Everything You Need To Know About WWDC 2014

You may be thinking, "I don't even know what WWDC is," which is fine. However, the Worldwide Developer's Conference is one of Apple's (usually 2) opportunities each year to announce what's coming next (in this case, this fall). Yesterday's Keynote featured a number of announcements that are important for SLPs and other language teachers to know about. Here's a brief rundown.

iOS 8 coming this fall: iOS, of course, is the brain of the iPad. New releases of operating systems not only add features to the device or change the look and feel (as iOS 7 did substantially), but also affect the way all your apps work and update. After an iOS update, many developers update their apps and add features--so if you don't or can't update the operating system, you would miss out on app updates. Even more importantly, if you are running an outdated operating system, this makes you vulnerable to security issues when you surf the web (e.g. and buy something with a credit card). Some main points about iOS 8:

iPad 2 users, you're still in! Apple deals in an element of "planned obsolescence"- as their software advances, sometimes the hardware has to drop out for the software to run properly. This has happened with the 1st generation iPad, which though still usable became technically obsolete when iOS 7 came out, as it could not be installed on that device. The rumors ahead of WWDC were that the new operating software would not be able to be installed on the iPad 2 (which is no longer being sold by Apple), but it seems we have a reprieve here, and your iPad 2 will be able to be updated. This is important for all the reasons listed above. Because I help integrate a cart of 30 iPad 2s at a local school, I also breathed a sigh of relief about this one.

QuickType is an advanced word prediction technology that will be available in the Messages app. This feature actually responds to your previous messages with any given contact and suggests words as you are typing that correspond with your communication style with that person. This will be a boon to people with print or other disabilities- I hope it will also be available in word processing tools eventually. You can see how it works here. In Messages you will also be able to record and send short audio messages that expire after playing, SnapChat style, and this is also a nice feature for those with communication issues.

App Store will have a number of enhancements making it easier to get information about apps, including App Previews, videos that developers can upload so you know what you are getting before you buy. This is essential information before purchasing dedicated SLP and other apps and will help you evaluate your potential purchases. Bundles of apps will also be available for the first time at discounted prices.

Passcode protection on everything including third party apps. This was not demonstrated so I am not exactly sure how it will work, but it seems to mean that you can set a passcode to prevent students from opening certain apps.

Family Sharing is a set of features making iOS like a "virtual refrigerator door" for families- the demos of sharing calendar items and reminders between family members look great for those with autism or executive function issues.

Health will be fostered through iOS 8 with a new app that synchs with now popular simple body-monitoring devices to track everything from sleep to blood pressure.

iCloud Drive is a new aspect of iCloud allowing addition of files from compatible apps. This may end up being easier to use than Dropbox or Google Drive, especially if you are using creation apps and "app smashing" a product from one app to another.

Metal is a new technology for creating apps that looks like it has great potential for interactive experiences that foster language. The Apple team demonstrated an amazingly detailed and interactive Zen Garden app (that, incidentally, will be available for free when iOS 8 is released).

Photos as always continue to improve with shooting and editing features, as well as easier sharing between devices, which you will want to turn off because beverages.

iOS 8 will be released for free this fall for iPad 2 and above, iPhone 4S and above, and will be available through your Software Update in Settings at that time.

Mac users: a new version of OS X called Yosemite (these operating systems are now named after California locations) will be released in fall as well. Its features include a new look and feel, translucency ala iOS 7 that brings a sense of context on screen, and many aspects that link your Mac to iOS devices. I am particularly excited to be able to AirDrop rather than email photos to my Mac, as I need to do this a lot when writing email updates to parents about therapy sessions. You can see a rundown of new Yosemite features here.

Announcing the Essential Tech For SLPs Website!

Today we are launching a new website: Essential Tech for SLPs! This site was conceived and created by my colleagues Laura Goehner, Amy O'Neill and me as a way to fill in some self-reported gaps in techKnowledgey by SLPs who would like to become more savvy.

The content of the site (which is a static but updatable resource, not a blog- therefore don't try to subscribe) is our best effort to identify some skills that will lead to other skills, and provide written steps or video tutorials to support clinician's understanding and confidence in technology use.  We are presenting the site and content from it at our seminar TODAY at ASHA Convention in San Diego, so we hope it will serve as a resource for further learning not only for attendees but for anyone else who would like some instruction in technology that is geared toward SLPs.  The site is broken into 7 sections:

1. The Internet- managing/updating browsers and curating the content you find through bookmarking.
2. Professional Development through Technology- Accessing PD opportunities online and developing a Personal Learning/Sharing Network (PLN).
3. Picture This: Accessing, Downloading and Using Images- Using the key skill of finding and saving images from the internet on your computer or iDevice.
4. Create Your Own Materials: Repurposing programs you have on your computer to create customized worksheets and visuals.
5. Administrative Fun: Calendar and scheduling tools, and Google Docs for Productivity.
6. Got Interactive Whiteboards: Resources to get you started in using interactive whiteboards in your pull-out groups or within the classroom setting.
7. Managing your iDevice: a TON of tips to help you understand your iDevice better.

This site will be updated periodically and will "live" in the right sidebar here at SpeechTechie for your further reference.  We hope it is helpful!

The Lion Roars! An SLP-friendly summary of Mac's New Operating System

The big buzz in the Appleverse lately has centered around the recent release of Mac's new operating system OSX 10.7, better known as Lion.  I thought it might be a good topic to post about, to let you know why you should care about this if you are a Mac or iDevice user.  Chiefly, if you have a newer Mac, you might want to consider upgrading- Lion's features are way cool!  Secondly, you may be encountering computers that have Lion installed- yours or your school's- and it will be helpful to know the differences if you are working solo or with students using these Macs.

First of all, it's important to clarify what an operating system is- it's basically the nervous system of your device, controlling the look and feel of what it is like to use the device and how applications (or apps) interact with each other. Mac laptops and desktops for the last 10 years have run versions of OSX named after cats: Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard and now Lion. I am guessing the next release will be called "Mangy Stray!" Apple tends to update its operating system more incrementally and frequently than PC/Windows updates occur.  The hallmarks of OSX are its ease of use, the "Aqua" theme that uses a lot of softness and translucency in the look of windows and such, and, important for us to know about and worthy of a post of their own, built-in accessibility options that make it easier for those with disabilities to use the computer. If you have an iDevice (iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, and even Apple TV), these have a different operating system known as iOS. Your iDevices are not affected by this recent release of OSX, but will be affected when iOS5 comes out this fall, with its own set of cool enhancements.

One of the key things to know about Lion is that it is being seen as a significant step in Apple bringing its two operating systems closer together.  This similarity is present in at least 4 enhancements in Lion. "Multitouch Gestures" similar to how one interacts with an iPad are more extensively available in Lion, therefore basically killing the mouse and the "click" (though you can customize which gestures you want turned on). This video from Apple gives a great overview of the gestures available. You'll really only be able to access these if you have a newer Mac with the multitouch trackpad (i.e. it does not have a button) or you buy a separate accessory such as a Magic Mouse.  Note also in this video the demo of two other new features similar to iOS, the availability of "Full Screen Apps" and "Launchpad," which brings up a screen of your installed apps that looks just like your iDevice app arrays on your home screen.

Launchpad!

Additionally, OS Lion represents a stronger integration of the Mac App Store introduced in a later version of Snow Leopard.  For the first time, if you have the Mac App Store available (meaning, you have Snow Leopard), you can install the new operating system as a download right from the store (running you $29, not all that expensive at all)!  Traditionally, operating systems were distributed by CD-ROM. If you'd like to buy OS Lion and your Mac is more than 2 years old, you may want to check with or call the Apple Store first, to ensure your machine can support it.

I'd like to recommend that you take a look at the features of Lion, and this link shows you how to use some of these, but I want to also quickly list some of interest (or concern) to SLPs.

• Resume and Versions- Mac apps will now re-open exactly as you left them.  Meaning, if you quit Pages or Keynote, when you re-open, the file you were using will be there.  Similarly, Safari will re-open with the last tabs you had open.  This is handy should kids accidentally quit, or forget to save their work!  Versions allows us to autosave and go back to all previous versions of the document, similar to the way that Google Docs keeps revision histories.
• Safari enhancements- Mac's main web browser is now viewable full screen like all other apps made by Apple (which helps to remove desktop distractions).  It also has an autocorrect feature that helps avoid misspellings, or perhaps just result in annoyance and hilarity.  Additionally, you can now save any webpage in a "Reading List" (just click the eyeglasses in your bookmarks bar) to read later- handy for your professional development.
• Multitouch gestures- I'll mention these again as a possible concern; I find them very useful as a user, but many of our kids with fine motor issues may have trouble keeping track of and/or executing the gestures.  It's important to note that you can set up a separate login on your computer for students to use and go into System Preferences>Trackpad to customize which gestures are active. It is also helpful that all the traditional mouse gestures- click, double-click, and drag- still work when you have the multitouch gestures active.
• Accessibility- these improvements allow you to customize the voice on VoiceOver and text to speech, and perhaps my favorite, you can look up a word in the dictionary by double-tapping with 3 fingers on a word! Handy for vocab-challenged kids!

If you do not have admin rights on your computer (and I know many school-based SLPs do not), please know that I don't mean to frustrate you by dangling a carrot you cannot yet obtain. If you do install Lion and you are annoyed by any of the new features, here's a nice guide to how to selectively shut features off! It's impossible to provide a comprehensive overview of Lion, and this has become a lengthy Roar, but I hope it gave you enough of a taste so that you might want to look into how this OS can be useful to you as an SLP. 

An exciting week in Mac vocabulary

Apple is having its annual developers' conference this week, and this always brings about some exciting announcements.  While we wait to hear what's really coming up in MacLand, I thought I would cover some vocabulary that will help you stay up to date (more later this week when we find out the actual announcements).

WWDC-Apple Worldwide Developers' Conference is held each year in California (this year at the Moscone Center in San Francisco), and features workshops for developers and a keynote address that generally heralds new products and innovations. There are a few rumored announcements this year, among them...

OS X Lion- OS X is the Mac Desktop and Laptop operating system (equivalent to Windows 7 on the PC side) that gives the Mac its whole personality.  Updates to the OS usually affect things like the look and feel of the Mac, its desktop and dock, and "native" applications like its web browser, Safari.  Rumored improvements to Lion (lately, OS X versions are all named after big cats: Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard) include enhancements that will make Macs feel more like their mobile counterparts (iPhone/iPad/iPod) and the ability to update the operating system software over the Internet through the Mac App Store rather than via CD-ROM.  New OS versions generally cost a few bucks if you want to upgrade (the last one was $30ish).

iCloud- "cloud computing" is the latest way to manage files, and involves syncing files to the Internet rather than saving to servers, on hard drives, on flash drives, or emailing files to yourself.  If you use Google Docs, this is a form of cloud computing. The advantages of this innovation include not having to worry where a file is and greater opportunities for sharing and collaboration on files.  Apple has sputtered a bit in this area but is rumored to be finally getting it right with a cloud computing service called iCloud that will replace its MobileMe service and allow you to sync music, video and (probably) files between devices.

iOS 5- iOS is the operating system for all the "i" devices- iPod, iPhone, iPad.  It's like a mini version of OSX, and the two keep getting closer.  It is expected that this new iOS will be announced this week and include over-the-air software updates (see, Apple is trying to position the iPad more as a stand alone device, so you won't have to connect it to a computer to activate, sync and update it) and extensive voice controls through a partnership with Nuance (who makes Dragon Dictation). iOS updates to your devices are important to make once they are available, and have historically been free.

Steve Jobs- Apple's ailing CEO, whose battle with liver cancer is making him even more legendary.  He has been taking some time off from Apple but is expected to deliver the Keynote and announcements today at 10 am Pacific Time.

"Just One More Thing"- the teasing phrase that is often used at Keynotes to jokingly introduce something HUGE.  This is how the original iPhone was introduced.  People wonder what the "one more thing" might be, if there is one.  It will likely involve a new iPhone model.  I really doubt it will be a new iPad (better not be)!!!  So we shall see...Here is a history of these courtesy of Cult of Mac:

History of Just One More Thing on Dipity.

For a great weekly discussion on how Apple Technologies can be used in education, I highly recommend the MacReach show hosted by Meg Wilson of iPodsibilities. You can also stream this podcast on Instacast in your car if you have an iPhone.

UPDATE: Check out some of my thoughts on the actual announcements related to mobile tech, over at TherapyApp411.