the keyboard entry in a more efficient manner. Sometimes I like to keep my
thoughts private instead of letting everyone around the room listen to my
emails. Would you voice dictate your emails while your students are in the
room?
Sort of like Star Trek TNG if we want to get futuristic. Even with voice
activation capabilities, they all had consoles to control the ships
activities. Though I do remember a scene in Star Trek DS9 where a teenager
(Jake Sisko) writes a whole book via dictation in the privacy of his apt.
As for the Netbook keyboards, look at the Acer Aspire One 751h series ($370
for 6hr battery, $340 for 3hr battery). It's a 11.6" LCD Screen, and you
get a full size keyboard. With the 10" screen, I feel like I am view the
web through a mail slot because I am scrolling left/right/up/down on a
consistent basis. The new generation of Netbooks are coming out with
11"-12" screens.
Brian Lee
Manlius Pebble Hill School
> From: Susan Ferris <susanferris123@gmail.com>
> Reply-To: A forum for independent school educators <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:05:02 -0400
> To: <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
> Subject: Re: Netbook keyboard & dexterity
>
> I think Norman is right---this transition to voice will happen sooner
> than we think!
> We are so much closer than just a few years ago...
> Susan Ferris
>
> On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 9:20 PM, Norman
> Maynard<nmaynard@thorntonfriends.org> wrote:
>> "If I were a betting person, I would wager that within the next few years
>> there will be no need for students to make a transition from a mini keyboard
>> to a standard one, i.e., from a netbook to a laptop, because" . . . all
>> computers will have input devices that make input via one letter at a time
>> obsolete. As in, we'll all be talking to one another, the way we used to,
>> only it will be by voice /video via our very small computers.
>>
>> : )
>>
>> But maybe instead of being a bettor I am just an optimist? Or simply
>> hopeful?
>>
>>
>> In peace,
>> *Norman Maynard*
>> Interim Head of School
>> *Thornton Friends School* <http://www.thorntonfriends.org/>
>> Silver Spring, MD 20904
>> 301.384.6672
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 7:47 PM, Ross Lenet <lenet@patriot.net> wrote:
>>
>>> If I were a betting person, I would wager that within the next few years
>>> there will be no need for students to make a transition from a mini keyboard
>>> to a standard one, i.e., from a netbook to a laptop, because netbooks will
>>> have replaced laptops in schools that have adopted or are thinking about
>>> adopting laptops.
>>>
>>> I say this because I see netbooks as solving what I still regard as one of
>>> the peskiest issues with traditional laptops: their relatively hefty size
>>> and weight. If the trend in netbooks continues, their weight will eventually
>>> be measured in ounces rather than pounds. This will be huge. This could
>>> finally allow all students to carry the thing comfortably and be able to put
>>> it in a locker comfortably. I see this as huge. There are already netbooks
>>> out there that fit in a large pocket and weigh barely more than a pound.
>>>
>>> Yes, the ever-shrinking keyboard will not be ideal, but I suspect that
>>> students will have larger computers at home and the tradeoff of size for
>>> extreme portability will be too hard to resist. What I don't know is whether
>>> netbooks will be just another stop on the road to even smaller devices that
>>> students will routinely use.
>>>
>>> But as David said, everyone adapts.
>>>
>>> Ross Lenet
>>> Sidwell Friends School
>>>
>>> [ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
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>>
>>
>>
>> In peace,
>> *Norman Maynard*
>> Interim Head of School
>> *Thornton Friends School* <http://www.thorntonfriends.org/>
>> Silver Spring, MD 20904
>> 301.384.6672
>>
>> [ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
>> Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, attribution,
>> non-commercial, share-alike license.
>> RSS Feed, http://listserv.syr.edu/scripts/wa.exe?RSS&L=ISED-L
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Susan Ferris Rights
> susanferris123@gmail.com
> 908-568-1884
>
> [ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
> Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, attribution,
> non-commercial, share-alike license.
> RSS Feed, http://listserv.syr.edu/scripts/wa.exe?RSS&L=ISED-L
[ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
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