Products

February 2013, What’s New

2/5/2013 By:

software & online

AC MATH AND AC SCIENCE APPS FOR WINDOWS 8
(www.adaptivecurriculum.com)

Adaptive Curriculum has developed four new AC VBook apps in math and science—“Algebra: Linearity, Slope and Direct Variation,” “Geometry: Circumference and Arc Length,” “Physics: Electric Current and Resistance,” and “Physics: Series and Parallel Circuits.” The apps help middle and high school students tackle the most difficult concepts identified by the new Common Core Math standards. Students play in an engaging environment with a blend of explorations, visual explanations, and exercises.

BLACKBOARD MYCONNECT APP
(www.blackboard.com)

Blackboard has launched Blackboard MyConnect, a native mobile app for iOS and Android smartphones and devices. The free app allows K-12 and higher education members to view and manage Blackboard Connect messages, preferences, and settings directly from their mobile devices. Furthermore, parents, students, and community members can retrieve messages and personalize their messaging experiences on the go.

HMH SPANISH VOCABULARY AND HMH FRENCH VOCABULARY IPAD APPS
(www.hmheducation.com)

Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt’s latest language apps are now available for free in the Apple online store. The full versions of the apps offer 1,500 flashcards per language and can be used in tandem with any Spanish or French series by students of all ages and learning levels. Created for use with the programs ¡Avancemos!, Bien Dit!, and Discovering French Today!, the mobile study tools feature native speaker pronunciation, audio slow-down, and multiple-choice quizzes that assess learned materials.

MAYAN MYSTERIES APP
(www.dig-itgames.com)

Dig-It! Games has created a new educational game for mobile devices. With more than 300 challenges and questions, and over 12 hours of game play, Mayan Mysteries engages students in grades 5-9 in archaeology. Kids solve a variety of puzzles to gather clues that lead them to a secretive thief. The content tests reading comprehension, geographical knowledge, and spatial reasoning. It also aligns to the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies and Common Core standards for Language Arts and Mathematics.

MIMIOREADING IPAD APP
(www.mimio.com)

Mimio’s new iPad app broadens the ways in which teachers and students can use the MimioReading comprehension suite, both inside the classroom and at home. Designed as a companion to the suite, the app gives anytime, anywhere access to interactive lessons on the four primary components of comprehension—finding facts, making inferences, identifying themes and the “main idea,” and learning vocabulary in context.

MINDSNACKS APPS
(www.mindsnacks.com)

MindSnacks has updated its portfolio of 14 language acquisition and test preparation apps. The apps cover a variety of subjects, from Spanish to Italian to French to Mandarin, and even SAT vocabulary. New features include iPad support, mini-games, a new user interface with a hand-illustrated image library, and the ability to teach a wider range of skills including conversation and sentence composition.

WORKSPACE CONNECT
(www.einstruction.com)

Einstruction has released its newest edition of WorkSpace software used to create and assemble interactive lessons with new features such as improved handwriting and shape recognition, equation recognition technology, and more than 50 annotation and teaching tools. WorkSpace Connect, a free app available for iPad and Android tablets, provides teachers with additional flexibility by turning their devices into mobile interactive whiteboards. With the app, teachers can move around the classroom while still having access to the content and tools on their desktops.

AIRWATCH
(www.air-watch.com)

AirWatch’s Mobile Device Management, Mobile Content Management, and Mobile Application Management solutions enable institutions to track all mobile assets, configure policies and settings, distribute apps and content, and secure access to school networks and resources.

CRICK CLICKER APPS
(www.cricksoft.com/apps)

Crick Software will launch a range of new Clicker Apps to complement its literacy support tool at BETT 2013. Last year, the company launched Clicker 6, the latest version of its primary word processor. The Clicker Apps have been designed to further enhance the learning experience by making key Clicker support features accessible for the very first time via the iPad.

ESPRESSO COMPUTER PROGRAMMING MODULE
(www.espressoeducation.com)

Espresso Education will be introducing its new computer programming module. The new module features a series of videos for students that demonstrate the history of computing, programming with Scratch and Kodu programming software, and the process for game creation. The module comes with teacher support videos and materials.

FARONICS LABPRO
(www.faronics.com)

Faronics has announced the availability of LabPro, a software solution that helps computer lab managers accurately track computer and application usage with ease by using real-time and historical data. Ideal for classroom labs or libraries, LabPro automatically tracks computer usage such as login information, average session length, applications used, printer ink levels, and paper usage. It then generates shareable, easy-to-interpret graphs and reports that help lab managers identify usage trends.

KNO ME
(www.kno.com)

Kno has launched a new student analytics product called Kno Me. With Kno Me, students can track their study habits to understand where they may need to improve in order to increase their understanding of the material and ultimately improve their grades. They can also share their studying behaviors with others in their class to compare and gauge their knowledge of the material.

LINKIT!
(www.linkit.com)

LinkIt! has upgraded to a fully cloudhosted platform that allows users to access all of LinkIt!’s assessment and reporting tools in one place. The new platform incorporates features that streamline the process of assessing student performance and teacher efficacy, including comprehensive and flexible item banking tools, online and offline test delivery, rapid scoring, and sophisticated analytics.

MERU EDUCATION-GRADE WIRELESS PLATFORM
(www.merunetworks.com)

Meru Networks introduced its new Meru Education-Grade (MEG) wireless platform. This platform, comprising Meru’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) provisioning and guest management software, and Meru’s unique virtualized wireless LAN solutions, has been designed to help campus IT departments support academic goals to deliver learning-essential applications that work over a robust Wi-Fi network, despite the crush of BYOD.

NETTREKKER SEARCH NAVIGATOR PROGRAM
(www.knovationlearning.com)

Knovation has launched its new netTrekker Search Navigator Program, which empowers educators to work collaboratively to leverage the power of digital resources and netTrekker Search. K-12 educators who complete the netTrekker Search Navigator Program can move forward in the Navigator community by becoming Silver Level Navigators. Navigators are provided with tools to help them conduct professional learning workshops with other educators. They are also invited to contribute to the Know New Ideas community through discussion forums, blog postings, and social media promotion.

TRAINING TUTORIALS ON READ&WRITE GOLD
(www.atomiclearning.com)

Atomic Learning and Texthelp Inc. have partnered to offer free training tutorials on Texthelp’s Read&Write GOLD, the literacy support software for English Language Learners and students with learning disabilities. The two to three minute tutorials walk learners through all of the features found on the Read&Write GOLD toolbar, including those for reading, writing, self-editing, study skills, and research.

TYPING AGENT TUTOR
(www.typingagent.com)

Typing Agent Tutor's 2013 School Edition Online Typing program adds “Social," a messaging tool, an iPad version, and three virtual “worlds” where students from pre-school to Grade 12 can practice their typing. Students can now earn badges and see their grades. 

hardware

Anthro Corp. (www.anthro.com) has two new tablet charging cabinets available that are ideal for the classroom. The cabinets mount to a wall or countertop. One can hold 16 tablets with big cases, like the Otterbox, while the other cabinet can hold 20 tablets, readers, and minitouch devices, along with their cases. There is a locking area on the side of the cabinets for IT staff to organize adapters and route cords.

Califone (www.califone.com) has expanded its Listening First series of headsets for young learners. The new headsets feature a noise-reducing mic and two-year warranty for educational use. The headsets are ideal for digital literacy activities on computers and mobile devices in kindergarten and primary grades, as well as for students with special needs. The headsets also help students build speaking and listening skills for the ELA portion of the Common Core State Standards.

Mimio (www.mimio.com) has released the MimioBoard interactive whiteboard. The fixed whiteboard solution, powered by MimioTeach interactive technology bar, supports both wired and wireless operations and can be used as both an interactive whiteboard and a traditional dry erase board. The MimioBoard can be used with either short or long throw projectors. It comes with the MimioStudio classroom software and integrates with all MimioClassroom products.

Black Box (www.blackbox.com) introduces its Tablet Depot and carts for e-readers—storing, charging, and securing up to 16 tablet devices. They are ideal in a classroom or training room setting. The carts are equipped with 3” casters for easy mobility, as well as a laminate top and a locking drawer. The models have one or two 8- or 10-outlet UL-approved power strips with 120V receptacles.

Ace Technology Partners, LLC (www.acecomputers.com) has announced the rollout of the new Intel Xeon Phi Coprocessors—the 3100 and the 5110P family. Built with Intel’s most advanced 22-nanometer, 3D tri-gate transistors, the two coprocessor families provide optimal performance and performance-per-watt for highly parallel HPC workloads.

Airflex5D, LLC (www.elitescreens.com) has introduced the Airflex5D-5S, a projector stacking system that aligns the images of multiple projectors vertically and horizontally into a single passive 3D (linear or circular) image. The units can accommodate up to 1920 x 1200 resolution projectors with dual-channel geometric image correction while supporting de-interlacing, scaling, and image enhancement.

This spring, Texas Instruments (www.education.ti.com) will release the TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition Graphing Calculator, offering the functionality of the TI-84 Plus with added graphing capabilities and improved interface features. The upgradable graphing calculator gives users the most up-to-date functionality and software applications.

Vernier (www.vernier.com) has released the Vernier Mini GC Plus, a portable instrument for separating, analyzing, and identifying substances contained in a volatile liquid or gaseous sample. With the Mini GC Plus, high school students and educators can detect more compounds than with the original Mini GC. The instrument can be set in standard sensitivity mode or high sensitivity mode, so students can work on polar compounds such as ketones, as well as mixtures with one or more compounds of low concentration.

Bretford Manufacturing Inc. (www.bretford.com) has upgraded its Mobile Interactive Whiteboard (EDUIWBAL) with a universal mounting bracket designed for ultra short throw projectors that weigh up to 20 pounds. The whiteboard works with most ultra short throw projectors, and offers an affordable alternative to fixed interactive whiteboards.

MultiTouch Ltd. (www.multitaction.com) introduces the MultiTaction cells, a set of fully integrated, interactive displays with Windows 8 for education. The 42” and 55” displays allow for an unlimited number of users and touches, making them a great tool for creativity and collaboration in the classroom.

AVer Information (www.aver.com) will introduce its new PL50 platform Visualizer. The new model includes a host of new features including improved auto focus, 5.0 MP camera with HD1080P resolution, 240 x zoom (16 x optical, 15 x digital), large embedded, 329mm x 265mm lightbox, one-touch record to USB stick or SD card, and more.

Dell (www.dell.com) released the new Latitude 10 full-featured Windows 8 tablet. The Latitude 10 does not require mobile device management or software licensing, supports new and legacy Windows applications, is compatible with Adobe Flash, and connects with existing peripherals. The tablet also enables seamless sharing of one device among multiple users.

XPAND 3D (www.xpand.me) and AVRover (www.avrover.com) have partnered to develop co-branded 3D glasses for the education market. The first 1,000 pairs, which are based on XPAND’s EDUX 3 glasses, will be part of AVRover’s “3D AVRover” portable 3D presentation systems. The XPAND EDUX3 3D glasses feature the fastest active-shutter technology on the market, and they offer Extended White-Light Range capability for long viewing distance.

Livescribe (www.livescribe.com) introduced its new wi-fi smartpen, Sky. Livescribe smartpens allow educators and students to capture written and verbal instruction. When the smartpen is connected to a PC or Mac, the notebook pages are uploaded as an interactive PDF with sound.