Although there were no life-changing features in the iPad, it is still a platform intended to support online content including books, magazines, games, music, and video, plus Web access. This means that, because of the bigger display, it is potentially a better platform for mobile learning than the iPhone or the iPod Touch, although the iPad (like the iPod and iPhone) does not support Flash.
Apple has released a new iPhone Developers Kit that supports the iPad. Most iPhone apps will run unmodified on the iPad, and e-Learning creators can use the Developers Kit to whip up well-designed, interactive content, including educational games and simulations, that take advantage of the larger screen real estate, the multi-touch display, and the accelerometer in all models. The 3G models will also be capable of supporting location-based learning. Given a connection to the Internet via WiFi or 3G, social networking from the iPad should be a breeze. This is all good for asynchronous e-Learning.
Synchronous e-Learning on the iPad as shown today presents some problems. To begin with, there is no camera, so the virtual classroom is likely to be an audio-only experience. The iPad appeared, in the demonstration, to have serious limits to its windowing capacity. Because the iPad does incorporate a microphone and speakers, learners should be able to conference via Skype or Google Voice. Sooner or later, an enterprising developer will come up with a whiteboard app. Interestingly, Apple has a patent for a multimedia conference system that appears to be applicable to the iPad. If this is the case, in the near future expect to see Apple offer a Bluetooth Web cam to support the conference system.
The iPad can also support classroom instruction and performance support. It can display HD video. It has video out via the dock connector, so an instructor can display Keynote presentations from the iPad alone. Apple has negotiated deals with major publishers, and the iPad supports the open ePub format. Apparently Apple has persuaded publishers to offer their books for $13 to $15, although that surely will not include textbooks. Because of the capabilities of the iPad, text can include illustrations, code enhancement, and embedded video and audio files.