New Tools for Kids!

Our students now have Google Apps available to them!

This news was shared with our staff in a short sentence in a lengthy Monday morning newsletter.  Way at the bottom.  I really think that news should have been shouted from the mountain top, with way bigger type and about a dozen exclamation points!

Can you tell that I am pretty excited?  Those of you who have had Apps for a while are probably yawning right now.

Why would a band director be so excited about kids having access to Google Apps?  When you use SmartMusic like we do (everywhere and everybody) kids frequently ended up sharing accounts with other members of the family.  Now each kid can get his/her assignments without having to dig through big sister's/brother's assignments to get there.  Sure, I could have set them up with an account myself, but I am pressed for time as it is.  Now, someone else has done all the set-up.

Other reasons to get excited include all the other tools that go with an Apps account.  Writing, spreadsheet, forms, presentations, web pages can all be authored with these tools.

The cross-disciplinary assignments that I didn't get to may be possible now.

How about a serious tuning unit with a spreadsheet to track your tendencies over several practice sessions?  Wouldn't be cool if kids new where they typically were on the tuner with a little scientific study?

Report on a composer?  Or should that be a presentation?  AND it gets stored on the "Cloud," so no more "the dog ate my homework."

Nothing like a new tool to get the excitement going!

New iPods or Want to buy a slightly used iPod Touch?

Apple Insider had an interesting review of a "new" iPod feature found on the latest generation of iPod Touches-- Audio input. I thought the killer feature was going to be long battery life! iPods have been able to record in the past, this just makes recording a little easier. For the band director without an iPhone, this may be the way to get the tuner features that are possible on an iPhone, after a visit to the App store. I want to give it a try. Anyone want to buy a slightly used iPod Touch? Another use for audio in would be for some VOIP company to write an app to use your iPod as an access point for your VOIP phone. Wow! This is yet another way to ditch the landline. I'm sure glad I don't own a telephone company. For those of us never a few feet from a wireless network, there may be a reason to dump the cell phone as well. Whoever heard of ditching the cell phone? Ditching the landline for the cell, sure. But the cell for VOIP? Anyone want to buy a slightly used iPod Touch? Other features include speakers and volume control. The speakers may be handy for those times you want to share whats on the pod. Probably better for short songs or videos. Think cozy, if you are going to share a feature length movie! I think the touch screen was handy enough for the volume control. We'll see after I give it a try. Anyone want to buy a slightly used iPod Touch? Anyone?