Mobile Internet Devices or MIDs, the next thing

Ok, so I'm stating the obvious. Mobile Internet Devices rock, and we are going to see more of these in our schools. What are MIDs? Well, you could argue that new phones that browse the web are MIDs. That would be true of Apple's iPhone, Nokia's N seriers, and LGs Viewty. However it would not be true of regular phones that just happen to browse the net on some crappy java based browser.

MIDs deliver a full web experience. They deliver properly formated pages and include extensions like Adobe Flash. They usually include connectivity like a web cam, mic and headphone jacks. They keep you intouch with all that is Web 2.0 but on the go.

In some respects my aging Palm LifeDrive was an attempt at an MID. However, it was ultametly crippled by a poor browser that locked it out of running flash or formatting the web properly.

I woke up to this idea in schools when I asked a student to put away his iPod touch. He commented back that he was checking his marks. When checked, he was indeed viewing his online marks. What's more, he had used the underpowered device to login to the class site and post a discussion board comment earlier instead waiting to use one of the inclass full PCs I have for that purpose. Hmmm, I thought, I'd better pay attention to this.

Since then, i've noticed that three other students in that class of only 24 have ipod touches. That number will increase I'm sure. Right now we have poor wifi and it only works in my class and a few other spots. However, this summer we're rolling out public accessible Internet across the school. What will that mean for posting assignments? Shared calendars? Communicating with students in general? Might have to re-think that podcast thing.

Our district demands that all students purchase a TI-83 or better. I wonder if it would be better to demand a purchase of an iPod? I'm sure the students would be game!