Google Celebrates Pac Man's Birthday Today

If you visited Google.com or Google.ca today you would have seen this:

Google integrated a PacMan game into their logo to celebrate Pac Man's 30th birthday.  The game is playable as you can see here:

Apparently there is also a hidden joke included in the game.  The app will run on the iphone as well as as Macs and PCs.  This could be a subtle shot at Apple considering the app runs on iphones but was not purchased through the itunes store and was of course not written in the EVIL Flash.  For more on this click here.

A Few New Tips for Smartboard Notebook 10

One of our resident DI Specialists (David Petro) attended the OAME math conference and shared some really interesting  Smartboard tips with me so I wanted to pass them on to you.

Smartboard Calibration:

1. When calibrating, rather than tapping the targets on the screen, tap anywhere around the target and then drag to the centre of the target. Then only let go when you are dead centre. Do this for each calibration target. This way you get a far more accurate calibration.

Transparency Tool:

2. If you have updated to the latest version of Notebook, you now have what is called the transparency tool. It should be on your top toolbar and look like this:

What this does is make Notebook disappear with the exception of the tools. In this mode you have all the Smartboard tools (dynamic and static) which you can now use in any other application. So you could pull up a picture on  a web page and then take the dynamic protractor and measure angles. Very cool.

Try it out to get a real feel for what it can do!

Thanks Dave for these great tips.

SnowLeopard Will Will Not Update: continued part 2

Continued from SnowLeopard Quickview won't work:

My move to Mac over a year ago has not been exactly an easy one.  I enjoy the challenge of learning a new OS and actually prefer to use the Mac these days although I still use both.  I have had my problems though....
My first MacBook Pro had a hard drive crash and my Time Machine backup was also corrupted.  Lukily I received help and support from my Twitter PLN and our Board's Mac expert (Trini) who managed to save my Time Machine Backup and all the data contained.  The permissions were all mixed up.  The reason I mention this is I believe this has caused me problems even to this day.

I purchased a new Macbook Pro in June of last year and imported my account over from the old Mac.  This Migration tool was tool was incredible.  I was impressed when I was able to restore my computer from the Time Machine Backup but, this can easily be done on a PC too.  However, moving an account with all my exact setup, software, and data was incredible!  I am not aware of anything that does this so easily on the PC side.  The time savings was immense.  The MBP worked wonderfully until the OS x v10.6.2 Combo Update came out.  My MBP would download and begin installing the update but would fail to install it.  The error message suggested I contact Apple.  I combed through discussion forums and then I contacted Apple who I have found are very helpful.  Unfortunately they were unable to offer a solution that would solve this problem. 

Eventually I did get an idea from @mwalkinshaw to transfer my information over to another MBP and then send mine in to get checked out  (still have applecare).  I decided rather than send my MBP in I would transfer my information over to another MAC and then reinstalled OS 10 with all the latest updates to get it to 10.6.3 on my original MBP.  I used the Migration Assistant to bring over my account (and all software and data) to the original MBP and now everything seems to be working fine.

The best way to proceed would be to format my drive and install everything from scratch. A reinstall would require ton of time to document and reinstall all my software then move the data.  Hopefully this works but somehow I believe their will be another chapter in this post.

SnowLeopard Quickview Issue Solved

Working with my new Macbook Pro has been an adventure but, I don't see myself turning back. I am a career PC user but I can confidently say I use both with relative proficiency. I am a PLN tweet away from any expert help anyway.

Time Machine has proved to be batting .500 for me. My first MacBook Pro was adopted from a colleague that was nice enough to let me try it out! The unit was a couple years old but unfortunately for me the hard drive crashed. I had a time machine backup so I was not concerned. However, whatever killed my hard drive scrambled the time machine as well. Thanks to the work of one of Techs the drive was recovered from ruin. I restored the OS on a new drive and I was off and running again.

A year later I now have a new Macbook Pro which required an install from the time machine. Everything was fine this time but I lost the use of Quickview. This allows you to preview images, movies and other media as shown in the picture to the left:

I searched the web and found a couple of solutions for this peculiar problem that seems to crop up when restoring from Time Machine.

1. Reinstall Mac OS X 6.2
   http://support.apple.com/kb/DL959
   -this method was not going to work as whatever was causing my Quickview to disappear also prohibited the OS upgrade from working.
2. Suggestion 2 had me erase the quickview library files so they would be recreated and possibly correct the problem: "/library/quicklook and /system/library/quicklook" I spent some time removing files and copy files from other computers that worked but no luck.
   
3. The third option was given to me by our Mac Rep @mwalkinshaw, to install a fresh copy of the Mac OS while maintaining your software and data. This is called a "archive and install"
   

I was surprised to find there is very little documentation to do this with SnowLeopard. However I did find out SnowLeopard has incorporated this procedure into the Installation Routines. By default if you reinstall Mac 10.6 it will automatically archive your software and install a new version of the OS. I did this and all my problems were solved. The install was easy and even my Parallels 5 OS's were maintained. Thanks to @aforgrave who gave me a link http://bit.ly/aDE9kd to a couple of ways to back up your Parallels 5 files. The process is not that difficult but a big time saver.

I was very pleased with the ease it was to install a fresh copy of the OS. I am now up and running without any problems.

#educhat

What the heck is #Educhat?

Basically this is a way for Twitter users to get together and discuss topics based on predetermine themes in real time. One of the major advantages Twitter has is the ability for a quick exchange of information. By adding a code or "#" hash tag such as #educhat to your tweets they can be cataloged in one place which is easy for viewing. This would be similar to one really large CHAT session using Twitter. Rodd Lucier founded the #educhat stream.

"Educhat is one example of the potential of twitter-based synchronous events. Modeled after #journchat discussions, which are ongoing conversations among journalists, the educhat format/context has the potential to create a specific framework within twitter for having education-related discussions and tracking those discussions using the hashtag #educhat."

As Stated on the Twitter for Teachers WIKI

Users can access the TWEETS or comments related to #educhat by using their browsers to visit a site such as Twitter Search. This site will list all of the TWEETS or comments made by the participants. Just search #educhat.

The pace is very very fast but you will get used to it. The key is to have some topics you would like to discuss ready so you can through it out there and see what comes back.

Why would I do this?

This is a great question! I believe you can:

1. reach may different educators from all over the world and get their input in a relatively short period of time.
2. make contacts from all over the world
3. make you voice known on issue concerning others
4. Get involved with web 2.0 technology! Your students live here...
   
5. free, self directed PD!
   

I grabbed all the tweets and filtered all the extra stuff out of there to create this Wordle Word Cloud to show some of the themes of the 1st #educhat

Click the Wordle for a bigger view.

How do I get Involved?

In order to get involved you need to understand what twitter is. This is an online service that allows you let people know what you are doing in 140 characters or less. Essentially it is a micro blog. "Why would anyone care what I have to say?" is a question new twitter users may be asking. The best way to use twitter is to find other users who have the same interests as you. Once you find someone on twitter with the same interests you can "follow" them. There "tweets" or 140 character comments will then show up on your twitter page for you to view. Eventually people will find you and follow your updates.

Twitter allows you to form a Personal Learning Network. You can ask questions, answer questions or look for feedback. If you are interested there are links below to help you get started.

STEP ONE:

Get a TWITTER ACCOUNT!

Click the links below to create your own twitter account and then find out when the next #educhat is going to occur. Go ahead get your feet wet!

This is all well and good but what is Twitter? Click Here.

If you are interested in participating in the #educhat synchronous discussions, please click on this link "The Launch of Educhat".

Virus Protection Software for ONTARIO Teachers

For those educators in Ontario here is a great deal on virus protection for you!

Eset's Nod32 Provides Effective protection against :

Virus Worms
Trojan Phising
Adwares Spywares

NOD32 Antivirus System is a single, highly optimized engine that works as a unified Anti-Threat system to protect against a broad spectrum of malware. Viruses, worms, spyware, and other malicious attacks, which are constantly evolving. Eset NOD32 Antivirus system utilizes patent-pending ThreatSense Technology to detect tomorrow's threats in real-time, by analyzing code execution for malicious intent - keeping you ahead of the malware-writers. There are hundreds of malicious software objects released into the 'wild' every day! Are you protected?

Eset NOD 32 Antivirus system is a Proactive Real-Time Detection

The best security is proactive. Malware protection must be real-time at the point of impact. Every minute one waits for a virus signature update creates a window of vulnerability that could have devastating consequences. Eset NOD32's Technology closes the window of vulnerability left open by other reactive, signature-based antivirus vendors.

Additional Information on NOD32 antivirus system

Anti-Virus Reviews

Information on all OSAPAC (Ministry Software) can be found HERE!

Teacher Home Purchase of NOD 32 Details

From SHI Canada:

For the price of $19.99 Canadian we will send a copy of NOD32 via email to the any teacher or staff within the Ministry of Ontario's jurisdiction (as per the contract). If the employee sends a request to the following email address with the information below we will process their order within 5 business days and send them a link to download the software as well as a license number to their e-mail address. Attached is information with respect to NOD32 teacher purchase.

The $19.99 includes one year of support for the product.

The email address to send orders to is going to be:

Patsy Swanson
Account Executive
Phone: 877-858-2008
Email: Patsy_Swanson@shi.com

What SHI Canada needs to process your order is:

Name:
Address:
City :
Postal code:
Phone number:
What school district you belong to:
What School:
Your role at the organization:
Credit card number (if you do not want to give your CC number, they can call you back to get this information)
Exp date:
Credit Card ID number (on the back of credit card 3 digits long)
E-mail address:

http://www.canada.shi.com/

Always Check Your Children's Homework...

I did some checking on this and as far as I can tell the story originated in November 2008. I can 't verify if it actually occured but there is a lesson here and the story is amusing.

The following picture was submitted to a teacher that drew some attention!


The picture was subject to interpretation and the teacher contacted the parent to be aware of what their child submitted.




The Parent Response.....




Dear Mrs. Jones,

I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.

From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith


A crazy story and I can't verify for sure the source but the message is still valuable...

• Not everything is as it appears

• Don't jump to conclusions

• and may God help us when our children talk about their parents at school!