Google vs Microsoft, Coke vs. Pepsi, An Apple a Day

Competition in technology has created some great innovations. Deciding which tool is right for the job, always keep in mind that technology is changing and often it’s a race to who can brand name it first. At times it can be overwhelming choosing the right technology. Anything from choosing a blog, a wiki, email, web host, to social bookmarking can send us into decision overload.
Some schools have been using Google Docs and Apps within their classrooms. Google has been one of the driving forces to move applications, document storage, and collaboration to the cloud environment. Microsoft recently launched its own extension of applications to offer more cloud environment based features. All of these features require log-in and email hosing service and that can often be the catch. Yahoo, Gmail, and Hotmail among others want your log-in. Free services always come with a catch. Google Docs is a great easy cloud environment for classroom collaboration. It’s also like putting Coke vs. Pepsi into the schools. If they start using their product early, they are more likely to stick with it in the future. Mac did a great job of getting its computers into schools when schools were first adding computer labs. Now look where Apple is in the market. Who are the biggest demographics for Apple users – the generation that grew up with them in schools.

Delicious once stood on its own, but has recently been purchased by Yahoo. This is why you are now required to have a yahoo account to log into Delicious. Yahoo hopes to gain more web traffic to gain more add space on yahoo. They hope if you have a yahoo account, you will use yahoo news, email, and tools more frequently to drive their business marketing. Microsoft looks to launch a social bookmarking site to compete with sources like Delicious. There are several more out there trying to up each other and get your log-in.

I see several things with competition. Most of it good. Product cost is lower and many applications are free to use. More features, tools, and applications are available to use. This has allowed for more creative options, collaboration, and problem solving tools to reach students. Teachers are becoming great facilitators of meeting digital age instruction and preparing students with 21st Century skills.

We need to keep in mind why tools are free. Students and educators need to understand what public web applications are and how they can use these tools to enrich the education experience. We also need to keep in mind of teaching kids how to keep safe in free and open platforms.

Competition among technology is strong and real estate space for marketing tools especially with social platforms has become a huge driving force for competition. We have amazing innovations all around us in technology. This has created tools that schools have been able to take advantage of for our students.