience.  As long as it does what you need it to do, isn’t that really the point? 

  Pricing for the iPad is actually pretty standard with most retail outlets.  T-Shirts tend to be marked up 56% or so, as are most other products from the cost of the company to produce them.  That’s because they have to pay wages, marketing, distribution, and research.  But if you want something cheaper, I’m sure other companies will cut into their profit margins to accommodate. 

So, that is my list.  Honestly, I see the iPad and other similar tablets taking the place of most netbook functionality because of the new form factor.  I don’t see them replacing laptops, netbooks, or desktops completely, as those who don’t want to have a desktop computer would probably prefer a laptop for their work (like students in a dorm).  But I don’t think that having a laptop, a desktop, and a tablet will be a necessity.  The tablet would make one or the other unnecessary (at least for me), and which depends on your needs.

So tell me what you think.

Today I thought I would look for more apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch that are geared directly to those with Autism.  Previous searches (such as when I last posted about them), there were only a handful.  Today, however, there are tons, and at varying price points. 

Those at the higher end of the price scale were assistive communication tools, like iConverse, and Proloquo2go.  These at any price below $8,000.00 are, believe it or not, a bargain compared to the other options available with the same functionality.  They all try to achieve the same goal:  help make communicating for those who are impaired easier.  And each one succeeds to some degree, though not all are ideal for an individual Autistic child, depending on their placement on the Spectrum.  As a side note, it may be helpful for a free lite version of each of these apps to be made available so parents can test out the mechanics of the app before investing $50.00 to $200.00 on something that their Autistic child is unable or unwilling to use.

Other apps that were listed were First Words apps (which my son loves), and various ABA flashcard apps.  Most of these are in the $0.99 category, though others can be more or less depending on the volume of content in the app.  These I generally tend to shy away from, as my son is beginning to show aversion to using ABA picture cards for communicating (much to the frustration of his teachers).  So today, I thought I would evaluate and write about three apps that I found:  AutismTest, AutismXpress, and Learn To Talk. 

AutismTest

First is AutismTest.  This was one of several Autism screening questionaires I found in iTunes, some for free and some to buy.  This particular one was free.  The test was developed by researchers at Cambridge University for screening, and is used for online screening.  I was rather dubious at first, as Autism is a diagnosis which requires observation from a psychologist, but I thought I would check it out. 

The First thing mentioned in the description is that this is NOT a replacement for diagnosis.  I want to stress that as well.  If you are looking for any services for Autism, or need to focus on a specific learning plan through your school, you need a proper diagnosis from a certified psychologist.  No one will take this score seriously when looking for real treatment.  But, that being said, there has been come correlation between the assessment and an actual diagnosis, so it would be a good place to start if you are wondering if you should consider getting your child screened. 

The test is not very long, and focuses primarily on attention, social ability, and reaction to order versus chaos.  I found it to be well thought out, very well structured, and according to the test, I have autistic tendencies (I’m very much an introvert).  These are much the same traits looked for when screening for Autism, so I thought it would be something worth mentioning.  But let me emphasize again, THIS IS NOT A DIAGNOSIS!  If you are concerned that your child may be Autistic, take them into a psychologist for a screening. 

The app was written by an Autistic parent of an Autistic child as a method of helping people understand what Autism is.  In that way, I would say they have succeeded.  For that reason, I would say that it’s a good app to have for the family with an Autistic child.

AutismXpress

One thing that is quite common with Autistic children is the lack of emotional and social understanding.  For instance, they can’t tell if you are joking, being sarcastic, angry, or sad.  It just doesn’t register.  AutismXpress was created to help them recognize these emotional states. 

The app is essentially a flash card type app, but the faces move.  It’s not too stable though, it crashed my iPod Touch twice in 10 minutes, requiring me to reboot the thing.  But other than that, it was fabulous.  I’m looking forward to showing this one to my son.

The app was created for Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), which is the largest Autism support organization for Australia.  The work they have done here is phenomenal, and I look forward to a more stable version.  And it’s also for free.

Learn To Talk (Lite)

Learn to Talk is a flash card app as well, with artwork that is very much like the old "Dick and Jane" stories (ink and watercolor).  Essentially the card repeats the word, and then you can click on it for the word again, or slide on to another word.  This was priced really high in previous versions, but the price has down for the pay version to $1.99.  The free version is what I tried, and it seemed pretty good.  I’m not sure how my son will take to it though, as he doesn’t repeat very easily, but others have mentioned how helpful it is for their children in speech therapy. 

So, those are the apps I tried.  I’m really looking forward to what the iPad will bring with it’s expanded real estate on the screen and additional tools available.

With Apple’s planned presentation January 27th, there is a lot of speculation about the rumored iPod Slate, the tablet PC that has been highly anticipated for years (at least 3 from when I started blogging about wanting one).  The "details" are trickling in with everyone throwing their expectations and prognostications out there.  Well, I’ve posted a lot on my end on what I would want in such a device.  So now, in the 11th hour, let me review with some minor changes what I would want out of this iPod Slate tablet.

Must Have’s

1. Reasonable Price:  This often is lost on a lot of people.  The thing needs to be reasonably priced for what I get out of it.  If it’s nothing more than just a glorified iPod Touch, I’ll keep my touch, thank you very much.  Also, if it’s priced well within a laptop range, i.e. $700+, then I would even think about getting a laptop instead of the tablet.  It needs to be priced well for the range, about $500 to $600 would be reasonable, in my mind.  I would prefer less, but I could live with something about that price.
2. Multiple Apps At Once:  I haven’t posted about this before, but I would like to see more than one app at a time run on the device.  For instance, I would love to have, say, Skype run in the background while I surf the web or open a document or email relevant to the discussion.  I’d also like to have chat windows open while working on a document.  Make the thing a great mobile device for work, and I’m happy. 
3. iWork or MS Office:  Not sure if MS Office will be likely given their current legal issues, but a version of iWork would be great.  I’m not talking about something for hardcore development, but something that will allow for quick edits and a presentation. 
4. Voice To Text:  I realize that this is available through the new Dragon Naturally Speaking app for the iPhone, but it’s not there for the iPod Touch, so I want it understood that I would want this on the Tablet.  I don’t want it as the only option for text entry on the tablet, but it would be a convenient method for those on the go trying to write a book without actually having to sit and type. 
5. Bluetooth:  Yes, both the iPod Touch and the iPhone have Bluetooth, but they are horribly scaled back.  Open it up!  Let me sync my Voyager Bluetooth headset with it, and a Bluetooth keyboard while I’m at it.  Don’t restrict the Bluetooth on the device, other than turning off discoverability by default. 
6. Open 3G/4G:  I don’t like being bound to any one company when I make that big of a purchase.  If I’m going to have something that will use a cellular network, I want to decide which network and which plan.  This isn’t anything necessarily against AT&T or any other network, I just want to be able to shop around.  Of course, this means a lot of different issues that Apple may not want to get into, at which time I would say give me the option of not needing a network.  That alone would make me happy. 
7. Display Port:  I need a way to attach the thing to a projector.  While there are a number of projectors that use the standard iPod jack, I’d prefer to have something less restrictive.  A display port would make that easy.  After all, this is a device I intend to use in class for presentations.
8. Access To Stored Files:  Right now on the iPhone and iPod Touch, apps keep their individual files within the App itself.  If iWork and a number of other apps are to be of any real use, they need to start sharing files.  Even if it’s just a single Documents folder or Home folder, that would be fine.  Something that the Dropbox app and similar apps would be able to utilize for quick file syncing through an Internet connection.

Now for the "Nice To Have’s"

1. Full iTunes:  I would love to have a full version of iTunes, letting me make playlists while out and about, delete songs, etc. without needing to sync with a computer again.
2. Video Conferencing:  This would be cool, if for nothing else than to have a truly portable video calling device.  It was rumored, but others have said that the rumor was just that.  We’ll see.
3. FM Radio:  There is an FM radio receiver in the iPod Touch, which could easily be activated with software support from Apple.  I’d like that enabled with the Tablet.
4. GarageBand for Podcasting:  The tablet would be a killer way to perform mobile podcasting, making it easy to record your audio (and video, if there is a camera), do some quick edits, and upload it while on the road. 

So, that’s about it for the tablet.  What else would I like to see come from the presentation?  There’s a whole host of things that I would like to see, though most are not likely to be coming. 

1. FM Radio for iPod Touch:  Just turn it on already!  I want to listen to NPR while on my way to work.  I’m getting a lot of reading done, and I do some writing, but that early in the morning, I’d like to listen to some news rather than my neighbor’s family issues being discussed loudly on their cell phone. 
2. Open Bluetooth for iPod Touch:  Open the Bluetooth to allow me to connect my headset to my iPod Touch, with microphone!  It’s a pretty easy thing to do.  Also, enable Bluetooth microphones for the iPod Touch.
3. Open Network iPhone:  An open iPhone would be nice to have, one that could go to the network of my choice. 
4. Playlists for Videos on Apple TV:  Most likely not going to happen (if at all) until October and the Christmas season, it’s still something I’ve wanted for a long time.  Please, make it possible to play a playlist of TV shows and Movies.
5. Games on Apple TV:  Allow gaming on the Apple TV.  Do you want to increase sales?  Have console gaming built into the Apple TV.  It’s a simple concept, and one that could even tie into some of the apps available for the iPod Touch. 

So that’s it for my list.  Apple, I hope you are listening.  Some of these things I am willing to wait on, but others are critical.  I’ve already resolved to wait and see what the price tag would be before I decide on buying a tablet.  Just be warned, if it’s the same price as a Netbook and a Kindle combined, I’ll probably keep my iPod Touch and get a Netbook (thank you free Kindle app for iPhone).

Lately Nathan Bransford, a literary agent and writer that I have been following for some time, has been posting information about the future of books.  With the Kindle, Nook, and the much-anticipated Apple tablet (which I have been blogging about for 3 years in high hopes), it seems that many people are already writing eulogies for the hard copy, bound book.  Often I’m surprise with the comments he receives from his readers, many if not all are writers in various stages of publication (from established to hopeful, like me). 

The discussion has interested me on four levels: as a trained Historian, a trained Computer Technician, an avid Reader (consumer), and a Writer (instructional and hopeful novelist).  Here is my view of each:

Historian

Books as we know them have gone though a lot of changes ever since man had learned to use writing as a method of communication.  What started as tablets of clay became scrolls of paper and papyri, which then changed to parchment and a codex, or bound book.  The codex didn’t change for thousands of years, and now a move from the printed to the digital page is being made.  But is it really so recent?

Computers originally had a "monitor" that was a printer, printing out the results of commands as one navigated, executed, and errored their way through programs.  The digital monitor, the one we know and love today, both simplifies the reading of computer results, but also saves a tremendous amount of paper.  And ever since print could be read on a computer screen, people have been reading books on the computer screen. 

So the idea of an eBook is not new, but rather the mainstreaming of the eBook is what is so scary.  Just as ancient Egypt was afraid of the parchment codex (threatened their trade in papyri), those tied to the old methods of distributing the story both fear and hate the coming mainstream eBook consumption.

Computer Technician

The technology for eBooks have been around for years.  I had eReader on my PocketPC for years, and I loved being able to read while on the go.  But before it could become mainstreamed, there are some factors that needed to be met:

1. Battery Life:  The early PDAs were terrible in their battery life.  This hampered reading, as you needed to either change your AA’s or recharge your book within just a few hours of getting into it. 
2. Performance:  There are a lot of old eBook readers out there that were so clunky to use they were not worth it.  I went through several before I settled on the couple of eBook readers I use today.  It all came down to performance.  I was looking for something that was easy to use, easy to customize, and had a small memory footprint (so I could have more books in less space).
3. Storage:  What good is it to have an eBook reader if you can only store at the most 10 books?  If you are going abroad, or spend a lot of time commuting, just a couple of books will not satisfy. 
4. Reputation and Appearance:  eBooks needed to have a good reputation behind them, or come from a reputable source.  Often times some books were, or at least appeared, to be bad copies, which creates distrust.

Others may outline more points, but it is my humble opinion that technology needed to advance to this point before the eBook could have even thought of being mainstreamed.  With ebook readers like the Kindle, Nook, and even with current Windows Mobile, Android, WebOS, and iPhone OS devices out there, we have finally made it to the point where big names feel comfortable in releasing their books in eBook form to reach a profitable audience. 

The thing is, dedicated devices are, at least in my opinion, doomed to a quick death.  Part of the reason why I have an iPod Touch instead of a Kindle or Nook is because I need more than just an eBook reader.  eBooks are a convenience, not a lifestyle.  I want other conveniences to be just as convenient, and preferably on the same device.  This is part of the reason why the iPod Slate (or Apple Tablet) is so important to me as a device, and why I have been so keen on it’s release. 

Reader

I love to read, but I find that I have little time at home with the kids, and very little time at work.  But I also have a long commute, in which reading becomes convenient.  It’s also convenient to work on my novel, get some work done, and listen to my music/old radio shows.  Suddenly carrying around even one bound book can take up more room than I am willing to give, as my bag becomes overloaded with various other devices.  But carrying an entire library in my pocket, which also will play my music, videos, and allow me to do some text editing; that’s the way to go. 

Now I’ve heard the arguments against eBook readers because of eye-strain.  Well, I don’t strain any more with an eBook reader on my iPod Touch than I do with any other book, and I can guarantee that, in the dead of night in winter, when the bus or train is dark, I can read my book without having to have a separate light.  I can also adjust the text on the book to make it larger or smaller based on my needs.  You can’t do that with a printed book. 

Also, there is the convenience of purchasing and downloading the books.  I have the Kindle app for iPhone, eReader app from Fictionwise, the Barnes & Noble eReader app, and Stanza.  I have tried each one, and my favorite two so far are the Kindle app and Stanza.  Kindle because of it’s flow (they have changed it a lot since Amazon purchased Stanza), and Stanza because it’s so convenient to download books from the Gutenberg Press (free books in the Public Domain).  They are easy to configure, and easy to manage.  Within a few seconds I will have several new books that I have purchased and downloaded, ready to read.  It sure beats waiting for a book to ship, I can tell you!

Writer

Some day I hope to be published, as soon as I write something that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to have someone else read.  I would also like my book to be quickly accessed by those who are interested, and I want to write a story that will flow well enough regardless of which format it is in.  So you can imagine that the interest in eBooks has had me thinking, and I’m watching this very closely.  Adding multimedia components for higher-end readers or computers (like the Slate, hint, hint!) can change a story as much as adding slides to a presentation, or video to a musical performance.  All of a sudden you have more content to relate to, all at the same time.  It’s challenging, it’s exciting, and it’s a little scary. 

So what exactly will be the future of books?  I think most analysts out there are right:  the codex book will not be going away anytime soon.  There is a feeling of intimacy that comes from reading a well-worn and well-read book again and again that you don’t get from an eBook.  Because of this a good hardcover or even paperback will not go away entirely.  But I think you will see a huge shift from the published book to the eBook by casual readers in particular.  The idea that one can turn on their device while waiting in line, riding a bus, or riding in the back seat of a car, read a couple of pages, and then turn around and do something else when the need arises?  It’s huge, and it’s happening more every day.  Add always-on 3G or 4G networking and integrated media, and you have a revolution that will absorb the mainstream out of pure convenience. 

Are there problems?  Of course!  But there were problems with first Gutenberg Press, the codex, the papyrus scroll, and even the clay tablet.  The real question is not whether or not we will manage with what we have, but rather how soon it will take the industry to adapt and make the situation better. 

My trip to and from work takes a good long time, generally about an hour and a half.  I don’t mind the commute so much, because it’s about twice what it was with a car, and I get a lot of reading time in this way.  I can also do some writing, and work on my novel that I have had planned for the past couple of years.  The long commute is perfect because I have the time, the room, and the energy to get some real writing in:  except I can’t write on paper and typing on a laptop gets a little scary for the laptop when bouncing on the roads. 

So, I started to think about what I could do for mobile writing.  One solution is to get a mobile device with a keyboard, much like a Palm Pre or a Blackberry.  Both of these devices have a keyboard that is physical, allowing for quick typing with your thumbs as you go.  And there are some concerns:  the software I use to write needs to either sync with the computer for storage or ideally sync with Google Docs, and I would need to shell out money for another expensive device similar to my iPod Touch. 

Well, I decided to check the iTunes App Store to see what apps are there for document editing, and found several, all of which were not there 6 months ago when I first checked.  One in particular that I found to be interesting:  Document 2. 

Document 2 can read just about any format of document from standard text files to Office 2007 Word documents.  When you compose a file, it’s a text file, and can be uploaded to your Google Docs account.  You can also access and edit (yes!) Google Docs files from your iPod Touch.  And not only Documents!  You can create and edit spreadsheets and presentations as well.  It was $3.99 for the app (there is a lite one for free, but it was crippled), so I thought I would take the plunge. 

The interface is well designed, making it easy to locate and manage your documents.  I didn’t have any trouble writing a 1018 word document (the first half of my first chapter of the 3rd revision of my novel), and uploading it to Google Docs for more editing on the desktop.  Typing is easy, and I am becoming quite proficient with my iPod Touch’s virtual keyboard, more so than I have been in the past with tiny physical keyboards.  Of course it’s all because of practice, and has nothing to do with the actual type of keyboard. 

The first problem I noticed was typing speed.  While I may be getting better at using the keyboard on the iPod Touch, I can type a lot faster using a keyboard for a desktop.  But it turns out this problem is actually a blessing:  I think more about what I am going to type instead of just filling words in as they pop into my head.  It means the scenes are better in the chapters, the grammar more correct, and the Fleischmann reading index is higher (not sure if that is a pro or a con).  Details are more vivid in the story, because I take the time to think about what I really want to say, how I actually see the scene, and what is going through the minds of each character. 

Another problem is it’s lack of a spell-check.  It relies on the built-in iPod spell-checker, which is very limited.  I find myself misspelling more words than I care to admit while using it.  It also has some trouble using quotes and punctuation, and grammar is not even a consideration.  But then, what can I really expect with something built for a tiny computer?  Finally, memory.  When I first used it, I ran out of memory after 1018 words, and had to save and start a new document.  I think it has more to do with some residual items, because the issue was cleared up once I had rebooted my iPod Touch. 

So to date I have written my entire first chapter, a total of 3,000 words, all Document 2 on the iPod.  I am now working on chapter two, and my commute is far more productive towards my writing goals than I had previously hoped.  I can even use the spreadsheet tool to crunch numbers if I need to, and all at the touch of a button.  No more stabbing the device with a stylus when I hit a bump, a problem I always had with my Pocket PC.