Wiring, the Easy Way

What if rather than paying an electrician a small fortune to tediously snake wires for TV, power, audio or networking through walls, over ceilings and under floors, you could just tape them onto a wall? That’s exactly the idea behind SouthWire’s FlatWire technology, and it could change the way schools are wired for power and data. With wires for a variety of school services, FlatWire cables are as thin as a piece of cardboard and can be painted once affixed to a wall. After that, nobody but your electrician will know they’re there.

The Monitor that makes Connections

If your school’s monitors aren’t keeping up with the variety of things that need to be connected to them, Viewsonic’s VA2626wm can work with everything from a PC or cable box to a Bluray DVD player. The VA2626wm is a 26-inch LCD monitor with a native resolution of 1,920 by 1,200 resolution that can display full 1080p high definition movies. It has the expected VGA and DVI plugs as well as HDMI connections. The monitor sells for $530.

Making PCs Stay Put

What school hasn’t struggled with computer theft? A new PC rack from KendallHoward lets schools screw them in place so they stay put. Made of heavy-duty steel, the Anti-Theft PC Security Stand holds a small form-factor PC and up to a 22-inch LCD monitor. As secure as it is, the stand allows the screen to be tilted up and down.

Connecting Calculators

Thankfully, most science and math teachers don’t have to worry about connecting computers through a school network, but what about connecting calculators for a science project? HP's StreamSmart 400 can collect data from as many as four different Fourier digital sensors or probes at once. The data flows into an HP 39gs or 40gs at up to 5,700 samples per second and can be immediately graphed. Perfect for everything from math to earth science classrooms, the StreamSmart 400 uses a 9 volt battery.

Health Class by the Numbers

Why try to explain what the Body Mass Index (BMI) means to a middle-school health class when you can show students by actually measuring their BMI? Omron’s HBF-516 may look like a bathroom digital scale, but has the sensors and smarts to calculate BMI and other indicators of health, including body age, percentage of body fat and what a student’s metabolic rate is. The HBF-516 sells for $120.

Data Collection for the Whole Class

If demonstrating how to do a science experiment with the class huddled around a digital data collection device is too frustrating, Vernier’s LabQuest Emulator software lets you put it on-screen. The program turns a LabQuest handheld and PC into a data collector for the whole class to see. Just plug it all into a monitor or projector, and everyone can see. Regardless of whether it’s an acid titration or exploring Newton’s Laws, the emulator can connect with up to 50 separate sensors and has a built in stopwatch, calculator, periodic table and analysis software.

Digital Art for the Kindergarten Crowd

If dabbling in digital art seems like something more for middle-schoolers than five-year-old Kindergarten students, think again. VTech’s KidiArt Studio is a self contained table with a digital camera mounted on a flexible arm so that kids can take shots of classmates or items on its workspace. It connects with either a computer or a TV and is great for making everything from stop-action animation sequences to holiday art projects. At $80, it costs less than many digital cameras bought by schools.

Zooming in on the World

The world of nature, materials and even insects gets a lot bigger with Jakks Pacific’s EyeClops BioniCam. This handheld digital microscope can zoom in at 100x, 200x or 400x to reveal hidden details in everything form concrete to a bee’s wing on its color display. Images can be played on any TV or saved on a USB memory key for use with a computer. The company’s web site has lots of great classroom ideas for the BioniCam, which sells for $80.

The Dependable Hard Drive

Samsung’s Spinpoint F1 RAID hard drive not only holds a terabyte of all sorts of school data but uses less power than other 3.5-inch drives. It’s particularly good for data-heavy applications like 24-hour video surveillance. The secret is that the F1R uses three magnetic platters and an innovative perpendicular recording technique, which lower energy use and cooling needs while raising performance. The drive’s discs spin at 7,200 rpm and it comes with a 7 year warranty.

Tag, You’re It

Does classroom reading instruction grind to a halt when you need to give one student some personal attention? LeapFrog’s Tag School Reading System can let reading teachers and coaches provide one-on-one help while the rest of the class reads along with special electronically tagged books.

The center of attention is LeapFrog’s Tag handheld, which is an off-shoot of the company’s Fly digital pen technology. At 3.1 ounces with two AAA batteries, Tag is about the size of a large marker and is a little bulky for the smallest hands. The guts include a 32-bit processor and 64MB of memory, enough to hold 20 books. A tiny infrared camera in the pen’s tip interprets a complex pattern of dots printed on the page to link audio to individual spots on the page.

The way Tag works is deceptively simple. Forget about instruction manuals because all the kids do is press the Tag pen on highlighted parts of the page of a special book. The pen reads the passage to the student, providing hours of read-along time. Many page elements, like illustrations and page numbers, are also active and add to the experience with sound effects and additional dialogue.

Despite its bright colors, Tag is not a toy. The reading pen has a USB connector, an on-off button and volume control. Its audio is surprisingly strong and clear despite its tiny speaker. There’s also a headphone jack, so an entire class can be working on different books without disturbing each other. On the downside, if it had dual headphone jacks, two kids could work as a team, halving the hardware investment for a class.

The curriculum is self-paced and students having trouble can have individual words, sentences or passages reread to them. Each page has simple comprehension games and at the end are interactive pages where key vocabulary words are available for review as well as reading tips.

I used LeapFrog’s “Ozzie and Mack” book with a student and found it not only occupied his time and helped him, but he enjoyed the experience. The books are nicely printed and look like they will last for several years of use. At the moment Tag has only a 22-volume library with titles ranging from “Olivia” to “Sponge Bob Square Pants.”

It’s just the start. LeapFrog will introduce texts for a wide range of readers from Kindergarten to middle-school. A big step in this direction is the company’s School Connect software which lets teachers download new material for use with Tag.

LeapFrog will also add a program for tracking student progress and reporting their reading ability. At $525 for an 8-pack that includes the Tag reader, books, headphones, cables and a storage case, Tag is expensive when you consider outfitting a classroom or an elementary school with devices. It’s more than worth it in the time that it liberates from reading teachers to spend face to face with students.

B+
LeapFrog Tag School Reading System
$525 for classroom 8-pack

+ Reads a book, passage or individual words to students
+ Included Games
+ Downloadable books

- Small number of books available
- Expensive
- Bulky for small hands

The Color of Data

If DVDs are filling up faster than attendance records need to be filled out, it might be time for a Bluray drive. With the ability to put as much as 50GB of all sorts of data onto a single 4.5-inch optical disc, Bluray technology has the power to hold the equivalent of 75 CDs, making it the perfect media for back-ups, archives and digital student portfolios.

While some of the newest computers come with Bluray drives, most will have to add external drives. All of these three Bluray burners are easy to connect to an existing notebook or desktop computer and show the potential for this storage technology in the school.

• LG Electronics BE06 is the speed demon of the pair with the ability to read and write at up to 6X speeds. This translates into 16 minutes to create a disc chock full of data. The BE06 can not only inscribe a label in to top of the disc using HP’s LightScribe technology, but connects simply with a USB cable. The drive sells for $380.

• La Cie d2 sets the standard in style for optical drives with a sleek white and black design that will look great in the office or the classroom. With the ability to connect via either USB or Firewire cables, the d2 is flexible and creates or plays discs quietly. Limited to 4X speeds, the d2 takes 24 minutes to fill a disc with data. The d2 costs $690.

• Buffalo Technology’s BRHC-6316U2 is the Bluray drive to get if you want to read HD discs as well as burn Bluray ones. This 6X drive can fill a Bluray disc with data in 16 minutes and offers complete compatibility with older discs, including the now abandoned HD DVD standard. The drive connects with a USB plug and costs $650.

The True-View Monitor

A teacher setting up a digital art class can do no better than HP’s new DreamColor 30-inch professional monitor. Developed with movie studio DreamWorks, the 30-inch DreamColor LP2480zx has a 30-bit graphics engine that can show 1 billion colors with 1,920 by 1,220 resolution. Look for HP to start selling a calibrated color laser printer from HP in the coming months so print look as good as on-screen images. On the downside, the computer you hook the LP2480zx up to requires a special video card and the monitor’s $3,500 price tag may make the district’s financial officer blanch, but the cost is actually about a quarter that of comparable professional monitors.

A Printer for All Reasons

Why put up with slow printers in the classroom just to keep costs down? Epson’s $100 Stylus NX400 is an all-in-one device that can print, copy and scan. It has a full-size scanner bed, 2.5-inch preview screen and flash memory card slots so photos can go right from a digital camera to a paper print. The center of attention is the NX400’s print engine, which promises 34 black and white pages a minute. Based on Epson’s microPiezo print head and DURABrite Ultra Ink, prints are smudge- and fade-resistant. 

Showing Video from all Sources

Once video has been fully integrated into a curriculum, it starts to come from many different sources, including a class of laptops, DVD players, cable TV and others. To quickly and efficiently put it all on-screen requires video switchers, like Extron’s SW8 VGA Ars and SW12 VGA Ars switchers, which have 8 or 12 inputs. The devices can not only sense what type of input is being used but they good for old-fashioned analog video as well as high-resolution video streams. The switchers also smooth out audio signals so everyone in the class can hear the show as well as see it.

Big Screen on a Budget

Think spending several thousands of dollars on a large-screen monitor for a classroom is expensive, outfitting an entire school or district with displays is nearly always budget buster. At $1,000 – about half the cost of comparable screen from Sony or Samsung – Westinghouse’s TX-42F430S provides a lot of display for the money.

A full-featured 42-inch LCD screen, it’s just as good as a computer monitor as it is as a TV. Based on Westinghouse’s 1080Pure technology, the TX-42F430S displays full high-definition programming as well as showing the output of a computer at up to a crisp 1,920 by 1,080 resolution.

The 42-inch display is big enough for most classrooms with about 20 kids; the company also sells a 47-inch version for larger rooms. With a 176-degree viewing angle, even those sitting on the sides of the front row will get a good view.

At just 6-inches thick, the monitor looks great mounted on a wall. The screen comes with a base for setting it up on a table, and its black frame and base will fit the décor of just about any classroom.

The back of the screen is chock full of connection ports, but most classrooms will only use one or two. Still, it’s good to know that there are 4 HDMI plugs for future use. Although the 10-watt speakers deliver surprisingly rich and full sound, it’s easy to hook up external audio.

Setting the TX-42F430S up is simple and most teachers won’t need to look at the instructions manual. Thanks to Westinghouse’s AutoSource technology, the screen can turn on by itself when an external DVD player is started. On the downside, it mysteriously changes inputs at random. Westinghouse is working on a software fix for the problem, and in the meantime I shut this feature off.

Over the course of two months, I used the screen for watching DVDs, TV programs and displaying the output of an HP notebook. It had even lighting, sharp imaging and more than enough brightness for leaving the lights on and the shades up for video-assisted lessons.

In normal use, the screen uses 230 watts of power, or an estimated annual cost of $43 per year, based on four hours of use daily over the school year. The screen’s E.Saver feature can cut its power use when not in use from 30-watts to below 1 watt. This can save more than $20 a year, but slows the TV’s start-up.

On the downside, the system emits annoying clicks and popping noises that the screen makes for a minute or so after turning it on. It takes a few seconds to change channels and the initial image of analog channels briefly stutters. Despite these quirks, the TX-42F430S is a winner at an unbeatable price that could teach Sony and Samsung a thing or two about school economics.

B+
Westinghouse TX-42F430S
$1,000

+ Inexpensive
+ Full HD resolution
+ Excellent assortment of input choices
+ Can cut electricity bill

- Clicks and pops when started up
- Image stutters when channel is changed

Brian: What are the limitations of Linux-based laptops ?

Thanks, Brian. Are there any Windows-based models in the under $500 price range that you like? If most of these models are Linux-based, wouldn't that rule out a lot of applications for school use? Are these Linux-based laptops still truly preparing kids for 21st century learning if they aren't teaching them the same operating systems used in the business world?

Hey Brian -- Should Admins Use Those Cheap Laptops?

I've been thinking about getting a cheap laptop to use for simple word processing and email, which got me thinking. Which one makes the most sense for business, if any? Like many administrators, I want something light, cheap and hardy that has the guts to tackle basic business functions. Have you seen any low-end laptops that fit that bill? Which models have you tested that really impressed you?

Instant Intercom and More

Here at Tech Tools, we love seeing innovative devices that let teachers forget about technology concentrate on, well, teaching. AMX’s MVP-5200i Modero ViewPoint can help by letting an instructor control the classroom’s lights, cooling and heating as well as a slew of AV equipment, including a projector. The device uses advanced voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to create a use-anywhere intercom for a school. The center of attention is the MVP-5200i’s 5.2-inch color display, which lets a teacher control everything at the touch of a button. The system connects via WiFi and can handle everything but an unruly class.
Specs: 5.2-inch color screen, VOIP intercom, microphone and speakers, 128MB of flash memory.
Bottom line: The MVP-5200i puts the whole classroom of electronics at a teacher’s fingertips.

Cleaning up a Monitor’s Power Act

If you think you don’t need a surge protector for your classroom’s TV, projector or monitor, think again. The equipment is not only expensive but sensitive to electrical surges that Ultralink’s UltraPower PS-103 can protect against. In addition to three protected power outlets (one of which rotates), the device filters the cable signal to eliminate noise. The PS-103 costs $50.
Specs: 3 AC outlets, coaxial cable in and out, protects from surges of up to 1,080 joules
Bottom line: Protect your school’s AV investment with a TV surge protector.

Double-Duty DVD

If you’ve ever tangled with a mess of cables trying to get a DVD player to work with a monitor, Westinghouse’s SK-26H570D LCD HDTV-DVD is for your classroom. This 26-inch TV has a full DVD player built in and doubles as a monitor for class viewing. It has a pair of HDMI connectors and AutoSource technology that turns the screen on when an external player is activated. The DVD TV costs $600.
Specs: 1,366 by 768 resolution, 800:1 contrast ratio, two 10 watt speakers.
Bottom line: Forget about trying to get a DVD working with a monitor because this TV has a player built in.

Seeing Really is Believing

Rather than filling a chalk board with odd sketches, arrows and arcane formulas, Vernier’s Wireless Dynamics Sensor System (WDSS) lets students discover the laws of motion for themselves. The small device is chock full of sensors, wirelessly communicates with a Bluetooth-equipped computer and comes with the analysis software needed to make Newton’s laws come alive in nay science classroom. At $250, the WDSS is a valuable and versatile teaching tool that can enrich any school’s science curriculum.

About the size of a notebook power adapter, the 6.5-ounce WDSS has digital sensors for force, altitude and a 3-axis accelerometer inside. Together they can track the motion of any object and can help teach valuable concepts, including gravity, centripetal force, how pendulums work and much more. With several threaded attachment points, the device can be easily mounted on everything from a bicycle wheel to a roller coaster.

Because it uses a Bluetooth radio to move data, there are no clunky cables to get in the way. While the WDSS can hold up to 240,000 data points internally, when it’s time to move the data you need to have a Bluetooth-equipped computer nearby to receive the data. The device has a 30-foot range.

The key to the device’s teaching abilities is its Logger Pro Software, which receives the data, consolidates it into columns and graphs it. On top of letting students predict what will happen and compare the results, the WDSS can help find the right equation to represent it and even link to a video of the experiment. This can make the experiment come alive for the entire class when shown on a large screen monitor or projector.

With seven suggested labs, including the forces you feel on a rollercoaster, it’s ready for the classroom; there are many imaginative projects on Vernier’s Web site. The best part is that all the data and graphs can be exported to Microsoft’s Office programs so that students can quickly write up their results as lab reports.

On the downside, you can’t connect extra sensors to the WDSS – such as for temperature or humidity. By contrast, Vernier’s slightly more expensive LabQuest system is a handled that connects to a variety of off-the-shelf sensors and has a built in screen to view data and graphs.

A
Vernier Wireless Dynamics Sensor System
$250
www.vernier.com/ (888) 837-6437

+ Reliable sensors
+ Excellent analysis software
+ Includes labs and exercises
+ Bluetooth radio beams data

- Requires nearby computer to download, analyze and display data
- Can’t add other sensors to WDSS

Germ-Free Keyboard

If dirty hands covered with germs scares you as much as it does me, Seal Shield’s Silver Seal antimicrobial keyboard is good medicine. It's the first keyboard that sanitizes itself and could help stop kids spreading colds to each other. The device’s entire surface is covered with a special silver compound that kills bacteria without using any harsh chemicals. The price is $60.
Specs: 106-key keyboard, numeric keypad, germ-proof coating
Bottom line: Stop bacteria with a keyboard that kills germs.

eBook is Back

If you’ve been frustrated that you couldn’t get any Amazon Kindle eBook readers for your library or reading classrooms, they’re back in stock. Following an apology by Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos that they couldn’t make the devices fast enough, the online shopping site now has Kindles back in stock and ready for delivery at $400. In addition to basic Web browsing, the 10-ounce eBook reader doesn’t require a computer to load any of the 110,000 books and periodicals it can display.
Specs: 10 ounces, 6-inch screen, 7.5- x 5.3- x 0.7-inches
Bottom line: Libraries and classrooms can replace paper books with Kindle eBook readers that double as Web browsers.

School Storage Central

I’ve found that nothing wastes more time and effort at a school than when the server is full and won’t accept any more files. With room for eight hard drives, DLink’s DSN-2100 xStack Storage Array is an easy way to make room for a school’s worth of data. Not only does the array automatically detect and configure new drives, but it supports the most popular RAID techniques, so no data will ever be lost. Capable of holding 8TB of data, the array costs $5,300.
Specs: holds 8 hard drives, RAID level 0, 1, 2, 1+0 and 5 
Bottom line: With the DSN-2100, your school will likely never run out of server space.

Wide-Screen Bargain

It may be a new monitor, but Dell has cut the price of its UltraSharp 2408WFP monitor by $100 to $600, making it a bargain for schools. The 24-inch wide-screen has a pinpoint perfect 1,920 by 1,200 resolution, can handle full high definition programming and has a wide 178-degree viewing angle, so the whole classroom can see.
Specs: 24-inch LCD display, 1,920 by 1,200 pixel resolution, 3,000:1 contrast ratio
Bottom line: Dell’s 2408WFP monitor proves that you don’t have to settle for second best to save money.

Monitor Double Vision

I’ve found that seeing double can actually be good for teaching when it comes to monitors. For instance, it’s absolutely amazing what happens in a science class when you show the video of an experiment that the students did on one screen while looking at data graphs on another. Rather than awkwardly setting up two clumsy monitors, DoubleSight’s $450 DS-219STA stand can hold a pair of 19-inch displays. The displays can be tilted, adjusted up and down as well as rotated so everyone gets a good view. 
Specs: Holds two 19-inch VESA monitors of up to 22 pounds each
Bottom line: DoubleSight’s monitor stand can securely hold a pair of displays, doubling the teaching potential.

Super-Sized Notebook Hard Drive

One of the biggest problems when students share notebooks is that the hard drives fill up faster than you can say "students, open up a new Word file." At 320GB, Fujitsu’s MHZ2 BJ hard drive is the closest thing to a laptop bottomless pit. The drive’s disks spin at 7,200 rpm for peak performance. Look for it in notebooks this summer.
Specs: 2.5-inch format, 2.3 watt power consumption, Serial ATA interface.
Bottom line: The Fujitsu MHZ2 BJ balances notebook performance and space.

High Tech Trade-In Time

When a school’s worth of new systems come in, there’s nothing worse than having to dispose of the old equipment, which is often worthless and contains potentially hazardous materials. Toshiba now will recycle all sorts of electronic gear for schools while providing a credit towards the purchase of new equipment. To get an idea of how much your school’s old systems, cameras and printers are worth, go to http://toshiba.eztradein.com/toshiba.

Mini-Mite Desktop PC

To me, nothing is more of a waste of precious classroom space than the desktop PC case, so I love the idea of Cybernet’s 9100 zero footprint computer. It not only packs a full PC into something only slightly taller than the typical keyboard, but the system can be ordered with a Pentium 4, Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad processor. Cybernet's computers come with wired and wireless networking built in, and pricing starts at $700. To get the most out of its classroom space, Kings Mountain High School in Kings Mountain, NC uses this mini PC.
Specs: up to Intel Core 2 Quad CPU, 4GB RAM, 750GB hard drive.
Bottom line: Cybnernet squeezes a powerful PC into a keyboard.

Monitor that Saves on Power

If rising electricity bills have your budget in a bind, Lenovo’s latest monitors can reduce power consumption by as much as 35 percent without reducing brightness. The 17-inch L174, for instance, cuts power use by 25 percent, and there are also screens that measure 15-, 19- and 22-inches. The L174 sells for $240 and will be available in mid-April.
Specs: 15-, 17-, 22-inch LCD monitor
Bottom line: The Lenovo L174 monitor cuts expenses by using less power.

Triple Strength PC

If traditional PCs are bogging down on complex tasks, they may need some extra computing horsepower. AMD’s triple-core Phenom processor is now available in Dell’s Optiplex 740 series of desktop PCs. The chip balances power and performance with three computational cores and can protect the system with a special section to hold viruses before they can do any harm. The system can be housed in any of three different case sizes and starts at $700.
Specs: AMD triple core Phenom CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, 80-, 160- or 250GB hard drive
Bottom line: AMD’s Phenom triple-core CPU supercharges Dell’s Optiplex 740 PC.

Tablet Lets Teachers Write On

I’m sure I’m not alone in hating blackboard chalk and the smell of dry markers, so for me Qomo’s QIT 30 Prodigy tablet is a big step forward for interactive classrooms. This tablet uses wireless technology to connect with a computer, has an ultraprecise 2,000 lines per inch resolution and can run for 25 hours on a charge. The software can connect up to 30 tablets at once so a whole class can use them. Elementary schools in Bullhead City, AZ are using these tablets to create an interactive learning environment. The tablet sells for $400, and volume discounts are available.
Specs: 7.8 by 5.9-inch active area, 2.4GHz wireless link, lithium ion battery.
Bottom line: The Prodigy can connect an entire class.

Next Generation Lab Partner

Got a slew of science lab equipment that look like antiques? Pasco’s SPARK handheld can replace much of it with a single, easy-to-use handheld. The 21-ounce system fits comfortably in small hands, works with up to four sensors at once and display results on its 5.75-inch color touch-screen. The $300 SPARK system comes with 50 self-guided classroom activities and sophisticated analysis software for all sorts of lab write-ups on everything from examining the laws of motion to measuring pH. Specs: 21-ounce, 640 by 480 pixel color display, analysis software.
Bottom line: SPARK uses a variety of sensors and analysis software to teach science.

Double-Duty Router

If your school’s wireless routers aren’t keeping up with the increased demands of the digital classroom, the Linksys WRT600N can help with top range and speed. This router uses the as yet unratified 802.11n spec to pump data out on two different frequencies to balance the flow of data. At $250, however, it’s premium priced.

The shiny black dual-band WRT600N router is distinctive looking with three antennas: a pair of standard stalks with a paddle in the middle. All can be aimed for peak reception, but you can’t replace them with more powerful ones to fill in dead spots. The WRT600N works on both the 2.4- and 5.0GHz bands, making it two routers in one. By targeting these data streams at different locations, a network administrator can optimize the supply of data to several classrooms or offices without any area getting shortchanged.

Straddling the old and new, the WRT600N worked well with 802.11b, g and n clients, has four gigabit per second wired ports and a USB plug for connecting an external hard drive for shared storage. It not only works with all popular encryption schemes, but its LEDs show activity and security status. On top of first rate set-up software, the router’s EasyLink Advisor software produces an iconic list of clients with IP and MAC addresses; inactive clients are gray. This allows an administrator to see at a glance who’s connected, but this bird’s eye view can’t run full screen for viewing complicated networks.

All this adds up to a winner of a wireless router with data throughput measured at 32.4Mbps and 43.6Mbps, over 2.4- and 5GHz, respectively. Several times the performance 802.11b gear, it should satisfy several classrooms or office cubicles, and clients were able to maintain a usable link at up to 140 feet.
 
For those worried that the 802.11n protocol is still in flux, the WRT600N works just fine and didn’t let us down over two weeks of intensive testing. Linksys will offer a downloadable file to upgrade its firmware when the spec is finally ratified. In the meantime, the $250 WRT600N gives administrators a jump on the rapidly changing world of 802.11n wireless routers.

Specs: 802.11n wireless, 4 gigabit wired ports, USB connector for external hard drive up to WPA2 encryption.

Bottom line: The dual band operation of the WRT600N is perfect for balancing wireless data flow among several clients.

A
Linksys WRT600N
$250
www.linksys.com

+ Dual-band operation
+ Excellent range
+ Can add hard drive

- Antennas are not removable
- 802.11n spec still in flux
- Monitoring software doesn’t run in full-screen mode

The Digital Music Stand

Sick and tired of paper sheet music? With the Freehand MusicPad Pro, a school’s music department can kiss paper music goodbye, and never worry about where the score sheets for the spring concert is. The device can hold a file cabinet of sheet music and there’s even an optional foot pedal for junior soloists to turn pages themselves. At $899, it’s expensive, but schools can either buy digital music from Freehhand’s library of over 98,000 pieces or scan their own.
Specs: 12.1-inch display, 64MB of flash memory
Bottom line: A music department can go digital and save on sheet music with the MusicPad Pro.

Wide View Wonder

Vizio squeezes a lot of classroom display into the VW46LF, a 47-inch monitor-TV that is just 4.7 inches thick. Capable of 1,920 by 1,080 resolution, the LCD screen can show full high definition broadcasts and HD DVDs as well as the output of just about any PC. With a 178-degree viewing angle, every child gets a great view. The $1,400 screen comes with a removable stand so it’s easy to mount on a wall. 

The Right Cable. Always

With Sima Product’s USB Multi Cable with FireWire, you can forget about fumbling around for the right cable to connect a printer, hard drive or other peripheral to a computer. The seven-headed hydra cable puts every conceivable FireWire and USB connector at your fingertips. It includes desktop powered USB and FireWire plugs as well as the smaller unpowered connectors that are popular with notebooks. At $70, the cable isn’t cheap, but it will come in handy, sooner or later.

Calculator Two for One

Sharp doubles the potential of its EL-9900 scientific graphing calculator by equipping it with a unique two-sided keypad that has a simple side for basic operations and a complex side for advanced algebra and statistics. To change the calculator’s keypad, just remove it, flip it over and snap it back in place. The EL-9900 a powerful device with 827 built-in mathematical functions, 132-by-64 dot screen and 64KB of memory yet it weighs less than 9 ounces and sells for under $100.

Lock Out Peripherals

For those administrators who want to lock out the use of flash memory keys and other peripherals on school computers, PC Guardian’s USB Port Security System is the ticket. The system physically covers the PC’s small rectangular port with a lockable metal plate. Deceptively simple but effective, the PC Guardian port cover locks in place, blocking the connector and making as many as four USB ports off limits. Just use the included key to remove the port blocker. The port covers start at $13 each.

Texas Instruments offers educators training for newest math, science learning tool

Need a quick refresher on the latest TI technology? TI is offering one-day local workshops for their TI-Nspire math learning products during the spring semester and summer break. The TI-Nspiration Tour will show teachers how to maximize the interactive features of the TI-Nspire technology in math classrooms, including ways to increase student achievement. The TI-Nspire products includes two handhelds and two computer software offerings. See website for workshops in your area.

Cable Disappearing Act

Tired of seeing networking, video and electrical cables taped to the wall or, worse, just tangled in the corner? WireTracks’ CM kit lets you hide them where the wall and ceiling meet with snap-on crown molding. The best part is that the $200 kit comes with 80-feet of cable covers and doesn’t require a contractor to install.

Type and Teach

The facts of life in today’s classroom are that the best teachers just can’t sit still and teach at their desks. They roam around the class to help students with work, look over students’ shoulders and nudge them in the right direction. The best part is that with a large screen monitor and a wireless keyboard, teachers don’t have to sever the connection with their computer to put in some well-needed face time with kids.

We put three of the latest wireless keyboards through their paces and found that each was able to stay connected more than 30-feet from the PC, giving the teacher a wide assortment of remote abilities. The one you choose depends as much on your budget as on how mobile you want to be, proving that you really can be in two places at once.

Adesso 2.4GHz RF Wireless Mini Keyboard with Optical Trackball
At just $60, the Adesso wireless keyboard is a bargain that can bring teacher and student closer together. It not only lets a teacher roam around the typical classroom while staying online but has a trackball and a variety of controls.

Weighing 1.75 pounds, the Adesso wireless keyboard is the lightest and smallest of the three, yet has keys that measure a spacious 19.6mm. Its rounded shape and grips on the sides make it the only one that seems to have been designed to be carried around and used while standing. On top of typing, the keyboard can change volume, start applications and control a video.

The bonus is the keyboard’s trackball. Located in the upper right, there are actuation buttons in front as well as on the left side. On the downside, like the Logitech diNovo, it doesn’t work as well for southpaws as for righties. A bonus is a scroll wheel that helps glide through long Web pages. 

The Adesso wireless keyboard, unfortunately, uses a proprietary USB transmitter rather than the host PC’s Bluetooth transmitter. It took all of 30 seconds to install and stayed in contact with a PC up to 40-feet away. Unlike the Logitech diNova’s rechargeable battery pack, the Adesso wireless keyboard uses four AA batteries, and it’s only battery gauge is a light when the batteries are low. All in all, it’s the perfect keyboard for those on a tight budget and need to be on the go.

B
$60
www.adesso.com

Sony VAIO VGP-WKB5
Of the three keyboards we looked at, the Sony VGP-WKB5 leads in design but lacks a built-in pointing device. Its $159 price tag is higher than the Adesso but less than the Logitech keyboards, and provides excellent range of movement and a dash of style.

As expected from Sony, it is elegantly designed and the wrist rest folds over to cover the keyboard when not in use. The silver and white keyboard is a tad heavy at 2.2 pounds and has a 106 key layout with a separate numeric keypad, the only of the three to include this numerical creature comfort. With 19mm keys, it’s comfortable to type and the VGP-WKB5 has buttons for volume, application launch and putting the keyboard to sleep. Like the Adesso keyboard it uses four AA batteries, but provides an excellent gauge on its small LCD screen.

Unpacking the keyboard from the box took longer than setting it up. Unlike the Adesso’s tiny transmitter, the Sony uses a hockey-puck sized radio that plugs into a PC. It connected immediately and had a range of 34 feet. While Sony sells a matching optical mouse, the VGP-WKB5 has no built-in pointing device, making it more appropriate for sit-down use. 

B
$159
www.sony.com

Logitech diNovo Edge
Easily the biggest and coolest of the three, Logitech’s diNovo Edge is a masterpiece of technology that at $200 is expensive, but for roaming teachers it’s worth it. It may be a budget buster, but the diNovo Edge is the most advanced keyboard we’ve ever seen.

Weighing in at 2.1 pounds, it’s a hair lighter than the Sony VGP-WKB5, but quite a bit wider and longer; it makes the Adesso keyboard look downright puny. The 18mm keys are quiet and comfortable to use, but it lacks the numeric keyboard of the VGP-WKB5 despite being nearly an inch longer. In addition to the expected alphabet, the diNovo Edge can control volume, start applications and zoom in and out. It has a round touchpad with a pair of actuation buttons, but it takes some time to get used to.

The diNovo Edge has two big things going for it. To start it uses a built-in rechargeable battery pack, so you’ll never need to buy batteries for it. It comes with a charging cradle that beeps when the keyboard is inserted. Plus, it relies on Bluetooth technology to connect to a PC, so you don’t have to use up a USB slot for the keyboard’s transmitter, as is the case with the other two systems. It comes with a USB transmitter and connected with the Bluetooth radios in two different notebooks. It has a range of 35 feet.

With all this going for it, the diNovo Edge goes to the head of the class, then gets picked up and moves around the room.

A-
$200
www.logitech.com
   

Little Big Book

The Fujitsu LifeBook 1620 mini-notebook may weigh less than 2.5 pounds, but the mini-notebook is big on versatility and value. With 8.9-inch wide-screen displays that swivel and fold flat, teachers and students can either type on the LifeBook 1620 keyboard or use the stylus to draw on the screen. Priced from $1,750 to $2,225, the system comes with a fingerprint reader for security conscious schools.

Califone Enters the Reading Game

Known best for their sound systems, Califone has introduced an interesting new reading tool called the AV Tutor -- a handheld player/recorder that lets students compare their pronunciation of words with prerecorded model examples. The device would make a good fit for speech-language therapies and ESL applications – and no computer required. A built-in eight-second memory enables students to compare Programs include Picture Words, Phonics, Readiness, Everyday Words #1, Survival Signs, and Basic Vocabulary #1.  $185 for the Tutor; digital cartridge$30. 

Cheap Thrill

At $150, DXG’s 566V is quite possibly the best bargain in video for schools. Whether it’s for a field-trip movie or graduation clips that will be distributed on a Web site, the camcorder delivers with 30 frame-per-second videos at 1,280 by 720 resolution. It has a 3-inch fold-out viewing screen and the DXG 566V doubles as a high-quality 5-megapixel still camera. Rather than using bulky tapes or optical media, the 566V puts its stills and clips onto inexpensive Secure Digital flash memory cards.

Big Class, Small World

When Celestron starts selling its LCD Digital Microscope (LDM) in March, it will allow science teachers to not only talk about the inner works of bacteria and cells, but show it to the entire class as well. With its own flat screen, the LDM’s 2-megapixel camera can show the micro world up close. The kit comes with everything needed to explore a micro world, including three objective lenses that can yield up t o 400X magnification, which can be raised four-fold with the microscope’s digital zoom. A preview of the microscope can be seen at www.celestron.com.