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Tablets get role in education, 'patriotism' in Taiwan


After getting prominent roles in workplaces like airline cockpits in the United States, tablet computers are about to star in classrooms and libraries in Taiwan. But for some of the libraries, the tablets will not just boost education but "patriotism" as well, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. "Despite the (Apple) iPad 2's faster connectivity to wireless networks, we still prefer products from Asustek and Acer because they run Google's Android operating system, which is an open-source platform for which it is easier to design-related applications," National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) librarian Chen Chao-chen said. Chen also said the university prefers to purchase more locally-branded tablet PCs such as Asustek's Eee Pad Transformer and Acer's Iconia Tab A500 rather than the more popular iPad 2. Asustek and Acer are local brands in Taiwan. On Tuesday, Taiwan's Ministry of Education launched a project to promote digital reading through the use of tablet computers. The project will begin in three universities - the NTNU, National Ilan University, and Kun Shan University. It will also start in three public libraries in Taichung City, Ilan County and Nantou County, according to the ministry. Students of the three universities and residents in the three areas will be able to borrow tablet PCs with pre-installed e-books, or download the digital content to their own tablets with registered accounts and passwords. NTNU librarian Chen said the school has purchased 22 tablets with 330 e-books pre-installed, and also allows students to borrow another 740,000 e-book titles through the university's online database. The NTNU will increase the number of its tablets to 100 by the end of this year. For its part, the National Taichung Library, one of the three public libraries in the project which has over 10,000 e-book titles in its online database, plans to buy 200 tablets in the same period. — TJD, GMA News

Tags: tabletpcs, taiwan
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