Share Handhelds with MyDevice

Macintosh and Windows computers have built-in support for multiple users. This comes in handy when you have a family sharing a computer at home or students sharing a computer at school. Each user can set their own system preferences, desktop backgrounds, bookmarks, etc. In the multiple user environment the users can save their documents without others changing or deleting them.

Unfortunately, handheld operating systems don't include support for multiple users. Really, there's no need to because a handheld is a personal device—why would you share it with others? However, in education, it is often a necessity that students share handhelds. For instance, a high school teacher may have one set of handhelds to use with all five sections of her American history class. So far there has not been a good way to ensure that students do not erase or alter each other's work on shared handhelds.

Now Grant Street Software has a solution for the Palm Operating System! GSS MyDevice is an expansion card that is loaded with specialized software. It allows a student to transfer the entire contents of a Palm handheld onto the card. Once transferred, the handheld's contents are erased and ready for the next student. The next student inserts the card and with one tap on the screen, MyDevice begins to copy the contents of the card to the handheld's memory. It does take a couple of minutes to back up to the card and to restore data from the card, but I think MyDevice is a great solution to the problem of having more students than handhelds. MyDevice is available for about $33 per card in sets of 60.

Check out the data sheet sheet about GSS MyDevice to learn about "the smart way to use your shared set of handhelds."

My TX is EXcellent!

I have too many handhelds. I admit it. I do have reasons for keeping each handheld I currently own. Just for fun, I gathered my handhelds together for the family photo below.

Dana, iPaq h5400, Tungsten C, Zire 72, Treo 600, LifeDrive, & TX

The newest addition to my handheld family is the Palm TX. I've used it as my main handheld for about a week and I love it.

After Palm replaced my original, glitchy LifeDrive with a new and more reliable LifeDrive, I enjoyed using the "mobile manager." The LifeDrive feels solid and fits well in my hand. Although I was becoming attached to my LifeDrive, I know I won't get much use out of it now that I'm using a TX. [And I do hope I can find a new home for my LifeDrive]. The TX is smaller and fits in my pocket. Instead of a padded case, it has a flip-cover, which I prefer. My TX has only crashed twice (both times during web browsing) and takes seconds instead of minutes to boot up from a soft reset. The black casing seems weird because my other handhelds have almost always been silver or gray in color (even my Zire 72 is now silver after having picked off all of the scratched blue coating).

People often ask me what handheld I recommend to buy for themselves or for loved ones. For under $300 you can get a mighty fine palm-sized computer in the Palm TX. It has a kind of plastic/cheaper feel to it than the LifeDrive, but then again, it does retail for $200 less. And, if you're an educator, you can get the TX for $260 from the Palm Store for Education.

Albert Einstein

Even Einstein agrees: handheld computing in education is awesome!

Actually, I wrote the text for this image at Hetemeel.com's Dynamic Einstein Picture. You can change the text on the image to whatever you like. Hetemeel has a few other dynamic images like Uncle Sam and a dictionary entry.

P.S. Don't send students to these pages because users have saved images with inappropriate language.

Pennsylvania Newspaper Article

Bridgeville Area News published a story about third graders at South Fayette Elementary who use handhelds for learning. Titled SF Students Utilizing Latest Technology in Classroom, the article tells how Pennsylvania teacher Scott Sundgren used a $10,000 grant to purchase 30 Zire 72s for his classroom. The school will be assessing the effect of handhelds on students:

Throughout the year, the district will evaluate the students' progress -- especially in their writing skills – and determine how effective Palms are in a classroom setting.

It sounds like Scott is slowly easing his students into handheld computing. Since mid-September they have been using them for an hour a day. "As the school year progresses, Sundgren will write-up assignments on his Palm and 'beam' them to his students." Also as the school year progresses, I hope that Scott will include information on his Digital Classroom website about his use of handhelds. I'd also love to read about how the evaluations turn out.

By the way, I think the phrase in the article's first sentence, "Scott Sundgren's third grade class is unusually quiet," is an accurate description of most handheld-using classrooms because students are engaged and stay on task. Yippee for handhelds!

Podcasting & Education Newspaper Article

Today's Washington Post published the article iPods Fast Becoming New Teacher's Pet by Fern Shen on page B01. Don't let the title fool you, it is mostly about podcasting, not iPods. Fern did interview a teacher from my school and me about Radio WillowWeb. She writes:

Teachers say the benefits of making podcasts are clear: The trendy technology and the possibility of a wider audience motivate students. "My students research better, read more, write better and understand the material," said Beth Sanborn, a fifth-grade teacher at Willowdale Elementary School, near Omaha, where students have been making podcasts since last spring.

Podcasts at the school -- on such topics as the Constitution, Native Americans and electricity -- are not only filled with kid humor and snappy music, but they are also loaded with facts. Teachers hope they'll be used as supplementary curriculum material by future students.

...To make a podcast on the Revolutionary War, Sanborn had her students spend a couple of weeks researching their material in books and on the Internet before shaping it into a script. They were graded on the written script, but what really motivated them, Sanborn said, was the hope that their work would be chosen for the 8 1/2 -minute podcast.

The article also mentions other "interactive technologies" like blogging and handheld computers. Unfortunately, the article says nothing of listening or recording podcasts with Palm or Windows Mobile computers. But we know better: Podcasts can be heard on all sorts of computers and devices–anything that can play an MP3.

5th Annual Michigan Handheld Computers in Education Conference

I want to pass along some information about a wonderful conference opportunity:

The 5th Annual Michigan Handheld Computers in Education Conference will be Friday, November 4, 2005 at the Ottawa Area ISD in Holland, MI. Holland is in west Michigan, about 2 1⁄2 hours from Chicago. Educators from across the country will come together to share how handhelds, both Palm and Pocket PC, are being used to improve teaching and learning. Tony Vincent, author and nationally known handheld integration expert, will give the opening keynote followed by over 30 different breakout sessions. Before the conference, on Thursday, November 3, 2005, attendees can choose from four different hands-on preconference workshops and enjoy a luncheon keynote by handheld evangelist, Elliot Soloway. Cost: $50 each day, lunch included. The Conference is sponsored by MACUL, GoKnow, and Inspiration Software. For conference or preconference information or to register visit: www.remc7.k12.mi.us/remc/handhelds.html. Registration questions, contact Donna Golden: dgolden@oaisd.org 877-702-8600 x4071.

Do visit the website and check out the breakout sessions--there's a lot to choose from! Whether you're new to handhelds or have been using them for some time, I know you'll pick up lots of great information and tips. In fact, my opening keynote will be completely new (so new, that I'll be working on it over the next couple of weeks). Whether you're in Michigan or not, you're welcome to register for the conference!

Charging Cart Photos

Chris Cuppett, a professional development coach of technology integration, is an innovative educator at Pemberton Elementary in Salisbury, Maryland. After listening to Soft Reset Show #1 about charging, Chris shared that he has interesting cart set ups for charging Palm handhelds. He was kind enough to send along a couple of photos of one of his charging carts. Notice the creative placement of the power strips! Click a photo below for a larger image.

Note that most newer handhelds do not come with cradles like one the ones in the photos. But that shouldn't stop you from making your own cart or other method of charging.

Palm Releases New Handhelds

Palm™ has released two new handhelds: the Z22 and TX. Neither of these handhelds are replacing any current models. It's interesting to note that Palm is no longer using the Tungsten and Zire names in their new devices.

The Z22 is the first color handheld for less than $100. Palm is advertising this handheld as a replacement for a paper planner. The Z22 is quite similar to the Zire 31, but has more memory (and the non-volatile kind so you won't lose your data when the battery runs out of power). However, the Z22 is without a feature I feel is very important in a handheld: an expansion slot. Now, the Z22's 32 MB of memory should be plenty for applications and documents a student may need. However, without this slot, the Z22 cannot play audio files (like podcasts or music) or video files. In addition, I use the card slot to set up handhelds at the beginning of the school year and to distribute software throughout the year with Grant Street Software's SD Deploy and SD Express. If you've been to one of my presentation or workshops, you know that I send around my SD Express card so Palm users can load dozens of applications and documents in a matter of seconds. If I was to beam those files instead of distributing them by expansion card, it would take dozens of minutes instead of seconds. Because of the lack of a card slot, I recommend the Zire 31 over of the Z22.

Palm's other new handheld, the TX, looks like a great replacement for my LifeDrive. As I have blogged about before, the LifeDrive has a couple of strikes against it. First, it is quite large. Second, it has a lag time of a few seconds when turning on or switching applications. Also, the LifeDrive takes a couple of minutes to restart after a soft reset. Since the TX does not use a built in hard drive, it is smaller, won't have the lag time, and will reset quickly. The TX has the same large screen as the LifeDrive. It only has 128 MB of memory, but it has a card slot and prices for 1 and 2 GB expansion cards are reasonable. The TX has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. In fact, Palm is billing the TX as "affordable Wi-Fi." And, one of the best features of the TX is its price: $299. In fact, the m505s we continue to use at my school retailed for $299 in 2001. The TX certainly has more features, processing power, memory, and screen space compared to the m505. For more about the TX, read PalmInfocenter.com's review.

Palm has lowered the retail price of the Tungsten E2 from $249 to $199. This makes the decision for schools difficult: $299 TX, $199 Tungsten E2, or $129 Zire 31. If you need (or think your will need) Wi-Fi, then go for the TX because it will cost you about $100 to add Wi-Fi to a Tungsten E2. Palm.com has a comparison of each of their handhelds that may be helpful in choosing a handheld. Also, you can tune into Soft Reset Show #2 for a discussion of what handheld to buy for education. Like many decisions, it will probably come down to how much money you have to spend. The good news is that whichever handheld you choose for students, you're bringing them into the world of truly personal computing.

Coming to a Dictionary Near You: Wi-Fi

Earlier this month Merriam-Webster officially added nearly 100 words to its Eleventh Edition Collegiate Dictionary. An important entry is Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi (certification mark) —used to certify the interoperability of wireless computer networking devices

The dictionary definition above really doesn't tell much about this important word. When talking about Wi-Fi (short for Wireless-Fidelity), people are referring to the most popular kind of wireless networking. Wi-Fi uses radio waves to communicate, so Wi-Fi signals can go through walls and floors. Wi-Fi networks have access points, like a Linksys Wireless Router or an Apple Airport Extreme. Wi-Fi enabled devices can usually access the network from a few hundred feet away. The area around an access point where you can receive a signal is called a hotspot. Many coffee shops and bookstores offer free hotspots to their customers. Before the trademark of Wi-Fi was set, this method of wireless networking was called by its much more formal name, IEEE 802.11. Still curious about what Wi-Fi is? Then read a couple dozen definitions from Google.

Many handhelds feature built-in Wi-Fi. There are also add-on expansion cards that add Wi-Fi to Palm and Windows Mobile devices. With a Wi-Fi enabled handheld, you can browse the internet, send and receive email, and access file servers wirelessly. Handhelds can even synchronize using Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, Wi-Fi adds to the price of a handheld and quickly drains batteries when activated.

It doesn't appear that Bluetooth was added to Merriam-Webster's dictionary. Bluetooth is another kind of wireless networking. Bluetooth has a much shorter range, uses less power, and is slower than Wi-Fi. Some fancy handhelds have both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, like my Palm LifeDrive. It's important to note that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are not compatible with each other. Read pages 5 and 6 of the Southeast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium's NewsWire: Using Handheld Technologies in Schools for an overview of wireless networking.

Wi-Fi was added to the Collegiate Dictionary along with other entries like brain freeze, chick flick, and hazmat. These concepts are probably not as complicated to understand as wireless networking, however.

Soft Reset #3: Math Drill and Practice

Soft Reset Show #3 is online! Soft Reset Show #3 is all about math software for drill and practice. Before diving into the main topic, Tony and Mike share some tips about synchronization errors and about calculators. Listen for some great ideas for helping students practice math facts and problem-solving. Also, hear why Mike declares Tony the evil but good intentioned co-host.

Show Notes:

• Casey Hales from Texas introduces the podcast. Read his blog, The SpecialEducator.
• Tips of the Podcast: Synchronization Log & Calculator Log.
• Flash Card software: MathAce for Palm and Flash Math for PocketPC.
• StyleTap: Run Palm software on your Windows Mobile Device.
• Quizzler, Quizzler Math Wizzer, and Making Quizzler Quizzes Handout.
• Dropairs and Dropairs Gallery.
• MathWiz.
• Fraction Software: Simplify, MixedUp, & Fraction Math Time.
• Listing of math software for Palm and PocketPC.

Enjoy the show! Click an icon below to listen or subscribe.

Multiplication & Addition Pair Boards

Dale Ehrhart has created multiplication and addition Pair Boards for the cool Palm freeware, Dropairs. Dale has created nine Pair Boards for multiplication and nine Pair Boards for addition in both HiRes (like Tungsten E and Zire 72) and LoRes (like Zire 31, Dana, and older handhelds). You can download these boards and many others from the NorthGlide Download Pair Boards page.

I have created my first Pair Board. It's for second graders at my school and is about government. It is very specific to our curriculum, but that's the point. Since you can make your own Pair Boards, you can customize Dropairs for your curriculum and for your students! Feel free to download my 2nd Grade Government Pair Board (HiRes only).

NorthGlide wants you to feel free to make your Pair Boards available to others. You're invited to send your Pair Boards to info@northglide.com to share with others, just like Dale has.

Soft Reset #2: Choosing a Handheld for Education

Soft Reset Show #2 is online! It's the podcast for those using handheld in education. The show is hosted by none other than Tony Vincent and Mike Curtis and features a discussion about picking out the right handheld. Listen for Mike's extensive expertise (and even some mothering) in this area. Also, listen for the interesting behavior Mike displays in parking garages, a story about a suspicious noise, screen alignment tips, and a reason to travel to Michigan in November! All this and more is in Show #2 of Soft Reset!

Show Notes:

• Cherie from Paradise Valley Schools in Phoenix introduces the podcast. Read about her project at NewsZap.com.
• Tip of the Podcast: Do It Your Digitizing and Use a Paperclip.
• AlphaSmart Dana and a strange sound.
• Search reviews and discussion forms for real life handheld battery life at PalmInfocenter, Brighthand, and CNET.
• Grant Street Software's SD Deploy and SD Express.
• Palm Bluetooth Guide. & Bluetooth Accessories
• Bluetooth keyboards don't work well in a classroom full of handhelds.
• WiFi SD Card Review for Windows Mobile & Review: Palm SD WiFi Card
• Handheld cases: eBags.com and Cases.com.
• Wireless (infrared) keyboards.
• 5th Annual Michigan Handheld Computer in Education Conference.

Enjoy the show! Click an icon below to listen or subscribe.