This is part 3 of the Top Ed-Tech Trends of 2010 series
One of the most important trends of 2010, well beyond the education sector, was the increasing ubiquity of mobile computing devices.
The Year of the iPad
Arguably, the year belonged to Apple, which announced the iPad in January and released the tablet in April. The iPad was rapidly embraced, making it the most quickly adopted electronics device ever (beating out the DVD). The The 9x7" touchscreen iPad offered an enhanced user experience over the iPhone, tapping into Apple's already-established rich app ecosystem. Some questioned the iPad as a device better suited to "consuming" rather than "creating" content, but a variety of apps -- particularly in art and music -- have demonstrated great potential for the device, despite its notable lack of a camera or USB ports.
E-Books and E-Readers
Along with the iPad's launch came the iBookstore, as Apple joined the increasing number of e-publishers. Indeed, the iPad provided a clear challenge to some of the other e-readers, namely Amazon's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's Nook, as the former had more functionality (albeit it at a much higher price).