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Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond meets fundraising goals, updates FAQ
Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond has taken several small steps over the course of its short lifetime, but can it make one giant leap to a full-fledged release product? It's off to a decent start, judging by its Kickstarter fundraising tally. The devs have issued a press release proclaiming the success story and are drafting a FAQ document designed to get more information out there to potential investors (and eventually, players). The latest version of the FAQ is viewable on the official website, and we've included a few highlights for you here: The game is a follow-up to Moonbase Alpha (released in 2010) Project Whitecard and Wisdom Tools are the developers per a "Space Act Agreement" with NASA The target audience will be the 5-24 age and the gaming and science enthusiast markets The game will be available for iOS and Windows PC; other platforms are being considered Unreal Engine 3 is being used to develop the game A beta is planned for December 2012
Sifteo Cubes up for pre-order tonight, gaming gets tangibly-cute this September
Want a game for the tabletop with on-screen pop, and a sprinkle of adorable? Sifteo is officially set to get your gears going when its interactive Cubes, up for pre-order by the end of today, ship out in September. If you'll recall, the MIT-rooted project uses blocks equipped with 1.5-inch displays to create a variety of gaming environments mixing touch, motion and on-display content. Also announced is a bundled "Creativity Kit," which enables you to make your own games on the fly. It was was briefly available to early adopters in January for $99.99, and now $149.99 gets everyone in on some good times. You'll receive a triplet of the oh-so-cute Cubes, a charging hub and a 2.4 Ghz wireless USB adapter for connectivity, as well as transferring Sifteo store apps purchased on your computer. Interest piqued? You'll find details in the PR just past the break -- unless you're a square, that is.
Apple quietly launches new $999 educational iMac
Apple quietly launched a new sub-US$1000 iMac model for the educational market. The new iMac is similar to current models, but has a set of slightly toned specs that make it less expensive than current retail versions. The educational only model will include a 3.1GHz Intel Core i3 dual-core processor, 21.5-inch display, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, 250 GB hard drive, SuperDrive and an AMD Radeon HD 6750 GPU. Mac OS X Lion is included, but noticeably absent from the specs is the Thunderbolt port. This new model sits in between last generation's 20-inch, Core 2 Duo iMac which retailed for $899 and the current $1149 model which includes a 2.5GHz Quad-Core i5 processor with 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. [Via MacRumors]
UK education boss Michael Gove wants games in the classroom
Michael Gove has served as Brtitain's Secretary of State for Education since May of 2010. Since being appointed, Gove has called for a number of reforms for the British education system, including restructuring and intensifying language requirements both foreign and domestic, as well as strengthening standards in science and "maths." Now, Gove has set his sights on video games as a way of making the British education system more engaging for children. "When children need to solve equations in order to get more ammo to shoot the aliens, it is amazing how quickly they can learn," said Gove, speaking to the Royal Society in London regarding Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy's Manga High system. Manga High, which allows educators to schedule online assignments that automatically reward items in accompanying flash games, represents the future of early science and math education, according to Gove: "These developments are only the beginning." In related news, we somehow managed to make it all the way through this post without making an "Eh, Gove?" joke.
LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer tablet hands-on (video)
If you have kids and own a tablet, chances are you've passed it to the back seat on occasion, asking your five-year-old to help you navigate to the beach, or to beat an otherwise hopeless level in Angry Birds. Now, you can reward them with a tablet of their own. Available in green and pink, the $100 LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer includes a 5-inch, 480 x 272-pixel (16:9) touchscreen, 2GB of built-in storage, and a durable housing -- but your 5-9 year old isn't going to get caught up on specs. They will take notice to the built-in camera (with video capture), microphone, stylus, and accelerometer, however -- all of which enable custom kid-friendly apps and educational games, including Disney Animation Studio, an interactive reader, and compatibility with over 100 downloadable apps and LeapFrog cartridges, which range in price from $5 to $25. There's no wireless connectivity, so you'll be tethering with Windows or Mac OS to download additional content, and to share your child's creations with family and friends.%Gallery-127320% We're certainly far outside LeapPad's target demographic, but we did have a chance to go hands-on with the device earlier today, and felt that the tablet was solidly built, with a well-rounded feature set and sufficient expandability options -- for a kids toy, of course. Games and apps took advantage of the Pad's features, such as Roly Poly Picnic, which uses the accelerometer to navigate through a maze, spelling out simple, three-letter words along the way (like all apps and games, Picnic is adjustable based on your little one's age and skill level). There's also a video player (currently limited to 4:3 content), photo, and video capture apps. Shipping August 15th, the device doesn't have a ton of horsepower under the hood -- a 400MHz processor means apps won't launch with the speed and grace of an iPad 2 -- but for a $100 toy, the LeapPad will do just fine. PR and hands-on video are after the break.
Watermelon Express now BenchPrep, publishing academic prep texts to iPad
Educational app maker Watermelon Express has shifted gears and entered the electronic textbook market. The Chicago-based company, now known as BenchPrep, has over 75 educational apps in the App Store, most of which were interactive textbooks and test prep materials made for larger, more traditional textbook publishers, like educational publishers McGraw Hill and John Wiley. BenchPrep CEO Ashish Rangnekar told VentureBeat that a single, stand-alone free BenchPrep app made more sense than multiple educational apps, hence the shift in business to interactive prep textbooks for the iPad. Rangnekar also noted that the future of educational materials isn't limited to e-textbooks on the iPad. "Our definition of content is much broader than the textbook," he told VentureBeat; he said that in addition to books, BenchPrep will eventually branch out into other electronic educational materials, such as videos and presentations.
North Korea apparently pumping out state-sponsored PCs (updated)
North Korea has already made its mark on the tablet market -- albeit a rather unimpressive attempt -- and even produced a supreme leader-approved OS, and now the DPRK is further proving its tech ambitions with the production of three different PC models. In a post published to PCWorld today, Martyn Williams reports on a March 10th state TV broadcast that revealed a North Korean factory where workers are busily assembling the machines by hand. According to Williams, the models in production include a desktop PC and a netbook-sized laptop, designed for educational use. The third variant, an enterprise laptop, boasts dual USB ports, internet connectivity, and two and half hours of battery life. That's about it in the way of specs, but from what we've seen, we doubt these machines are set for world domination. For a series of screen shots from the broadcast, check out Williams' blog at the coverage link below. Update: Surprise! The North Korean netbook, pictured above left, is an identical clone of $99.99 Sylvania model sold at CVS pharmacies in the US, both presumably sourced from the same Chinese OEM.
Brainchild Kineo joins Kindle, iPad in digital reformation; ships to schools in ten states
Watch out, parents -- if you live in one of a handful of states, your prodigious student-of-the-month may be bringing home something a bit heftier than a tacky bumper sticker. We're looking at the Brainchild Kineo, a 7-inch, 800MHz Android tablet, locked down for education-only use. No unauthorized web browsing, no personal email, and no Angry Birds. Running a specialized version of Eclair, the Kineo allows educators to limit student access to curriculum related apps, websites, or features exclusively -- negating the tablet's potential of becoming more distraction than learning tool. Paired with Brainchild's standards-based Achiever software, the Kineo may actually have a chance of academic success (sorry Kindle). The first 5000 units are making their way to select districts in Texas, California, Tennessee, and a smattering of other states; hit the break for full PR and a video of the tablet in action.
PBS releases children's iPad app, interesting usage stats
Last week PBS released its free PBS KIDS Video for iPad app. The app features more than 1000 videos from over a dozen PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! series, including Sesame Street, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That, and Super WHY! The app itself was purposefully designed so that young kids could easily navigate it. Videos can be watched anywhere in the US with a Wi-Fi or 3G connection, and the app also features local PBS station TV schedules, a TV series' intended age and learning goals, and social network sharing. The app is sure to be a hit with kids and parents alike, but what I found most interesting about PBS KIDS Video for iPad were the usage stats in the associated press release. A recent PBS survey about how kids and parents interact with the iPad revealed that 70 percent of parents reported allowing their children to use their iPad. Each iPad, on average, contained eight apps specifically downloaded for their kids. Furthermore, 40 percent of the parents surveyed said their children played on the iPad at least once a day, but their children's daily iPad "playing" wasn't only for entertainment apps. A full 90 percent of parents said that "educational value" was the most important criteria when choosing an app for their kids.
Select McGraw-Hill educational apps for iPhone and iPad free until 4/16
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is holding its annual conference this week and in honor of this event McGraw-Hill has dropped the price on select iOS educational applications. The sale started earlier this week and extends until the conference ends on April 16. During this time, the following applications will be free: Everyday Mathematics Addition Top-It: 0 to 10 basic addition and number comparison game Everyday Mathematics Subtraction Top-It: 0 to 10, 2-digit subtraction and number comparison game Everyday Mathematics Name That Number: Computation and order of operations game Everyday Mathematics Monster Squeeze: Octopus monster-themed number comparison and recognition game Everyday Mathematics Equivalent Fractions: Fraction flashcard game Everyday Mathematics Tric-Trac: one or two-player addition game Everyday Mathematics Beat the Computer: Multiplication (0-10) game Everyday Mathematics Baseball Multiplication 1-6 Facts: Baseball-themed multiplication game Everyday Mathematics Divisibility Dash: Number multiples and division practice eFlashcards: Vocabulary flashcards If you have elementary school-aged children and younger, this sale is a no-brainer. Normally, each app is priced at $1.99 and will jump back up to this price when the sale ends. These apps require iOS 3.0 or later and are compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
The Thinking Machines flashes back to 1968 for a lesson in computer logic, sideburns (video)
Another dusty gem's emerged from the vintage gold mine that is AT&T's Tech Channel archive, and this one's packed full of useful information and some classic Jetsons-style animation. The Thinking Machines pits man against computer to explain how the things reason, and it does so with a soundtrack that's straight out of, well, 1968. Unsurprisingly, the film's populated by giant, button-laden switchboards, early computer graphics, ladies sporting beehives, and gents rocking unfortunate facial hair, but if that doesn't do it for you, it also offers genuine pearls like this: "Best of all, they never get bored. Like other machines, they can do the same monotonous chores all day long without complaining." Someone should tell that to the disgruntled Roomba residing in our hall closet. Check out the full video in all its dated glory after the break.
KonnectUs cloud-based software makes easy cross-platform sharing a reality, we swoon (video)
Last year, we expressed a yearning for something we called the Continuous Client that would allow us to pick up on one device where we left off on another, and in less than a year we saw the advent of HP's "Touch-to-share" technology, but our dreams weren't fully fulfilled -- we longed for a platform that would offer seamless sharing across all of our devices. Well, it's like we rubbed a bottle and KonnectUs popped out. The cloud-based software is a collaborative effort between Sensus and Open Exhibits that enables you to transfer files and information across platforms -- including Windows, iOS, and Android -- with a simple swipe of your finger. As it turns out, KonnectUs was built with museums in mind, but the company is offering APIs for integration into third party applications -- so maybe the perfect world isn't that far off after all. Oh, that's right -- we still don't have a robot to shake our martinis after a hard day at the office. Video after the break.
LeapFrog's LeapPad Explorer tablet looks a little more durable than your iPad
Kids of all ages love tablets, but not every tablet is suitable for fingers covered in peanut butter and jelly. We're thinking the latest from LeapFrog would handle that situation without complaint and, with its chunky construction, should make it home undamaged after show and tell. It's the LeapPad Explorer, shipping this summer, a 5-inch color tablet will let kids draw, play games, and of course learn all about reading, writing, and arithmetic. There's also a built-in camera and, while we're guessing FaceTime support isn't likely to be coming in a future update, there is an animation studio app that will let kids have fun with whatever video they record. It's all enough to make one very jealous of Junior, and an MSRP of $99.99 doesn't even sound that bad.
Sifteo Cubes get FCC teardown, not so cute anymore
Sifteo's cute little gaming Cubes have grown up a lot over the past couple of months: they've undergone two name changes (from Siftables to Cubits to Cubes), experienced the gaming rites of passage at CES, and now these 1.5-inch full-color computers are making their FCC debut, including the ritual teardown. The not-so-cute internal photos show one of the Cubes, guts exposed, revealing a 32-bit ARM processor. Also buried in the FCC documents is evidence that the darling devices communicate with computers via a 2.4GHz USB dongle and sport a three-axis motion sensor. Sifteo's already sold out of its first round of pre-orders, but we're guessing we'll be seeing more of the adorable little guys sometime real soon.
Tennessee's Webb School makes iPads mandatory, still looks down on note-passing
We've seen the Kindle DX fail as a textbook alternative, but the iPad marches ever onward as a pioneer of wireless education. Or so it seems, anyway. This time the tablet has set its sights on a private school in Knoxville, TN, where all students from fourth to 12th grade will be required to carry iPads starting this August. Webb School students can either provide their own slate or lease a WiFi-only model for $20 a month. Just like administrators at Seton Hill University, the folks at Webb School see the iPad as an eventual replacement for traditional textbooks, as well as a tool for interactive learning. We've voiced our skepticism about the in-school iPad trend before, and while we still wonder just how effective the devices might be in the classroom, we're interested to see how this thing turns out. You know, we love the Oregon Trail and everything, but don't today's students deserve to see more than pixelated trailblazers dying of digital diphtheria? [Thanks, Jordan]
Neverware's Juicebox 100 squeezes new life into aging school computers (video)
Your typical school computer is probably not a machine you'd like to use on a daily basis -- perennially behind the curve in terms of technology, since educators can't afford smokin' hot video cards and primo processors year after year. Budgets and the resulting reluctance inevitably lead to stale hardware which then goes obsolete... but a tiny startup called Neverware thinks it can end the cycle of woe with virtualization technology. Its single product, the Juicebox a100, can serve up one hundred Windows 7 virtual desktops to existing hardware, pretty much regardless of its age -- all computers need is a working LAN jack, a 500MHz processor and 128MB of memory, so schools could keep their beige boxes and just upgrade the Juicebox instead. Founder Jonathan Hefter doesn't have pricing worked out yet -- and his tiny company only has three of the boxes working at present -- but he's piloted the technology in a pair of schools and is planning a beta soon -- all the while dreaming about how our mountains of e-waste could be transformed into useful computers for the poorer nations of the world. Good luck, dude! Video after the break.
India's $35 tablet delay dashes hopes, destroys dreams
College students eagerly awaiting India's ambitious $35 tablet are going to have to put their dreams on hold -- there's been a delay. Earlier this week, the Times of India reported that the Indian government dropped HCL Technologies, the company responsible for manufacturing the great democratic tablet, for failing to follow through on the 600 million rupee (or $13,198,416) guarantee -- apparently a disagreement over production costs is to blame. Last summer, the country's Human Resource Development Minister, Kapil Sibal, made a number of appearances toting a mockup of the Android-based tablet, and promising a launch date of January 15th. Officials say the project is still on track and should be ready this summer. However, while the government seeks a replacement for HCL, skeptics continue to sound warnings that parts alone will cost more than $35. We'd like to chalk this up to haters hating, but we can't seem to forget what became of the $10 laptop.
Google Science Fair 2011 boasts big names, big prizes (video)
Dust off the baking soda and bust out the vinegar, because Google's throwing a science fair. That's right, the internet giant is taking the time-honored tradition of hastily constructed teenage science experiments online. Entrants must be between 13 and 18 years old and submit their projects (in English) via Google Sites by April 4th. Once the projects are in, a panel of real-life teachers will select 60 semi-finalists. From there, the pool will be narrowed down to a group of 15, who will attend an in-the-flesh fair at Google headquarters in Mountain View, CA, this July. The big event's judges include CERN's Rolf-Dieter Heuer, Google's Vint Cerf, and Nobel Laureate Kary Mullis. Grand prize winners in three age groups will receive a $50,000 scholarship, a trip to the Galapagos islands, and some stuff from LEGO and Scientific American. On second thought, maybe the baking soda volcano isn't such a great idea. (Rube Goldberg-inspired promo video after the jump.)
A beautiful timeline of educational gadgets reminds us that the Scantron machine was really awesome
Over the weekend, the New York Times published a timeline of photographs of technological advances in the classroom. While the blackboard and the horn-book (a wooden paddle printed with the alphabet) look like artifacts that might be leftover from when dinosaurs walked the earth, the ones that are a bit newer are quite interesting to behold. For instance, you may or may not be old enough to remember the blue-inked glory of a mimeograph machine (the oldest example dating from around 1940 is above), or the awesomeness of a Scantron machine which automatically graded multiple choice tests. Seriously, we can't tell you how many hundreds of Scantron forms we filled out in our time as students, but it was unfortunately more than none. Hit up the source link to see all of the glorious gadgets throughout the years, but be forewarned: the last one is an iPad.
Intel's Clamshell Classmate PC now more rugged and longer-lasting
Don't expect any new swivels (ahem, Dell), but Intel's education-focused Classmate PC nonetheless learned a few new tricks at this year's IDF 2010. First up is battery life, a six-cell lithium-ion energy source "so students may be able to work all day long on a single charge" also helped by the latest 45nm Intel Atom processor (we're pretty sure that means Pine Trail and not that other newcomer). There's additionally more ruggedness in the form factor, allowing for added protection on 70cm "desk heights" drops, increased water resistance of at least 100cc of liquid, and an antimicrobial coating for a cleaner environment.
