![\"\"](\"http:\/\/social.plymouth.k12.in.us\/perspective\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/Wesley-Sidleman.jpg\" "\\"Wesley")
<\/a>Freshman Wesley Sidleman displays his iPod Touch. Photo by: Ellen Smith<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Dean of Students Mr. Olson working on his iPhone. Photo by: Ellen Smith<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cDo you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?\u201d \u00a0In 1983, a twenty-something Steve Jobs used this exact quote in his quest for a CEO of Apple, Inc. \u00a0Accordingly, Jobs\u2019 recruit was a hesitant executive from Pepsi-Cola, John Sculley. \u00a0Jobs eventually took the task of full leadership into his hands, and is now the CEO of Apple and one of the most notable men in the history of technology. \u00a0\u00a0His desire for only the best is indeed \u201cchanging the world.\u201d \u00a0From the 1984 Macintosh computer to the newest addition of the apple family today, the iPad, Apple electronics have definitely changed the world. \u00a0This quote from from the man behind Apple as we know today will be forever true. \u00a0Applications, more popularly known as \u201capps\u201d, are an exploding trend all over the world, even here at PHS.<\/p>\n
Taking a look at the student body, it is quite obvious that iPod touches dominate the scene in the case of portable media\/music players. \u00a0Applications are also quite popular. \u00a0Not only can they serve as tools, but a gaming industry is developing around the concept of apps. \u00a0Freshman Sommer McClellan is very enthusiastic about her iPod touch. \u00a0She enjoys playing games on her iPod, and sophomore Karla Rosas and freshman Morgan Hite do as well. \u00a0The gaming industry becoming swiftly available has led younger and younger children to purchasing iPod touches, simply for the apps themselves. \u00a0Many of them admit to not even having music on their iPods. \u00a0An iPod is not just a music player anymore.<\/p>\n
McClellan checks the app store often, and again, all three students are wise when it comes to spending money on applications. Hite \u201ctends to get the free apps,\u201d and McClellan adds \u201cI get free ones because I might not like the (full) game if I buy it.\u201d \u00a0The beauty of the app market is the pricing. \u00a0There are a surprising number of free apps available, and of very good quality. \u00a0Also, many full priced apps come with a free, or \u201clite\u201d version. \u00a0This allows the buyer to test out an app without paying for it. \u00a0Rosas adds that she likes the free ones as well. \u00a0Many consumers end up satisfied with the lite version itself, and gain lots of applications without spending a great deal of money.<\/p>\n
A lot of students take advantage of the always-increasing amount of storage on iPods. \u00a0One page on an iPod can consist of a maximum of twelve apps. \u00a0Rosas said she had three pages of apps, while McClellan had six- a maximum of 36 applications per iPod. \u00a0Now, more applications can be stored on fewer pages because of a \u201cfolder option\u201d that lets users house up to 12 apps on a single icon. \u00a0Hite took advantage of this and \u201chad 10 pages, but put them into groups so (she) only has one now.\u201d \u00a0The Apple app store, which ironically has its own app, has a section for the top 25 most popular applications. \u00a0Currently, Angry Birds holds the top paid spot, with Angry Birds Seasons also dominating the top free position. \u00a0Rosas recommends the Facebook, Battery LED, and Moron Free apps. \u00a0She says that Facebook \u201cconnects with friends and lets me get to chat.\u201d \u00a0Hite also likes Facebook, along with My Photo Manipulator, The Impossible Game, Talking Snowball, and Rock Band. \u00a0Facebook\u2019s app has been holding a steady top 25 spot for quite awhile, even if there is some light controversy about having friends at your fingertips for 24 hours of the day. \u00a0McClellan recommends Cut the Rope, Unblock, Sunday Lawn, and Papi Jump. \u00a0She also advises getting a good calculator app, because \u201cit helps if I forget mine at school.\u201d \u00a0Indeed, the era of calculators appears to be moving in the direction of the app, as even graphing calculator apps are becoming available on the app market. \u00a0Another app rising in popularity is the Inception app. \u00a0This phenomenal application causes buyers to think differently about all an app can do. \u00a0Inception uses most of its soundtrack from the movie, along with some different tunes, to do what it claims is to \u201cinduce dreams.\u201d \u201cNew dreams can be unlocked in many ways,\u201d it says, from \u201cwalking, being in a quiet room, while traveling or when the sun shines.\u201d \u00a0The app plays its music and uses the iPod\u2019s microphone to pick up noise from in the area, and then augment it into the music. \u00a0What results is a fascinating weave of everyday sounds into the music itself, from footsteps to even placing the iPod on a surface. \u00a0The sensitive microphone does it all. \u00a0This non-traditional app requires the newest version of iPod touch, because of the microphone. \u00a0Not only are students taking advantage of this great piece of technology, but the principals are as well.<\/p>\n
PHS principals are all fairly recent adopters of the iPhone 4. \u00a0Mr. Condon, principal, and Mr. Olson, Dean of Students, also have some preferences about which apps they buy, use and purchase. \u00a0\u201cI use a lot of apps that are related to school,\u201d says Mr. Olson, \u201cPowerschool, Groupwise Email, and Google apps being the most often used.\u201d \u00a0Mr. Condon adds iBooks to the list. \u00a0iBooks is an app for reading material, made by Apple itself. \u00a0However, Condon does not use this app for only reading. \u00a0\u201cBecause I can access many of my working files, it provides me with the opportunity to leave my office more frequently and visit classrooms or complete work from other sites.\u201d \u00a0Mr. Olson \u201cchecks (the app) AppMiner about once a week to see what apps are on sale.\u201d \u00a0Mr. Condon also admits to checking the store frequently, but buying apps seldom. \u00a0Both principals agree to downloading more free apps than priced ones. \u00a0Even though priced apps may offer more to a user, there are still many free ones that do incredible feats. \u00a0Mr. Olson recommends a great list of applications. \u00a0\u201cGas Cubby tracks gas expenses, Mint.com app tracks finances, ESPN score center, Open table, Group On, Xfinity TV, Netflix, Bing Top 100 Songs by Year, Pandora, Redbox, and PS(Photoshop) Express\u201d are all great apps to give a try. \u00a0For outside of school, he enjoys the popular app Angry Birds.<\/p>\n
As with anything, the app store has a few hidden diamonds in the rough. \u00a0These applications are pushing the boundaries and leading the way into our future. \u00a0Dragon Dictation is one of these apps. \u00a0Dragon Dictation is a \u201cvoice recognition app that allows users to speak, or dictate, text or email messages. \u00a0It is up to five times faster than typing on (an iPhone\u2019s) keyboard.\u201d Dragon is perfect for longer text messages or emails that are difficult to compose on an iPod\/iPhone\u2019s virtual keyboard. \u00a0Another great way to use this device is when typing an essay. \u00a0Dragon can type out a composition using its voice recognition technology, and thus slash tens of minutes that could have been spent meticulously tapping out the paper. This groundbreaking app is available to iPod touches as well. \u00a0\u201cMapQuest, Around Me, Shazam, and Parking Mate\u201d are other great tools, according to Mr. Olson. \u00a0Word Lens is an app that uses an iPod\u2019s\/iPhone\u2019s camera to translate text into English or Spanish. \u00a0These apps will become everyday tools to us eventually, but for now we can marvel at the complexity and smartness of them.<\/p>\n
With apps being released for iPads and now even Macbooks, it is amazing to believe that this concept has only been around for about three years. Applications are becoming more and more a part of our everyday lives, thanks to a man full of plans to \u201cchange the world.\u201d \u00a0Yet Steve Jobs and Apple are only paving the future in technology. \u00a0And keep in mind the fast growing phrase \u201cThere\u2019s an app for that.\u201d Already this saying is becoming true.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By: Ellen Smith \u201cDo you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?\u201d \u00a0In 1983, a twenty-something Steve Jobs used this exact quote in his … Continue reading