XplanaZine

I’ve been talking about convergence for the past two years and my message has remained consistent — just as languages become more efficient with usage over time, so too does consumer technology always gravitate towards convergence. The rule is simple — consumers would rather have one gadget that performs multiple tasks than multiple gadgets that each performs a single task.

Two good examples of this convergence principle at work can be seen in recent developments in mobile phones and gaming consoles. While major players have abandoned the older PDA market in the past year (Sharp and Sony), mobile phone technology continues to explode. Current “standard” phones (like my Samsung e315 ) support text messaging, Web browsing, e-mail, photos, audio and video recording, games and, yes, talking to people. Sony Ericsson’s W800 and Nokia’s 3300 are extending the cell phone further into the audio market (iPod’s domain) and feature MP3 storage and playback, FM tuning, and audio ripping. By next year, Macromedia Flash support will be a standard feature on most new phones and will extend the devices’ capability for interactivity and handling dynamic content (think learning simulations and quizzes).

On the gaming console front, Microsoft and Sony have just announced the upcoming release of the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 respectively. These rival consoles will feature:

• HDTV display
• DVD and CD playback capabilities
• Removable hard drives
• Networking capabilities
• Media streaming from other devices

As gaming consoles evolve and brandish functionality formerly associated with other media devices, Sony and Microsoft are lobbying for these devices to be the center of every family’s living room. These integrated devices are already replacing many dedicated devices in the home and have the potential of becoming the core of a home media center.

As this technology convergence happens, it will have an impact on education. We will necessarily adapt to the technologies that are adopted as “standards” in the consumer marketplace and we will produce content that address those technologies. Considering the developments of the past six months, here are three things everyone should keep in mind:

• Audio and photos reign supreme. The continued popularity of MP3 recordings and the devices that play them, coupled with the growth of camera phones has translated into a proportionate demand for content and applications related to audio and photos. From podcasts to online photo albums users have let it be known that they want audio and images everywhere. This ubiquitous presence of tools and applications for this media makes it feasible to plan learning activities and build learning objects that target digital photos and audio recordings.
• Standards are emerging. Technology standards make convergence possible and ensure that adopters assume less risk. Audio, video, and image standards (software and hardware) have converged to the point where there is no real risk when purchasing devices. DVD standards will converge in the next 12-18 months removing an important barrier. Meanwhile, gaming consoles and other DVD players ate minimizing consumer risk by supporting multiple formats.
• Interactivity will move increasingly away from the traditional computer. By Christmas, we will see a dramatic increase in Flash-based dynamic content for cell phones. This is the time to begin thinking about application and content development for that format. What existing content do you have that would translate well? What new learning content or simulations make the most sense for this medium? These are critical questions to answer now rather than next year.

The bottom line is that the continued convergence related to gaming and phones will have an impact on schools, teachers, students, and content providers. The various technologies have moved into an acceptabel range of viability and use, and they will force some changes in the way we all do business in education.