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Articulate launches Storyline authoring tool, outputs training modules to iPad and HTML 5
Learning professionals have long been familiar with Articulate's Studio line of e-learning tools. The suite allows content developers in both enterprise and educational contexts to easily leverage PowerPoint slideshows in building out interactive, scored and narrated lesson modules. The Studio suite of apps (Presenter, Quizmaster and Engage) offer a good mix of powerful capabilities and a relatively shallow learning curve, at a premium price -- the current special deal offers Studio for just under US$1,400. Studio '09 is a Windows-only offering, but that's not the limitation that has proved most challenging to users over the past two years. It's the suite's lack of a compelling Flash-free output option for mobile devices (for all values of "mobile device" = "iPad") that's been a thorn in the side of content pros desperate to get their modules out to the iOS ecosystem. While Studio itself won't gain iPad or HTML 5 savvy until the subsequent Studio '12 version ships, there is an all-new platform rising for training designers who need those flexible output choices. Articulate Storyline (Windows only, US$1,398 with a 30-day demo) steps away from the PowerPoint underpinnings of Studio and delivers downloadable, playable content for iPad users via the Articulate Mobile Player app (free in the App Store). Storyline users can take advantage of accessible slide templates and animated character presets, slide layers with multiple interactive moments, a full set of action triggers and object states and more. Storyline can set and read variables, making it easier to track user activity across a slide or a module. Assessment tools, quizzes and a full screencasting environment round out the feature set. iPad and HTML 5 output are both one-click easy. The Mobile Player doesn't yet fully support SCORM tracking or other enterprise e-learning management features, but they are on the way. It may take a while for Studio customers to get comfortable with the new toolset in Storyline, but the opportunity to get content onto the iPad easily should help motivate them.
Adobe Captivate joins Mac family
Along with the release of the CS5 suite, Adobe is delivering a new product to the Mac platform; Captivate 5 is shipping next month, both in a standalone version and as the anchor of the new eLearning Suite 2 bundle alongside Flash, Dreamweaver, Photoshop Extended, Soundbooth and Acrobat. Captivate lets educators, trainers and documentation experts create tutorials and simulations that can be deployed to websites or learning management (LMS) infrastructure. Captivate has had a long run as a Windows app, so the interface was completely refreshed for the Mac release. New features in v5 include full roundtrip support with other components of the suite, so you can edit sound clips in Soundbooth or animations in Flash and return to where you left off in the Captivate project. The new version also allows for better video synchronization within a project. The PowerPoint plugin piece of the eLearning suite (Adobe Presenter) remains Win-only. You can learn more about Captivate via Adobe's prerecorded and upcoming live webcasts about the eLearning suite (Adobe account required). New licenses for the suite start at US$1799, with upgrades starting at $599. Captivate alone sells for $799 and can be upgraded starting at $299; cross-grades from the PC version to the Mac version should be allowed. Preorders are active now, and the suite is expected to ship in mid-June. Thanks Rich! [h/t The Mac Observer]
