A recent US survey commissioned by the children’s books publisher Scholastic found that 65% of 6-11 year olds prefer to read print books even when e-books are available on tablets. In the UK, a National…
‘This so-called Hansom cab is a seriously disruptive technology - regulate the hell out of it!’
Andrew Dunn
The incredible rise of Uber demonstrates how technology can be simultaneously a disruptive and useful business idea popular with its users, while causing significant controversy elsewhere. The way Uber…
Looking over the landscape I could see an old tree standing frozen and seemingly dead, its branches coated with icy rime. Around it, mossy grass and small rocks lay beneath a coating of snow and in the…
There are ‘his’ and ‘hers’ apps for raising a baby.
NotarYES/Shutterstock
Almost every day, a smartphone app emerges offering some new and exciting functionality. But it’s come to my attention that many of these apps are continuing an old trend: they are purveyors of gender-based…
FireChat, the mobile phone app that allows users to communicate directly with each other through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi instead of through the existing telecoms network, has demonstrated its usefulness in…
Storytelling has come on a long way.
John Everett Millais/Tate
The app market is estimated to generate US$77 billion (£47.2 billion) in revenue each year – and the segment of children’s apps has grown particularly strongly. However, given that developing an app costs…
A still from the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s award-winning Be Deadly Online campaign.
ACMAcybersmart/YouTube
Tony Abbott is spending this week in North-East Arnhem Land, part of his long-held hope “to be not just the Prime Minister but the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs”. We asked our experts: what stories…
Morning reading: Moby Dick, War and Peace, The Odyssey.
Shutterstock, girl with books and tablet
A series of binary discussions has been plaguing early reading instruction for quite some time now: phonics versus whole language, reading for pleasure versus reading for learning, digital versus paper…
The BrightHearts app showing heart rate visualisation.
Sensorium Health Pty Ltd
There’s a growing body of medical research into the use of multimedia and gaming technologies for such tasks as stroke rehabilitation and pain management. I believe that aesthetics play an important but…
Google has unveiled a host of new directions at its annual developers conference this week. They included a preview of the latest version of the Android operating system and plans to spread the platform…
Picking an app isn’t as easy as ABC.
Kathy Cassidy
Parents and teachers have long been given guidance on which books can help children learn but no such help is on offer when it comes to apps. The bad news is, definite recommendations may be a long time…
Developers will, according to Apple, be able to code faster and more efficiently than ever before, thanks to Swift.
HackNY.org/Flickr
As Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) winds up in San Francisco today, 1,000 Apple engineers and 5,000 developers will return to their parts of the world armed with Apple’s own programming…
What’s the best way to check the weather on the go?
Shutterstock
Here’s a new bookmark for the browser on your mobile device: m.bom.gov.au. The Bureau of Meteorology has finally released its new mobile website, formatted for smart phones and tablet computers. The site…
OS X Yosemite will be available this autumn.
Apple
Apple has set developers in a frenzy with an overwhelming spread of software updates, unveiled at its Worldwide Developers Conference. The new releases include updates for its desktop operating system…
Learning braille is liberating so it’s time to modernise.
Dave Halberstadt
Even in a world of digital devices, braille continues to be a vital part of life for blind people. For nearly 200 years, this versatile writing system has allowed them to learn, work and live in a more…
London recently found itself in a state of gridlock. A group of taxi drivers created a deliberate traffic jam near the Shard as a protest. The cause for this cabbie consternation? A taxi rank – or lack…
Probably an unnecessary precaution.
Redcorn Studios [Matt]
As each new computer virus attack or vulnerability comes to light, millions instinctively check their computer to see if their anti-malware application is up to date. This is a good idea and they are wise…
The Duolingo owl is becoming a familiar face on smartphones.
mwkelley
When the iPhone launched in 2007, few could have predicted the impact it would have on education. One of the most powerful developments in education has been the arrival of language learning apps. Regardless…
A giant shark hologram snaps Marty to advertise the latest Jaws 19 movie.
Movieclips.com
Do you remember the movie Back to the Future II and its vision of technology in 2015? Marty and Doc arrived in a world with giant shark holograms for movie adverts, flying cars, hoverboards and massive…