Just Right

If Goldie Locks was presented with a smart phone, a tablet, and a PC, the tablet would be “just right.”

Smart phones aren’t strong enough to entirely replace PCs, but the phone’s mobile capability draws people to use a smart phone for many of their computing needs. PCs are too large to be conveniently transportable, but the small screens of smart phones make it impossible to use it with ease for some computing needs. It is smart-phone technology that has evolved tablets into a thin screen that runs a touchscreen-focused mobile operating system requiring less processing power than preceding operating systems such as Windows.

Below are a couple articles that describe tablets and their future in schools, businesses, and homes around the world.
PC World’s “What the Ultimate Tablet Would Look Like”
Here is a summarized list of tablet ideals taken from the article:

1. Weigh less than 1.5 pounds.
2. Antiglare coating provided as an option.
3. Kickstand to prop up the tablet.
4. USB ports included.
5. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)
6. Capabilities to support Web standards such as HTML5and Flash.
7. Quick turn on.
8. Dual camerasincluded.
9. Open videocapabilities.
10. The ability to print from the tablet.

Kno Releases Tablet Designed for Students

Apple Makes iPads More Useful for Schools

Apple’s iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad can do and show so much, but until now, users haven’t been able to print from the devices. The iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad don’t have the ports needed to connect the devices to a printer, but Apple, Inc. developed software that makes it possible for users to print wirelessly over Wi-Fi networks. The software, called AirPrint, allows the Apple gadgets to locate printers on home, work, or school networks, and then print. Currently, only certain Hewlett-Packard Co. printers are lucky enough to be compatible with AirPrint.

AirPrint along with AirPlay are two new feactures available with iOS 4.2, the latest operating system for the Apple devices…just in time for the holidays.

Microsoft Certifications Earned at North Carolina High Schools

Next fall, North Carolina will be the first state to offer Microsoft computer training in every high school. Currently, about 30 high schools are using the Microsoft IT Academy —which is a “subscription-based membership program designed to help schools offer students and faculty learning solutions for IT skills training and certification as well as technology essentials for professionals.” The North Carolina students will have the opportunity to earn certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist or a Microsoft Certified Professional.

Even after graduating college with a degree in Computer Sciences, I know that many people spend their free time pursuing certifications such as these because they are either required in order to be hired by a certain company or they bump a person up to the next level of pay scale. While it would be ideal for students to have the chance to be certified with various types of software rather than just Microsoft, I think it is really cool that these students have the chance to leave HIGH SCHOOL with a certification that would actually be worth something in the real world with a real corporation that offers a real salary and benefits. I think this is the new direction for many technical schools serving students 18 years and younger.

National Ed-Tech Plan...revisited

On May 19th, I wrote about the proposal of the National Education Technology Plan (NETP) and its goals. Well…It’s official! Last week, the final version of the National Ed-Tech Plan was released by the U.S. Department of Education.

The document is organized into 5 components that the Department of Ed says are essential in “learning powered by technology”:

1. Learning: Engage and Empower
2. Assessment: Measure What Matters
3. Teaching: Prepare and Connect
4. Infrastructure: Access and Enable
5. Productivity: Redesign and Transform

Even if reading a 90-page government plan isn’t your thing, I encourage you to check it out. There are sidebars on many of the pages that are boxed in light blue. Each of these sidebars explains real-life programs in schools and organizations that are taking advantage of the benefits of technology.