InFocus LiteShow 4 Makes Collaboration Easy

In my last post I featured the InFocus JTouch, I wrote about the LiteShow 4 and how it worked with the display. I wanted to take another post to dive deeper into the the LiteShow 4 and show how it can be used.

As I mentioned in the previous post, the cool part of using the LiteShow 4 is that it allows for multiple devices to connect and then those images can be shared on one screen. Here are a few photos of students using the JTouch display and the LiteShow 4.

 Two students are showing their two screen. One is using an iPhone and another is using an iPad. You can see that there are two open spots for other users to share their screen if they connected to the LiteShow 4. I get excited about all of the possibilities for this feature. Students working in four different groups can do research and then share out on one screen. Items can be compared and viewed by the entire class at the same time. The teacher can switch to one of the images and then back to the four with just a click of a button.

For our Makerspace, I envision four students designing four different solutions to a problem and then sharing them on one screen to see which is best. Being able to share from their own devices allows the students to do work freely and then throw it up on the screen. It is important to make sharing and collaborating easy. The LiteShow 4 allows students and teachers to work and share without interruption.

Here are the students showing their pages to each other from their devices. Again, I love that fact that the students can move freely from the 4 images to the solo images so the bigger picture can be explored in more detail. I think about the HoverCam Solo 8 that I will be adding to the space and how awesome the image will look on the JTouch and it does not have to be connected to the computer connected to the JTouch. From these pictures alone, the images are crisp. 

One of things that really make the LiteShow 4 stand out from previous versions is that it adds the element of touch control wirelessly when showing one feed from a PC, Mac, or Chromebook onto a touch display (like JTouch). That is such an amazing upgrade. Being able to use the touchscreen feature wirelessly is just an extra awesome feature that makes the LiteShow 4 a bigger deal in our Makerspace. 

Users can use the MirorOp app to connect to the LiteShow 4. It is a free download and easy to navigate and connect. From there, users can share their webpages. The camera feature can be used, so students can have another document camera in their hands while they are connected to the LiteShow 4. The LiteShow 4 add more options to the classroom. 

The LiteShow 4 also works with an HDMI/VGA display or a projector. This is great so it is not restricted with be paired only with the  JTouch. This opens up the possibility of a variety of different uses in classrooms around the building. It's portable size makes it a great option if other classes might need it during the course of the school year. 

For me, I am always looking for more ways for students to collaborate. It is one of the reasons I have been working so hard on the Makerspace in our library. I see the value in giving students the time, space, and the tools to connect, create, and collaborate. The LiteShow 4 is another tool they will be able to use to do all three. 

The LiteShow 4 retails for $399 and I think it is a solid investment when trying to get the most out of a learning space. 

Note:  InFocus sent me the LiteShow 4 for the purpose of a review, but that does not make it less awesome. 

#SMARTkapp Fits Nicely In My Collaborative Classroom #edchat

I'm happy to share how the SMART kapp has worked in my classroom and I how I plan to get the most out of it with my students. Here is a short video that explains what kapp is and how it can be used. 

The main reason that I love kapp is that it is a collaboration tool. For my classroom, I look for things that will make collaboration better and easier for me and my students. Kapp fits those requirements. 

Using kapp is very easy to do. Here is a great graphic from SMART that accurately depicts setting up kapp. 

I currently have the 42" model hanging in my classroom and I have been using it with my students.

Here is some important info on the app.

You will notice there are four differences between the free version and the paid version. I upgraded to the yearly paid version to really try things out.

The pin protection for the live web view is not a concern for me. There might be something I do not want the world to see, but I have not encountered it yet.

Watermark-free PDFs is a cool feature if you are going to use anything created on the kapp for a presentation. I could see where that would be important, but it has not been an issue in my class yet.

Persistent URL for live sharing is awesome. I can create one link and that is the link that my students can return to over and over again on their iPad. This can be turned on or off and a passcode can be entered if needed. This is nice for long term use of the kapp in the classroom.

Concurrent live remote viewers is important for the classroom. 5 students would be ok for small group work on different days, but if there is something that wanted to be viewed by others on their devices, 5 would not be enough. For the smaller 42" board, I do not see this as a huge problem, but for the lager 84" board, there might be many more people around a room using it, more than 5 viewers might be needed. Also, if a class is working with another class remotely, having more that 5 open spots for viewing could be a cool way for the classes to collaborate.

From the app

Overall, the upgrade is worth it for the first year to see if how often you will use the different features. You could always go monthly if you feel you will only need it for certain lessons. It is nice to have those options.

Here are some of the things I have been doing with kapp.

Note Reminders:

Here is a screenshot from my phone of the SMART kapp app. This is what I wrote on my board and it was captured by kapp and sent to my phone after I scanned the QR code. Everything that I write on the board appeared on my phone. If I erased something, it erased from my phone. It worked smoothly with the Bluetooth connection. 

SMART kapp works with your existing Evernote account so users can save their work and start with a fresh screen. Simply pushing the camera icon will save the work and it will be available on the app. Here are a collection of the different items saved. 

Once I select an item, I can choose to text it, mail it, or send it to Evernote. The send it to Evernote part is something that makes the most sense for me. Since I have shared notebooks with my students, I can send any of these notes to all of my students by simply sending it to the shared notebook. Better yet, when students are working on different projects, they could use the board, scan the QR code and start sharing their work in their own Evernote notebooks. All of their work can be quickly and easily saved. I'm hoping for Google Drive integration in the future. 

Here are some stats on the 42" kapp

Here are some stats on the 84" kapp

One of the things I have been working on this first half of the school year is creating a Makerspace for the my school. I have been pulling in resources from everywhere to make this happen and I have to say that the kapp is a perfect edition to my classroom and it will be great in a Makerspace. Kapp is all about collaboration and that is what I want to see in the Makerspace. This product is perfect for the type of work students have asked to do in our space. It is a very cool device that will only grow to have more bells and whistles as time moves forward. I couldn't be happier to have one in my classroom.

Check out SMART kapp and see how it might fit into your learning environment.

SMART sent me a kapp for the purposes of this review. 

The @Doxie Go Wi-Fi Review

I've been a big fan of Doxie for many years now. I've been striving to be free of paper more and more and Doxie has helped me fight that battle. Now, there is a new Doxie Go Wi-Fi that allows me to scan on the go and connect directly to my mobile device. 

The Doxie Go Wi-Fi was simple to use and easy to set up. I was scanning within minutes of downloading the iOS app on my phone and iPad. The free app allows users to connect to the Doxie Go Wi-Fi and access all of the scans on their device. From there, the user can send those to their favorite cloud storage system. 

Turn it on and wait for the blue light

Scan everything you need

Send to your favorite cloud storage system

The Doxie Go Wi-Fi has it's own Wi-Fi that you connect your device to so that you can grab the scans from the scanner. Once the connection has been made, the PDFs can be added to your device and shared in many different ways. For me, I send my scans to Evernote for my personal work and I send my school scans to Google Drive. I could text them or email to others if it something quick. 

The Doxie Go Wi-Fi sill can connect to your computer and the Doxie software is still great for quick edits to the scanned documents. The flexibility of being able to scan and connect to my mobile device when I'm traveling and still make scans when I'm home and connected to my computer is priceless. 

Some try to say that taking pictures with your phone is "good enough" for scanning documents and I just do not buy it. Doxie Go Wi-Fi will scan in full color up to 600 dpi. That makes for very crisp photos and documents. I have been scanning old family photos using my Doxie and it works great. I can keep scanning and saving my work as I go. I can sit comfortably on the couch and scan away and connect to my computer when I'm ready. The portability of the scanner is a nice feature that should not be understated. 

The Doxie Go Wi-Fi is listed at $229, but there is special education pricing that is worth checking out. The Doxie Go Wi-Fi has been an excellent addition to my backpack as I travel to conferences and have more of a mobile work station in my life. The Doxie Go Wi-Fi is worth adding to your educational space and personal life. 

Doxie sent me a Doxie Go Wi-Fi for the purpose of this review, but I still love it because it is awesome.

InFocus JTouch and LiteShow 4 Review #EdChat

I'm excited to share with all of you a new addition to our growing Makerspace in my school. The InFocus JTouch and LiteShow 4. 

The JTouch 65" Interactive Touchscreen Display is an excellent addition to the classroom looking for a more interactive experience for students. At the special educational price of $1,999, it is a great deal. 

Here is a short video that explains more about the display. 

The one thing that jumps out to me is the clarity of the screen. It is crisp! I hooked up my Mac directly to the screen and the image was very bright. This is key because we plan on keeping this in the library with our Makerspace equipment and we will not be able to turn the lights down just for that area. A clear screen will help all of the students in the room. I also connected our document camera to the Mac to see how it would look on the bigger screen and everything looked great. The connection to the Mac was simple and quick. I would have liked to see more than one HDMI port so multiple items could be connected, but I can always go online and purchase a dongle that will allow me to connect extra HDMI cables if I need to. 

We were not able to mount the display on the wall, so we needed a stand. The stand provided by Chief was the perfect solution. It has wheels that allows us the flexibility to move the display around the space and configure the room how we need it depending on the use of the day. I think that is so important for Makerspaces. The stand hides all of the wires and allows for the display to be moved up and down. This is great for students that might be a bit shorter than others. That would not be possible if it were mounted on the wall. If you are looking for the flexibility of moving your display around, check out Chief for some great deals on stands. 

Here are some shots of students using the JTouch with different interactive websites. 

I did not tell the students anything about how to use the display. I just pulled up a site and said use it. The students quickly got the hang of the touch screen and were able to move around the site with ease. Students have been drawn to the nice sized screen and have been asking to spend more time with it. It has definitely changed the library space in a very positive way. 

The display is strong and no delay could be detected when watching the screen and the movement. Sometimes there can be a delay that can cause problems during use, but everything worked very smoothly. I was very happy to see how quickly I set up the display and was able to navigate around the Mac without any delay or choppiness. I really felt that the JTouch was everything advertised and I couldn't be happier to have it as part of our new Makerspace. 

The direct connection to the Mac was nice, but that could prove a pain if we wanted to move the display around often. It means the computer has to come with it. That was no longer a problem once I connected the JTouch to the LiteShow 4. 

The LiteShow 4 is a wireless receiver that allows you to connect your computer to the JTouch without all of the extra wires. This awesome devices allows for complete wireless control of the the Mac. The computer can now be set up in the corner and the screen can be moved to anywhere in the room. By freeing the display from the computer, it allows for a more flexible learning space. That is a huge plus for me. 

The LiteShow 4 also allows mobile devices to connect by using the MirrorOp app. Now I can have students send their image to the screen by using this free app. Little details like this always make a huge difference in the classroom. Now I can have students work independently, but then share their work with the group quickly by sending it to the screen. 

You can even have multiple computers connected and shown on the screen at once.

As my students start to design and create, this is a great option that will allow students to compare work and choose the best direction to head in for a project. This was not a possibility before. Another excellent part to a great product. It is worth adding to your space if you are looking for wonderful ways to share work and collaborate. It is $399 lives up to all of its promises. 

The  JTouch and LiteShow 4 have been an excellent addition to our growing Makerspace and I would highly recommend them to other educators looking to add a wireless and interactive display option to their classroom or other learning space.

I was sent a JTouch and Liteshow 4 from InFocus for the purpose of this review.

HoverCam Solo 8 Review: I Love It! #EdChat

I have used a new document camera and I have to say I am a huge fan! The HoverCam Solo 8 is a wonderful addition to a classroom. Here is a short video that details all of the awesome things it does.

Here is a description of the Solo 8 and I'll talk about these different features. 

The pictures are simply stunning. The images are crisp. I am blown away at how wonderful everything looked under the Solo 8. Take a look at these pictures from their photo gallery. 

 Check out their Gallery Photos for more great pictures. 

The Video Recording was smooth and the sound was clear. This can really change the way teachers flip their classroom. I can see teachers and students recording their annotations and then sharing them with the rest of class.

Zooming was easy to use by simply sliding my finger up and down on my mouse and the auto focus made sure that the image was clean. 

I would have to say that my favorite aspect of the Solo 8 is the annotation feature in the Flex 10 software. Here is a quick look at a student essay and the annotation tools. 

This is a screen shot of a live image. I was able to annotate on a live image. You can also annotate on the pictures that the Solo 8 takes, but annotating on the live image is important. As a teacher, you might want to show a class something, but do not need to take a picture of the document every time you want to show an example. You also might not want to actually mark up the paper. This allows you to virtually mark up the work for the class to see and you could snap a photo if you wanted later, but it is not required. This is the type of feature that sells document cameras.

I also love the fact that the live shots did not have any lag. When I moved my hand or made notes, they were on the screen right away. Normally, other document cameras have that lag hiccup that just takes a second to catch up to what the user is doing. I did not experience that at all and I tried to make it lag. I wrote quickly, i waved my hand, and I even shuffled papers around. I did not see a lag and the auto focus was great once I stopped moving. These things are huge in a classroom where every second of instruction counts.

Flex 10 software also allows for the user to crop the image that is being viewed to help focus on the relevant information. This is a crop of a part of an editorial from our school newspaper. This is perfect for teachers that are showing printed works and want to focus on only one aspect of a very busy page.

As an English Teacher, one of the ways we help students with their writing is by showing them examples of good writing and how to make good writing great writing. Document cameras make this a much easier process. The HoverCam Solo 8 has raised the bar when it comes to Document Cameras. I can now do things with essays and documents that I just could not do before. The pictures are beautifully rendered on the screen. I can see this being wonderful for the Science teachers who want to show images of dissected frogs or other Science-y type of things. (Note: I'm not a Science teacher, but if I was, I would show dissection stuff all of the time on this document camera.)

Clarity is important and we have come a long way since the overhead projector. The fact the Solo 8 can do so much in one device is important for teachers looking for the most bang for their buck. The high resolution photos, the screen recording, zooming, cropping, annotating, and other awesome features make the Solo 8 an excellent choice for educators looking to add an document camera to their classroom. 

If you are looking for a new document camera that can do everything you want and more, check out the HoverCam Solo 8. They have a great 30 Day Trial that can help you see for yourself how this awesome camera can be used in your learning environment. It's what I did and I can't wait to get one for my Makerspace so students can see the detail for all of their work. Check out the Purchase Info to get a HoverCam Solo 8 in your hands as soon as possible. 

Bump Armour For The Teacher and Student On The Go #Review

I've had the opportunity to give some Bump Armor products a trial run and I have to say that I'm very happy with how they performed.

Bump Armor iPad Case for iPads 2-4

The iPad case by Bump Armor is a solid case for those that have a case of the "dropsies" from time to time. Made from a non-toxic foam material, it passed a military grade drop test. Its ergonomic design lets the iPad and case sit comfortably in your hand. There is a Max version (Right) and a Light version (Left) that allows people to choose how much protection they will need for their device. I felt confident dropping my from desk level on to the hard floor in my class as a test. The case bounced and the iPad was just fine. If you need a case to protect your device from the bumps and bruises that seem to happen once in a while, this is a great case for you. It comes in multiple colors and an optional stand to purchase as well.


CB Slim Hardshell Chromebook Case

Chromebook case was perfect for my Chromebook. I've been traveling much more with my Chromebook because I have fallen n love with it. I use it all the time when I travel now. I have always been worried about the safety of the Chromebook as I bounce from airport to airport and in and out of conference rooms. This very simple and strong case has kept my Chromebook safe. It even slipped out of my back I accidentally left open and hit the ground pretty hard. I was freaked out, but everything was just fine. I had not seen any Chromebook cases in the past, but I will not have to look for one again. This one is just perfect and fits most Chromebooks up to 14 inches. If you are looking to protect your Chormebook, check out the CB Slim Hardshell Chromebook Case. 

LK Series Chromebook Backpack

I've found my new Backpack. It is simple as that. I love this thing. It has storage for everything I need and everything fits nice and securely where I need it. The backpack offers five sided protection of the Chromebook and multiple pockets for all of the extra gadgets I need to carry with me as I travel from conference to conference. It even has a nice side mesh pocket for my water bottle. For me, that is a huge deal. The backpack sits comfortably on my back and is easy to adjust. It is water resistant, has a special smartphone pocket, and space for pens and pencils. It has everything I needed in a backpack. I couldn't be happier with this backpack and will not need a replacement for many years. You will see it with me at the next conference. 

Overall, all of these products are wonderfully made and perfect for the person looking for quality protection of their technology. Please check out their website, BumpArmor.com, to check out all of their products and see which ones might be a perfect holiday gift for a friend our yourself. 

Bump Armor sent me samples for the purpose of a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

The @ScanSnap SV600 Review #EdTech

The Fujitsu ScanSnap SV600 is awesome. I just wanted to get that out of the way first. It is incredible and the idea of a contactless scanner is perfect of the things I need to scan on any given day. Here is a video that will quickly walk you through the features. 

This video does a great job of showing all of the cool things the scanner can do for a teacher. I love the end of the video where the student brings up their work, presses the button, and it is scanned right away. As an English teacher, scanning pages of books on a copier is a huge headache. I can't take the book apart for individual pages either. The SV600 is the perfect solution for scanning pages in a book. I can now scan pages, upload the PDFs to my Smart Notebook or Smart Amp file and have students annotate on the document. 

Another great use for the SV600 is archiving our old student news papers. We have papers dating back to World War II and it is too costly to have the pages scanned and saved by a company. With the SV600, students can carefully scan individual pages of the newspaper and we can now have archived editions of our school newspaper. Here is a collection of photos as I tried out the scanner with the newspapers. 

I loved having the scanner connected to my computer and my Smartboard so students could see the photo and note the high quality image that was scanned. 

The image of the scans were beautiful. We could zoom in on the scanned pages and we could see every letter and every picture clearly. It was an amazing picture. The scans can be saved as a PDF or a JPEG as well, so there are options as to how we choose to share these items. As an Evernote guy, I love that scans can be sent directly to Evernote. If there are pages of a document I want students to annotate, I can scan them and share them directly into a folder that the students have access. It is a simple way to get my students work. Once it is scanned once, I no longer have to worry about scanning them again. It will save me time in the long run when I scan the work. 

There are some other cool features that are worth noting:

Auto crop several documents in one scan. If you are scanning a bunch of business cards, it will recognize this and crop out just the cards. Up to 10 documents can be in one scan.

Page turning detection. It knows when you turn the page and will start scanning. This is just cool. The extra button pushes are removed with this feature and it works great!

Fingers are erased. You can easily edit out your finger if it made it into the scan holding a page down. This is a nice feature for those who do not want their pudgy fingers not the page. 

Items can be scanned to Google Docs, to Microsoft Word, Dropbox, and other Cloud Storage services. 

The ScanSnap SV600 is priced at $795.00. When I was given the quote to archive all of our student newspapers, it was a few thousand dollars. With the ScanSnap SV600, I can do all of the scanning myself and whatever I want to scan for years to come. 

Overall, the ScanSnap SV600 is a beautifully designed scanner with high quality pictures that is very easy to use. The scanner would be perfect in the library for students and teachers to use who need to scan parts of books or their projects. The ability to share easily with Google and Evernote is a huge plus for me and I see this Scanner getting hours of use the rest of this year. The ScanSnap SV600 is an archivist dream and librarian's best friend. 

I was sent a ScanSnap SV600 for the purpose of this review. All content and opinions expressed are my own. 

Wired Keyboard for iOS Devices by @GriffinTech #EdTech #EdChat

I've had a class set of iPads for a few years now, and one of the questions I get from people has to do with the students using the keyboard. Overall, this is not an issue for the majority of my students. However, there are some students who need a physical keyboard to use with their iPad. I have found one that has worked great with my students. 

The Griffin Wired Keyboard for iOS Devices is a great addition to the iPad for people who need a physical keyboard to get their work done. 

The keyboard comes with the older dock connector or the newer lightening connector. I was worried that it might not be compatible with the iPad 2, but it worked great. My students have been able to use these keyboards with their iPads without a problem. For the note taking students do on Evernote, the keyboard has been very important for the students who really needed them. 

Some people do not like the wired aspect of keyboards and prefer the Bluetooth connections, but those will drain your battery and will sometimes have connection problems. The wired keyboard from Griffin is a perfect solution for my classroom because I do not have to worry about batteries or connections. Students come in, grab their iPad, grab a keyboard, and get to work. After a couple of weeks, the only problem I have seen is that I do not have enough of the keyboards for the class. 

The device is a traditional keyboard with all of the buttons in the right spot and it feels like any other keyboard. I have been able to type very quickly and move around the keyboard like I would on my desktop. Sometimes smaller keyboards will have buttons that are too close together for my fat fingers, but everything feels just right on this board.

At $59.99 for a keyboard, it might be a bit pricey for a class set, but for a few in a classroom where some students will need one, it is an excellent investment. Check them out here if you are interested in getting one for you and/or your classroom.

HP ElitePad 1000 G2 Review #EdTech

HP ElitePad 1000 G2

I'm really excited to share with your my thoughts on the HP ElitePad 1000 G2. I've been playing with the ElitePad for a few weeks and I have to say that I am very impressed. I did not have the best experience with a Windows device when I used the Surface, but the ElitePad was very different. 

Windows looked beautiful on the device and everything was lightning quick. I was able to load new apps and update the software in a matter of minutes. I customized my screen and moved my favorite apps to the different screens. I opened Evernote and was able to access all of my notes and notebooks without a problem. Everything just went wonderfully! Here are some stats on the ElitePad:

 The specs of the ElitePad 1000 G2 include:

• Intel Atom Processor (quad-core Intel Bay Trail Atom)
• 4 GB RAM
• 64 or 128 GB solid state drive
• Bright and beautiful 10.1" (1900x1200) Gorilla Glass display
• Dual cameras: 2.1MP HD (front) and 8 MP with flash (rear)
• HD audio with 2 stereo speakers
• SDXC card reader
• USB port (with optional adapter)
• Microphone/headphone jack 
• Up to 10 hours of battery life
• WiFi (a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth (4G is an option)
• Weight: 1.5 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.01 x 10.28 x 0.36 in. (178 x 261 x 9.2 mm)

I was able to stream YouTube and Netflix without a problem and the sound was perfect. All of my favorite apps were opening quickly and I was able to easily take pictures and share them with friends and family. The battery life lived up to its billing. I used it during one full school day instead of my iPad and I was able to do everything I would have done with my iPad without missing a beat. 

Another great part of ElitePad was this wonderful accessory. 

HP ElitePad Docking Station

I love this Docking Station. Most of these are just for your to set it up and charge. This does so much more. It has the USB ports as well as an HDMI and VGA port. I can connect the ElitePad to anything I want. I can connect it to my project in class and use it as another computer. I can just switch from one computer to the other without any problems. I could connect it to my TV at home and show a slide show or watch Netflix there. This Docking Station opens a world of possibilities of different use scenarios. I can do all of these things and charge my tablet at the same time. It is a wonderful collection of options that others need to start making standard for their docking stations. 

Overall, I have to say that I am a fan of the ElitePad. It does everything you want it to do and it does it quickly and it  looks good doing it. Check out more info on the ElitePad here. 

 

Corning Gorilla Glass Markerboards

Corning sent me a small review copy of their Markerboard for the purpose of this review.

Dry erase boards have always been a part of my education. They were always big in my Science and Math classes. The one thing that I always noticed about the boards my teacher used and the boards in my building now is that they stain. I can see problems and formulas from many years ago staring at me each time I walk into a room. No matter how many times they have been cleaned, the ghosts still hang out. I really wanted to see if Gorilla Glass would be able to make those ghosts vanish. I wrote on the piece of class they sent me with the Bic dry erase marker provided and let it sit in my room for 2 weeks. It was subjected to the same lights and conditions as the rest of the room. I figured I would really have to give it a good washing to clear it up. I was wrong. The board wiped clean as if I had just written on the board the second before.


Here is a good video showing Gorilla Glass in more detail:

There is so much power in creating a collaborative space for students to work and share ideas. A piece of Gorilla Glass in your room could be a perfect way to help create this environment for students and for staff. If you are looking to change the way your classroom looks and Markerboards are part of that process, take a look at Corning Gorilla Class for Markerboards. 

Here are some key features of the Gorilla Glass that are worth considering:

Damage Resistant: Thin Gorilla Glass has the damage resistance of soda lime glass that is 2-3 times thicker.

Stain Resistant: Gorilla Glass is non-absorptive - making it stain resistant, allowing writers to use vibrant markers, which are off limits with porcelain and melamine.

Weight Reduction: Thin Gorilla Glass is lighter weight which results in mounting and installation cost savings compared to heavier materials such as soda-lime glass.

Magnet Efficiency:  The thinness of Gorilla Glass supports greater magnetic pull for markerboard accessories like magnets compared to thicker piece soda-lime glass that requires rare Earth magnets to yield magnetism.

If you have more questions, check out their website. 

Have a great day!

NP

Sphero 2.0 - A Young Programmer's Dream #EdTechChat #EdChat

Update: Orbotix has launched their education page that has lesson to make Sphero part of your class. They have also launched an #SPRKScholarship contest on Instagram. Check it out so you can bring Sphero to your class.

Orbotix reached out to me and sent me a Sphero 2.0 for the purpose of this review.

Before you read anything else, please watch this video so you can get a feel for what Sphero 2.0 can do.

I was sort of into RC cars when I was little. I would drive them around the house and run into things and generally scare the crap out of my dogs and cats. Those fun memories came flooding back to me after I had a chance to play with Sphero 2.0. 

I have to say, the Sphero experience is way better than any RC car I had growing up. By connecting the Sphero to my iPhone using a Bluetooth, I was able to control Sphero very easily. The movements were just as smooth as you saw on the video (You did watch the video right?) and controls were easy to understand. My students picked up my phone and were able to control Sphero without any instructions. 

I love that there are many apps available to do different things with Sphero. Here is a picture of the apps I have on my phone. 

The Drive app is simple driving and changing colors. It has some pre-programmed patterns it can do and flashing multicolored lights. It is a great app to get a user comfortable moving Sphero around. 

Draw and Drive is exactly what the title says it is. You can draw the path you want the Sphero to take and it will follow that path. It takes some getting used to to fully understand how far a line drawn is to the actual surface you have, but once that is figured out, it is a really fun app to play with in a large space. 

Rolling Dead is an Augmented Reality game that allows you to roll Sphero around and shoot zombies that crawl out of the ground. Here is a shot of some zombies and Sphero in my school hallway. 

This is a fun game that takes some time getting used to moving the device to follow Sphero to keep it in the camera view, moving Sphero around, and shooting zombies. After a few minutes of playing with it, my students were soon competing for high scores. 

One of the coolest aspects of Sphero is the fact that it has an app that can allow for some coding. This is really what sparked my interest as I thought about the implications a device like this could have in the classroom. The MacroLab app allows users to design their own programs for Sphero. 

A person can design their own paths, color combinations, and any other tricks they can think of with MacroLab. As I think more about coding for younger students, I love it when I see something that could fit perfectly in a classroom. Here is a shot of one of the programs that can be run using the app. 

What is even more exciting about Sphero is that the company, Orbotix, is going to be launching a program called SPRK (School, Parents, Robots, & Kids) that is designing lessons to go along with MacroLabs and Sphero to help kids learn about Geometry, Physics, and Basic Programming. They will be running contests to get people Sphero in their classroom so they can help their students so amazing things. Stay tuned for some cool updates in this department. 

Sphero 2.0 is priced at $129.99 and I think it is worth every penny. The apps that are available are free and will lead to hours of enjoyment and learning for adults and students. If you have a budding programmer in your house or classroom, Sphero is a fun way to get started. Heck, if you have wanted to do a little programming, Sphero is perfect for you too. 

Boogie Board Sync 9.7 eWriter #EdTechChat #EdChat

Note: Improv Electronics sent me this Boogie Board Sync for the purpose of a review.

Here is the new Boogie Board Sync and I have to say, it looks beautiful. It is sleek and easy to hold. Very lightweight and simple to use. Watch this video that will explain the ins and outs of the new Boogie Board Sync.

The idea behind the new Sync is very simple. It will help eliminate the need for paper in a variety of ways. For the person that loves to just sit and sketch out ideas and doodle their thoughts, the Sync is the perfect tool for you. All of your ideas can be saved and shared directly into the cloud. As a big time Evernote user, I love the Sync because all of my brainstorm sessions can be jotted down, synced to my phone, and shared to Evernote when I'm ready. I can also share my ideas through other social media outlets if I choose. I love that flexibility in my tech tools. More and more companies are starting to catch on that users want to create AND share their ideas easily. The Boogie Board Sync 9.7 allows me do to that. 

I tweeted out one of my notes yesterday from the Boogie Board Sync and it was very simple. I just wrote a few notes and sent it out through my Twitter account. I can now send my friends hand written notes through Twitter. That is pretty neat. 

The one feature I absolutely love is the live drawing feature. My handwriting will appear on my iOS device while I write on the tablet. What I love most about this is that it could be wonderful in the classroom. Imagine connecting the iOS device to an Apple TV and projector. Everything I write can be shown to the class, saved on the device, and later uploaded to Evernote for students who might have missed class. The tablet could easily be passed to other students so they can share their ideas as well. I could see that as being a huge deal in a Math or Science class. 

The Boogie Board Sync will run you $99.99 on Amazon right now. I think this is a fair price for all of the things it can do for a teacher in the classroom and with students. 

Even though I'm a tech guy and I love to type away on devices, I still do tons of planning on paper, but now I do not have to do that and that makes my planning much simpler and less wasteful. I recommend giving the Boogie Board Sync a look if you are trying to find a solution to your note taking problems. A Boogie Board Sync with a free Evernote account can really help you get organized.

If you want to start your Evernote journey now, follow this link to sign up!

Nick

Doxie Flip Review

I was sent a Doxie Flip for this review.

I was really excited to get my new Doxie Flip in the mail. I knew immediately that this would be perfect in my classroom and will help me save everything I do in class, but most importantly, it will help my students save everything as well. 

There are so many different ways to use this mobile scanner in the classroom. Here are some that standout. 

One simple way to use the Doxie Flip is to save your photos or scan handwritten notes. The can be placed right on the screen, close the lid and scan. It works the same way large scanners will accept this guy will go anywhere you want. The SD card is perfect for those that want to scan on the go and upload to your favorite tablet. Taking high quality scans does not have to be a time consuming job waiting in line at the copier/scanner. Keeping the Flip on the desk for some quick scanning is perfect for those trying to organize their paper life. 

Sometimes we want to scan things, but there really isn't a good way to get that page or drawing. The Flip has a lid that can be removed and a see-through bottom to allow you to see what you are scanning. 

I know that some people will suggest that the camera on their phone can do all of these things. They would be kind of right. Yes, a camera on your phone or tablet can take pictures, but it cannot get the high quality image that a scan will. Also, the scanner rests right over the item being scanned and it will not be blurry because you were slightly moving your hand. While a phone can get the job done, the Doxie Flip can get it done right. 

With my IdeaPaint coated desks, I look forward to having my students use the Flip to scan their notes and designs on their desks and save them to Evernote using the SD dongle connected to the iPad. The Flip can also be connected to you home computer where you can save your scans can be uploaded to your favorite cloud based network (Evernote for me!). Here are some other creative examples of using Doxie Flip. 

Here are some info on the tech specs.

The Doxie Flip is a great product that has a nice place on my desk for all of my quick scan needs and creative ideas that need capturing and saving. It is perfect for sharing in a classroom or a department because the SD card access and quick upload to devices. For $150, the Doxie Flip is a great price for an excellent tool.