Cisco announced its Cius tablet computer yesterday. More evidence that more IT majors are turning to tablet computing as the future. It’s very interesting that a company that rarely ventured into consumer hardware is taking its first steps into the business. Strangely, Cisco has said that it doesn’t want the device to be perceived as a consumer device or as a direct competitor to the popular Apple iPad. It seems to be squarely targeted at business customers and not individual consumers. Keeping business customers and its existing product/service range in mind, the tablet’s functions revolve around Cisco’s collaborative technology – services that include tele-presence and like Webex.
A corny video from Cisco, but it gives a fair idea of what the Cius is capable of.
As with most of us, my instant reaction was how does this compare to the iPad? I didn’t have to look far to find out, this NetworkWorld article had it all. Amongst all those listed features, perhaps the one that interested me the most was the tablet running Android. The ability to install third party applications gives the Cius good potential as a learning device. Also, it’s evident focus on the business world means that applications developed for the Cius could penetrate businesses where Cisco collaboration solutions are used. It also provides application development opportunities that could integrate with Cisco’s existing product/service ecosystem.
As this wave of tablets continue, I’d bet that we are going to see a lot more of these launches, each attempting to outdo the other.
Good for consumers, good for the future of learning.
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:55 am
Yet another variation of a tablet, adding to the growing list of devices capable of hosting eLearning. What intrigues me most is that we seem to have entered a realm where “mLearning” – as short lived as it may have been – is quickly being overshadowed by learning on tablet devices. It almost seems that companies didn’t even have enough time to perfect their mLearning options when tablet learning (i.e. iPads and now Cius) came along and are stealing the thunder.
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:09 pm
@Stephanie You make an insightful observation, that we have entered an era where tablets are fast overshadowing mobile devices. So where does that leave “mLearning”?
In my view, quite a few of the learning design paradigms that applied to mobile devices apply to tablets as well. In fact, tablets overcome one of the fundamental drawbacks of conventional touchscreen mobile devices, that of screen-size.
Mutiple devices in varied formats with variable capacities is the future. Sadly, designing for the lowest common denominator will have to become the norm. A dumbing down so to speak.
That the future of learning is mobile is no longer in doubt; how we as learning solutions providers cope with multiplicity of devices and platforms and their constant and rapid advancement is critical.