Kineo: Like an iPad, but made for students
Brainchild describes its new Android-based tablet as a low-cost, secure alternative to Apple’s product, designed specifically for younger kids
By Dennis Pierce, Editor
The Kineo features a 7-inch touch-screen display and a battery that reportedly lasts up to 12 hours per charge.
As more school leaders look at using iPads and other tablet computers as learning tools, the Florida-based company Brainchild has developed an iPad-like device that is designed specifically for elementary and middle school students.
Built on Google’s Android operating system for mobile devices, the Kineo—which is Greek for “to excite”—acts as an eBook reader with internet access and Flash capability. Its replaceable battery reportedly lasts for up to 12 hours on single charge, and at $299 it costs far less than Apple’s iPad.
Perhaps best of all for educators, the Kineo enables school leaders to specify the applications that students can use on the device by “locking down” apps they don’t want students to use.
What’s more, the Kineo can only access websites that are pre-programmed by an administrator or teacher, and its messaging capabilities have been disabled to make sure students use it for learning, not texting.
“A teacher can have full confidence that when her students are working on Kineos, they are on task and won’t get into trouble,” said Brainchild President Jeff Cameron, who introduced the product at the Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando Feb. 1.
Cameron’s company has more than 15 years of experience in building handheld devices for education.
Introduced in 1995, Brainchild’s first product, the PLS-1000 (short for “Personal Learning System”), ran on one of the first operating systems designed for a handheld computer. A decade later, the company’s Study Buddy—with a color screen, stereo sound, and multimedia lessons—replaced the PLS-1000, but it was still just an offline practice device.
With the Kineo, students can learn and practice their math and reading skills either offline or online using Brainchild’s Achiever! assessment system. Students’ offline results can be synched with the server-based Achiever! software through a proprietary technology that Brianchild calls GlobalSYNCH, so educators can track their students’ progress toward mastery of state standards.
9 Responses to Kineo: Like an iPad, but made for students
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Antonio
February 4, 2011 at 12:15 pm
While the device may be good, I do have to mention the using the iPhone Configuration Utility from Apple (also works with iPod Touch and iPad), you can also “lock down” the apps and many many other settings on Apple devices as well.
There’s also a big difference between a 10″ screen and a 7″ one in terms of use for things such as word processing and data entry for example. Another thing to know, is the screen on this new device resistive or capacitive? That makes a world of difference.
Not to sound like an Apple fanboy, but a better comparison would be to other 7 inch android based tablets on the market. I’ve seen some of those as low as $100 and as high as $599. What sets this android based device apart from those? Does it use Honeycomb which is made for tablets, or does it use a version of android that was really designed for cell phones? Does it have access to the android marketplace, can you install android apps manually, or are you stuck usiing only their proprietary apps? That’s what I want to know.
Antonio
February 4, 2011 at 12:15 pm
While the device may be good, I do have to mention the using the iPhone Configuration Utility from Apple (also works with iPod Touch and iPad), you can also “lock down” the apps and many many other settings on Apple devices as well.
There’s also a big difference between a 10″ screen and a 7″ one in terms of use for things such as word processing and data entry for example. Another thing to know, is the screen on this new device resistive or capacitive? That makes a world of difference.
Not to sound like an Apple fanboy, but a better comparison would be to other 7 inch android based tablets on the market. I’ve seen some of those as low as $100 and as high as $599. What sets this android based device apart from those? Does it use Honeycomb which is made for tablets, or does it use a version of android that was really designed for cell phones? Does it have access to the android marketplace, can you install android apps manually, or are you stuck usiing only their proprietary apps? That’s what I want to know.
jeffmason
February 4, 2011 at 12:48 pm
“Perhaps best of all for educators….“locking down” apps ……”
Yes I realize it is optional, but It is somewhat “amusing” that what makes this device best for educators is the ability to block access to apps and the internet.
jeffmason
February 4, 2011 at 12:48 pm
“Perhaps best of all for educators….“locking down” apps ……”
Yes I realize it is optional, but It is somewhat “amusing” that what makes this device best for educators is the ability to block access to apps and the internet.
bbecker332
February 4, 2011 at 4:53 pm
Price point seems strongest asset of this device. Does not seem forward-thinking to invest in technology with control/limitations in mind. Educators need to think less about control and more about leveraging the vast capabilities of more robust devices– iPad being one of many– that allow students to do both school work and the many other things they enjoy. We have to meet kids where they keep their music.
bbecker332
February 4, 2011 at 4:53 pm
Price point seems strongest asset of this device. Does not seem forward-thinking to invest in technology with control/limitations in mind. Educators need to think less about control and more about leveraging the vast capabilities of more robust devices– iPad being one of many– that allow students to do both school work and the many other things they enjoy. We have to meet kids where they keep their music.
Wettee
February 4, 2011 at 8:16 pm
I think that a tool like this would be awesome. But just like most of my fellow educators around this country we are look at will we have money for things such as paper. Oklahoma is currently discussing closing many school. A tool llke this could take my fifth graders to every place in the world and keep them engaged while they are there but it is almost an impossible dream.
Wettee
February 4, 2011 at 8:16 pm
I think that a tool like this would be awesome. But just like most of my fellow educators around this country we are look at will we have money for things such as paper. Oklahoma is currently discussing closing many school. A tool llke this could take my fifth graders to every place in the world and keep them engaged while they are there but it is almost an impossible dream.
Dennis Pierce
February 4, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Thanks, everyone, for their comments. For those who question the idea of blocking access to certain applications, keep in mind that this device is intended for use by elementary and middle school students. If you’re an administrator at a school serving kids in grades 1-8, you might find it useful to be able to control which apps on the tablet can be used by which groups of students–so the apps the third graders would have access to might be different than the ones the eighth graders could access, for instance. The ability to customize each user’s experience based on age appropriateness is what we’re talking about.
Dennis Pierce
February 4, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Thanks, everyone, for their comments. For those who question the idea of blocking access to certain applications, keep in mind that this device is intended for use by elementary and middle school students. If you’re an administrator at a school serving kids in grades 1-8, you might find it useful to be able to control which apps on the tablet can be used by which groups of students–so the apps the third graders would have access to might be different than the ones the eighth graders could access, for instance. The ability to customize each user’s experience based on age appropriateness is what we’re talking about.
lschindl
February 6, 2011 at 12:28 am
While I’m generally excited about new technologies, I always have a concern about whether this has been developed with Universal Design for Learning principles in mind. I work with students who are blind, and worry that with Flash being utilized on the device, it will be inaccessible to my students. Many of the basic apps available on the iPad are accessible using the built-in screenreader, VoiceOver.
lschindl
February 6, 2011 at 12:28 am
While I’m generally excited about new technologies, I always have a concern about whether this has been developed with Universal Design for Learning principles in mind. I work with students who are blind, and worry that with Flash being utilized on the device, it will be inaccessible to my students. Many of the basic apps available on the iPad are accessible using the built-in screenreader, VoiceOver.
katie.neville@loudoun.k12.va.us
February 7, 2011 at 1:49 pm
My guess is that it is NOT very much “like” an iPad. I have tried several high end Android based phones and could not believe how poorly they compare to my iPhone.
My guess is the Android based tablets will not compare favorably with the iPad either. Kids in my school would definitely know the difference as many parents already own iPads.
katie.neville@loudoun.k12.va.us
February 7, 2011 at 1:49 pm
My guess is that it is NOT very much “like” an iPad. I have tried several high end Android based phones and could not believe how poorly they compare to my iPhone.
My guess is the Android based tablets will not compare favorably with the iPad either. Kids in my school would definitely know the difference as many parents already own iPads.
Dennis Pierce
February 8, 2011 at 6:17 am
Katie, you raise some great points. When I used the phrase “like an iPad” in the headline, I meant conceptually, not in terms of user experience.
A key challenge of writing about technology for education is how to make stories relevant for people with a very wide range of technological sophistication. I could have written “a tablet made for students,” but that wouldn’t have gotten the point across as well as referring to the iPad, which has become the de facto standard that people think of when they think of tablets.
Android-based tablets certainly do provide a different user experience than the iPad, and we’re working on a closer comparison of various tablets for publication this spring, hopefully just before ISTE.
Regarding your point about students knowing the difference, does that justify an expenditure of $200 more per device? I don’t have an answer to that question, just throwing it out for consideration.
Dennis Pierce
February 8, 2011 at 6:17 am
Katie, you raise some great points. When I used the phrase “like an iPad” in the headline, I meant conceptually, not in terms of user experience.
A key challenge of writing about technology for education is how to make stories relevant for people with a very wide range of technological sophistication. I could have written “a tablet made for students,” but that wouldn’t have gotten the point across as well as referring to the iPad, which has become the de facto standard that people think of when they think of tablets.
Android-based tablets certainly do provide a different user experience than the iPad, and we’re working on a closer comparison of various tablets for publication this spring, hopefully just before ISTE.
Regarding your point about students knowing the difference, does that justify an expenditure of $200 more per device? I don’t have an answer to that question, just throwing it out for consideration.
lnatwick989
February 8, 2011 at 11:49 am
My campus has a proxy and the wi-fi requires a password. I was unable to change the setting in the Android system on a tablet I purchased in December, rendering it basically useless to teachers on this campus unless they wanted to take it home, set it up with apps that did not require an active internet connection and bring it back. On the other hand, I have used my iPad all over, changing the settings once-it remembers. he bigger issue for us is students wanting to use devices their parents provide.
lnatwick989
February 8, 2011 at 11:49 am
My campus has a proxy and the wi-fi requires a password. I was unable to change the setting in the Android system on a tablet I purchased in December, rendering it basically useless to teachers on this campus unless they wanted to take it home, set it up with apps that did not require an active internet connection and bring it back. On the other hand, I have used my iPad all over, changing the settings once-it remembers. he bigger issue for us is students wanting to use devices their parents provide.