Think Different Resource: SMORE


Design beautiful online flyers and publish instantly with this web based tool. Smore http://www.smore.com  I have used it for a number of years.  Works on your computer or mobile device.  No app necessary.  https://www.smore.com/.  Information on pricing is below, but I use only the free version.  In fact before Canvas, I would use it to explain assignment for class.  

Here is one I made a couple years about that is all about Using Smore in the Classroom. https://www.smore.com/j6ry.  It has been viewed nearly 3000 times.  (I think I should probably update it) After you have finished your project, it gives you a URL as well as embed code. 

It also gives you analytics, so you can see how many views, what they looked at, how they stayed, and more.   

The days of posting a flyer around the scool building on bulletin boards are over. Smore helps you create amazing pages that you’d be proud to share.  And by the way they print nicely too just in case!!

  • Instant mobile pages: Smore pages work flawlessly on your smartphone and tablet.
  • Styles and themes: Choose from a list of themes and preview them in seconds with your content. No installations ever.
  • Rich content embedding: Not just text and images, but videos, tweets, products and reviews too.
  • Drag and drop editing: Arrange your content with ease.

What is Smore?

Resources archived at PostHaven: http://cdk.posthaven.com

Paper by 53 iPad App


Paper - Notes, Photo Annotation, and Sketches by FiftyThree

Learn more at the Website: https://www.fiftythree.com
Paper 53 App: https://hec.su/b1fB 

DESCRIPTION
When inspiration happens, put it on Paper. Paper is the best way to capture and connect your notes, photos, and sketches. Create checklists, spotlight details in photos, and sketch diagrams with unbeatable speed and ease — Paper is like a wall of sticky notes for everything that inspires you.

CAPTURE
Paper’s swipe-to-style formatting makes creating checklists and notes faster and more fun than any other app. The photo spotlight tool helps you quickly clarify essential details. 

CONNECT
Bring text, photos, and sketches together. Keep your ideas organized, and see everything in one place to make connections you can’t see in siloed lists. 

COMMUNICATE
Paper’s unique visual notes are designed to help you get your point across quickly and precisely. Paper also lets you share your ideas any way you want to, including as professionally-formatted PDFs, Keynote and Powerpoint presentations. 

I learned about Paper by fifty three back in 2012. I sketch or diagram frequently. Paper 53 makes it so simple., it's magic!  I also use the app to draw.    Paper can transform any simple sketch I make into something amazing.  Now I am using it for my not taking...Sketchnotes.   I have also included some resources about Sketchnotes.

The tools give tons of opportunity for creativity.  Save Images to your camera roll or share online. Save images as JPG or as PNG. The PNG option is awesome because it means that the white background is transparent. 

In the classroom, Paper is good for:

• taking notes
• practising handwriting
• practising cursive writing
• sketching
• drawing
• technical drawing
• watercolours
• learning about colour
• blending
…and much more!

Resource: http://sketcho-frenzy.weebly.com 

Don’t take my word for it. Have a go yourself.


A wonderful video introduction to visual note-taking
 


BitGym: Super Charge Your Workout!

Alright, something a little different today.  BitGym.  After your Walking Steps challenge recently, maybe we all need to step it up a bit more.  

Are you ready to enjoy a unique cardio experience? Take your cardio machine, bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, steppers and Ergs,  through the most beautiful locations on Earth with your iPhone®, iPad® or Android. Try it free!

Fuel your workout with speed-interactive exercise tours from around the world.  About 25 FREE tours, so it would be quite a while before your are bored and wanted to upgrade for the Premium account.  The Premium Account is $7.99 a month or $79 for a year. 

Dr. Stoney shared BitGym with me, she has been using only the FREE version for quite some time now.  


Apple Devices: 



BitGym's breakthrough software will track every step you take by using just the front-facing camera on your tablet or smartphone.

BitGym upgrades your cardio machine with stunning interactive trails from around the world. Each tour can be streamed instantly or downloaded locally for use at the gym. 

Note: Please make sure to allow camera access to the app once it asks!

NEW Workout with world class trainers in the Coached tours section. Many are FREE!

- No hardware required - BitGym tracks your exercise speed by using the front-facing camera on your device.
- Works on any bike, elliptical, stepper, erg or treadmill - just place your iPhone or iPad down so you're in view and start exercising. 
- Our library of 80+ tours is available via streaming or local download. 
- View the tours to your TV using an Apple TV or an HDMI cable. 
- Constantly growing - With new tours added regularly, BitGym will keep surprising you.
- Track all your workouts and calories burned using the new Health App! (iOS 8 / iPhone only)
- Connected your Bluetooth Smart (LE/4.0) heart rate monitor for heart rate monitoring and increased accuracy in calorie counting. 

Instant Streaming: Or local download for offline use at the gym.
Universal: Works on bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, steppers and Ergs.
Interactive: Tours play at the speed of your exercise, pulling you into your workout.

BitGym Promo
 

Slate-Take documents and bring them to life!

I wrote about this App last spring when it came out, but now it is more than just an iPad app, your can also use it from your computer. Yippee!!


Adobe released Slate  for the iPad last spring and it is FREE.  

Take documents and bring them to life!

It is my new favorite too, both iPad and website for sure.  Slate is very easy to use, just add text, photos, choose a design and apply style & motion.  Scrolling transitions make words and images move for an engaging & compelling read.  If you’ve used Adobe Voice,  also Free,  you’ll find similarities.   A big difference in Voice and Slate is sound!!

Adobe Slate is a fun and easy way to turn any document – a lesson, newsletter, book report or presentation – into a stunning visual story, in just minutes.  Clearly, an exciting way to present information!!  This is a great alternative to a traditional report or paper.

Just type or talk to add text and use your favorite photos. Yes you can dictate to your Mac too.  (System Preference > Spec/Dictation > turn on dictation/enhanced dictation. . The to activate in any program, hit the fn key twice, a mic icon will come up and just start talking, it will begin typing. 

Choose a theme and gorgeous fonts will match, magazine-style designs and motion automatically transforms your story – guaranteeing a marvelous read on any device.  

Each Slate story you publish is simply a link.  No unrelated content, no random ads — just your story. You can share it via text message, email, social media or embed it where you want on your own website.  Anyone can view your Slate and it will look great, whether they're using a phone, and iPad, a tablet, or computer.

Find out more on the Slate website.

Learn more about Slate:  

A few stunning EXAMPLES

Find more examples at Tweets #madewithSlate https://twitter.com/hashtag/madewithSlate?src=hash 

Slate, is an extremely powerful communication tool that can be invaluable in the classroom — An easy way to share your knowledge and express creativity in visual essays, reports, journal entries, portfolios, book reports, science projects and more.  Ditch that Powerpoint! Through a simple link to the web, you can share your ideas and knowledge with the world.

Slate is free, which is kinda of unusual for Adobe, it makes me wonder if it will eventually be a paid. So, install it on your iPad now, while it is free and give creation a try using the website. 

Check Slate out, you will not be disappointed.  

By the way, we just did a Slate project in DED 318 class last week. 

Garmmarly: A Better Way to Write


https://www.grammarly.com  Free and Paid versions

A Better Way to Write

Grammarly makes you a better writer by finding and correcting up to 10× more mistakes than your word processor.

Grammarly is an online grammar and spelling checker that improves communication by helping users find and correct writing mistakes. It’s easy to use:  Copy and paste any English text into Grammarly’s online text editor or install Grammarly’s free browser extension for Chrome and Safari.  Grammarly’s algorithms flag potential issues in the text and suggest context-specific corrections for grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Grammarly explains the reasoning behind each correction, so you can make an informed decision about whether, and how, to correct an issue.

It works in a variety of ways from your browser (Safari & Chrome). You can upload your paper,  or copy and paste the text, although there are size limit on papers, so you might have to upgrade to premium.  Grammarly works on almost every web page to check your spelling, grammar, tone of voice, and more! While typing a blog post or composing a tweet, Grammarly  s checking my English. Clicking on the Grammarly icon shows not only spelling errors but grammatical errors passive voice, punctuation and more… much more! Grammarly not only tells me for example, that I have passive voice but gives me the option of a tutorial to learn what it is. Clicking on the error, or suggestion makes the changes in my blog post or tweet for me or even in my Canvas course site!

What the difference in the FREE and Premium.  It is a better deal to purchase for a year and….So far, I have only used the free version, and it is very handy, but I am seriously thinking about the Premium, it has some features I believe would really helpful.
  • No-hassle, money-back guarantee:
    If you’re not fully satisfied with Grammarly within 7 days, we’ll refund 100% of your purchase price!


Grammarly can operate as a spellchecker in the background, but the full proofing interface is much more capable and complex than just the red squiggly line. Garmmarly helps you by taking small, distracting grammar issues out of the document before you share.
 
Improve Your Writing With Garmmarly

New Padlet iPad App and it is FREE

Padlet iPad app: https://hec.su/bQSA FREE

I am always looking for ways I can use technology to help enhance learning in my classroom and I’ve been a fan of the Padlet website  for some time now, but lately had been wishing there was an iPad app, 

Wish granted….. Padlet has released an iPad App.  Yippy Skippy!!!!  It functions the same way as the website, so not much of a learning curve, but with an additional very cool feature that teachers will no doubt love.  When you want students to join your Padlet wall, they can scan a QR code with the Padlet app to instantly join.  No need for a separate QR code scanner app.  So one less thing to worry about.

What is Padlet exactly.  It is a blank slate or wall where you can collaborate.  But very different from Google Docs collaboration!  Padlet takes the concept of a blank piece of paper, and lets you put whatever you want on it and share. When you are done adding and putting things onto your wall, you can share it with others in a variety of ways.  By things, I mean, text, links, videos, images, and even attachments.  

In my opinion, the best feature of Padlet is the ability to collaborate with others easily. When you share your wall with someone or a group of people, they can contribute to your wall with the same features that you have.  It really is a great way to join forces easily and looks very nice when completed. Hold a discussion, collect resources, share information and more.  

My one suggestion, is to choose the Grid layout, otherwise you have to organize the “tiles.”  I did an App Smackdown a while back, where students added their favorite apps, http://padlet.com/ded318/26sjklf5uerd.  We did this in class in about 15 minutes!!

A few more resources and examples for Padlet:
How to Use Padlet
 

Tech Edge, iPads In The Classroom - Episode 150, Padlet on the iPad
 



El Capitan OS X Tutorial

El Capitan is the new Operating System for your Mac.  Here is an excellent tutorial.  Learn about all the cool new features.  Takes about 20 minutes, but you will be an expert by the end.


Download the video user guide here: http://bit.ly/ElCapitanGuide 

OSX 10.11 aka El Capitan is the latest operating system for Macs. In this tutorial you will discover c its main features including split screen mode, new spotlight features, Apple Mail runs better than ever in full screen mode, and a lot more. 

Skip to A Section by Clicking the Time Code

Apple Mail Changes 00:50
Photos New Features 03:38
Spotlight  05:25
Split Screen Mode: 07:57
Safari Features: 11:58
Notes  14:47
Additional Features: 17:24

El Capitan is a free upgrade for all Mac users who meet the system requirements. 

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS CLASS:

Our class about Alfred for Mac: 
TechTalk America is a free public service that teaches technology to people all over the world. Discover all their classes at http://TechTalkAmerica.com 

Edit Photos with Adobe Photoshop Mix

I have always been an Adobe fan, and have been using Adobe software like PageMaker, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator since the beginning, in fact, that was one of the missing pieces on the iPad for me.  Well, Adobe is adding apps at a rapid pace.  I am excited about these capabilities on my iPad.  Photoshop Mix brings real photo editing to your mobile device.  The app requires an Adobe ID (it is free), but no paid Creative Cloud subscription, and runs on the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display.

Crop and straighten images, adjust exposure, contrast, clarity, and saturation or just tap the Enhance button to let the app figure out the adjustments for you.

The app is more like the Photoshop on your computer…. Dragging your finger over an image engages selection technology for finding edges and manipulating them, and a Feather Edges tool softens hard edges.  It makes working with a finger much easier on the iPad than if you were to use a stylus or mouse on the desktop.

Another new FREE app is Adobe Photoshop Mix

Description: 
Photoshop Mix makes it quick and easy to transform your photos anywhere you are. Cut out, combine and seamlessly blend pictures to create sophisticated multilayered images. Apply one of over a dozen Looks to select areas or your whole photo. Share with friends for fun. And refine photos further or incorporate them into other creative projects by accessing them inside new Photoshop Fix or sending them to Photoshop CC on your desktop. 
  • Cut out and remove sections of your images and merge photos using multiple layers.
  • Create sophisticated image blends by experimenting with different blend modes and Fill Opacities within each layer until you get the look you want. Mix includes some of the most popular blend modes from Photoshop CC.
  • Adjust colors and contrast or apply preset Looks (filters) to your pictures. Enhance the entire image, or just a portion with the touch of your finger.
  • Nondestructive editing means your original pics stay pristine and untouched.
  • Quickly and easily share your creations on social media.
  • Easily move images to and from Mix and a variety of Adobe desktop and mobile apps — including new Photoshop Fix and Photoshop CC — so you can access a wealth of additional features to get the look you want. It’s all powered by Adobe CreativeSync.
Tutorial:  

Have you ever wondered what you would look like if you were born in the Victorian era?

It is almost Halloween, not my favorite holiday, but here is a little fun for you this week.  Creepy Victoria Photo, iPhone/iPad app.  It is free, but does include in app purchases for selected features.  I challenge you to print and hang your creations on your office doors.  Enjoy!

Creepy Victorian Photo is a scary photography app where users can transform their portrait into a strange ancestral photography.  With Creepy Victorian Photo, the you can select from one of the 184 old Victorian portraits in which to add your face. So you will want to take a good selfie!  Simply take or import a photo and place you face behind the selected Victorian portrait. Apply photo-editing effects and choose from hundreds of ghost stickers to create a dark and mysterious portrait.  Share your portrait on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by email. 

Features:
• Take a photo or import one from your album
• Both front and back cameras are supported
•184 adjustable layouts 
• Dozen of filters
• More than 200 scary stickers
• Control transparency, adjust light, contrast, blur and focus. Use pen and much more
• Add text and captions
• Save your creepy portrait to your device
• Share it on social media like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & Email

Website:  www.creepyvictorianphoto.com for more information, including videos and screenshots of the app.

 


Apps for Keeping you & your family safe

A little different resource this week.  Unfortunately, I could not narrow it to just one.  I am sure there is something for everyone in these 6 apps to help keep you safe and protected.
"Last year, University of Virginia student Hannah Graham was murdered. Now three new smartphone apps are available for free download to help prevent such tragedies."
  • Companion: Never Walk Alone - Your Personal Safety Service and Mobile Blue Light: Companion lets you reach out to family, friends or your campus police and have them keep an eye on you as you travel late at night. Wherever you go, get there safely with a Companion!
  • Circle of 6: With Circle of 6 you have a new way to connect with your most trusted friends —to stay close, stay safe and prevent violence before it happens! It's the mobile way to look out for your friends— on campus or when you're out for the night.
  • LifeLine Response: LifeLine Response has a 100% FREE TRIAL and is your chance to test drive a personal burglar alarm! It requires set-up with info to identify you to 911 in case of emergency. Activate the app a few times during your regular activities. Be prepared, not scared! 

And the same day I heard a report on the radio about the 4Parents collection of apps that allows you to leverage technology to protect and manage your family.
  • LifeSaver by 4Parents: Helping save lives by preventing people from texting while driving.
  • ParentalBoard by 4Parents  Parental Board is an online parental control service that allows you to easily monitor, track, manage and secure your children's mobile devices (phones and tablets). Using Parental Control Board parents can track position of their kids, get a notification when kid leaves a predefined zone, get a notification when kid is in emergency, etc.
  • SquareHub Your Family Organizer: Shared Calendar, To-Do Lists, Locator, Photo Journal & Private Group Messaging: SquareHub keeps your family connected, organized, and happy. You can send private group messages and photos with each other, share calendars, share to-do lists, share child location information, and create those spontaneous moments of joy with the people who matter most to you, your family!  Whether you’re a family with young kids, mobile teenagers, kids away at college, or you’re a family living in multiple locations, SquareHub makes it easy for everyone in your family to stay connected!