Apple's iPad benefits autistic kids

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Apple's iPad a benefit for kids with autism

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/sto ... 41&catid=2

I want an iPad in the worse way.

Well, DUH. I've been telling them that for two years now. Portable devices can be amazingly helpful. They can double for communication devices; they can help with executive dysfunction. But do they listen to a snot-nosed Aspie without a rehabilitation engineering degree (yet)? Nope...

The problem with the iPad and other related devices (iPhone,, iPod Touch, etc.) is that the programs are nearly impossible to modify outside the specific settings that the programmer has already built in; and programming your own brings with it a lot of licensing issues that mean you have to pay a huge sum to even try it, and don't have control over your own work when you're done. Simply put, these devices, thanks to Apple's insistence on keeping control of the programs that run on them, lack the one major important feature needed for assistive devices: Flexibility. Changing them to suit the user is a clumsy process where you're prevented at every turn from doing what you need, especially if you happen to be a private individual wanting to create your own solutions.

I agree with callista. I feel that the iPad would be better with Android.

Jailbreaking anyone?

There is a bunch of autism-related applications for the Android at http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/autism

Anyone can write for the Android platform, so there is more diversity, but also that means there are very poor quality applications too. I imagine that well-selected mass-market applications will tend to be better than most applications carrying an "autism" label, except where there is an autism-specific need that is not met by the mass market.

Maybe somebody could look for organisation, learning and interaction etc applications that are useful from an autism perspective and review them.

iOS > Android

Android is nice for geeks to play with, but iOS is a much nicer system, and just as fun for geeks to play with once it's been jailbroken.

Anyway, the iPad is magical.