Good morning, listeners, and welcome to our radio program “Information for Immigrants”. Today we have a guest speaker who will talk about using the iPad tablet. I would like to welcome to our program Mr George Watson. Mr Watson is a computer expert. He graduated from Melbourne University and has taught there for the past 7 years. Mr Watson, welcome to our program.
Thanks very much. It is nice to be here talking about something that I really love.
Mr Watson, why is the iPad so popular nowadays?
Because it is a small computer. You can do a lot of things with it. You can surf the net. You can check your email anywhere and you can take photos and videos with it. You can read books or magazines. You can play games on it and you can also watch movies and TV shows.
Can it be used in the office too and replace our big computers?
This is correct. You can use an iPad to do everything you do with your computer now. It is even better than using a normal computer with a big screen because it takes a lot of space on your desk and does not allow you to talk to the people who work with you in the office because you can’t see them.
What about the price of a new iPad?
Well, there are different prices and they all start at a little more than $500. The most expensive one you can buy is a little less than $1000. They are especially popular with young kids nowadays and parents sometimes have headaches if they don’t buy them for their kids.
And can people listen to their favourite music on the iPad?
The answer is yes. They can also save their music and listen to their favourite songs whenever they like. They can also download music and songs from the internet as MP3. It is very easy to do so nowadays. You don't need to be a computer expert to learn how to download music from the internet.
What is the most popular thing that people do using their iPads?
The most popular thing is surfing the internet. People spend hours and hours visiting their favourite web sites and downloading stuff from there. As you know, some people like reading newspapers. Others like watching video clips on the internet. I can spend hours and hours telling you about the different things that people do using their iPads.
Does it have a battery or do I need to plug it in and use electricity?
You can use electricity if you like but if you are on the go, you can use the battery for up to 10 hours. After that, you will need to charge it again to be able to use it.
Are there any disadvantages of using an iPad?
Well, the price is not cheap and this is not a nice thing, I believe. Also, it is easy for an iPad to get lost. People just use them and leave them on their desks and they get stolen sometimes. If you have an iPad, you’ve got to be careful not to lose it. Also people in poor countries can't afford to buy them. They need to save up for years before are able to buy one.
Can the price come down in the near future?
Well, this is the million dollar question. You see, the iPad is made by a company called Apple. They have very good products and their computers are really good. They control the sales of their computers and all the products they make. Because their products are really good, they charge the prices they want. I don’t think prices will go down a lot in the near future but who knows. I hope they come down so a lot of people will be able to buy them.
Are there other tablets like the iPad?
Yes, there are more than 20 other tablets for people to choose from but prices are similar to the iPad and that is why people prefer to buy iPads. There are some tablets that are made in China and they cost less than $100 but you get what you pay for. The iPad offers a lot of functions you can use.
What other brands are there?
There are tablets made by Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Lenovo, Amazon, Dell and other companies. The Amazon tablet is half the price of the iPad, by the way. Apple sells more tablets than any other company. People love the iPad.
Can the iPad be used in classrooms?
Of course students and teachers can use the iPad in classrooms. There are thousands of programs that can be used by students to learn. They don’t need the teacher to explain everything for them inside the class. They can use these programs and start learning. It makes life easier for teachers too.
Can we connect an iPad to a projector and use it in the classroom?
Of course we can do so. You see, the teacher will be able to communicate with the students better because he or she will be able to have better eye contact with them. The teacher can save all the lessons on the iPad and use them over and over again. Teaching keeps changing and the iPad can make teaching and learning easier for everyone.
I would like to know how many iPads do you have?
I have one that I use at home and at work. My wife has one. My daughter is turning 11 and she wants an iPad for her birthday. You see, having children nowadays costs a lot of money.
I see. Can people buy the iPad on the internet for cheaper prices?
No, the price is controlled by Apple. If you buy it online, you buy it from Apple or from people who have had an iPad for some time and would like to sell it. It will not be brand new. It will be a used iPad.
If a person can’t afford to buy an iPad now, what can he or she do?
Well, they can get a laptop computer. Laptop computers are cheaper than they were a few years ago. I believe you can buy a new one nowadays for about $300. Of course there are ones that cost a few thousand dollars.
Mr Watson, we are running out of time and we have to stop here. Thank you very much for the information.
A pleasure to be here.
