Gadgets, Gizmos, and Tech Toys

1. Gadgets, Gizmos, and Tech Toys Dean Smith deandsmith@yahoo.com www.smithclass.com Alan Walker alan.walker@prosserschools.org www.multiplication.com Jeff Miller millerja@nwinfo.net

2. Instructional uses for non traditional technology in the classroom • In other words: • How to justify to your school administrators buying the coolest Gadgets, Gizmos, & Tech Toys.

3. Gadget Types • Computer Adaptors • Plug and Play external devices • Communications Tools • Internet Ready Cell phones and Pagers • Handhelds • Palm OS • Pocket PC • Personal Multimedia • Digital Cameras • MP3 Players • Still More Toys • GPS Systems, Earphones

4. Problem: Wish your computer could do just a little bit more? • External Support w/ USB and Firewire • Universal Serial Bus: A standard device link for external units such as mice, scanners, digital cameras, MP3 Players, and others devices with a transfer rates of up to 12Mbps • Firewire: also known as IEEE1394, is a fast standard for connecting as many as 63 devices to devices to a computer and is capable of transfer rates up to 400 Mbps. • Wireless • Multichannel Radio Band Support • BlueTooth • Short-range network protocol using radio technology to connect different types of devices, such as computers, PDAs and mobile phones. Has 35-foot range and devices need not be in a line of sight. FYI: http://www.howstuffworks.com/bluetooth.htm • Infrared • Wireless communication using transceivers (a combination transmitter and receiver) between devices at a transfer rate up to 4 Mbps.

5. Student Portfolios • What can you do when you have large student multimedia projects on different lab machines and only one writeable CDROM? • DiskOnKey • 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 MEGS of RAM • Available through Dell, Compaq, Targus, and Buyt Direct 64 Megs of RAM only $80.00 128 Megs for $139.95

6. Memory Cards & Writers • Sony Memory Sticks and Compaq Flash Cards can be used in many multimedia devices such as digital cameras, MP3 players and, hand held devices • USB adaptors can turn these cards into fast removable disk drives. • USB Reader + Writers • http://www.bsdtoday.com/2002/February/Features638.html • http://www.allusb.com/products/P11306.html Tired of Floppy Disks speed? Wish your disks could save 32 Megs, 64 Megs, 128 Megs Or a whopping 256 Megs? IBM Mini drives @ 1Gig Now available

7. Intel Microscope • The USB device that lets you turn your computer’s monitor into a zooming microscope. • Imports BMP and Jpeg • Exports BMP, Jpeg, and AVI Movies • Check out IntelPlay • http://www.intelplay.com/products/qx3/index.php • Do you love Microscopes but hate that “squinty eye” face? Only 5 payments of $19.99

8. Wireless Mouse • Move around the room while you give your presentations with wireless technology. • 100’ Range / Special Software Bundle • RF Technology • http://www.gyration.com/technology.htm Are you tired of trying to teach with one hand on the keyboard? Is it difficult to teach standing Next to your computer? Only 5 immediate payments of $19.99 www.gyration.com

9. Text Enabled Pagers Communications in the Class • What were you doing in class when CNN was updating the Florida election counts every ten minutes? • Can you imagine having Instant news updates silently buzzed in while you teach current events or civics? Many online news services will send updates by email that can be forwarded directly to a wireless cell phone or pager. • Internet Ready Phones • Mini Keyboards • Serial cable links to your computer

10. Handhelds • Wish you carry your laptop in your pocket? • With today’s hand held devices and conduit software it is really not that difficult • Peace in the OS Wars?? • The big corporations may be fighting it out for control of the mark, but believe it or not, in the classroom, there can be peace. • Example. Ipaq and Palm III on the same computer sharing the same address book and calendar.

11. Palm OS Conduits / Hotsync • Works w/Outlook • Sync Addresses, Email, Notes • Classroom Applications • Quizzler • http://www.quizzlerpro.com/ (They have a free version too) • Free Quiz Library (w/many titles: history, geography, math,..) • Download hundreds of eTexts from Hamlet to the Time Machine • Educational Freeware and Shareware • http://www.palmgear.com/software/index.cfm#Educational • http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/pilotsoftware/ Buy a Palm Handheld right now and Palm III Palm IIIc Palm V Palm VII as a special gift, get great classroom tools Visor Pro Visor Prism Treo 180

12. Palm OS • Attachments • ImagiProbe • Put science technology in the “palm” of your students hands. These hand-held device attachments allow your science classes to take accurate scientific measurements that can be analyzed by your computer. Wouldn’t it be cool if students could take class computers with them on field trips and could create real world research? Only one payment of $279.99 http://www.imagiworks.com/Pages/Products/ImagiProbe.html

13. For Palm III See Ebay or Discount Stores But Act Now… Palm OS • More Attachments • Kodak Palm Pix • http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/cameras/palmPix/ • Palm Modem • Analog Palm III • Cellular Connectivity for Palm VII Ever find yourself needing a digital camera? M500 Handheld Cameras SVGA 800 x 600 pixels $129.00 OK, so you are at a tech conference and want to quickly check your email from your hotel…

14. Palm OS • Attachments • Smart Pad • Consider all of the IEP, MDTs, and Staff meetings every teacher is expected to attend and record OK, how many meetings do you attend? Notes are saved in Standard BMP format And can be attached Prices here don’t reflect anything, we are just poor teachers!

15. Palm OS Can we seriously call a handheld device a computer? • Still More Attachments • Slide Show Commander gives you control of your PowerPoint Presentations • Remote control access w/ 12’ Serial Cable • Be a John Madden in the class • Keyboards • Various keyboards such as the Go-Type are available for nearly all handheld devices You have seen attachments that Give you a camera, Modem access And cool software, http://www.synsolutions.com/software/slideshowcommander/ What else do you need?

16. Pocket PC 399.00 - 599.00 • Handhelds • iPaq • 3835 + 3765 • Standard Expansion Pack • Single / Dual Slot PC Card Pack • http://www.compaq.com/showroom/handhelds.html • Casio • Includes 2 card slots and USB Host support • Audiovox Maestro • Dual Expansion Slots • Connects to Audiovox Cell phone CDM-9100 • HP Jornada • 565,568, and 720 Series • http://www.hp.com/jornada/products/700/ E-200 for 599.99 Buy Now, only 6 more Shopping Months Until Christmas 499.95 549.99 599.99 899.99

17. Pocket PC SO MANY Attachments • New attachments appear every day • Checkout Pocket PC Magazine • www.pocketpcmag.com • Mobile Planet.Com Catalog • Keyboards • Various keyboards such as the Go-Type & Targus are available for nearly all handheld devices

18. Pocket PC • Built in Audio • Sound Recorder • MP3 Player • Audio Book Reader • Students can hear yesterday’s lesson and you do not burn up tapes. • As a class, you can listen to stories like the old days of radio • Online Audio books can be purchased to assist special needs students.

19. Pocket PC Buy a Pocket PC Right Now and get great ROM Software! Built in Microsoft Applications (ROM) • Word • Spell Checker • Handwriting Recognition • Excel • PIE (Pocket IE) • Media Player • Microsoft Reader for eBooks http://www.microsoft.com/reader/default.asp • Other Applications • Pocket Streets with MapPoint Connectivity • http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/ • Various 3rd Party shareware programs provide PowerPoint support • External Hardware will send output to Video Projectors • Adobe PDF Viewer

20. Palm / Pocket PC How about FREE Web Pages on Your Handheld?? • Surf the Internet Offline • Palm and Pocket PC Device are able to whack selected webpages from the Internet for offline surfing. Let your desktop computer connect and send files to your handheld even if it does not have a modem. • Avantgo Free • Use Custom Channels or create your own • http://avantgo.com/frontdoor/index.html • Mazingo.Net Free with Premium Service • Select Online Magazines and Services (Pocket PC) • http://www.mazingo.net/pc/index.php

21. Personal Multimedia • Pen Cam • A number of companies have recently introduced digital cameras that can fit in your pocket. • The Aiptek Pen Cam has the ability to save 80 low resolution pictures or take about 15 seconds of video. OK digital cameras are cool, but do you have Them when you need them? Can you hide a camera in your pocket? The Pencam saves 15 seconds of video Or 80 pictures http://www.aiptek.com/

22. Personal Multimedia • Sony Mavica w/CDROM • 156MB of data • 8cm mini CD-R/CD-RWs Do you have boxes and boxes and boxes of floppy disks? Only 46 payments of $19.99 Do your disks crash whenever you need them the most?

23. Personal Multimedia • MP3 Players • Sony w/ Memory Stick • Duo Audio • http://www.digisette.com/ • Integrate Music and audio stories into your lessons • Candle Light • http://www.candlelightstories.com/ Books on Tape from sources such as www.audible.com bring professional narrators into your class.

24. More Tech Toys • GPS Devices • Some integrate with handhelds • Lesson ideas and Games for integrating GPS devices in the classroom: Geocaching • Check out Eduscapes • http://eduscapes.com/geocaching/kids.htm • http://gisillinois.org/gis/lessons/lessons.html

25. More Tech Toys Quiet? Sure you can make your class quiet, but how can you give one student the silence to read a book or take a test while your class is working on projects?

26. The Cure for Bulky Lab Keyboards • Standard Keyboards are big and bulky • They can not get wet • They are a pain to pack when you travel 24.95 http://www.cablesonline.net/flexfolkey.html

27. From Whiteboard to Computer Students miss class for many reasons. How many times are you asked to send home a synopsis of your class lecture to a sick student?

28. From White Board to Computer Even More Share notes in real time over a network. • Save your lessons with Mimio • http://www.mimio.com • Connect a standard Whiteboard or flipchart to a PC or MAC • USB Adaptor supports “print and go.” • Converts handwriting to text automatically This is AWESOME! Mimio has added a talking Calculator

29. Online Lessons • Intel’s Digital Movie Creator • http://www.intelplay.com/main.php • GPS Lesson Ideas from NASA, GIS Illinois • http://wwwedu.ssc.nasa.gov/ltp/LessonPlans/Grades9-12.htm • http://www.gisillinois.org/gis/lessons/lessons.html • MP3 Player Basics • http://express.howstuffworks.com/ • Digital Cameras • http://www.geocities.com/middleschoolscience/techdigcam.html • Slideshow Commander • http://www.synsolutions.com/software/slideshowcommander/ • Still More Ideas • http://www.thefutureschannel.com/

30. References • Universal Serial Bus: http://www.learnthat.com/define/u/usb.shtml • Firewire: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci748584,00.html • Bluetooth : • http://searchNetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci211680,00.html • Infrared: • http://searchNetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci214041,00.html