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iPad video online; iPad User Group meets Nov. 9

Posted on by Betsy Edwards

Six million iPads have been sold in the past six months, said Dennis Devenney at the Oct. 7 iPad presentation at TechBytes. K-Staters interested in learning more about Apple’s popular iPad can now view the iPad video presentation (76 minutes), where Devenney covers:

  • iPad setups, features, and security
  • Social aspects (is it a fad? Apple and Google are betting “no”)
  • Comparisons with similar technology now on the market (or coming soon)
  • Applications and productivity tools
  • Initial costs and recommended peripherals
  • How the iPad fits in education

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New prepaid mobile broadband option for data access

Posted on by Eric Dover

Virgin Mobile has just launched a new prepaid broadband mobile option for those who want to travel with data access for laptops and other mobile devices without being committed to an expensive two-year contract.

Their new toy is a prepaid MiFi device that allows you to create your own WiFi hotspot anywhere cellular data is available that you can share with up to five mobile devices such as iPads, laptops, Sony PSPs, and the like. Continue reading “New prepaid mobile broadband option for data access” →

Transferring courses between learning/course management systems

Posted on by Shalin Hai-Jew
kstateonline1
K-State Online is the learning/course management system at Kansas State University

For any number of reasons, faculty may find they have to transfer digital learning objects or modules or whole courses from one learning/course management system (L/CMS) to another. Sometimes this is due to the closing out of a contract for a particular L/CMS. Sometimes it’s a matter of changing workplaces and moving contents (for which faculty own all or partial copyright). Sometimes faculty members need to deploy a course on a different system in order to reach a wider audience.

Assuming that the digital learning objects have been built correctly (with the proper technologies and in an accessible way), various types of learning may be quite “portable.” These text files, digital imagery, diagrams, slideshows (still and animated), audio files, video files, games, tutorials, and other objects may be moved without affecting their quality.

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Tips for buying a Netbook computer

Posted on by Eric Dover

A new computer craze has been hitting the IT world over the last year. It’s called Netbooks. These tiny, ultra-portable computers are attractive for those looking for inexpensive, ultra-portable computing power. The concept appears to have evolved from the One Laptop Per Child initiative that sought to make small, portable, cheap, kid-friendly computers. A promotion during the 2007 Christmas shopping season gave one computer to a child in need and one to the purchaser for $400 total. This promotion was met with strong enthusiasm from the media and had mobile workers excited about the possibility of small, cheap computers.

The excitement turned to frenzy when Asus announced their consumer-oriented Netbook–the Eee PC. This Linux-powered computer sold for around $250 and is the catalyst for the current Netbook boom. In a span of a little over a year, we have gone from one manufacturer making Netbooks to nearly every computer manufacturer offering  some version of a Netbook. With the proliferation of the Netbook platform,  a rough guide to help with the quest for that perfect Netbook is provided below.

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