Teachers at a Sunderland academy have gone high-tech in a bid to replace traditional teaching methods. Academy 360 has given staff Apple iPhones and plans to give similar technology to pupils.
The school is researching ways to use the Internet on the computer's applications as a learning tool.
School bosses say youngsters today are perfectly at home with mobile phones, Nintendo Wiis, and PlayStations and many of them spend hours a day chatting on social networking sites.
Academy 360 is working with the University of Hull to instruct teachers in the technology young people use.
Teachers are being encouraged to explore the tools it offers them and put forward suggestions of how it could be included in the curriculum.
Chief executive of Academy 360 Paul Prest believes activities such as blogs, Google and games could be used to teach students.
He hopes to give each pupil an iTouch hand set which has the same features as the teachers' equipment but without the phone.
And he aims to bring the new teaching practice into lessons at the Pennywell academy when the new term starts in September.
He said: "Academy 360 is working to provide a truly modern and innovative learning environment, where our teachers are constantly refreshing their skills to ensure that they are in touch with their students.
"This programme is part of a wider agenda of inspiring our community and presents a fantastic opportunity for Academy 360's team to be part of a new learning process that will truly engage our young people, delivering a teaching approach that is centred around them."
A college in Kent has already introduced a similar scheme hundreds of free iPods being handed out to its pupils so they can listen to lectures at their own leisure.
Mr Prest said: "This is not just about iPods and iPhones it's about 21st century education.
"The world has changed significantly and young people use an awful lot of technology
"So we have been asking how we can make that leap of faith and bring this into the classroom."
He demonstrated to the Echo how the iPhone could be used to convert kilometres into miles and English language into French.
Mr Prest also said plans were already in place to make sure pupils would be safe from the dangers of exploring the internet.
Source
Showing posts with label ipod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ipod. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
An Apple a day may keep Jobs' doctors away
(RTTNews) - Steve Jobs is ready to return to the helm of Apple Inc. (AAPL: News ) by the end of this month, sticking to an earlier announced schedule. But, whether Jobs would be back in time to take the wraps of a new iPhone at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference next week is unclear.
Analysts expect the company to unveil at the conference the latest model iPhone, which has more processing power and new features like video editing. The launch is expected in June or July, when original iPhone owners on a two-year service contract with AT&T Inc. (T) will be eligible for an upgrade.
Jobs announced his leave on January 14, and though the initial reaction was tumultuous, the past 5 months, the company has been operating smoothly without papa. The stock has in fact risen 68.4% in his absence, reflecting investor confidence.
Apple doled out a decent second-quarter report card, even without Jobs, beating earnings estimates by 22%, although the recession took a toll on the sales of Macintosh computers.
Apple sold 2.22 million Macs during the second quarter, representing a 3% unit decline from last year. The company also sold 11.01 million iPods, up 3% from last year, and 3.79 million iPhones, up 123%. Gross margin for the quarter rose to 36.4% from 32.9%.
Known for its conservative guidance, Apple sees third-quarter earnings of between 95 cents and $1 per share, on revenue of between $7.7 and $7.9 billlion. Analysts are currently looking for earnings of $1.14/share on revenues of $8.12 billion.
Source
Analysts expect the company to unveil at the conference the latest model iPhone, which has more processing power and new features like video editing. The launch is expected in June or July, when original iPhone owners on a two-year service contract with AT&T Inc. (T) will be eligible for an upgrade.
Jobs announced his leave on January 14, and though the initial reaction was tumultuous, the past 5 months, the company has been operating smoothly without papa. The stock has in fact risen 68.4% in his absence, reflecting investor confidence.
Apple doled out a decent second-quarter report card, even without Jobs, beating earnings estimates by 22%, although the recession took a toll on the sales of Macintosh computers.
Apple sold 2.22 million Macs during the second quarter, representing a 3% unit decline from last year. The company also sold 11.01 million iPods, up 3% from last year, and 3.79 million iPhones, up 123%. Gross margin for the quarter rose to 36.4% from 32.9%.
Known for its conservative guidance, Apple sees third-quarter earnings of between 95 cents and $1 per share, on revenue of between $7.7 and $7.9 billlion. Analysts are currently looking for earnings of $1.14/share on revenues of $8.12 billion.
Source
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Sunday, June 7, 2009
Head to head: Sony Walkman X-series vs Apple iPod
By Dave Oliver
It can't have been easy for Sony to have watched its iconic Walkman brand of portable music players so completely overtaken by Apple's all-conquering iPod. But like John Connor standing up to the Terminators, Sony has finally come up with a device capable of fighting back. We took a close look at both devices to see which is worthy of your hard-earned.
Style
The iPod Touch is slimmer but bigger at 110x62x9mm and 115g compared to the X-series' 97x53x11mm and 98g, though the Touch's angled sides make it appear slimmer than it actually is. The Touch does look sleeker, though the Walkman's rugged stone-effect sides and compact dimensions have a certain appeal. It also has hard buttons on the top and sides which allow you to control playback when it's in your pocket.
Sony X-series Walkman: 8
Apple iPod Touch: 8
Overview
Price: £209 (16GB), £279 (32GB)
More info: Sony
Size: 97x53x11mm, 98g
Formats: Audio - MP3, AAC, PCM, WMA, Video - MPEG4, WMV, H.264
Computer interface: Sony Media Manager
Extras: Web browser, FM radio
Battery life: 33hrs (audio), 9hrs (video)
Screen
The Sony X-series' trump card is its 3in OLED screen, which makes the iPod's LCD look positively dowdy by comparison, though it is slightly bigger at 3.5in. This newish technology is just beginning to appear in TV screens and has the advantage of offering sharper resolution, faster rendering speed and a wider viewing angle, as well as being less demanding on the battery, due to its lack of a backlight. All good stuff, though the benefits aren't quite so obvious on the very small screen as it is on larger models. Nevertheless, Sony's screen is clearly a breed apart, with sharper edges, clearer detail and more vibrant colours.
The capacitive touch aspect of both screens is about the same, with just the right amount of pressure required to brush through menus and activate on-screen buttons.
Sony X-series Walkman: 9
Apple iPod Touch: 8
Sound quality
The Walkman has a range of audio effects that it wears very proudly on its sleeve (or at least its menu options). The iPod on the other hand offers the best sound it can manage as standard. The Walkman has Clear Audio and Clear Bass, plus DSEE (which tries to replicate elements which may have been lost in compression). The sound is always better with these options engaged, so you'll never want to switch them off. Which begs the question - why make them an option?
The Walkman also has a five-band graphic equaliser with five presets and two programmable settings so you can set your own balance. The Touch has 22 EQ presets, which doesn't offer the same flexibility.
The Walkman has a built-in noise cancellation option, which blocks out ambient noise such as traffic and trains. It only works with Sony's supplied headphones, which are pretty good, and clearly ahead of the Touch's for sound quality, though they're lacking a little in the bass. Switching to our preferred Sennheisers on both devices however easily confirmed that the Walkman has the edge for sound quality, with fuller, more controlled bass, crystal clear midrange and additional sensitivity in the treble.
If for some reason you feel the need to play your music in public via loudspeaker, you'll be disappointed with the Sony - it doesn't have one. That said, it's debatable whether the tinny speaker on the Apple device is preferable to none at all.
For audio flexibility and for overall sound quality, it has to be the Sony.
Source
Friday, June 5, 2009
Report: Steve Jobs recovered, set for timely return to Apple
By Jacqui Cheng
It appears as if Steve Jobs will indeed return to Apple by the end of June after taking a six-month leave from the company. The world is watching to see whether he'll make a surprise appearance at WWDC next week, though many believe he's saving that surprise for another time.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is reportedly on track to return to Apple full-time later this month, right on schedule. Insiders speaking to The Wall Street Journal claim that Jobs' recovery is "coming along" and that Apple's directors have been receiving weekly updates since Jobs took leave in January. Whether or not we'll see him at next week's WWDC keynote, however, remains up in the air.
"He was one real sick guy,'' one of the WSJ's sources said. "Fundamentally he was starving to death over a nine-month period. He couldn't digest protein. [But] he took corrective action.''
The iconic CEO has been on medical leave for the last five months after endless speculation about his weight and overall health. Indeed, Jobs was looking a little frail during Apple's iPod and notebook events in the fall of 2008, and he first tried to address the issue by publicly acknowledging a "hormonal imbalance" in early January. At that time, Jobs said that he had no plans to step aside as CEO of the company and that he had already begun treatment.
Just nine days later, however, Jobs sent out another public letter saying that his health issues were "more complex" than he originally thought and that he would be on medical leave from Apple until June. In his place would be Apple COO Tim Cook, though Jobs said he would remain involved in major strategic decisions while on leave. Needless to say, this announcement sent the entire tech community into a flurry of rumors and speculation about whether Jobs would ever return to Apple and what it would mean for the company.
Since then, we have heard relatively little about Jobs' progress except for some brief acknowledgments by Cook during two of the company's quarterly financial calls. Both times, Apple emphasized that Jobs still expected to return in June. A number of Apple employees also relayed last week that Jobs had been spotted around campus, bolstering confidence that he was indeed preparing to return soon. So, the WSJ's report isn't exactly shocking.
What is up for debate is whether Jobs will pop in during Monday's keynote at WWDC, to be delivered by Phil Schiller and gang. Apple fans are dying for this to happen, though numerous analysts have expressed doubt that such a spectacle will come to pass.
For the record, we agree with the analysts—a Jobs appearance at Monday's keynote would be welcome but almost too expected, not to mention early. A better theory would be that Jobs will make a surprise appearance near the launch of the as-yet-unannounced next-gen iPhone (admittedly, we jacked this theory from former Apple PR guru Anuj Nayar, but it truly is the best one). Either way, it's clear at this point that Jobs will definitely be making a comeback to the company, and he undoubtedly has "one more thing" up his sleeve.
Source
It appears as if Steve Jobs will indeed return to Apple by the end of June after taking a six-month leave from the company. The world is watching to see whether he'll make a surprise appearance at WWDC next week, though many believe he's saving that surprise for another time.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is reportedly on track to return to Apple full-time later this month, right on schedule. Insiders speaking to The Wall Street Journal claim that Jobs' recovery is "coming along" and that Apple's directors have been receiving weekly updates since Jobs took leave in January. Whether or not we'll see him at next week's WWDC keynote, however, remains up in the air.
"He was one real sick guy,'' one of the WSJ's sources said. "Fundamentally he was starving to death over a nine-month period. He couldn't digest protein. [But] he took corrective action.''
The iconic CEO has been on medical leave for the last five months after endless speculation about his weight and overall health. Indeed, Jobs was looking a little frail during Apple's iPod and notebook events in the fall of 2008, and he first tried to address the issue by publicly acknowledging a "hormonal imbalance" in early January. At that time, Jobs said that he had no plans to step aside as CEO of the company and that he had already begun treatment.
Just nine days later, however, Jobs sent out another public letter saying that his health issues were "more complex" than he originally thought and that he would be on medical leave from Apple until June. In his place would be Apple COO Tim Cook, though Jobs said he would remain involved in major strategic decisions while on leave. Needless to say, this announcement sent the entire tech community into a flurry of rumors and speculation about whether Jobs would ever return to Apple and what it would mean for the company.
Since then, we have heard relatively little about Jobs' progress except for some brief acknowledgments by Cook during two of the company's quarterly financial calls. Both times, Apple emphasized that Jobs still expected to return in June. A number of Apple employees also relayed last week that Jobs had been spotted around campus, bolstering confidence that he was indeed preparing to return soon. So, the WSJ's report isn't exactly shocking.
What is up for debate is whether Jobs will pop in during Monday's keynote at WWDC, to be delivered by Phil Schiller and gang. Apple fans are dying for this to happen, though numerous analysts have expressed doubt that such a spectacle will come to pass.
For the record, we agree with the analysts—a Jobs appearance at Monday's keynote would be welcome but almost too expected, not to mention early. A better theory would be that Jobs will make a surprise appearance near the launch of the as-yet-unannounced next-gen iPhone (admittedly, we jacked this theory from former Apple PR guru Anuj Nayar, but it truly is the best one). Either way, it's clear at this point that Jobs will definitely be making a comeback to the company, and he undoubtedly has "one more thing" up his sleeve.
Source
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Apple iPod shuffle (3rd Gen)
By Jonathan Bray
Verdict: Achingly gorgeous and with some intriguing features, but it's not the most practical of designs
The shuffle has always generated heated debate over the merits of the design. But you could never accuse Apple of resting on its design laurels, and its third generation iPod shuffle is the sexiest yet.
Small enough to pass as a hair clip or over-sized earring, there's no denying that this little MP3 player has a huge amount of charm.
Apple claims it's the smallest MP3 player in the world and we wouldn't quibble: we've no idea how the designers managed to squeeze 4GB of memory and a battery big enough to offer ten hours of playback into a package this tiny.
To compensate for the lack of screen, this Shuffle has another trick up its sleeve: VoiceOver. It's the first MP3 player that can talk to you. It will tell you what track is playing and who the artist is, talk its way through your playlists and conscientiously let you know when your battery is running low.
It's no substitute for a screen - there's no way of browsing by album, song title, genre or year for instance - but if you're sold on the no-screen approach then it's certainly an improvement.
As before, the shuffle comes with a spring-loaded clip on the rear to attach it to your clothing and the casing feels very solid indeed - there's a free engraving service too, if you order one through Apple's website. But we think that Apple has taken things too far here.
In order to keep the size down, there are no controls on the player itself, aside from a small three-way power switch that lets you swap between play-in-order and shuffle modes. Instead, volume and track-skipping duties have been offloaded to an inline remote that sits on the cord running to the right-hand earbud.
It's so slim you hardly notice it's there, but it's fiddly to use and feels flimsy. The worse thing about it, though, is that in order to use anything other than the bundled earbuds (best described as mediocre) you have to buy either a compatible set of alternatives (the in-ear Apple headphones work and a limited number of third party manufacturers sell them too), or splash out on a special adapter.
There are undoubtedly irritations and annoyances then, not least over those outboard controls, but with a player this small and beautifully-crafted the foibles are easy to overlook.
It's not a player for the audiophile and doesn't aim to be, nor are there many features, but there's plenty of storage space here for the money and if you're the kind of person who goes for style over substance there's very little out there to compete with it.
SPECIFICATIONS:
4GB flash memory; USB 2 interface; fixed lithium-polymer battery; 10-hour claimed battery life; bundled earbuds and remote control; supports MP3, AAC, Audible, Apple Lossless, WAV and AIFF; 45.7 x 17.5 x 8mm (WDH), 10.7g
Source
Verdict: Achingly gorgeous and with some intriguing features, but it's not the most practical of designs
The shuffle has always generated heated debate over the merits of the design. But you could never accuse Apple of resting on its design laurels, and its third generation iPod shuffle is the sexiest yet.
Small enough to pass as a hair clip or over-sized earring, there's no denying that this little MP3 player has a huge amount of charm.
Apple claims it's the smallest MP3 player in the world and we wouldn't quibble: we've no idea how the designers managed to squeeze 4GB of memory and a battery big enough to offer ten hours of playback into a package this tiny.
To compensate for the lack of screen, this Shuffle has another trick up its sleeve: VoiceOver. It's the first MP3 player that can talk to you. It will tell you what track is playing and who the artist is, talk its way through your playlists and conscientiously let you know when your battery is running low.
It's no substitute for a screen - there's no way of browsing by album, song title, genre or year for instance - but if you're sold on the no-screen approach then it's certainly an improvement.
As before, the shuffle comes with a spring-loaded clip on the rear to attach it to your clothing and the casing feels very solid indeed - there's a free engraving service too, if you order one through Apple's website. But we think that Apple has taken things too far here.
In order to keep the size down, there are no controls on the player itself, aside from a small three-way power switch that lets you swap between play-in-order and shuffle modes. Instead, volume and track-skipping duties have been offloaded to an inline remote that sits on the cord running to the right-hand earbud.
It's so slim you hardly notice it's there, but it's fiddly to use and feels flimsy. The worse thing about it, though, is that in order to use anything other than the bundled earbuds (best described as mediocre) you have to buy either a compatible set of alternatives (the in-ear Apple headphones work and a limited number of third party manufacturers sell them too), or splash out on a special adapter.
There are undoubtedly irritations and annoyances then, not least over those outboard controls, but with a player this small and beautifully-crafted the foibles are easy to overlook.
It's not a player for the audiophile and doesn't aim to be, nor are there many features, but there's plenty of storage space here for the money and if you're the kind of person who goes for style over substance there's very little out there to compete with it.
SPECIFICATIONS:
4GB flash memory; USB 2 interface; fixed lithium-polymer battery; 10-hour claimed battery life; bundled earbuds and remote control; supports MP3, AAC, Audible, Apple Lossless, WAV and AIFF; 45.7 x 17.5 x 8mm (WDH), 10.7g
Source
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