Pineapple on Canvas: The Odd Adventures of a Toy in the City

The one where Papple needs more

"How are the apps working out little guy?" Maher asked.

"They is good but . . .," Papple said, puffing out his chest in pride, "me is already all done with them. They is for babies and Papple is big fruit!"

"What do you mean you're done? Are you done with the first part of the programs?"

"No, Papple finished all program. All done."

"Hmmm . . . let me check," said Maher, reaching for the iPad.

Papple hesitantly passed it over. "You give back to Papple to use, right?"

"Of course," replied Maher, "but don't let Ella know how much I let you use it, okay? Our secret."

"Yes," said Papple, then putting his hand on his forehead, thinking he was mimicking the shushing sign, he whispered, "shhhhh."

Maher opened up the first two apps and clicked through. He saw that Papple had indeed finished each of them. Unfortunately, the programs were quite short and it look liked the apps weren't complete. It was almost as if the developers hadn't gotten around to finishing subsequent lessons before they decided to call it quits.

As he moved to the third app, he saw Papple hadn't completed it yet. "Oh, here Papple! You didn't finish this program. You can still use this one."

Papple leaned over and looked. "Oh no, this is no good. Papple try to use. It confusing. So is last app. That no good either so Papple no use."

Maher took a few minutes to compare the first and the third app, one to another, and they both seemed to have fun graphics and easy to use interfaces.

"I don't get it little guy, these apps look pretty good to me."

"No, they is really different."

"In what way?"

"This no good app is flat. It just keep moving forward and no ask you how you doing. Other apps is good, they know when Papple have trouble and they help me."

"Wait, what?" asked Maher. "So they basically concentrate on the areas you have trouble on. How do they know this?"

"Me don't know. Is magic!"

Maher thought for a second and wondered out loud, "Are these apps integrating special machine learning technology to create specialized programs for each student? I mean that would make sense . . . it would be like an individual teacher since it could detect what problem areas each student has."

"Me no know," said Papple, and then correcting himself, "I mean, I don't know."

"That's good Papple!"

"You know, even though Papple knows now how speak better, me still prefer speaking how me did before ... otherwise me not really feel like Papple! But now Papple can read good!"

"Papple, you can talk however you like. If it makes you feel like you, you should go for it."

"Papple know dis," the toy said, reaching over for Maher's hand. "Thank you, Maher."

"Well, just as importantly, let me see what I can do about getting you more lessons on these apps. I'll email them to see if we can buy more programs."

Papple sighed a very heavy sigh for a little fruit, "No bother. Maple already email them to ask. They say they no have."

"Oh, okay," said Maher, then after a pause, "well, why don't you leave it with me. I'll give them a call and see if I can't persuade them somehow."

"Okay, me like that very much Maher," replied the pineapple, before he waddled over, handed Maher a grape and give him a big kiss on the cheek.

Maher shook his head and grinned, a machine learning app teaching a machine learning toy! What amazing technology we now live with ...