NOTE FOR EDITOR: iPhones and Smartphones

Long utilized in European and Asian countries, fast “next generation” cell phone networks and mobile data streams have only recently begun to make deep inroads in the United States, and companies are scrambling to write content, tools, and new applets (“apps”) for these users. The iPhone has become a juggernaut in the United States, with 13 million units sold in 2008 (a 245% increase over 2007) and a further 45 million units expected in 2009 (Elmer-DeWitt, 2009). While iPhone still lags Nokia and RIM internationally, the overall trend toward mobile computing becomes firmer by the day, and it behooves educators to become familiar with the cell phone tools that are relevant for teaching in tomorrow’s--and increasingly “today’s”--classroom.
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  • Apple.com press release. (2009). Apple‘s app store downloads top 1.5 billion in first year. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from Apple.com Web site: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/07/14apps.html
  • ACU.edu press release. (2009). ACU first university in nation to provide iPhone or iPod touch to all incoming freshmen. Retrieved July 23, 2009, from ACU.edu Web site: http://www.acu.edu/news/2008/080225_iphone.html
  • Eddy, N. (2009). University of Missouri requires students buy iPhone of iPod. Retrieved
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  • Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2009). iPhone sales grew 245% in 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2009, from CNNMoney Web site: http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/03/12/iphone-sales-grew-245-in- gartner
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