Gadgets, Gizmos, and Tech Toys

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Gadgets, Gizmos, and Tech Toys

• Dean Smith
• deandsmith_at_yahoo.com
• www.smithclass.com
• Alan Walker
• alan.walker_at_prosserschools.org
• www.multiplication.com
• Jeff Miller
• millerja_at_nwinfo.net

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• 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.

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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

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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.

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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
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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 _at_ 1Gig Now available
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Intel Microscope

• The USB device that lets you turn your computers
  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
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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
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Communications in the Class
Text Enabled Pagers

• 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

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Handhelds

• Wish you carry your laptop in your pocket?
• With todays 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.

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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.cfmEducati
  onal
• 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
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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.

Wouldnt 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/ImagiProb
e.html
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Palm OS
For Palm III See Ebay or Discount Stores But Act
Now

• 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
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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 dont reflect anything, we are just
poor teachers!
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Palm OS

• 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

Can we seriously call a handheld device a
computer?
You have seen attachments that Give you a
camera, Modem access And cool software,
http//www.synsolutions.com/software/slideshowcomm
ander/
What else do you need?
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Pocket PC

• 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/

399.00 - 599.00
E-200 for 599.99
Buy Now, only 6 more Shopping Months Until
Christmas
499.95
549.99 599.99 899.99
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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

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Pocket PC

• Built in Audio
• Sound Recorder
• MP3 Player
• Audio Book Reader
• Students can hear yesterdays 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.

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Pocket PC

• 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

Buy a Pocket PC Right Now and get great
ROM Software!
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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

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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/
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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?
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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.
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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

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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?
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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
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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?
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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
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Online Lessons

• Intels 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.htm
  l
• MP3 Player Basics
• http//express.howstuffworks.com/
• Digital Cameras
• http//www.geocities.com/middleschoolscience/techd
  igcam.html
• Slideshow Commander
• http//www.synsolutions.com/software/slideshowcomm
  ander/
• Still More Ideas
• http//www.thefutureschannel.com/

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References

• Universal Serial Bus http//www.learnthat.com/de
  fine/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