Mimio PR: MimioStudio 9.0 Releasing on Feb 6!

It's official: MimioStudio™ 9.0 software will be released on Monday, February 6th! At that time, it can be downloaded from mimio.dymo.com.

MimioStudio 9.0 software makes interactive teaching much easier for teachers. It's uniquely intuitive, and seamlessly integrates every MimioClassroom™ product. It also incorporates the new MimioStudio ActivityWizard, an innovation that intelligently automates the activity-creation process, saving time and minimizing errors. Please see below for MimioStudio 9.0 and ActivityWizard differentiators.

MimioStudio 9.0 Differentiators

• Integrates all MimioClassroom devices–the MimioTeach™ interactive system, MimioVote™ assessment system, MimioView™ document camera, MimioCapture™ ink recording system, and MimioPad™ wireless tablet–seamlessly, for a truly user-friendly experience.
• Offers a built-in knowledge engine–ActivityWizard–that lets teachers generate educationally sound and engaging teaching activities in minutes.
• Includes MimioStudio Gradebook, which automatically records student answers and eliminates the need for teachers to hand-grade tests.
• Imports files from Smart, Promethean, and Common File Format (IWB), so teachers can use content they may already have.

ActivityWizard Differentiators

• The easiest and most intelligent activity builder available automates the activity and lesson building process.
• Includes a knowledge engine with a comprehensive library of content, and activity templates that allow automatic assembly of a complete activity in minutes.
• Teachers can build activities that target skill acquisition, rate-building, and evaluation.
• The entire activity-generation platform is founded upon proven instructional design principles.
• Automatically calls out critical components for creating effective instruction.

Ultrabook Theme at CES 2012

The MacBook Air has helped to create a new category of mobile computing where the manufacturers are offering systems that are small, light and powerful to give the ultimate road warrior a sexy machine to take out on the road with them. These devices are all going to hit in the upper end of the pricing scale start at about $850 and going up from there.

The first attribute that is striking is the thinness of the profile of these systems. Weighing in at around 3lbs their screen sizes vary quite a bit. Most of these devices are using Intel’s third generation Core processors or Ivy Bridge delivery more speed, more battery life and better graphics performance.

Most of these devices are missing optical drives, usually have around a 13 inch screen and usually either an SSD or gone big on the HDD side. The SSD versions usually drives the price a bit higher than the non-SSD version. The SSD will help with making it lighter and protect your data a little better with less moving parts.

So what systems are out there?

• Lenovo IdeaPad U300 – The Verge Review
• Lenovo T430u – 14 inch version CNET Review - engadget Review
• Samsung Series 5 – engadget Review
• Toshiba Portege Z830 and Z835 – Toshiba’s Site – engadget hands on report - Laptop Review
• Acer Aspire S3 and S5 – ARS Technica Report – PC Mag Report

Logitech C920–1080p video calling

This could be really scary, Logitech is introducing their C920 Webcam with 1080P video calling. Hook this up with Skype and you are going to be able to display to whomever is hooking up with you, every detail that it is pointing at. This could be good, this could be very, very bad! Priced at around $100 it

Technical Details

• Full HD 1080p video calling (up to 1920 x 1080 pixels) with the latest version of Skype for Windows
• 720p HD video calling (up to 1280 x 720 pixels) with supported clients
• Full HD video recording (up to 1920 x 1080 pixels) with a recommended system
• Logitech Fluid Crystal™ Technology
• H.264 video compression
• Carl Zeiss® lens with 20-step autofocus
• Built-in dual stereo mics with automatic noise reduction
• Automatic low-light correction
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 certified (USB 3.0 ready)
• Tripod-ready universal clip fits laptops, LCD or CRT monitors

Logitech webcam software:

• Video recording: Up to Full HD 1080p video capture
• Photo capture: Up to 15 megapixels (software enhanced)
• 1-click Facebook®, Twitter™ and YouTube™ HD upload (registration required)

Scanning with my iPad, too!

If you are like me and have allowed your mobile self to become more and more centered around your iPad, then you may be looking for as many different applications that you can use your iPad or iPad2 for. Brookstone makes many different devices for that person in your life that has everything and in the beginning of February they will be introducing a new product called iConvert® Scanner for iPad or iPad 2 Tablet. My immediate response is neat! However, why does it only scan to jpeg images? Why not the universal PDF file format?

Priced on introduction at $149 it is a little on the pricey side but if you have a need for scanning paper while on the road, here is a solution. This unit will work with both iPad and iPad2, scan in high-resolution 300 dpi to a JPEG format. The front feeder will adjust from 2 inches to 8.5 inches. The scanner works with a free app that you can download from iTunes. Hopefully someone will write a new app that will allow you to capture your scans to PDF format and allow you to store them out to the cloud (iCloud or DropBox would be nice). It is powered by an included AC adapter, I wonder if will also charge the iPad when it is attached. This compact scanner fits easily in your briefcase or backpack, measuring 12.1"w x 4.4"d x 2.8"h and weighing just 1.44 lbs. Let me know your thoughts…