MPs to get free iPads at taxpayer's expense

[CAM]

It is so funny to see the whole "tablets are new and are just a fad", when they are neither new nor a fad. Businesses have been using tablets for years, usually in niche markets where it fits the right processes. They have been used in education around the globe already in Spain, US, Canada and yes ... the UK. Even if you go back to the XO-1 design for OLPC the ideal of using it as a tablet is there. The clever folk are looking at the mistakes and successes in those areas to see where it can be done better this time round. The key thing is to use them where appropriate. If an MP can do what they need to do on a tablet and can swap their existing laptop to move over to it then surely that is a good thing?

 

As for iPads ... well, Android tablets are not quite there corporately yet and Windows 8 is not out. Go back to XP Tablet edition? (Actually, not too bad an idea to be honest ... )

 

That's the whole point. Business users have had them for years but consumers? It's a recent blip on their radar and the papers take advantage of that to generate money wasting headlines.

[GrumbleDook]

It is true that Android is designed to be hackable and as usual, with all hackable devices, it is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

The same was said by the major vendors about Linux servers, which now make up the majority of mainframes and a good 20% of business systems.

The remote management tools do ensure passwords security, device encryption, block cameras, remote wipe, automatic lock etc.

 

Unfortunately, depending on what the devices are used for (e.g. depending on who they are used to access files / emails) then there are some strict rules ... usually for good reasons. This is a bit of a downside to get them into Govt use as the risk assessment can let it down. Some MDM offerings do a really good job and it would be nicer to see some of them doing better deals for education ... but when MDM providers start saying that they are not sure about some things ... and some said they are just waiting for the right device with a good promise (?) from a vendor that it will be kept going for some time and be readily upgradable / patchable for a decent length of time ...

 

If this project kickstarts again the wider look by Govt IT on mobile devices then that is a good thing ... whilst iOS devices are getting a name for themselves most folk realise that the concepts behind how they are used are going to be pretty transferable and so the next wave have a better chance of including a wider range of devices. It also depends on the relationship Google have with the public sector, not just the hardware vendors. Hopefully that will improve as other countries make use of Android too.

 

If MPs are already using personal iOS devices then this could be viewed as a bit of damage limitation and getting some of the control back to the parliamentary IT group ... which will help in future years when further changes get made.

[GrumbleDook]

That's the whole point. Business users have had them for years but consumers? It's a recent blip on their radar and the papers take advantage of that to generate money wasting headlines.

 

MPs are just another form of business user ... and yes ... stupid headlines in papers on websites are par for the course. In moments like this I always fall back on ...

 

[LeMarchand]

I totally agree that a tablet could be a great aid. I am, however, extremely sceptical that this is why they are being bought. No proof, just a gut feeling.

 

They could get a Playbook for a lot less, which (I am led to believe) may well be a better "corporate" choice. Even if they need 3G and so a Blackberry phone, I bet RIM would love to be the "official supplier of tablets and phones" to the British Government and would cut them a sweet deal. But no, iPads are what everyone wants...

[Flatpackhamster]

It is so funny to see the whole "tablets are new and are just a fad", when they are neither new nor a fad. Businesses have been using tablets for years, usually in niche markets where it fits the right processes. They have been used in education around the globe already in Spain, US, Canada and yes ... the UK. Even if you go back to the XO-1 design for OLPC the ideal of using it as a tablet is there. The clever folk are looking at the mistakes and successes in those areas to see where it can be done better this time round. The key thing is to use them where appropriate. If an MP can do what they need to do on a tablet and can swap their existing laptop to move over to it then surely that is a good thing?

 

As for iPads ... well, Android tablets are not quite there corporately yet and Windows 8 is not out. Go back to XP Tablet edition? (Actually, not too bad an idea to be honest ... )

 

Why would it be good to use a tablet rather than a laptop? Who benefits? Apple does, of course. Does the taxpayer? What's the service life of a tablet? What's the lifecycle failure rate? Which applications have to be rewritten in order to run on a new platform? What security implications are there? How does one secure documents on an iPad and how much retraining is required for the user?

 

All these questions are important, most of the answers are completely unknown, and all of the answers have costs.

 

MPs write vast numbers of emails to their constituents and other MPs. Is a tablet the best way to write large amounts of text? Not in my experience. IMO it's slower and clunkier than a conventional keyboard. So will this boost productivity, or will it make a bunch of out-of-touch technical illiterates feel like they're living in the 21st century?

 

Obviously it's nice to read the views of the handful of people who think that Parliament can deliver a government-managed IT project efficiently and cost-effectively. I remember feeling the same way about a decade ago.

[zag]

Why would it be good to use a tablet rather than a laptop? Who benefits? Apple does, of course. Does the taxpayer? What's the service life of a tablet? What's the lifecycle failure rate? Which applications have to be rewritten in order to run on a new platform? What security implications are there? How does one secure documents on an iPad and how much retraining is required for the user?

 

Having run a successful iPad trial in our school I can answer most of these questions

 

- Why would it be good to use a tablet rather than a laptop? Its quicker and more convenient to use. We found people work harder with tablets due to their pick up and go advantages. The appstore is a godsend for IT staff, users now do their own updates.

- Who benefits? Hopefully in this case the MP will benefit from time savings and more effective working. Thats certainly what teachers have told us. More time doing their jobs rather than struggling with technology.

- What's the service life of a tablet? We've been trailing them for 1 Year with great success, 20 ipads. None broken or lost (so far). Ipad 2's still working fine in terms of speed and functionality.

- Which applications have to be rewritten in order to run on a new platform Lots but you will be suprised how quickly they arrive when there is a demand. We already have daily registers and teaching tools on it.

- What security implications are there Not many from our experience. Most users save to the cloud which is password protected and easy enough to "remote kill". We've not had a security incident yet.

- How does one secure documents on an iPad and how much retraining is required for the user? Absoloutley no training was needed, the apple devices are very intuitive. Secure documents follow the same procedures as laptops really eg password protect individual docs.

Edited May 4, 2012 by zag