Kindle Falls Short of "Real" Books

There's an article in yesterday's Washington Post on issues with Kindle.

The Kindle's screen, for example, doesn't include a backlight and displays only a few shades of gray. Between the dark-gray text and the light-gray background, its contrast falls short of a newspaper's and is inferior to that of a book.
Worse, the Kindle's sluggish screen needs about 1 1/2 seconds to draw a new page, during which time the next page distractingly appears as a photo-negative image of itself before settling into place.
That delay seems short next to most waits on a computer but feels like infinity compared with turning a paper page. The Kindle screen's lag ensures there can be no such thing as flipping through a book on this device.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/05/AR2007120502611.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

Interactive programing tool that kids (and adults)can use

Stagecast Creator™ is an award winning point-and-click programming tool. They advertise that “In the classroom, Creator gives you and your students the power to create lively interactive simulations for math, reading, science and more. Creator can be used for any subject, for any grade level, by both boys and girls, and by students with a wide variety of learning styles. Children learn by building things.”


At about $50.00 for the program, this looks very tempting. Quinn says that one needs a team of people to develop learning environment with games. This program may make less people required.
Look at he videos on the website-very impressive.

http://www.stagecast.com/school.html

SCRATCH - animation and games programming

Kids are creating interactive programs on the computer.
Scratch aims to teach programming skills through a simple and fun to use interface. This is done by 'dragging n dropping' building blocks to animate and control media such as graphics and sounds.

See the video and other information at:
http://www.meridianmoodle.com/course/view.php?id=35

Free Rice

This is very cool! "What if just knowing what a word meant could help feed hungry people around the world? Well at FreeRice.com it does..." - The Washington Post

They've found a simple and creative way to make learning fun and beneficial in multiple ways. Check it out if you have some time...Warning, it's addictive. http://www.freerice.com/index.php

Next ed-tech frontier: Classes via cell phone

In what could be a sign of things to come for colleges and universities worldwide, an online university in Japan has debuted a course that students can take through their cell phones. In what could be a sign of things to come for colleges and universities worldwide, an online university in Japan has debuted a course that students can take through their cell phones.
eSchool News
[eschool.news@eschoolnews.com]

Educating the Public while Launching a Product

When something truly revolutionary comes to market, you need to educate your consumer before the start buying en masse. How do you think Amazon does with its product video, photos, and description of their new kindle?

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Device/dp/B000FI73MA

Imagine you are unfamiliar with the concept. How does this site blend learning and engagement?

Think about their selection of music, special effects, narration...

Here is a six minute version of the video.

More on Holograms

I'm very intrigued about the use of holograms for entertainment, communications, training and other educational pursuits. This one is very nicely done. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQT0vcw7xZM&feature=related