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Saturday, June 30, 2007

Voice Thread in Action

8:00 AM ari sari No comments

Thanks to Joyce Valenza for setting this up after the edubloggercon in Atlanta. What a great idea - and a great website. http://voicethread.com/view.php?b=2606

What I think is especially interesting about this application are the comments from the fourth person down the left side of that image. He was following the conference from Sydney Australia and he found this and left a comment. Let that idea roll around in your head a moment. Someone from around the world following the conference and being able to participate in it to some extent. I'm sure he was reading blog posts that had been tagged with necc2007 or necc07 or even the specific tags for some sessions he was interested in. We even had people sitting in the edubloggercon sessions who were skyping with others from... who-knows-where... and those folks were able to hear the conversations, too. Those folks could have been around the world, as well. Does that make you shake your head in wonder?

There are many teachers who would have NO IDEA that these sort of capabilities exist. For them the web is still a web page that you find when searching Google. Let's make sure that we help them to see what the web has become and help them to understand what it can now do for their classes.
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Google Docs - Now has FOLDERS!

7:04 AM ari sari No comments

Am I the last one to notice the new features in Google Docs? If so, then for those who only read my little blog, here are some of the new features in Google Docs.

First - FOLDERS!! I always mention the inability to save files into folders as being a weakness of Google Docs when I show it and ThinkFree together. Now you CAN create folders and save files into them. Excellent!

Then, they've made the invitation to collaborate a lot easier. That, too, was long due. It's very nice, now.

And, they've added keyboard shortcuts! Many of the keyboard shortcuts that work in that Microsoft program now work in here, as well. Wonderful!

Check out the list of the spreadsheet enhancements, and read more about these new features here: http://www.google.com/google-d-s/whatsnew.html

FOLDERS! oh BOY!!
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IPhone

6:44 AM ari sari No comments

John Gruber in his blog Daring Fireball talks about is first impressions with his new iPhone. It is a frank and well done piece that bears reading.
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Fujitsu's 8.9-inch Lifebook P8240 Vista tablet: 32GB SSD at just 2.1-pounds

12:23 AM ari sari 3 comments

Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs Damn, if you've gone tablet and thought Fujitsu's ultra-portable Lifebook T8140 was hot, then you'd best check their P8240 before opening your wallet. It's not the most powerful convertible in the world with a max configuration sporting a Core Solo U1400 proc and Intel GMA 950 graphics. What it lacks in power however, is more than made up for in portability: 8.9-inch, 1,280 x 768 LCD; up to 32GB SSD or 80GB disk; up to 9.1-hours on extended battery or 4.3-hours in a wee bit of kit weighing just 2.1-pounds. Windows Vista Business will cost ya ¥270,000 (about $2,188) out the gate.

Gallery: Fujitsu's 8.9-inch Lifebook P8240 Vista tablet: 32GB SSD at just 2.1-pounds
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Friday, June 29, 2007

Remove Thumb.db file

11:52 PM ari sari No comments

Thumb.db is is a cache of the current picture in that directory.to remove it go for following

step1 > open "WINDOWS EXPLORER".

2>go to "TOOLS".

3>open "FOLDER OPTIONS".

4>go to "VIEW".

5>see 1st section "FILES & FOLDERS".

6>click on the "DO NOT CACHE THUMBNAILS".

now the thumbnail file will be removed from ur computer once u do this the file will be never created.

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IT Consulting and Business Skills You Need to Thrive

11:42 PM ari sari No comments

Business skills that go beyond just technical know-how are critical to a strong IT consulting business.

Manage Your Money

You probably know a little bit about finance if you are starting your own IT consulting business. But you need to know how and where to raise funds when things get slow with your business. How much capital will you need? You also have to plan ahead for when you start to run low on funds.

Multi-Tasking is Crucial

IT consulting calls for the ability to work on many projects and with many clients simultaneously. Be prepared to wear many hats when starting your own business and beyond.

Be Able to Negotiate

You will have to lobby and be a sort of politician in order to keep your IT consulting business going. You will need to build consensus among clients and create peace in divided workplace settings. Some parts of the company might want a certain application, while others may not see the necessity. Be diplomatic to provide the best solution.

Be in Control of Every Part of a Project

You have to have good project management skills to run a successful IT consulting business because you will have to combine a lot of different project pieces. You will be involved in purchasing and other elements, so be prepared with good research skills focused on putting together sophisticated networks and solutions.

The Main Point About IT Consulting

Technical skills may be important for IT consulting, but your business skills are what will help keep your company around long term.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg
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Curio 4 for Macintosh Introduced

2:09 PM ari sari No comments


I have used Curio 3 from Zengobi Software for the past year and it is a wonderful visual organizational tool. In fact last summer I used it to plan my entire trip to San Diego. Being able to add links, web archives, text and pictures really helped me to plan a great vacation. Today Zengobi introduced their latest version of Curio, which adds mind mapping, Spotlight support, Snippets and more. I hope to get a copy to review, but the new version looks great! When I have a chance to work with it I will post some more information.
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[TIPS] informationfluency presentation at NECC

8:30 AM ari sari No comments

http://informationfluency.wikispaces.com/

I just have a moment to send this tip. I attended a workshop at NECC that was given by two fellow Pennsylvanians, Joyce Valenza and Ken Rodoff. It was terrific. SO many good ideas to share. Joyce and Ken presented from the above listed wiki, and you would do well to spend some time there. It’s got more good links than a 10 foot gold chain. You can even download their presentation.

Joyce is a librarian, with wonderful resources for both librarians and teachers. She’s steadfast in her insistence that the librarian’s job is even more important today than it was before the web, and her resources show it.

Ken is an English teacher and coach, and he shared some excellent ideas that he used with his English classes.

So, take your wireless-connected laptop out onto the back porch this evening and spend some time browsing and bookmarking their resources for next year. You’ll be glad you did.

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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Hiding the Ribbon in Mindmanager 7

8:45 AM ari sari No comments

Many of us are really enjoying the new Fluid Ribbon Interface in MindManager 7, which has made the program much more accessible. However, there are times when we might want to hide the ribbon once we start working on the mind map. Here is a tip on how to hide the ribbon in MindManager 7. I hope that you enjoy this tip!


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Control with Your Mind

12:35 AM ari sari No comments

It's not a dream, we ca control the gadget just with our mind.

"Brain-Machine Interface", are the device that develop by Hitachi have ability to analytic the blood to brain and translate it to electrical signal that can moving any gadget.

The Hitachi scientist said that this innovation can be the pioneer of remote control for television. So we wait, can they realize it?


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Gateway E-295C / C-140 convertible tablet announced

12:27 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under: , Gateway's keeping on with the convertible tablets, now announcing its latest in the lineup: the E-295C / C-140. Options include:
  • Core 2 Duo 1.8 - 2.4GHz options
  • 14-inch WXGA (1280 x 768) display, 200 nit brightness
  • Wacom digitzer / pen with 256 sensitivity levels (nice!)
  • Intel GMA X3100 or ATI Mobility Radeon X2300 graphics
  • Up to 4GB RAM, drive options up to 120GB
  • Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0
  • DVD±RW drive, SD / MS / xD media reader, 1394, three USB 2.0 ports, biometric scanner Prices start at $1100, plus there's another shot after the break to whet that whistle.

Continue reading Gateway E-295C / C-140 convertible tablet announced

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International marketing 101: Dell's Inspiron US vs Korean launches

12:23 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under: ,
Two identical product launches on two continents. Two pictures photographed the same day. Two radically different approaches to marketing.
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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Apple iPhone- The Future is Now

7:16 PM ari sari No comments

If you are involved in education technology then you know that we are living through some really exciting times. Can you imagine any other time period where a telephone could get so much hype. Yes, Steve Jobs keynote at MacWorld 2007, left a lasting impression not only on devout Mac users but on mainstream USA. It wasn’t long before every major mainstream media organization had picked up the story about the iPhone and made predictions about Apple’s entry into the telecommunication industry. It should be noted that in many ways Apple Computer is well aware of what is in store for us as companies begin to manufacture electronic tools that embody increased functionality. Imagine all that power in the palm of you hands.

Apple understands what tomorrow will bring and to reflect this, has officially dropped the word ‘computer” from their corporate name. Well we will have to wait and see just how good the iPhone is until some time in June 2007, the future is clear. All of us will eventually be touting powerful multifunction communication tools that are housed in a small package we call a phone. The iPhone will be just one of many portable phones that can play music, videos allow us to chat and even run applications so that we can do our word processing or surf the web. We will no longer have crippled programs but applications that work very much like those the we have on our desktop. In the perfect world all of our devices will synchronize so that our email and contacts can be shared among the various devices and computers that we use. It is in this spirit that I applaud Apple and trust that their design and interface will be a catalyst for ingenuity in this marketplace so that others can benefit from small portable computing devices that can be used wherever and whenever.
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Constructivist Teaching with Technology

12:34 PM ari sari No comments

Karl Fisch, Anne Smith, Brian Hatack, Brad Meyer, Barbara Stalhut

The session started with a powerpoint of quotes form students and teachers. Very good. The one I especially liked from a student was something like this, "I like being graded on what I've learned instead of just for showing up for class. It's awful to get graded for just memorizing the seating chart." :-)

http://www.lps.k12.co.us/schools/arapahoe/21c/necc2007.html
- You MUST take a look at the resources and samples they've got in here!

http://learningandlaptops.blogspot.com/

Heart of the change in his school is staff development. They meet for three hours regularly. One third is on learning theory. One third on pedagogy. They also use blogs for teachers to use to discuss issues. A final third on tools like del.icio.us, blogger, etc. VERY successful professional development program.

First change - change the way the class looks. They want to create a professinal learning environment. Change from deaks to tables and chairs on wheels. Changed the posters from fun to inspirational. And, they posted classroom expectations.

The first thing they noticed was engagement - especially in the faculty rooms! They had 6 purposes in blogging, 1) thefischbowl, 2) in depth discussion about government topics, etc. 3) discussions amog kids - and other kids blogging on the outside. And, of course, I can't keep up. :-(

Start with a core group of teachers. Those who areinvolved are talking at lunch time and those who are NOT involved hear the positive discussion and WANT to join. Teachers need to TALK about this process. Kids are saying (in effect), "I don't want to be in so-and-so's classroom since they don't use the technologies." So, the teachers who aren't using it are being pressured to get started.

Also, the kids see the teachers as learners, as well. Important vision for students.

Collaboration - http://burrel9english.wikispaces.com/

"Being a reflective teacher is a very important part of the process." Brian has noticed that kids are doing an amazing job of being reflective on their own positions and writings.

http://smithenglish9.blogspot.com/2006/09/this-i-believe.html

The kids wrote the first four chapters of an astronomy book on a wiki!

Online peer editing - reviewing toolbar in word. Using a wiki. Editing each other's work. Chifting chairs - musical shifting seats - then sit down at a computer and edit.

What matters. "Build a multimendia presentation about what matters about what you've learned this year." WOW!!! LOVE this idea!!!

Check out the Mockumentaries on the top link.

Scribe posts - great idea!

What a (seemingly) wonderful atmosphere they have. Staff development was very well received - even those who didn't participate talk about it.

Some discussion about differentce between cooperative learning vs collaboration. Not sure I yet understand the difference.

A quote I like. The tech committee said that they weren't going to give Arapahoe any more equipment since they've got so much already. Anne's reply, "Oh really? You're going to put the ceiling above the spotlights? Why not give us more to see where we can go with it?" Liked that mental image - ceiling above the spotlight.

Very nice discussions! I LOVE this conference!!

Note:
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New Ted Talks video

9:13 AM ari sari No comments

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/140

This looks like a VERY interesting one for those of us who love data and are fascinated by trends, etc. Here, Hans Rosling talks about the end of poverty. I LOVE the written teaser for the movei:

"...He shows us the next generation of his Trendalyzer software -- which analyzes and displays data in amazingly accessible ways, allowing people to see patterns previously hidden behind mountains of stats. (Ten days later, he announced a deal with Google to acquire the software.) He also demos Dollar Street, a program that lets you peer in the windows of typical families worldwide living at different income levels. Be sure to watch straight through to the (literally) jaw-dropping finale."

I just clicked the link to download it to my iTunes to watch later. LUV this Mac!!
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Monday, June 25, 2007

Vernier's Labquest Handheld Data Analysis Tool

4:27 PM ari sari No comments

I have written great deal about the use of probeware in the classroom and how it can change the way science is taught in schools. At NECC 2007, Vernier Software & Technology was showing their latest product called LabQuest. LabQuest is a handheld data capture tool with real time graphing and analysis that is done with the device's high resolution touch screen. The LabQuest looks to be the perfect device for both in the classroom and for field use. Students can plug in any on of the 50 sensors to collect data. Read the Press Release below for more information
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Vernier’s New ‘LabQuest’ Handheld is the Most Versatile
Data Analysis Tool in Science Education Today

Device serves as one-stop source for data collection and analysis

Beaverton, OR – June 25, 2007 – A new, intuitive handheld device places data analysis at the fingertips of science students and educators, whether they are in the lab or in the field. With LabQuest from Vernier Software & Technology, students can plug in Vernier sensors to acquire real-time graphing and analysis via the device’s color screen for subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology and Earth science.

Vernier LabQuest allows students to collect data from more than 50 sensors and view and analyze the data in a meter, data table or graph. The device also enables students to draw a prediction before taking data, display a tangent line on their graphs, as well as use linear and curve fits, autoscales, integral functions and statistics in their analysis.

The handheld contains six sensor ports, a built-in temperature sensor for measuring ambient temperatures, and a built-in microphone for recording voice.. Other built-in applications include a stopwatch, a periodic table, an on-screen keyboard and a scientific calculator. The 40 MB storage capacity can be expanded through an SD/MMC card or USB drive.

Users can operate the LabQuest using the built-in LabQuest Graphing and Analysis Application or connect it to either a PC or Mac in order to export collected data to Vernier’s Logger Pro software. The handheld can also be connected to a printer, headphones, speakers or other devices.
(more)
LabQuest Brings Versatile Data Analysis to Science Studies
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The 320 x 240 color graphic display with LED backlighting provides sharp, clear color images. LabQuest is designed for ease of use, allowing for navigation through either its buttons or by pressing an accompanying stylus to the touch screen and on-screen keyboard. In addition, the rubber overmolding and rugged design provide protection against bumps, falls and water. A lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack ensures that users can use the device for an entire school day before having to recharge.

“Our new LabQuest is a breakthrough in data-collection technology. For the first time, students have complete capabilities while out in the field,” said David Vernier, co-founder of Vernier and former physics teacher. “The LabQuest allows for professional-grade inquiry while out in the field and fosters scientific analysis for all students. And we have backed it with a comprehensive curriculum.” Vernier has embedded more than 50 science labs in LabQuest, and 10 of the company’s popular lab books have been updated with instructions for using the handheld in experiments.

Pricing and Availability
LabQuest is scheduled to ship in September 2007 for a price of $329. Purchases of eight or more devices will earn a discount price of $299 each. Vernier will demonstrate the device to the media during NECC.

Educators can visit www.vernier.com/labquest to view an online product tour and up-to-date details, sign up for a free 30-day preview, and see when free Vernier workshops offering LabQuest demonstrations and hands-on trials will be in their area.

About Vernier Software & Technology
Vernier Software & Technology has been an innovator of data-collection technology for 25 years. Creating easy-to-use and affordable science interfaces, sensors, and software, their products can be found in education from elementary school to college. Vernier helps teachers enhance their science curriculum, increase learning, and build students’ critical thinking skills. Vernier’s technologies are in use worldwide in more than 120 countries. For more information visit www.vernier.com.
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seemless integration of laptops

9:39 AM ari sari No comments

My mental notes from this session...

Howard Levine is Director of Technology (1999) at the Urban School of San Francisco.

His talk is about how how to make computers/laptops into schools. The first thing he said is that they are on block schedules. Having taught in a block schedule I would agree that the block schedule is THE WAY to go. That's another topic.

Used to say that the computer was just like pen and paper. Now he realizes that it isn't - at ALL. We'd agree, wouldn't we?

It's not about learning tech skills. It's about learning! It's about keeping organized, having communication, collecting and sharing information, and production. The production idea is a good one in that it's perfect for kids who can't write or speak well. Give them another means of presenting the information.

yesterday=private
today=public

"chaos of the search vs search within chaos"

Not accurate to say that my school "can't afford it." What is the cost of each textbook?

change from "tech literacy" vs "life literacy"

Rent "Born into Brothels" - what happens when you give the tools to express themselves?

"Since I got my laptop I am..." (asking about organization)
about 50-50 on being more organized

Inspiration took off when the kids had their own machines. Kids loved it for organizing data for assignments.

His school doesn't lock down the machines at all!!!

Read that again - his school doesn't lock down the machines at all.

They use Macs. Machines get reimaged if they install something that messes up something else. Kids may install anything on their machines as long as it's legal and appropriate. (I LOVE IT!!)

ISpotMotion - for creating claymation

I would have REALLY liked more time for the examples at the end. Maybe too much time at the beginning. EXCELLENT examples. I want MORE!!

www.urbanschool.org
blue.urbanschool.org/laptops
www.tellingstories.org
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IT Consultants Can Save Their Clients from Creating Disaster

6:54 AM ari sari No comments

Professional IT consultants cannot afford to let clients buy the latest and greatest technologies unless they have an excellent reason. It consultants need to advise clients on the cost of buying cutting-edge technologies so they don’t make mistakes that can hurt their businesses.

The Newest is Not Always the Best

Sometimes buying cutting-edge technologies makes sense, but in general this type of purchasing technique can really put IT consultants’ reputation at risk. It can also eat away quickly at limited client budgets, which they will need in order to pay IT consultants their appropriate rates.

New Technology Instantly Loses Value

Buying the latest PC, regardless of whether it is a desktop, notebook or server is similar to buying a new car right at the beginning of the year. IT consultants’ clients will certainly get the fastest processor, the best storage capacity and the greatest support components, but they will pay huge premiums for being first in line to buy products. Clients of IT consultants that buy cutting-edge technologies can waste a lot of money on depreciation expenses.

As IT Consultants, You Have to Monitor New PC Purchases

PC purchases are rarely small, so as IT consultants, you have to watch your clients closely when it comes to PC purchases. Recommend bargains on last year’s model when appropriate. If clients save money, they will have more money to pay highly-skilled IT consultants to do major projects that can increase their business and efficiency more than any hardware purchase.

The Bottom Line for IT Consultants and PC Purchases

Keep on top of special promotions and PC bargains by looking at sites that offer frequent updates about the best affordable technologies. Sites like CNET Shopper, eBay and Tech Bargains can give IT consultants ideas and advice that can help their clients significantly.

Blogged by: Joshua Feinberg
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PSP all-firmware homebrew hack surfaces

4:45 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under:

In what undoubtedly will be remembered as a historic and life-changing event for PSP enthusiasts everywhere, a group of coders (Noobz and Archaemic, to be exact) have exploited a loophole in the Ubisoft game Lumines which enables homebrew-ing on all PSP firmware versions, from 1.00 to 3.50. This first ever all-firmware hack is a significant development, as homebrewing up until now has required specific versions (and usually the use of downgraders). No word yet on how Ubisoft feels about being party to this party, but something tells us Sony isn't going to be real stoked.

[Thanks, Craig and Bobb]



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Night Vision Digital Camera

4:45 AM ari sari No comments

Dengan sensor 2000 kali lebih sensitif bisa saja digunakan pada digital camera. Dengan sensor tersebut, gambar dengan cahaya sangat rendah dapat dicapture sebagai photo. Tidak itu saja, pemakaian chip sensor baru memungkinkan binocular mengunakan chip baru sehingga mampu melihat objek dalam kondisi gelap sekalipun.



Masalahnya, apakah produsen digital camera mau mengunakan chip super sensitif tersebut
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Panasonic SDHC 16GB memory card

4:45 AM ari sari No comments

Panasonic keluarkan memory card berkapasitas
16GBKemampuan flash berkapasitas nantinya dapat menampung film tipe :

CBR 1920x1080 sampai 160 menit


VBR 1440x1080 sampai 240 menit


VBR 1440x1080 sampai 360 menit
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Sunday, June 24, 2007

HyperStudio 5 to be Released this Fall

3:34 PM ari sari No comments


Here is some very exciting news from MacKiev. Most of us who grew up with the term "multimedia" know that, that was synonymous with one and only one program, that being Hyperstudio. Those of us who have used Hyperstudio over the years have to be excited by the Press Release below. Not only will MacKiev be releasing Version 5 of this legacy application but Roger Wagner is back on board.
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Press Release

ROGER WAGNER AND SOFTWARE MACKIEV PURCHASE ROGER WAGNER PUBLISHING, INC. FROM SUNBURST


HYPERSTUDIO® CREATOR ROGER WAGNER AND SOFTWARE MACKIEV TO COLLABORATE ON NEW EDITIONS



BOSTON, MA - June 22, 2007. Roger Wagner, creator of HyperStudio®, multimedia software for education, and Software MacKiev, an award-winning software developer and publisher, announced today that they have repurchased Roger Wagner Publishing, Inc. along with the HyperStudio trademark from Sunburst Technology Corporation.

Mr. Wagner, who founded Roger Wagner Publishing in 1978 is collaborating with Software MacKiev on a new generation of HyperStudio products. A new edition, HyperStudio® 5, is planned for introduction by Software MacKiev in late Summer 2007, and a preview version will be demonstrated next week at the National Educational Computing Conference in Atlanta (Software MacKiev booth 316).

"I'm convinced that the new HyperStudio is going to be a worthy successor to the original." explained Roger Wagner, "The technologies now available allow Software MacKiev's developers to create extraordinary features that make today's HyperStudio a far more elegant product."

"We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Roger again." said Software MacKiev president, Jack Minsky. "He is one of the true educational software visionaries of our time, and with his help, we're sure that the next generation of HyperStudio products will live up to the expectations educators have for this legendary brand name."

About Roger Wagner

Roger Wagner, the technology mentor who created HyperStudio, became best known for his commitment to education and popularizing the importance of multimedia writing. He was the first to give students software that enabled them to make meaningful projects from the information they studied. HyperStudio became the number one software title in education. In the past ten years Roger has become a pilot, a patent-holding inventor, and owner of a rare book auction house.

About Software MacKiev

Software MacKiev is a leading developer and publisher of award-winning consumer and educational software, including Kid Pix Deluxe 3X, The Print Shop 2, World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia, 3D Weather Globe & Atlas, Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, and three Dr. Seuss titles (ABC, Green Eggs and Ham and The Cat in the Hat). In the education market, Software MacKiev also publishes the Cluefinders series and Edmark's Thinkin' Things.

For more information, please visit www.hyperstudio.com or www.mackiev.com .

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NECC 2007 Updates

3:24 PM ari sari No comments


While my schedule precluded me from attending NECC 2007, held this year in Atlanta-stay tuned here to find out about the latest releases and announcements. I hope to be in touch via Skype to some of my colleagues on the Exhibit Floor so that I can get you the scoop. So stay tuned.
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Women of the Web 2.0 Webcast

2:31 PM ari sari No comments

I had the opportunity last week to participate in a live discussion via a Skypecast on the topic of assistive technology with the Women of the Web 2.0 group. It was great to be able to have a lively discussion with Karen Janowski, Joy Zabala, and Tammy Dupre which was moderated by Cheryl Oakes. We touched on some very interesting topics and had a great conversation about the state of assistive technology in the schools and the changes that we see coming down the pike. To listen to the conversation, click on the button.
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Fiber optic tablecloth: the new candlelit dinner

12:06 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under: We highly doubt LumiGram's Luminous Fiber Optic Tablecloth was designed with power outages in mind, but why hook up a boring string of lamps or fiddle with half melted candles when you can plug this bad boy into the generator? The cloth, which has fiber optics woven throughout, cotton borders, and a Europlug mains adapter, proves most useful when the lights are dimmed, and should prove quite the centerpiece at your next get-together. The illuminating device is available in a trio of sizes, comes in a variety of color schemes, and will cost you a very unappetizing €949 ($1,270) for the privilege.

[Via LuxuryLaunches]

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Saturday, June 23, 2007

Keepin' it real fake, part LXIV: 2G Shuffle goes dark

9:27 PM ari sari No comments

Filed under:
Some folks just don't know when to call it quits, and yes, we're looking directly at the Chinese knockoff factories responsible for all of these shameful attempts at ripping the iPod. Of course, this isn't the first time the Shuffle (first-gen or second) has been duped, but this iteration certainly raises the opprobrious bar. Pulling the oh-so-prestigious black color scheme over to the Shuffle side of things, this clone was somehow designed in California but "Assombled" in China, but what else would you expect for a mere $14? More comedy, er, pictures, after the jump.
Continue reading Keepin' it real fake, part LXIV: 2G Shuffle goes dark
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New details about the iPhone

9:20 PM ari sari No comments

Filed under: ,
Remember the winning Engadget commercial, "The Long Arm of Steve Jobs"? We posted it after the break, but finding someone who's spent some serious time with a pre-launch iPhone and getting them to talk is basically a lot like that. Still, we managed to smuggle out some freshly leaked details from a very trusted inside source who's been fooling around with a unit. Here's what they had to say:

The keyboard was simply described as "disappointing". Keyboarding with two thumbs often registers multiple key presses (two or three at a time) resulting in a lot of mistakes. The best way to type is with a single finger (as shown in most of Apple's demos), but two thumbs is supposedly very difficult. After trying it for a number of days our source gave up using their thumbs.

The text auto-correction only works well for simple words, but doesn't work for proper names. We can only assume this bit will get better with time as Apple fills out its predictive text dictionary.

"It won't replace a BlackBerry. It's not good for text input. It's just not a business product."
The touchscreen was said to, in general, require somewhat hard presses to register input, and needs some getting used to.
In addition to its dock, the iPhone comes packaged with a polishing cloth (the thing's supposedly a fingerprint magnet, no surprise) and the usual smallish power adapter.
The Bluetooth headset will debut in the $120 range, and will come with its own dock for charging both the phone and the headset. The headset will feature a miniature magnetic charging interface á la MagSafe.
Click on for more impressions on the headset, browser, YouTube, and more.

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Are you in my 'Learning Community?'

11:16 AM ari sari No comments

I'm sitting here in a session at the Edubloggercon here in Atlanta with a couple dozen bloggers from around the nation - and Stwo from Canada. The gist of this conversation is the definition of a learning community. I was disappointed to hear that the consensus of this group is that you are NOT a part of a learning community unless you SAY something. You cannot, in their opinion, "lurk and learn."

So I'm now off to go and comment and a the blogs that I read just so I can say I'm part of their community.

Have you commented on mine, yet?
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ViaNase electronic atomizers futurize nasal spray

11:12 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under: You've probably started to think that all of the really great technological advancements in intranasal drug delivery had come and gone -- but Kurve Technology believes otherwise. The Bothell, WA. based company has just been granted a patent on their "Controlled Particle Dispersion" system, which is used in its electronic atomizers to create tiny, powerful vortices of aerosolized particles (basically small, drug-filled tornadoes), thus delivering medication more effectively to the user. Interestingly, the company's ViaNase ID has a small LCD screen which is used to specify doses, sound reminders, and authenticate or lockout users based on product identification and user IDs, which should make it seriously confusing to the elderly

[Via medGadget]

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PSP clockspeed upped to 333MHz after 3.50 firmware update

11:12 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under:

Sony has admitted that it sneakily upgraded the PSP's clockspeed to 333MHz (from 266MHz) in the version 3.50 firmware update that was released last month. This admission is confusing for a couple of reasons: for starters, Sony originally underclocked the PSP in order to increase the stated battery life of the console. Does that mean they'll be forced to decrease the stated battery life, so as to avoid false advertisement? It's also rather odd that developers are only now being granted access to the extra MHz oomph, prompting mutterings of a new PSP model which -- as one Joystiq commentator points out -- could take as long to appear as games that take full advantage of the 333MHz clockspeed. Or, maybe this upgrade simply enabled the PSP to cope with all that "remote play" malarkey that 3.50 enabled. That would be the logical assumption.

[Via Joystiq]





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Talklets-Making Web Sites Accessible

10:25 AM ari sari No comments



About a year ago I signed up for a Talklets account which gave me access to the Talklets tool bar on my Blog. For individuals with a print disability I felt that this is one way I could give them access to the articles on my blog. If you go to Talklets you can start an account and register your web site. Once you do that they will enable the talking tool bar so that your visitors can access high quality text to speech support within the browser. It is pretty easy to get started but it is a wonderful support for individuals who visit your blog or website who need text to speech support.
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Robots To Replace Migrant Fruit Pickers

8:01 AM ari sari No comments

Vicissidude sends us to Wired for a look at a fruit-harvesting robot being developed in California. Its development has been funded entirely by agricultural associations, concerned by the uncertainty surrounding migrant immigrant labor. Quoting:
"As if the debate over immigration and guest worker programs wasn't complicated enough, now a couple of robots are rolling into the middle of it. Vision Robotics, a San Diego company, is working on a pair of robots that would trundle through orchards plucking oranges, apples or other fruit from the trees. In a few years, troops of these machines could perform the tedious and labor-intensive task of fruit picking that currently employs thousands of migrant workers each season."
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Nokia N95 + RC plane = unlimited DIY aerial photography

8:01 AM ari sari No comments


If you've found yourself tempted by other interesting DIY aerial photography rigs, but spent all your dough on the Nokia N95 instead, you may still be able to make a lifelong (or momentary) dream come true. A pioneering lad over at the N95 Blog has suggested that nearly unlimited high-resolution aerial photography can be yours if you're willing to strap your precious handset to an RC plane and get savvy with Pict'Earth software. The application allows users to create a theoretical Google Earth of their own if the existing imagery isn't up to snuff with their personal standards. Still, we'd have to mull this one over mighty hard before attaching such a valuable communicator to a potential death bed, but feel free to let us know how things go if you can muster the courage.

[ViaAllAboutSymbian]
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Microsoft Office Roundtable reviewed

8:01 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under:

The good people over at TMCnet want to keep you covered with their lengthy review of Redmond's five-camera foray into the teleconferencing game, which, as part of Microsoft's Unified Communications Platform, will probably be seeing a lot of action this year. And what are their feelings? Well, they get stoked on its resemblance to the ships in the 1953 version of War of the Worlds, dig the "head-size spatial equalization" (which makes everyone's head the same size, seriously), and think that maybe $3000 is a fair price. The only thing they weren't quite as excited about was the inability to use the panoramic features with non-Ballmerware, but even that appears to be a minor complaint. Still not sure you need one for your startup? Maybe you'd better read the whole thing.
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Jet packs for sale! Life insurance sold separately

8:01 AM ari sari No comments

Filed under: , It looks like those still bemoaning the lack of readily-available jet packs can now finally get a (brief) taste of the 21st century they once envisioned, as Popular Mechanics reports that two different wearable flying contraptions are now available for sale. Coming from Tecnologia Aeroespacial Mexicana and Jetpack International, the jet packs will each give you about 30 seconds of flight time, with Jetpack International's model boasting a slight advantage in speed, topping out at 70 mph. Somewhat reassuringly, each also come complete with the necessary flight training, although we wouldn't expect any less given the $250,000 and $155,000 price tags. Those that take the plunge may be suffering from some buyer's remorse before too long, however, as Jetpack International is reportedly working on a new model that'll give you a full 19 minutes of flight time.
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Toshiba trots out a pair of new Tekbright LCDs

7:44 AM ari sari No comments


As you may have noticed, there's no shortage of new Toshiba products making their debut in Paris this week, to which we can now add a pair of decent, if unremarkable LCD monitors. Available in 20 and 22-inch varieties, these each apparently boast a 1680x1050 resolution, with a 5ms response time, 800:1 contrast ratio, and DVI and VGA ports on the rear (no HDMI), not to mention the all-important pair of built-in speakers. Look for these to set you back 250€ and 295€ (or $335 and $395) when they hit Europe later this month.
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Find the Right Computer Consulting Clients as Part of Startup

4:22 AM ari sari No comments

During the startup phase of your computer consulting business – even if you just have very basic technical support skills – you need to get paying clients that fit your style and expertise.

Computer Consulting Clients to Pursue First

Start your business by working with home offices and small businesses and companies that just have simple peer-to-peer networks. This will give you a chance to get paying clients and reference accounts to grow your company.

One-Shot Deals Should be Gateways

You can use one-shot deals to start your computer consulting business, but you will need to get beyond that. Your successful business will need recurring revenue and agreements with clients, along with advanced dedicated server solutions. You can take on small one-shot deal accounts, but you will need to make the goal the development of relationships with long-term computer consulting clients.

Never Stop Learning

If you think technical training is preventing you from getting the best clients, take time each week for training. Look at tutorials, resource kits and not-for-resale software. Break installations and review the setup process until you are more comfortable with the software.

Paying clients will be the key to long-term success for your computer consulting firm, so make sure you get the best ones to ensure longevity for your business.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
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Friday, June 22, 2007

LiveScribe-This Isn't An Ordinary Pen

7:28 PM ari sari No comments


About three years I was introduced to the Logitech IO2 digital pen which really fascinated me. The Logitech IO2 pen uses a typical pen cartridge but houses a camera which is capable of recording the coordinates of what you have written on the page. If you look closely at the paper you will notice that in the background the paper has very small microdots. Each page has a unique pattern which allows the pen to identify the page it is on. When you have finished writing on the paper you simply place the pen in the cradle which is attached to your computer via a USB cable and all of your written work gets transferred to your computer. Having all of your notes in a digital format in your computer is truly a wonderful thing.

A couple of weeks ago a new company LiveScribe announced that they will be coming out with a the LiveScribe digital pen which takes the digital pen to new heights. Imagine having the capability of the Logitech IO2 pen with the added capability of being able to record a lecture. The LiveScribe pen will have the capability of indexing the writte notes with the lectures voice recording which can be played back at any time. When you open your digital pad you can tap on the text and the pen will start playing the lecture at that point in time. You will be able to skip around the voice file and fast forward and rewind. But imagine the ability for students with disabilities to hae this type of functionality. The LiveScribe digital pen has the potential to be a significant tool for students with disabilities. LiveScribe expects to release the pen this Fall for a cost of around $200. Having used digital pens for the past three years I for one am really excited with the release of the LiveScribe digital pen.
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[TIPS] this will solve calculus problems for you!

8:09 AM ari sari No comments

Thanks to Kevin C for sharing this via the for:jgates513 tag on del.icio.us.
 
 
This will allow you to enter.. well...here's what it says about itself:
"The heart of The Integrator is Mathematica's built-in Integrate function--the same one you use when accessing Mathematica directly. When you type in an integral, The Integrator uses webMathematica to send the integral to the Mathematica kernel, which computes the result using the Integrate function. The result is then embedded into the web page as typeset output."
 
Send this one to your favorite Calc teacher!
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[TIPS] My new NECC07 netvibes page

7:36 AM ari sari No comments

I updated my netvibes page and it wasn't showing all the new feeds on it, so I've updated it again and republished.
 
 
Follow the conference through the eyes of those bloggers. Oh, I'll be posting too, so you can follow MY blog, as well.
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Thursday, June 21, 2007

[TIPS] TED | Talks | Stephen Lawler: Look! Up in the sky! It's Virtual Earth! (video)

12:17 PM ari sari No comments

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/139

Recorded in March 2007, Stephen Lawler takes us on a short tour of Virtual Earth. This one is the Microsoft version, but it’s very interesting. J As you watch it, pay attention to his conversation about how we access and organize all this data. Does it remind you a bit of this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

I also found it interesting that Microsoft was the first ones allowed in the New Orleans area after Katrina for the purpose of documenting the damage. Interesting.

While you’re there, check out Jeff Hawkins’ talk entitled, “Brain Science is about to fundamentally change computing.” “Bringing this new brain science to computer devices will enable powerful new applications -- and it will happen sooner than you think.” http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/125

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[TIPS] credit where credit is due - and following NECC from afar

10:56 AM ari sari No comments

Earlier I had posted a link to a video in the Apple Learning Interchange Conference Connection. The problem was that I didn’t credit the person who first told ME. Why not? When I read about it in my aggregator it was no longer marked as unread and I forgot where I had found it. But, thanks to another blog post that DID credit it, I can tell you that it was here: http://technosavvy.org/2007/06/20/spread-the-word-on-conference-connections/

I read this blog every time something new appears, and I wanted to make sure I gave the proper credit.

For those of you who aren’t fortunate enough to be going to NECC this year, try putting the tag NECC2007 in del.icio.us and in flickr and subscribing. You can read along as the bloggers write about the sessions they’re in. I’m anxious to watch the del.icio.us sites flood the screen.

Here’s my Netvibes public page: http://www.netvibes.com/subscribe.php?url=http://eco.netvibes.com/opml/b176db8cf34e1ba36824682bfcb89547/necc2007.opml&type=opml

I’ll be adding to it, but this is the start. I hope my additions appear automatically.

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Mindomo Out of Beta

7:11 AM ari sari No comments


For those of you who can't get enough mind mapping, Mindomo today announced that they are out of beta and have made many improvements in the application. It is very exciting to be able to do do mind mapping right within the browser. In many ways the program feels as if you are running it directly from your computer. As long as you have access to the Internet and a browser you can bring up your mind maps from any computer. Mindomo has added encrypted map storage and has redesigned the web site. If you haven't taken a look at Mindomo now is the time to give it a test run!
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[TIPS] Promoting 21st Century skills

7:10 AM ari sari No comments

http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/item.php?itemID=9771

This is recorded podcast (sorta) of Ken Kay, president of Partnership for 21st Century Skills, as he gives a talk at this past year’s FETC. The topic is 21st Century Skills – something we’ve heard talked about many times. But, give this one a listen. It’s almost an hour long (so let it run in the background while you do your work) but I think you’ll like what he has to say. Yes, he drops the name of Thomas Friedman and the World is Flat but he has some other very good anecdotes and some good suggestions at the end of his presentation.

At one point he talks about visiting a 5th grade remedial writing class. The teacher gives the kids the assignment to write a story about a rescue. Real, personal, or imagined. It didn’t matter, as long as it was about a rescue. The boy he was sitting beside said that he was going to write a story that would scare people and off he went to try to write it. Ken went to the teacher to comment on it and the teacher said, “You missed the point. Once he made that statement (I’m going to write a story that will scare people.), it became HIS assignment. Self-directed learning. The lesson also included a paper that the kids received at the end of the class that had them reflect on the lesson. “Did you accomplish your task? If not, why not?”, etc. They had a rubric that helped the teacher recognize self-directed learning.


A very informative speech. I do hope you’ll listen to it. It’s an enhanced podcast with his slides showing, too, so you’ll find yourself flipping back to that page to se his slides, I’m sure.

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Clean out the prefetch folder :

5:55 AM ari sari No comments

Windows XP uses a system called 'prefetch' to organize and preload some of the data necessary for commonly used applications and files. A folder called prefetch is used to store the information the operating system needs to carry out this operation.
After several months of use, the prefetch folder may become quite overloaded with older references to software and files that may no longer be in use.It's a good idea to manually empty the older files out of the prefetch folder every few months or so.
To do this: Navigate to 'c:\windows\prefetch' and delete all .
PF files that are older than a week or two.
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[TIPS] classroomgoogleearth » home

5:30 AM ari sari No comments

http://classroomgoogleearth.wikispaces.com/

Thanks to Chris C for sharing one from a wiki by (I Think) Steve Dembo. (See this post) He points to a few pretty neat wikis, including the one above. Imagine a wiki where your students post the kmz (saved Google Earth searches) files of the places that they’re studying in school. I like it!

More here: http://top10freesites.pbwiki.com/

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[TIPS] Rocketboom - watch this episode

5:05 AM ari sari No comments

http://www.rocketboom.com/stories/rb_07_jun_19

Watch this episode. You will come away with a sense of wonder at the creative power of those folks who are being interviewed. And notice how, during the acceptance speeches, that they all seem have the fever.. the drive… the excitement… the radical way of thinking about this connected world. You’re looking at a group of the most creative people in the world. Not scientists, perhaps, but artists and creative thinkers who are excited about what they do.

I found it very exciting and exhilarating to watch.

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Wednesday, June 20, 2007

[TIPS] Webby Awards

2:39 PM ari sari No comments

http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=11


This is a HUGE list of the BEST websites on the web, as chosen by “…members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences based on a number of creative and functional criteria.”

You will get lost in here. There are some sites that are funny, others that are beautiful, others thought-provoking, and … well… ranging from Activism to Youth. Bookmark it but don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s going to suck a couple of hours right out of your day. And you’ll enjoy every minute.

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[TIPS] TERRA: The Nature of Our World *Video Podcast*

2:35 PM ari sari No comments

http://www.lifeonterra.com/index.php

In scanning the Rocketboom episodes that I’ve been missing of late I came upon this site, winner of a Webby Award in the category of.. Student??? But, check it out. Wonderful photography of life on this planet.

Here’s what it says about itself:

“LIFEONTERRA is a collaborative filmspace and laboratory exploring the questions and ideas on the cutting-edge of science and at the farthest horizons of the natural world. The "TERRA: The Nature of Our World" video podcast launched in October 2005. TERRA films have been downloaded over one million times.”

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Bird Population Falls Over Past 40 Years

1:33 PM ari sari No comments

A recent study by the National Audubon Society has found that bird populations -- even those of common, robust species such as grackles -- have fallen drastically over the past 40 years. The populations of whiporwills and bobwhites have fallen by well over 80 percent, a drop so great that these once-common birds are now seldom seen or heard in the eastern US. Deforestation is partly to blame, as well as global warming, which appears to be affecting arctic birds especially hard. Because cold-climate birds must migrate farther north each year to reach their shrinking habitat, they rarely migrate below the northernmost regions of the US.

"These are not rare or exotic birds we're talking about -- these are the birds that visit our feeders and congregate at nearby lakes and seashores and yet they are disappearing day by day," said Carol Browner, Audubon board chairperson and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator in the Clinton administration. "Their decline tells us we have serious work to do, from protecting local habitats to addressing the huge threats from global warming."

Source: Boston Globe
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[TIPS] webcams to monitor for cheating

1:28 PM ari sari No comments

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Tuesday, June 19, 2007

[TIPS] Another couple sites from the 1 to 1 workshops

2:51 PM ari sari No comments

I'm here in a workshop with Eva La Mar (from Oregon?!) as she shows a few sites that offer good free resources. She just showed a couple cool tools for higher level thinking. The first site was the Intel site for education. I had commented on that site a while back but there are tools that I hadn't seen before.


The first one she showed was one designed to help the kids learn about ranking. http://www.intel.com/education/visualranking/index.htm This one is terrific. Create a list of items, and then let your students drag them and drop them to put them in order. But, then they must comment on why they put them in that order. What kind of lists? Well, how about a list of voting issues, or causes for the civil war, or a list of disastrous weather conditions. I'm sure you can come up with a LOT more than that. But, once the list is ranked you can get in to compare lists, and more. Very cool.

Another one in that list is called, "Seeing Reason." Start with a central idea and let students create boxes that connect to that idea. But, the lines that connect the ideas can be different thicknesses depending upon its influence on that object. Click the line and tell your reasons.

There are other tools in there, as well. If it's been a while since you were last at this site, as it was for me, check it out again. You just may leave with a couple new tools in your toolbox.

Thanks for making the trip, Eva. Nice job.

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[TIPS] An excellent web 2.0 summary

11:54 AM ari sari No comments

This is cruel. I'm going to tell you about a great keynote/luncheon speaker and I've got nothing to link to. But, keep this guy's name in mind.

His name: Cole Camplese, the Director of Education Technology Services for Penn State University. His topic was, "Enabling the New Classroom Conversation" and it was a bird's eye view of the changing face of the web, student involvement, and the trends he and his team have identified. I've done some workshops (some better than others) in web 2.0 changes, but this was FAR AND AWAY the best presentation I've seen on the subject. Bar none.

He talked about so many things, and had so many excellent statistics, but here's one that stands out in my mind. (This is like someone commenting on the Gettysburg address saying, "He mentioned four score and seven years ago." :-) )

After the Virginia Tech tragedy the students of Penn state using Facebook!, quickly organized an effort to have the students wear the appropriately colored tshirts in order to form the letter VT in the stands of an upcoming exhibition football game (Blue/White game, maybe? I forget which game.) Within hours, thousands of students were on board with this initiative. The administration at the University got wind of it and was there at the game to distribute over 8000 t-shirts. He showed a picture of the the students in the stands forming the letters VT. To think that it was started by the students in Facebook, picked up and supported by the administration is powerful. He used this as an example of how connected the students are to such technologies as Facebook.

That is just one story in his hour long presentation that gave an EXCELLENT - VERY CLEAR and entertaining - overview of the changing face of the web. Web 2.0 tools and what they truly are, etc. EXCELLENT!

Those of you who are reading this and who would like to have a speaker come in for such a presentation would do well to give him a call. And no, I'm not his manager.:-)

Someone (Eric) pointed me to Cole's blog. Here is HIS post about the day. http://camplesegroup.com/blog/?p=696


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[TIPS] Great Science models

7:05 AM ari sari No comments

I'm sitting here in a 1:1 workshop led by Dr Scott Carrigan from CAPE. (WWW.acape.org) He just pointed us to NetLogo, a wonderful site full of java simulations at NetLogo. This page shows the models that have been contributed by the community and the application is being developed by Notherwestern university.

Check it out: http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/community/

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Monday, June 18, 2007

[TIPS] Voice Thread

3:12 PM ari sari No comments

First of all, my sincere apologies to the person who told me about this today. I spoke to so many that I just forget who it was. If it's you, leave a comment on my blog.

The site is http://voicethread.com/view.php?b=409 - voicethread.com. Post a picture and then invite folks to leave voice comments on it. This has SO many potential uses for school. Do check it out. Log in and create one for your family, if nothing else.

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IT Specialists Need to Find Profitable Niches

6:09 AM ari sari No comments

An important part of becoming an IT specialist is finding the appropriate niche. So how do you develop your niche?

The Horizontal Niche

A horizontal niche is the opposite of a vertical niche in which your target clients are all in the same industry. With a horizontal niche, you might find most of your clients’ main contacts have a specific position, such as office manager. If you find this is the case, take a casual survey and ask clients about their most critical IT issues, their biggest business problems and then think about how you can be a solution as an IT specialist.

This practice of getting to the heart of your clients’ biggest concerns will help you with retention, but also will help you create a good marketing pitch that will help you find clients just like your current one. Look for mailing lists, organizations, magazines and other places where you can find office managers.

What Should IT Specialists Know?

To get the most effective marketing plan, you should ask the following questions of your targets:

1. Who are your targets?

2. What do your targets read?

3. Which trade publications and ezines exist?

4. Which newsletters to your targets read?

5. Which local, regional and other conferences do your targets attend?

6. Which trade groups have local chapters for these types of business owners?

7. Where do your targets frequent?

8. What do your targets talk about?

9. What are your targets’ biggest worries and concerns?

If you want to be like other successful IT specialists, talk to your targets, prospects and clients and get to the heart of who they are and what they need. Then you can replicate your best clients and get the most out of your business.

You probably already have personal relationships with some of your clients. Take them out to breakfast or lunch and ask them questions. Tell them you want to be an IT specialist and find out how you can help them.

The Main Idea About Being an IT Specialist

If you want to get the best clients in a horizontal niche, find out as much as you can about their jobs so you can distinguish yourself as an IT specialist.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg
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Sunday, June 17, 2007

Cheetah spot by spot: C style comments in dbaccess

3:50 PM ari sari No comments

Another quick note on another minor (from my point of view) feature of IDS 11.10.
Beginning with v11.10 dbaccess will accept C language style multi-line comments.

As such, you can write things like:

SELECT * /* this is the
select clause */
FROM customer /* This is the FROM clause */


This will allow for better compatibility with other RDBMS SQL scripts, and it's also SQL-99 compliant.

The other forms of comments recognized by dbaccess will still be available:
  • "-- comments" for single line comments
  • "{ comments }" for multi-line comments
The introduction of this commenting style also affects the ways to specify optimizer directives.
The syntax /*+ */ are also accepted in the new version. So, you could use this:

SELECT /*+ FULL ( customer ) */  *
FROM
        customer
WHERE
        customer_num = 101;


to force the query to make a full table scan.
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IBM 73P4485 72W Slim AC/DC Combo Adapter

2:28 AM ari sari No comments

IBM 73P4485 72W Slim AC/DC Combo Adapter


This is a Brand New IBM/Lenovo Boxed Original Product
Lighten your load when you travel with our new thinner 72W AC/DC Combo Adapter. Get more access to power for your ThinkPad notebook with this AC/DC adapter. Enjoy the convenience of having one power adapter for the office, home or travel. Maintain your power while traveling in your car, or on the plane (where supported) with the DC connector so your system keeps working as long as you do. And, when you arrive, plug into the AC wall outlet at your destination.

Features and Benefits:
• New slim design is 40 percent thinner than our previous model to take up less room when you travel
• AC/DC power means one adapter for office or travel
• 72W output to work with most ThinkPad systems
This option is not compatible with G and Z Series ThinkPad

IBM 73P4485 72W Slim AC/DC Combo Adapter
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Friday, June 15, 2007

IT Consulting: What Should You Do Before Starting Your Career?

9:00 PM ari sari No comments

You have to be ready to start a career in IT consulting. But what do you need in terms of certifications, business plans, etc. to begin?

The Importance of Certifications

With small business IT consulting, lack of certifications will not hold you back because the average small business owner will not know the difference between certified and not certified. When you start to sell to an IT team manager in a larger small business, however you will need to have an entry-level certification at the very least and some other specialty certifications.

Do You Need a Business Plan?

A business plan is important for any business, but you shouldn’t let a lack of one hold you back from starting your IT consulting career. Professionals often think they have to have an incredibly sophisticated and long business plan to begin a career, but in reality yours should initially be a 4-page, simple document. Explore issues of competition, growth, payback, positioning and marketing techniques. Sit down and develop a more detailed business plan over a long weekend.

Fictitious Names

A fictitious company name is simply one that does not reflect just you – your first name and last name. It’s a name you select when you decide to go with a company name like ABC Consulting Services or some other name.

When using a fictitious name, choose a name that tells what you do or your strengths. Your business name needs to be developed before you start marketing to others in IT consulting so you can be assured of being taken seriously.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit
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Self-Healing Plastic

1:32 PM ari sari No comments

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have developed a nanotechnology polymer that can "heal" itself by filling in cracks and tears automatically. Although self-healing plastic is not an entirely new concept, the UIUC material is different because it can repair itself multiple times without any intervention.

The material could have important uses where making repairs is difficult, where materials are under enormous stress and/or where material failure would be catastrophic -- such as in implanted medical devices, airplane and spacecraft components, and microprocessors. The UIUC researchers emphasize, however, that practical applications are years away, and that initial products will be highly expensive.

Source: MIT Technology Review
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Britain Piloting First Biofueled Train

1:25 PM ari sari No comments

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group has embarked on yet another venture -- Virgin Trains, which seeks to replace traditional diesel trains with models run on biofuel.

Virgin Trains' pilot project will test a train running on 20% biological material (typically a type of vegetable oil) in Britain for six months. If the test is successful, Virgin Trains will use the 20% mix full-time, with an eye toward engines run purely on biofuel. Virgin Trains says that switching to biodiesel could cut emissions by 14%.

Source: MSNBC
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[TIPS] Danger - Games could lead to learning

12:30 PM ari sari No comments

http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604471


This article in the TechLearning site lists eight of the author’s favorite educational game sites. Caution: they may be blocked at school for being a game site, so learning may have to wait until the student gets home. J

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JCVGantt Pro 3 & MindManager 7- Perfect Together

10:47 AM ari sari No comments

Within days of the release of MindManager 7, Gantt Solutions, Inc released JVCGantt Pro 3. JCVGantt Pro 3 is a standalone project management application and add-in that works seamlessly with MindManager 7. The new version of JCVGantt Pro 3 includes the new Ribbon interface that makes the application more accessible and even easier to use then the previous version. For someone like myself, who only occasionally uses project management software, I have to say that within minutes of starting the application and going through the Quickstart Guide you will be doing project management like a pro.

Harnessing the power of MindManager 7, one is able to do all of the brainstorming and organizing of the project within MindManager 7 before ever using JCVGantt Pro 3. Organizing your project and setting up the task information and relationships within MindManager 7 will automatically carry over to your project in JCVGantt Pro 3. Once you have organized your project in MindManager 7 simply go to the Add-in tab and click on JCVGantt Pro 3. This will launch JCVGantt Pro 3 and display the Gannt chart. Setting up the dependencies for the tasks is very quick and straight forward. Simply Control click on the tasks and click on the Link icon in the Ribbon and within seconds JVCGantt Pro 3 will set up Finish to Start dependencies which are graphically depicted with arrows which can be seen on the Gantt chart. JCVGantt Pro 3 offers the user the ability to change the type of dependency (Finish to Finish, Start to Start, Start to Finish). JCVGantt Pro 3 is very intuitive and by simply dragging tasks you can set the start date for a particular task as well as the projected end date. Similarly, you can click on an activity and enter what percentage of the task has been completed by dragging within the task bar. Any changes made in JCVGantt Pro 3 will automatically be synchronized with MindManager 7. By completing the Resources for the project for both fixed and variable costs JCCGantt Pro 3 can help you determine the overall cost for the project. If the tasks slip behind schedule, JCVGantt Pro 3 can quickly calculate what that means to the bottom line. The program is extremely flexible and one that is very easy to use. Whether or not you are a business person or an educator who is managing a
Gantt Chart in JCVGantt Pro 3

project this is a very useful and easy to use application that you will come back to time and time again. Pairing JCVGantt Pro 3 with MindManager 7 Pro is really a very powerful one two punch-a real synergy that is hard to beat. Being able to organize your projects with MindManager 7 and following that up with the project management tools within JCVGantt Pro makes for two very powerful communication tools. Give both applications a try and let me know what you think.
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