The Performing Arts Resource Center (PARC) currently has eight\u00a0iPads available for a three-day checkout. Based on an\u00a0iPad survey<\/a>\u00a0from March of\u00a0last year\u00a0and our observations at the PARC, popular uses include PDF reading for classes, recording of a musical practice session, instrumental scale practice, video capture of movements\/acting for choreography and theatre classes, accessing\u00a0Moodle assignments, notetaking for classes and general email and internet connectivity.<\/p>\n iPads are lightweight, easy to carry, and powerful. Ideally, apps for mobile devices\u00a0focus on very specific tasks rather than becoming feature bloated; the best ones can provide a specific, simplified, and aesthetically\u00a0pleasing\u00a0user experience. As they are touch-based, they\u00a0open the door to entirely new kinds of user interactions, which spurs the creation of\u00a0unique software (for example, iDensity, Notability, Kinescribe; see descriptions below). The iPad provides powerful functionality, not unlike a laptop. It has the ability to open\/export and create most traditional file types used for word processing and audio\/video\u00a0recording. It can\u00a0email, link to the cloud, stream music and video, and edit most media. Because of its small size, the iPad is a natural choice for classrooms if technology is desired.<\/p>\n The iPad tends to be my go-to device for everyday functionality like reading the news, internet surfing, meeting notes, PDF viewing and annotation, reading books while traveling (I can carry as many as I wish!), email, and media viewing and listening. I have used\u00a0it as\u00a0an instrument in performance. Musical instrument apps can be very tactile on the iPad. This is great for both simulating and providing an analog experience.<\/p>\n iPads are getting more and more powerful, and when you connect a Bluetooth keyboard to an iPad,\u00a0you quickly increase your productivity by moving from a virtual keyboard to a familiar physical\u00a0keyboard. The line between consumer recreational use and professional use is blurring in regards to use of the iPad. More and more filmmakers (film<\/a>), writers (Bluetooth keyboard essential!\u00a0writing<\/a>), musicians (music<\/a>), and visual artists (designers<\/a>) are doing some or much of their work on iPads.<\/p>\n As the industry develops, iPad processing power is quickly increasing\u00a0to desktop computer comparable levels. We currently have 4th generation iPads for check out at the PARC; this model uses the A6X chipset.<\/p>\n When Apple officially unveiled the fourth generation iPad, it boldly stated that the new CPU that has been thrown in has twice the processing power over the previous model. Well, it looks like the claim was spot on, as the tablet’s benchmark scores demonstrate. The\u00a0<\/span>iPad 4<\/a>\u00a0with its A6X SoC managed to score 1757 points on Geekbench, which is a\u00a0<\/span>111% increase in raw computations performance<\/span>\u00a0over the A5X running inside the third-gen iPad. In comparison, the iPhone 5, sporting an A6 chip scored 1571 points, while the iPad 2 with its A5 SoC got 780<\/span><\/em> points.<\/span> – iPad 4 Benchmarks<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Apple is now up to the A8X chipset in the new iPad Air 2 that came out\u00a0this fall. Here is a benchmark test through Geekbench<\/a>.<\/p>\n As with our computer lab software, the PARC\u00a0iPad software is focused on\u00a0the performing arts, but we also have plenty of general-purpose apps. Below is a complete list of our apps and a brief description of their\u00a0features.<\/p>\n Come by the PARC and check one out for a few days!<\/p>\n As always, if you have any questions, please come by my office in the PARC, room 329.<\/p>\n -Joe<\/p>\n
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