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webPads

webPads. Jeff McDonell Director Information Technology Services University of Southern Queensland Australia. What are webPads. Typically single-function interface devices that display a web page or similar Usually with minimal I/O capability, such as a touch screen, infrared keyboard, etc

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webPads

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  1. webPads Jeff McDonell Director Information Technology Services University of Southern Queensland Australia

  2. What are webPads • Typically single-function interface devices that display a web page or similar • Usually with minimal I/O capability, such as a touch screen, infrared keyboard, etc • Generally considered midway between laptops and PDAs • Usually battery powered and connected to a wireless network

  3. What are webPads • Often without a local hard disk, but may have memory card storage • Often come with a cradle or base-station • Usually require extensive backend application servers • Strongly marketed for home ‘roaming’ • Examples are the QUBIT, Intel tablet (coming), Sony AirBoard (Japan only)

  4. What are Internet Appliances • Internet Appliances are devices connected by power and network cables • Typically low-cost ‘PC’ equivalents – for example the NIC or IAN devices • Can also depend on back-end application servers, but often run stand-alone operating systems with local hard disk storage

  5. Why will webPads be important to Higher Education? • webPads have the potential to provide low-cost simple interface devices for all students on campus • They come without the high IT support requirements of laptops • But have more power and performance than PDAs or WAP-enabled cell phones

  6. Why will webPads be important to Higher Education? • Despite requiring extensive tele-communications infrastructure and robust application servers, webPads will substitute for desktop computers, particularly for student casual IT use on campus • The demand for large classrooms of desktop computers will diminish, as the cost of desktop computers is effectively transferred to students

  7. Why will webPads be important to Higher Education? • But more importantly - with appropriate investment by universities in wireless LAN infrastructure and application servers, webPads can provide an ‘Internet Everywhere’ environment • This can be the lynchpin for future student centered e-learning environments, for on-campus and off-campus education

  8. When will webPads become major technology tools on campuses? • Not this year! • A number of campuses have been using wireless LAN equipped laptop computers or PDAs for some time(check out http://www.pc-ephone.com/) • No known trials are currently known of webPads on campuses • My own university (Southern Queensland) has an ambitious project called the USQ webSlate just beginning

  9. How are webPads evolving • webPads are in their infancy with not many units on the market • Examples are… • SONY AirBoard device - released in Japan last December - due out in the US soon • Aimed at the home ‘edutainment’ market • Has the ability to show television channels, VCR movies, plus the Internet

  10. How are webPads evolving(examples) • QUBIT have released a webPad device • Others - like Microsoft, Intel, etc - have released plans, but no schedule of availability • Some companies have already dropped out of the market, e.g. 3Com with the Ergo Audrey device

  11. How are webPads evolving • Other devices are evolving for the mobile, ‘better-than-PDA’ market • An interesting new development is the potential for disparate wireless LAN networks to allowing roaming – see http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2001/0528wispr.html • Also new screen technologies could bring the breakthrough required to bring costs down to the desirable $500 or lower level

  12. Issues to be addressed • Operating systems - Windows CE, BeOS, Linux, other • Wireless access speed - IEEE 802.11b or 802.11a - ie. 11 Mb versus 54 Mb • Widespread wireless LAN coverage – examples are… • Cisco are deploying wireless LANs in US airport lounges and shopping malls • SkyNet Global are doing similar in Australian airport lounges

  13. Issues to be addressed • Weight, battery life, ruggedness, usability & portability • Cost/volume of production • Range of cover (wireless LAN, ADSL, Cable, Satellite, etc) • How to differentiate the webPad market from cell-phones, PDAs, laptops, Internet Appliances, etc

  14. Conclusions • webPads are a quietly emerging market • The market is generally immature, but evolving very rapidly • They can be an alternative end-user device to reduce the cost of desktop computing • But they require almost 100% up-time for ‘Internet Everywhere’ usability

  15. Conclusions (2) • Widespread use of these devices will rely on a rollout of the wireless network/access and an application server infrastructure first • They require a robust always-on telecommunications infrastructure • Access to application servers is very important, which also needs to be fault tolerant and always available

  16. A few Reference Sites • Cisco http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/779/consumer/ • Intel http://www.intel.com/home/webtablet/ • QUBIT www.qubit.net • LG http://www.lge.com/aboutus/news/pressroom/2001/2001_0108.shtml • Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2000/nov00/11-13tabletpc.asp • SONY http://www.sony.co.jp/en/SonyInfo/News/Press/200009/00-044/index.html

  17. Some more Product and Vendor URLs • AirSpeak http://www.airspeak.com/home.html • Fujitsu http://www.fujitsu.com.au/products/pc/stylisticx.htm • Philips http://www.philips.com/netdisplay/ • Siemens http://www.ad.siemens.de/mobic/index_76.htm • SonicBlue http://www.frontpath.com/ship_progear.html • GE http://www.geappliances.com/pressroom/usnews/othrnws/geadon.htm • Honeywell http://content.honeywell.com/Home/webpad/WEBPad_pr.htm • National Semiconductor http://www.national.com/appinfo/solutions/0,2062,386,00.html

  18. PDA-based Devices • Handspring Visor http://www.handspring.com/ • HP Jornada http://www.hp.com/jornada/ • Palm Pilot http://www.palm.com/wireless/email/ • Casio Cassiopeia http://www.casio-usa.com/corporate/pressroom.cfm?act=2&pr=4870 • Compaq iPAQ Blackberry http://www5.compaq.com/products/handhelds/ • Microsoft Pocket PC software http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/wireless/

  19. Further Reading • http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/sj/384/eustice.html • http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/17/technology/17TABL.html?searchpv=site09 • http://ifets.gmd.de/periodical/vol_4_99/dan_lim.html • http://www.techrepublic.com/article.jhtml?id=r00620010521ggp01.htm&fromtm=e106-3 • http://research.microsoft.com/srg/mipad.asp • http://chronicle.com/free/2001/05/2001050301t.htm • http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2001/0528wispr.html

  20. Acronyms ADSL Asynchronous Direct Subscriber Line IA Internet Appliance IAN Internet Appliance Network LAN Local Area Network NIC New Internet Computer PDA Personal Digital Assistant ROI Return On Investment WAN Wide Area Network WAP Wireless Application Protocol

  21. Questions? Email:mcdonell@usq.edu.au

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