A person with typical neural wiring activates different brain systems when viewing a face than they do when viewing, say, a shrub. They notice subtle differences in facial features and expressions, even if they think those shrubs on the way to the bus stop all look the same. This is not necessarily the case for people on the autism spectrum; they may activate the same visual systems for faces as for inanimate objects. A person with autism may struggle to differentiate facial expressions -- or even the faces themselves. Many people with autism feel more comfortable interacting with nonhumans -- even cartoon characters. They are often drawn to activity that is self-directed and predictable.
People diagnosed with autism have a range strengths and weaknesses as well as intelligence levels. Some communicate very well in writing even if their speaking skills are quite low. Many are visual thinkers and have strong technological and/or artistic skills. When engaged in a task, a person with autism may display a level of absorption and concentration that is lacking in the general population. And when he is strongly motivated, he may achieve far more than the expected.
Enter the computer. For many on the autism spectrum, computers have been a game changer, capitalizing on strengths and compensating for weaknesses.
Using iPads with Autistc Learners: a Success Story... and a More Mixed Success
I had some knowledge of computer-assisted learning for autism, but hadn't given much thought to the unique qualities of the iPad until I read an article in the Seattle Weekly. I was inspired to go online and learn more. In the blog post linked to below, we find the mom profiled in that news story, Shannon Des Roches Roca, writing eloquently of her son's experience with the iPad. She notes that he maneuvers the iPad more easily than the iPod Touch and is far more engaged with learning. He has learned so many new skills that she sees the device as "a near miracle".
The article also includes a review by another special needs mom who has not found the iPad as life changing, but has generally positive things to say about it. The second mom reports that her daughter values the "coolness factor" of the iPad. She also notes that the device has a few flaws. One is the sound: Her daughter finds that the volume can be a little low when she uses it to speak in a crowded area. Another potential weakness is... its weakness. While relatively sturdy, it's not as sturdy as a communication board that's been specifically designed for special needs populations. (A person does have to exert some caution when using the device with youngsters who are prone to frustrated outbursts.)
The article also includes a review by another special needs mom who has not found the iPad as life changing, but has generally positive things to say about it. The second mom reports that her daughter values the "coolness factor" of the iPad. She also notes that the device has a few flaws. One is the sound: Her daughter finds that the volume can be a little low when she uses it to speak in a crowded area. Another potential weakness is... its weakness. While relatively sturdy, it's not as sturdy as a communication board that's been specifically designed for special needs populations. (A person does have to exert some caution when using the device with youngsters who are prone to frustrated outbursts.)
I'm at a loss as to why Apple, and Microsoft also I might add, has refused to include Flash functionality into their flagship tablet computer products. There are some web features that almost become so mainstream that to not include them causes more headaches than to put the effort into including them. Flash by Adobe is one of those apps.
With a base price of $200, Amazon has made a play that should alter the market greatly. The Ipad 2, with double the local drive space of 16 GB retails for about $625, a huge increase to pay for only twice the storage. Bearing in mind that Amazon's untested Cloudfront is supposed to make up for the lack of storage, and you can see the huge price difference might not be worth paying. 
Another aspect of the competition for tablet buyers that Apple may have underestimated is the fact that Amazon has been in this market for quite some time and have had the opportunity to tweak the tablet products they offer to suit their customers. Usability is one area that the original Kindle gets high marks. The Fire is cut from that cloth and has been designed to fit in the hand and be dead simple to use.
This is an addictive app that will keep you coming back for more each week, with its constantly changing content. It features videos from famous people in their respective fields, ranging from 5-30 minutes. The app is very well-organized allowing you to search tags or categories to find what you're looking for. 
The ultimate app for travelers, this will allow you to find WiFi simply and easily. The thing I like best is how they tell you whether it's free or paid, so you don't waste your time trying each one.
iPad 2 comes with a dual-core A5 chip which makes it two times faster than the first iPad. Anyone can easily feel the variation at the time of surfing the web, making Face-Time video calls, watching movies, gaming and going from one application to another. This new chip gives iPad 2 a new speed.
