TOC Report: Book Meets Tablet: 10 ways to enhance your iPad books | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home:
"How to reconfigure books the way that modern brains have been reconfigured by the web and technology. All this can be done with current software. These are ideas that can be used to “enhance” a book in new and different ways.
The Colonel Fitzwilliam problem: keeping track of many characters in a book can be tough. Put into each book a “tap” that will take you to a quick summary of the character whose nome you tapped on. Enhancing doesn’t have to mean super multimedia.
Give me back my notes: for note takers, the current tools make highlighting and note taking easy, but it isn’t easy to find them later. No easy way to browse notes on current reader. Build into the book a simple browser for all notes and highlighting.
Shiny, happy poems: for poems create an interface that is fun to play with by shining light on interesting content- need to see the slides to understand this. Makes sense when you see it on the screen.
Table of contents: current state of the art is that toc is boring and limited. Can use it to improve a books browsability, and inspire the reader to jump to interesting parts of books. Use the toc to draw the reader into the book rather than just provide info. Use an “inspire me” button, for example in a cookbook, to take reader to something new.
Create bite-sized entertainment: create “javascript:void(0)books” that are full of short stuff that are like reading Twitter and Facebook."
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Colleges test Amazon's Kindle e-book reader as study tool - USATODAY.com
Colleges test Amazon's Kindle e-book reader as study tool - USATODAY.com:
"Now, as several major universities finish analyzing data from pilot programs involving the latest version of the Amazon Kindle, officials are learning more about what students want out of their e-reader tablets. Generally, the colleges found that students missed some of the old-fashioned note-taking tools they enjoyed before. But they also noted that the shift had some key environmental benefits. Further, a minority of students embraced the Kindle fairly quickly as highly desirable for curricular use."
"Now, as several major universities finish analyzing data from pilot programs involving the latest version of the Amazon Kindle, officials are learning more about what students want out of their e-reader tablets. Generally, the colleges found that students missed some of the old-fashioned note-taking tools they enjoyed before. But they also noted that the shift had some key environmental benefits. Further, a minority of students embraced the Kindle fairly quickly as highly desirable for curricular use."
Monday, February 22, 2010
Can ebooks save American education? | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home
Can ebooks save American education? | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home:
"In past years the problem was nearly insolvable. But now things have changed — or they should be changing — and ebook textbooks can be the answer. With today’s technology, there is no reason why publishers can’t create a pick-and-choose menu for school districts. Instead of printing millions of textbooks and locking knowledge in shackles for the next 10 years (the lifespan of the Texas review decisions), publishers could both reduce textbook costs and allow each state and/or school district to create custom books for local courses. If Texas and Kansas want to teach that the world is flat, while New York and California want to teach that the world is round, customized textbooks would let them do so. In the expansion of fact over fiction, ebooks can play a role in saving America from total educational collapse.
And think about how much money local school districts could save. It should be less expensive for schools to provide ebooks as course textbooks; in fact, it probably would be cost-effective for several school districts in a state to band together to build their own etextbooks than what is currently being spent on printed books that are not as focused on local needs."
"In past years the problem was nearly insolvable. But now things have changed — or they should be changing — and ebook textbooks can be the answer. With today’s technology, there is no reason why publishers can’t create a pick-and-choose menu for school districts. Instead of printing millions of textbooks and locking knowledge in shackles for the next 10 years (the lifespan of the Texas review decisions), publishers could both reduce textbook costs and allow each state and/or school district to create custom books for local courses. If Texas and Kansas want to teach that the world is flat, while New York and California want to teach that the world is round, customized textbooks would let them do so. In the expansion of fact over fiction, ebooks can play a role in saving America from total educational collapse.
And think about how much money local school districts could save. It should be less expensive for schools to provide ebooks as course textbooks; in fact, it probably would be cost-effective for several school districts in a state to band together to build their own etextbooks than what is currently being spent on printed books that are not as focused on local needs."
Macmillan’s DynamicBooks Lets Professors Rewrite E-Textbooks - NYTimes.com
Macmillan’s DynamicBooks Lets Professors Rewrite E-Textbooks - NYTimes.com:
"In a kind of Wikipedia of textbooks, Macmillan, one of the five largest publishers of trade books and textbooks, is introducing software called DynamicBooks, which will allow college instructojavascript:void(0)rs to edit digital editions of textbooks and customize them for their individual classes."
Sounds like Connexions or ck12 to me...
"In a kind of Wikipedia of textbooks, Macmillan, one of the five largest publishers of trade books and textbooks, is introducing software called DynamicBooks, which will allow college instructojavascript:void(0)rs to edit digital editions of textbooks and customize them for their individual classes."
Sounds like Connexions or ck12 to me...
Friday, February 19, 2010
Why E-Books Look So Ugly | Gadget Lab | Wired.com
Why E-Books Look So Ugly | Gadget Lab | Wired.com:
"“E-books today are where the web was in its early years,” says Andrew Savikas, vice-president of digital initiatives at O’Reilly Media, a major publisher of technical books. “And some of those e-books are as difficult to read and browse as the early web pages.”"
"“E-books today are where the web was in its early years,” says Andrew Savikas, vice-president of digital initiatives at O’Reilly Media, a major publisher of technical books. “And some of those e-books are as difficult to read and browse as the early web pages.”"
Thursday, February 18, 2010
the connexions blog: How to control for quality in Connexions?
the connexions blog: How to control for quality in Connexions?:
"Here at Connexions, all content is published under a CC-by license, which is as non-restrictive a license as possible while still recognizing and attributing work to the author. That means that it is legally possibly to re-use content. Of course, we go one step further in publishing all content with a standardized format to make 'frictionless remix'* even easier (it's hard to remix a .pdf with a Powerpoint presentation, for example)."
"Here at Connexions, all content is published under a CC-by license, which is as non-restrictive a license as possible while still recognizing and attributing work to the author. That means that it is legally possibly to re-use content. Of course, we go one step further in publishing all content with a standardized format to make 'frictionless remix'* even easier (it's hard to remix a .pdf with a Powerpoint presentation, for example)."
The iRex DR800SG eReader is now for sale at BestBuy.com | BestTabletReview.com
The iRex DR800SG eReader is now for sale at BestBuy.com | BestTabletReview.com: "The iRex DR800SG is a quality large-scale eReader. It has an 8.1-inch 1024 x 768 resolution display, is equipped with 3G and has a Wacom screen for note taking via stylus. It will also connect to the Barnes & Noble eBook store for purchasing new material."
Professional and Scholarly Publishing Leads the Market for Ebooks by a Wide Margin « The Scholarly Kitchen
Professional and Scholarly Publishing Leads the Market for Ebooks by a Wide Margin « The Scholarly Kitchen:
"Over the next four years, Greco predicts these drivers, among others, will result in the US market for professional and scholarly ebooks growing by 94% to $2.60 billion. During the same period, he forecasts that the trade book sector will undergo growth of 119% to $330 million. This would mean that scholarly and professional ebooks will continue to dominate the US market, accounting for 74.7% of ebook revenue through 2013. Even with growth of over 100%, trade books are only forecast to grow to 9.5% of total US ebook revenue."
"Over the next four years, Greco predicts these drivers, among others, will result in the US market for professional and scholarly ebooks growing by 94% to $2.60 billion. During the same period, he forecasts that the trade book sector will undergo growth of 119% to $330 million. This would mean that scholarly and professional ebooks will continue to dominate the US market, accounting for 74.7% of ebook revenue through 2013. Even with growth of over 100%, trade books are only forecast to grow to 9.5% of total US ebook revenue."
College Life » Textbook
College Life » Textbook:
"New York startup ScrollMotion has secured deals with textbook makers to adapt their books for the iPad, the Wall Street Journal reports. ScollMotion has deals with companies like McGraw-Hill, Kaplan, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt K-12, Pearson Education to build new applications for the iPad.
Textbook adaptation is more than just plugging in text to an application. It appears as though publishers, and Apple, envision bigger, more interactive features.
That's where ScrollMotion comes in. ScrollMotion already makes an e-book reader application for the iPhone.
Getting students to use e-textbooks has been discussed for years. So far, students prefer physical books. Amazon has tried to turn the Kindle DX into an e-textbook reader, but nobody was interested."
"New York startup ScrollMotion has secured deals with textbook makers to adapt their books for the iPad, the Wall Street Journal reports. ScollMotion has deals with companies like McGraw-Hill, Kaplan, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt K-12, Pearson Education to build new applications for the iPad.
Textbook adaptation is more than just plugging in text to an application. It appears as though publishers, and Apple, envision bigger, more interactive features.
That's where ScrollMotion comes in. ScrollMotion already makes an e-book reader application for the iPhone.
Getting students to use e-textbooks has been discussed for years. So far, students prefer physical books. Amazon has tried to turn the Kindle DX into an e-textbook reader, but nobody was interested."
Web not yet the answer to college-text costs | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/08/2010
Web not yet the answer to college-text costs | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/08/2010:
"Allen's group pushed for legislation that will take effect July 1 requiring schools that receive federal funding to give students advance notice on books needed for the semester so they have time to shop around. It also prohibits book companies from 'bundling' textbooks and supplemental materials, and requires price disclosure to faculty. Professors say they hear concerns from students frequently about cost and are interested in helping address the issue.
Jean-Claude Bradley, a Drexel University chemistry professor and E-learning coordinator for the College of Arts and Sciences, said he avoids requiring a textbook when possible and makes as much material as possible - including tutorials, recorded lectures, readings, and games - available for free online."
"Allen's group pushed for legislation that will take effect July 1 requiring schools that receive federal funding to give students advance notice on books needed for the semester so they have time to shop around. It also prohibits book companies from 'bundling' textbooks and supplemental materials, and requires price disclosure to faculty. Professors say they hear concerns from students frequently about cost and are interested in helping address the issue.
Jean-Claude Bradley, a Drexel University chemistry professor and E-learning coordinator for the College of Arts and Sciences, said he avoids requiring a textbook when possible and makes as much material as possible - including tutorials, recorded lectures, readings, and games - available for free online."
Web not yet the answer to college-text costs | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/08/2010
Web not yet the answer to college-text costs | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/08/2010:
"Nicole Allen, textbook advocate for the Student Public Interest Research Groups, believes textbooks should be less expensive for students than the price CourseSmart offers. A 50 percent cut is barely below the cost of rentals or used books, she said. Her group is advocating for professors at campuses nationally to use 'open textbooks' - free digital versions - whenever possible. 'We just want to make sure that open textbooks are on the table,' she said.
At Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus, students last year got about a dozen professors to sign a pledge to use more affordable book sources, said Lindsey Swoap, 19, a sophomore from southern Virginia.
The American Federation of Teachers passed a resolution in 2009 in support of open textbooks."
"Nicole Allen, textbook advocate for the Student Public Interest Research Groups, believes textbooks should be less expensive for students than the price CourseSmart offers. A 50 percent cut is barely below the cost of rentals or used books, she said. Her group is advocating for professors at campuses nationally to use 'open textbooks' - free digital versions - whenever possible. 'We just want to make sure that open textbooks are on the table,' she said.
At Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus, students last year got about a dozen professors to sign a pledge to use more affordable book sources, said Lindsey Swoap, 19, a sophomore from southern Virginia.
The American Federation of Teachers passed a resolution in 2009 in support of open textbooks."
Web not yet the answer to college-text costs | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/08/2010
Web not yet the answer to college-text costs | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/08/2010:
"Don't look yet for a groundswell toward digital books. According to the national Student Public Interest Research Groups, 75 percent of students still prefer print. 'The critical mass just isn't there yet,' said Bell, who added that it's also not clear whether students will buy the e-reading devices to make digital books more palatable.
CourseSmart, founded three years ago as a joint venture of five large college textbook publishers, hopes to change that. It offers about 9,000 book titles online at about 50 percent of the cost of print, said Frank Lyman, executive vice president.
Sales grew 400 percent from 2008 to 2009, he said, declining to release exact numbers.
'It is in the hundreds of thousands of students using it - not yet millions,' he said."
"Don't look yet for a groundswell toward digital books. According to the national Student Public Interest Research Groups, 75 percent of students still prefer print. 'The critical mass just isn't there yet,' said Bell, who added that it's also not clear whether students will buy the e-reading devices to make digital books more palatable.
CourseSmart, founded three years ago as a joint venture of five large college textbook publishers, hopes to change that. It offers about 9,000 book titles online at about 50 percent of the cost of print, said Frank Lyman, executive vice president.
Sales grew 400 percent from 2008 to 2009, he said, declining to release exact numbers.
'It is in the hundreds of thousands of students using it - not yet millions,' he said."
The Electronic Professor: Why I'm skipping the iPad
The Electronic Professor: Why I'm skipping the iPad:
"The display isn't designed for reading. --Because it doesn't use e-ink (like the Kindle) or even OLED (organic light emitting diode) in the screen, you're not going to have the same 'easy on the eyes' experience of a dedicated e-book reader. I like to sometimes read for an hour more . . . but with the iPad, I think that may be difficult."
"The display isn't designed for reading. --Because it doesn't use e-ink (like the Kindle) or even OLED (organic light emitting diode) in the screen, you're not going to have the same 'easy on the eyes' experience of a dedicated e-book reader. I like to sometimes read for an hour more . . . but with the iPad, I think that may be difficult."
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Kindle at Kollege
Kindle at Kollege:
"The lack of an organizational system is getting annoying. I'm up to 98 personal documents, plus one item that only shows up when I switch to books. (Plus 14 'free' books I've downloaded). I want a hierarchial list of 'documents' or books or whatever so I can group things by the class they go with. I've started naming all documents for 'American Modern Writers' with AM and all the 'Victorian Literature' with VL. But if I rename the file on the Kindle, it doesn't change the way it shows in the list. I have to resend it to the Kindle email address to convert it after I change the file name on my computer. A bit of a pain. Oh, and this makes any notes I've written no longer 'live' in the document. They are kept in My Clippings.txt but aren't available when I open the book."
"The lack of an organizational system is getting annoying. I'm up to 98 personal documents, plus one item that only shows up when I switch to books. (Plus 14 'free' books I've downloaded). I want a hierarchial list of 'documents' or books or whatever so I can group things by the class they go with. I've started naming all documents for 'American Modern Writers' with AM and all the 'Victorian Literature' with VL. But if I rename the file on the Kindle, it doesn't change the way it shows in the list. I have to resend it to the Kindle email address to convert it after I change the file name on my computer. A bit of a pain. Oh, and this makes any notes I've written no longer 'live' in the document. They are kept in My Clippings.txt but aren't available when I open the book."
WVU-P to offer electronic textbooks - NewsandSentinel.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Parkersburg News and Sentinel
WVU-P to offer electronic textbooks - NewsandSentinel.com | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Parkersburg News and Sentinel:
West Virginia University at Parkersburg is looking at an innovative way to reduce textbook costs for students. The college will be rolling out its first electronic open-source textbook this fall, written and developed by college instructors and available for the Kindle and other e-readers.
"We are tired of our students paying more for textbooks than they do for tuition," said Rhonda Richards, senior vice president for academic affairs at WVU-P. "We are looking at cheaper alternatives to textbooks, including creating our own electronic textbooks."
According to the college's program plan, the project aims to provide "low-cost, open-source textbooks developed by faculty for students in WVU Parkersburg's first-year experience courses as well as developmental courses in mathematics and English/writing."
Richards said the textbooks will be written by teams of faculty and reviewed by a third party to make sure they meet certain academic standards. The plan also includes the purchase of multiple e-readers for some classrooms and a student fee of about $5 for the electronic book.
In most cases the students will still have to buy their own e-readers, though, but the cost of a single e-reader, around or below $200, is often less expensive than a regular textbook.
The first book will be developed for adult students transitioning to college, followed by developmental mathematics and developmental English course texts.
The project is expected to cost around $30,000, which includes the price of multiple classroom e-readers and stipends for faculty working to develop the electronic materials.
West Virginia University at Parkersburg is looking at an innovative way to reduce textbook costs for students. The college will be rolling out its first electronic open-source textbook this fall, written and developed by college instructors and available for the Kindle and other e-readers.
"We are tired of our students paying more for textbooks than they do for tuition," said Rhonda Richards, senior vice president for academic affairs at WVU-P. "We are looking at cheaper alternatives to textbooks, including creating our own electronic textbooks."
According to the college's program plan, the project aims to provide "low-cost, open-source textbooks developed by faculty for students in WVU Parkersburg's first-year experience courses as well as developmental courses in mathematics and English/writing."
Richards said the textbooks will be written by teams of faculty and reviewed by a third party to make sure they meet certain academic standards. The plan also includes the purchase of multiple e-readers for some classrooms and a student fee of about $5 for the electronic book.
In most cases the students will still have to buy their own e-readers, though, but the cost of a single e-reader, around or below $200, is often less expensive than a regular textbook.
The first book will be developed for adult students transitioning to college, followed by developmental mathematics and developmental English course texts.
The project is expected to cost around $30,000, which includes the price of multiple classroom e-readers and stipends for faculty working to develop the electronic materials.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Free Technology for Teachers: Seven Places to Find Free eBooks
Free Technology for Teachers: Seven Places to Find Free eBooks:
"Every year schools around the world spend thousands of dollars on textbooks that are often outdated by the end of their first year in the classroom. Ebooks, many of them free, can represent huge savings for schools over purchasing textbooks. Here are seven places that you can find free ebooks."
"Every year schools around the world spend thousands of dollars on textbooks that are often outdated by the end of their first year in the classroom. Ebooks, many of them free, can represent huge savings for schools over purchasing textbooks. Here are seven places that you can find free ebooks."
Kindlerama » M-Edge develops waterproof Kindle case
Kindlerama » M-Edge develops waterproof Kindle case:
"Finally you can take your Kindle to the bathtub, pool, or beach and not worry about ruining your expensive investment. The case uses “flexible sealed button cutouts” so you can access everything, and is designed to float face-up. M-Edge says it should go on sale this spring."
Burnley-Moran Kindles an interest in reading | Charlottesville Daily Progress
Burnley-Moran Kindles an interest in reading | Charlottesville Daily Progress:
"Reading on the Kindle will get students to read books independently, but it is also all-inclusive and boosts their reading and critical thinking skills regardless of reading level, said Deanna Isley, who teaches reading to all of the school’s third-graders and decided to apply for a grant to do the project. “It sort of levels the playing field,” she said. Isley said this is possible because of certain features on the Kindle — such as “text-to-speech,” where a built-in computer voice starts reading the text like an audiobook — that can help students learn difficult words without spending all their energy trying to decode them.
“It’s, like, easier to read,” said 9-year-old Adrian Ward. “If it’s a hard book for you, you can use the text-to-speech to read.”"
"Reading on the Kindle will get students to read books independently, but it is also all-inclusive and boosts their reading and critical thinking skills regardless of reading level, said Deanna Isley, who teaches reading to all of the school’s third-graders and decided to apply for a grant to do the project. “It sort of levels the playing field,” she said. Isley said this is possible because of certain features on the Kindle — such as “text-to-speech,” where a built-in computer voice starts reading the text like an audiobook — that can help students learn difficult words without spending all their energy trying to decode them.
“It’s, like, easier to read,” said 9-year-old Adrian Ward. “If it’s a hard book for you, you can use the text-to-speech to read.”"
scholarshop « ResearchForward
scholarshop « ResearchForward:
"Expand Support for Content A “scholarly” Kindle would also need to broaden its compatibility with formats commonly used by researchers and instructors, especially PDFs, PowerPoint documents, and Excel files. Amazon’s device currently only supports Kindle (AZW), TXT, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion. The lack of PDF support is perhaps the most glaring omission. Yes, it is possible to use Mobi creator to convert PDF’s to MOBI format and then upload them to the Kindle via USB, but this is an inefficient, multi-step process that should be unnecessary. PDFs should run natively on these devices."
"Expand Support for Content A “scholarly” Kindle would also need to broaden its compatibility with formats commonly used by researchers and instructors, especially PDFs, PowerPoint documents, and Excel files. Amazon’s device currently only supports Kindle (AZW), TXT, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion. The lack of PDF support is perhaps the most glaring omission. Yes, it is possible to use Mobi creator to convert PDF’s to MOBI format and then upload them to the Kindle via USB, but this is an inefficient, multi-step process that should be unnecessary. PDFs should run natively on these devices."
A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: E-Volution
A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: E-Volution:
"Waterproof. Scratchproof. Adjustable font. Carrying 1500 books at once. Instantly purchase books with the press of a button. Directly interacting with the author and her fans. Extra content like early drafts and deleted chapters. How is this no advantage over print, which kills 40 million trees a year, and costs way too much?"
"Waterproof. Scratchproof. Adjustable font. Carrying 1500 books at once. Instantly purchase books with the press of a button. Directly interacting with the author and her fans. Extra content like early drafts and deleted chapters. How is this no advantage over print, which kills 40 million trees a year, and costs way too much?"
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Timely Demise of the Paper Textbook
The Timely Demise of the Paper Textbook:
"...with e-textbooks, publishers can cost effectively produce textbooks that align with each state's standards. Books can be customized to state's desires and updated without having to reprint."
"...with e-textbooks, publishers can cost effectively produce textbooks that align with each state's standards. Books can be customized to state's desires and updated without having to reprint."
The Timely Demise of the Paper Textbook
The Timely Demise of the Paper Textbook:
"Textbook costs in schools, from Kindergarten to the University, have increased dramatically over the past two decades. Textbooks nearly tripled in price between 1986-2004 [3]. College students are forced to spend up to $1,000 a year, further adding to the burden of paying for a higher education. For school districts, the rising cost of textbooks means pushing other school funding priorities to the side, keeping outdated materials for longer, or simply doing without. For instance, even though California spends $400 million per year on textbooks, [4] 500,000 students did not have textbooks to use in class and 2 million could not take their textbook home last year [5]. In response, 34 states have introduced laws that attempt to scale back prices but only six were successful, possibly due to heavy lobbying by the industry [6]."
"Textbook costs in schools, from Kindergarten to the University, have increased dramatically over the past two decades. Textbooks nearly tripled in price between 1986-2004 [3]. College students are forced to spend up to $1,000 a year, further adding to the burden of paying for a higher education. For school districts, the rising cost of textbooks means pushing other school funding priorities to the side, keeping outdated materials for longer, or simply doing without. For instance, even though California spends $400 million per year on textbooks, [4] 500,000 students did not have textbooks to use in class and 2 million could not take their textbook home last year [5]. In response, 34 states have introduced laws that attempt to scale back prices but only six were successful, possibly due to heavy lobbying by the industry [6]."
The iPad in Schools
The iPad in Schools:
"they have started buying iTouch carts for teachers to use for things such as letting students watch lectures and videos and being able to use apps that deal with the subject-matter to further enhance learning. These 21st century classrooms will continue to grow in number and luckily for us, AAPL will benefit tremendously from this."
"they have started buying iTouch carts for teachers to use for things such as letting students watch lectures and videos and being able to use apps that deal with the subject-matter to further enhance learning. These 21st century classrooms will continue to grow in number and luckily for us, AAPL will benefit tremendously from this."
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Can you please help me finish my essay, please? it’s about Technology in the Classroom ********* Please? | Buy Amazon Kindle: Your Edge
Can you please help me finish my essay, please? it’s about Technology in the Classroom ********* Please? | Buy Amazon Kindle: Your Edge:
"The Sony Reader, as you can easily imagine, will manage the task of presenting the agenda should a student need to show it. In fact, that’s just a small part of this product’s ability. All manner of pertinent school-related information (teachers’ extensions, department numbers, classmates’ email addresses, etc.) can be stored in the 'SReader'. Anything authorized by school administration may be made available for use by students and teachers . The security of the SReader is its finest feature: its design is such that students, while able to access a multitude of information, are limited in their interaction with SReader. The low rate of systems abuse makes the SReader a most practical product, yet the fun of having all the features in a lightweight, compact package makes it the Hottest Technology In the Classroom you’ll find on the horizon today."
"The Sony Reader, as you can easily imagine, will manage the task of presenting the agenda should a student need to show it. In fact, that’s just a small part of this product’s ability. All manner of pertinent school-related information (teachers’ extensions, department numbers, classmates’ email addresses, etc.) can be stored in the 'SReader'. Anything authorized by school administration may be made available for use by students and teachers . The security of the SReader is its finest feature: its design is such that students, while able to access a multitude of information, are limited in their interaction with SReader. The low rate of systems abuse makes the SReader a most practical product, yet the fun of having all the features in a lightweight, compact package makes it the Hottest Technology In the Classroom you’ll find on the horizon today."
Gordon wants tax on text to hike teachers’ pay to P40k - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
Gordon wants tax on text to hike teachers’ pay to P40k - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos:
"He said he would use the projected P365 billion a year to be generated from the 50-centavo tax per text to raise the monthly salary of public school teachers to P40,000 as well as provide grade-school students with electronic book readers."
"He said he would use the projected P365 billion a year to be generated from the 50-centavo tax per text to raise the monthly salary of public school teachers to P40,000 as well as provide grade-school students with electronic book readers."
Friday, February 12, 2010
IBallz Give Phones Some Stones - www.wired.com
IBallz Give Phones Some Stones - www.wired.com:
"IBallz is a set of four balls which slot into the corners of your precious slab of electronics. These are held in place by a stretchy cord. The iBallz then sits there, waiting, ready to rescue your tablet from all manner of calamities. What kinds of calamities? First, spills of both kinds: the balls puts some bounce into your device if it slips from your hand and flies floor-ward. It also puts a centimeter or two between the gadget and the table, meaning that literal spills will flow beneath leaving the iPad or Kindle nice and dry."
"IBallz is a set of four balls which slot into the corners of your precious slab of electronics. These are held in place by a stretchy cord. The iBallz then sits there, waiting, ready to rescue your tablet from all manner of calamities. What kinds of calamities? First, spills of both kinds: the balls puts some bounce into your device if it slips from your hand and flies floor-ward. It also puts a centimeter or two between the gadget and the table, meaning that literal spills will flow beneath leaving the iPad or Kindle nice and dry."
Sony Catches Kindle, Trails iPad with New Reader - BusinessWeek - www.businessweek.com
Sony Catches Kindle, Trails iPad with New Reader - BusinessWeek - www.businessweek.com:
"Now, Sony is out with a new addition to its e-reader line, the Reader Daily Edition. At $399, it's considerably more expensive than the Kindle and Barnes & Noble Inc.'s similar Nook, both of which sell for $259. But it also offers more than they do, and reaffirms that the parade hasn't completely left Sony behind, even in an Apple iPad world. The Daily Edition is the first Sony model with wireless, operating in the U.S. over AT&T Inc.'s 3G network; until now, every Sony had to be hooked up to a computer to download content. I've found wireless to be a huge boon in an e-reader, allowing me to buy books and access news while traveling or on the go."
"Now, Sony is out with a new addition to its e-reader line, the Reader Daily Edition. At $399, it's considerably more expensive than the Kindle and Barnes & Noble Inc.'s similar Nook, both of which sell for $259. But it also offers more than they do, and reaffirms that the parade hasn't completely left Sony behind, even in an Apple iPad world. The Daily Edition is the first Sony model with wireless, operating in the U.S. over AT&T Inc.'s 3G network; until now, every Sony had to be hooked up to a computer to download content. I've found wireless to be a huge boon in an e-reader, allowing me to buy books and access news while traveling or on the go."
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Congress wants an e-book reader for low-income kids
Congress wants an e-book reader for low-income kids:
"wiz420 | about 14 hours ago | permalink They should take this money and spend it on open-source textbooks. Has so much changed in the field of high school algebra that new, copyrighted works need to be purchased on dead-tree in order to teach our kids? Take works in the public domain, and adapt them to an electronic, free, model using public funds. I understand this won't work in fields that are rapidly changing, but let's take it as far as we can. Wikipedia is at least as good as most of the textbooks I had in public school, especially in fields like math. I used Wikipedia more than my textbook in college calculus.
Edzo | about 14 hours ago | permalink
Obviously the Federal government should create its own eReader. If the government is capable of offering super-efficient health-care and college loans by cutting out the middle man, Then the same must be true for eReaders.
It will definitely be finished ahead of schedule and under budget, and be the best eReader ever created."
"wiz420 | about 14 hours ago | permalink They should take this money and spend it on open-source textbooks. Has so much changed in the field of high school algebra that new, copyrighted works need to be purchased on dead-tree in order to teach our kids? Take works in the public domain, and adapt them to an electronic, free, model using public funds. I understand this won't work in fields that are rapidly changing, but let's take it as far as we can. Wikipedia is at least as good as most of the textbooks I had in public school, especially in fields like math. I used Wikipedia more than my textbook in college calculus.
Edzo | about 14 hours ago | permalink
Obviously the Federal government should create its own eReader. If the government is capable of offering super-efficient health-care and college loans by cutting out the middle man, Then the same must be true for eReaders.
It will definitely be finished ahead of schedule and under budget, and be the best eReader ever created."
Congress wants an e-book reader for low-income kids
Congress wants an e-book reader for low-income kids:
"Markey's bill would also launch a pilot program to allow low-income students to buy residential broadband service. And it would extend E-Rate to community colleges—a great idea actually. Finally, the proposed law would require an adjustment to the current $2.25 billion cap on the E-Rate program, so funding would adjust with inflation. This is something that libraries and even the Bill Gates Foundation have been clamoring for."
"Markey's bill would also launch a pilot program to allow low-income students to buy residential broadband service. And it would extend E-Rate to community colleges—a great idea actually. Finally, the proposed law would require an adjustment to the current $2.25 billion cap on the E-Rate program, so funding would adjust with inflation. This is something that libraries and even the Bill Gates Foundation have been clamoring for."
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Kindle Nation - The Free Weekly Email Newsletter - II.6 2.9.2009
Kindle Nation - The Free Weekly Email Newsletter - II.6 2.9.2009:
"So, let's do a three-year price comparison of the current 6-inch Kindle, the Kindle DX, and the 32 GB iPad 3G, before a customer buys a single book: * The latest-generation 6-inch Kindle costs $259 up front, another $75 to $100 for accessories and an extended warranty, and never another dime = $334-$359 (Buy Now)
* The latest-generation Kindle DX costs $489 up front, another $100 to $150 for accessories and an extended warranty, and never another dime = $589-639 (Buy Now)
* The iPad with unlimited 3G (i.e., enough bandwidth to do anything more than email and a few ebooks) and 32 GB storage capacity costs $729 up front, another $100 to $150 for accessories and an extended warranty, and $30 a month x 36 months = $1909-$1959"
"So, let's do a three-year price comparison of the current 6-inch Kindle, the Kindle DX, and the 32 GB iPad 3G, before a customer buys a single book: * The latest-generation 6-inch Kindle costs $259 up front, another $75 to $100 for accessories and an extended warranty, and never another dime = $334-$359 (Buy Now)
* The latest-generation Kindle DX costs $489 up front, another $100 to $150 for accessories and an extended warranty, and never another dime = $589-639 (Buy Now)
* The iPad with unlimited 3G (i.e., enough bandwidth to do anything more than email and a few ebooks) and 32 GB storage capacity costs $729 up front, another $100 to $150 for accessories and an extended warranty, and $30 a month x 36 months = $1909-$1959"
Kathy Schrock's Kaffeeklatsch: Amazon Kindle 2 Thoughts
Kathy Schrock's Kaffeeklatsch: Amazon Kindle 2 Thoughts:
"One commenter asked about the number of Audible recordings the Kindle 2 would hold if he had no books on the device. (The original Kindle had an SSD card slot, so you were only limited by the size of the SD card.) The answer to that question needs some explanation as to how Audible works. Audible offers its audiobook recordings in different quality formats. The Kindle 2 can play formats 2, 3, or 4, with format-4 being the best quality."
"One commenter asked about the number of Audible recordings the Kindle 2 would hold if he had no books on the device. (The original Kindle had an SSD card slot, so you were only limited by the size of the SD card.) The answer to that question needs some explanation as to how Audible works. Audible offers its audiobook recordings in different quality formats. The Kindle 2 can play formats 2, 3, or 4, with format-4 being the best quality."
Monday, February 8, 2010
We need fewer, not more, public school textbooks | jacksonsun.com | The Jackson Sun
We need fewer, not more, public school textbooks | jacksonsun.com | The Jackson Sun:
"Is there anything in the traditional textbook that is not available online? No. Education continues to lag at least 10 years behind business and industry applications. In fact, most households are way ahead of their local schools. It's time to move to laptops, 8-by-11-inch tablet e-books, e-readers, Kindle-type reading devices and online data research services, provided we teach our students how to use them (or perhaps the students will teach our teachers!) We can make the transition away from traditional textbooks for a fraction of the traditional textbook costs of 12 years in the public school system! Everything about our schools will change radically in an environment that integrates and embraces technological real-world applications."
"Is there anything in the traditional textbook that is not available online? No. Education continues to lag at least 10 years behind business and industry applications. In fact, most households are way ahead of their local schools. It's time to move to laptops, 8-by-11-inch tablet e-books, e-readers, Kindle-type reading devices and online data research services, provided we teach our students how to use them (or perhaps the students will teach our teachers!) We can make the transition away from traditional textbooks for a fraction of the traditional textbook costs of 12 years in the public school system! Everything about our schools will change radically in an environment that integrates and embraces technological real-world applications."
Friday, February 5, 2010
Ereaders popular at University of Kansas | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home
Ereaders popular at University of Kansas | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books Home: "The University of Kansas has made 4 Sony Readers available for checkout in its library. According to Rebecca Smith, communications and advancement director for the libraries, they have been so popular that the libraries are going to buy four more. “We’re trying to meet and anticipate student needs,” Smith says. “E-book readers are something students are incredibly interested in. So far, we’ve had overwhelmingly positive feedback.”"
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Kindles, iPads could be textbooks in new Georgia state bill | eSchoolNews.com
Kindles, iPads could be textbooks in new Georgia state bill | eSchoolNews.com: "Could Kindles, iPads, and other reading devices soon be as common in Georgia schools as textbooks? Maybe, if a bill passed by the state Senate is approved in the House, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. On Feb. 2, the Georgia Senate voted 45-5 to expand the definition of “textbook” to include computer hardware and technical equipment to support the use of digital content. Sponsored by Sen. Cecil Staton, R-Macon, the bill would give local school districts the flexibility to expand their spending options and seek modern, alternative methods of receiving information. Reading devices, where textbooks could be downloaded into the unit, are one option, he said."
Kindles, iPads also could be textbooks in new Senate bill | ajc.com
Kindles, iPads also could be textbooks in new Senate bill | ajc.com: "On Tuesday, the Georgia Senate voted 45-5 to expand the definition of “textbook” to include computer hardware and technical equipment to support the use of digital content."
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