There is an app for that too!

Intel to launch app store for netbooks

The creator of the Atom chip, which powers most netbooks, announced the beta of an app store for the small computers. Hopefully, there will be free or inexpensive apps that could be of use to students and teachers. I wonder if I should open an app store? What would I put them on? A Teacherbytes device? Right! Source: Engadget

Pixel Perfect

Apple is working on making each LCD pixel a touch sensor for future displays. This is further evidence that my prediction of multi-touch displays will be on the walls of classrooms of the future. It will make a certain math teacher I know very happy because she believes the Promethean Board is not exact enough. ARS Technica

 Arc of the keyboard

Microsoft announced a new keyboard called the Arc. This form factor is to compliment Microsoft's thin Arc Mouse. The $59.95 peripheral will be exclusively sold at Best Buy stores starting February 21st. This could help free up some teacher desk space for more papers to grade. Source: Engadget

Now that is Socially Networked H2O

Vitamin Water has a new flavor called Connect complete with a Facebook logo and a label with all kinds of Facebook references. What is next? Google Water? Source: TechCrunch

Is Child Predator a character on WoW?

 A 42-year old women was arrested at her home in Texas after meeting with a 16-year boy she met on the popular online game World of Warcraft. The boy left his Barrie, Ontario home to meet the woman with whom he had been communicating on the game. Ironically, no Canadian laws were broken but since the age of consent is 17 in Texas the woman is thrown in jail. This might not go anywhere since the boy said he was 20. Anyway, the mother of four will have a lot of explaining to do with her soon to be former husband. Source: CNET

Social Agents of Change

Mashable has a post with lists how Social Media has changed society. The first of two points that interested me is writing blogs and other Web2.0 apps has raised child literacy rates. The second point is how social media allows a greater exchange of knowledge. 

Intel Reader

Intel is showing a device that scans text and reads it back. This could be a good adaptive technology device but the $1500 price tag could slow deployment to classrooms in these tough budget times. Below is a video demonstrating the reader. Source: Engadget

New Year's Prediction: Laptops for Everyone

One trend we should see in 2008 is notebook prices will drop. Last year MIT's One Laptop Per Child group finally started shipping its XO to developing nations. This was supposed to be the $100 laptop marketed to help children of developing nations acquire technology. The XO wound up costing around $200 but it did prove functional laptops could be manufactured at a cheaper cost. Intel is also marketing its own low-cost machine to other countries and ASUS is selling low-cost laptops on the open market.

Well the genie is now out of the bottle. Engadget reported former OLPC Chief Technical Officer Mary Lou Jepsen has left the group to form her own company. The goal of her new start-up, Pixel Qi, is to produce a laptop with a cost of $75. While a $75 laptop might be a bit of a stretch for now, even producing one for $150 would be step in the right direction. Also, Pixel Qi plans to sell its machines on the open market, something both OLPC and Intel are not doing right now. If the machine works well new customers will be lured in by its price. This will force other manufacturers to produce lower cost machines as well and parents who have been reluctant to buy laptops for their children may start if the costs are below that of a Nintendo Wii or iPod.

OLPC is making a mistake by marketing its XO to other countries, although Birmingham, Alabama schools are making a large purchase. Schools districts wanting to start One-to-One programs but were afraid of the costs might be willing to take the plunge. This would lead to a lower cost of the XO because of economies of scale. OLPC will eventually realize they need to market to American schools to stay alive but will it be too late as the competition heats up?

Intel to package tools for collaboration

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Think of it as Wikipedia for the workplace. Intel Corp., the world's largest computer chip maker, now wants to provide businesses with software to create blogging, wiki and news feed services to connect employees on collaborative projects.

Here is an article I viewed the other day about how Intel is going to offer a suite of Web 2.0 tools geared toward small and large businesses. The idea is for employees to connect and work on projects collaboratively. This is further proof that more and more applications are moving towards the web and businesses are using the interactive web to increase productivity. Students in our schools should be shown how Web 2.0 tools are used in a working environment to produce real results and not these tools shut off because something offensive might be posted. By shutting out bloging, wiki, podcast, and photo sites such as Flickr or Photobucket we are actually building a wall around ourselves and choose not to see what our students are actually doing, without supervision. We need to work with students to show them how to use Web 2.0 tools responsibly as well as productively.