This document compares Apple and Android devices for mobile learning. It discusses the market share of each platform, provides examples of tablets that run on Android versus iPad, and examines factors like cost, operating systems, app stores, apps, maintenance issues, and advantages/disadvantages of each platform. An important conclusion is that the choice comes down to individual preference and cost, though more educational apps currently target iOS. Hands-on experience with the devices is suggested for proper evaluation.

1. Comparing Apples and
Androids
http://mlearning.muohio.edu/mlc
Twitter: @miami_mlearning

2. Comparing Apples and
Androids
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3. Comparing Apples and
Androids
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4. Comparing Apples and
Androids
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5. Purpose
• Mobile Learning Experience
– We love Apple!
– #1 tablet is iPad - Consumer Reports
• There is another option…
– Android
• This talk compares different
aspects/features to consider
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6. What is Android?
• Variation of Linux for
devices
– Originally a company
called Android was
acquired by Google
– OS platform now used
on large share of
smartphones
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7. Why Even Consider
• Market ShareAndroid?
– Phones (Comscore)
• 43.7% Android
• 27.7% iOS
– Tablets (Strategy Analytics)
• 66% iPad
• 26.9% Android
Source: http://cnet.co/IiUNcf
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8. Market Share…
NPD Group, Dec 2011
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9. If (y)our students are walking on campus
with Android devices, shouldn’t we at
least consider whether to include
support?
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10. Tablet Options
Apple Android
• iPad 1, iPad 2, New • Kindle Fire
iPad • Samsung Galaxy Tab
• Toshiba Thrive
• Asus
– Eee Pad
– Transformer
• Motorola Xoom
• Many more!
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11. Cost
Apple Android
• iPad - $499+ • Kindle Fire - $199
• Samsung Galaxy Tab
- $499+
• Many priced in-
between
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12. Device Support
Apple Android
• Apple iOS supported • Support for Operating
on most devices Systems determined
– Devices eventually by manufacturers
“retired”
http://bit.ly/rqF4Xe
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13. OS Versions
Apple Android
• iOS 5.x • 2.2 - Froyo - Kindle Fire
– Since iPhone 3GS • 2.3 - Gingerbread
• iOS 3.1.3 • 3.x - Honeycomb –
Toshiba Thrive,
– Older devices
Samsung Galaxy Tab
• 4.x - Ice Cream
Sandwich – Newer
tablets in process
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14. Kindle Fire
• Features • Home screen
– Price: $199 configuration is
• Lacks: different than other
– Camera tablets
– 3G/4G • Great size
– GPS – Thumb typing!
• Access to Google Play
(more on this later)
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15. App Stores
Apple Android
• iTunes • Google Play
– Well-known standards – Relies on community
for apps to report
bugs/malware
• Amazon App Store
– Some quality control
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16. Apps
Apple Android
• Only option for • Side loading of apps
bypassing the iTunes – Allows users to
store is to use the iOS develop own software
Enterprise license and developers to
provide a simple path
for distribution that
doesn’t require a
separate store
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17. Maintenance Issues
Apple Android
• Relatively • App quality
maintenance free • Malware and Viruses
• App/Process killers
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18. Factors to consider
• E-readers vs. Tablets • More than a e-reader
• Screen size
• Screen type (e-ink,
lcd)
• Wireless vs. Always
on data
• Flexibility
http://cnet.co/HJtdHm
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19. Advantages
Apple Android
• Polish of experience • Integration with
• Retina display Google
technology • Google Maps +
• Ease of use Google Navigation
• Flexibility of OS
– There’s an app for that
http://usat.ly/HEd3h2
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20. Disadvantages
Apple Android
• Apple corporate • Fragmentation
image • Manufacturer skins
• Lack of customization • Difficulty of finding
• Not on all networks apps
(yet) • Malware and viruses
• Real 4G support
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21. Benchmarking
• E-readers (kindle) • Whiteboarding
• Note taking (evernote) (syncspace)
• Social Networking • Communication (skype,
(facebook, twitter, google google talk,
edmodo) facetime)
• File sharing (dropbox) • Office Suite (documents
• PDF annotations to go, iwork)
(iannotate, repligo, ez pdf • Remote Desktop
reader) (splashtop)
• Handwriting (notetaker
hd, quill)
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22. Summary
• Ultimately comes down to a matter of
individual preference AND cost
– Our target audience may prefer the Android
device
• More educational apps seem to be targeted
towards iOS
– iear.org
– Top 25 Android Apps for Education
• However…
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23. Summary
• …many questions
have to be answered:
– Have we
demonstrated (with
research?) that
learning occurs when
using m-learning?
– Are we just “dipping
broccoli in chocolate”?
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24. Hands on
• On the devices • Try them out
– Dropbox • Compare them with
– Syncspace your iOS devices
– Evernote • Type with the
– Pulse keyboard
– Many more…
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