More Than a Tech Toy

There's no doubt that media centers have become technology centers. If you'd like to incorporate some more hardware into your library, here's a list of wonderful gadgets that'll help your students become better learners.

If the price of a 3-D video visualizer and video projector is beyond your means, the SuperScope (Model VPS200) is a great little device that can show parts of a page, the screen of a handheld, or anything else that can fit on its projection stage. SuperScope hooks up through the audio/video inputs of a VCR or TV and projects 3-D objects, film negatives, slides, photos, transparencies, and printed images or documents in color or black and white. It can even be mounted on a copy stand to project larger images. It has a manual zoom and focus and works like a charm, all for less than $200.

To see a picture and read the specifications, visit Long's Electronics at www.longselectronics.com/product.jsp?path=1060&id= 2161.

Wish you could stop lugging your laptop to the classroom or conference center? Believe it or not, your Palm, Handspring, HP Ipaq, or Sony Clie may provide the necessary hardware to give PowerPoint presentations.

All you need is Margi's Presenter-to-Go, which provides the computer software to transform PowerPoint presentations or any Windows document into the handheld format. Once you've processed the presentation and synchronized the handheld with your desktop, simply plug the Secure Digital memory card, Springboard module, or compact flash end of the Presenter-to-Go into your handheld. Hook up the video projector to the VGA cable end of the Presenter-to-Go device and launch the software on the handheld. Your slide show or document shows up in color, and the included remote control allows you to easily advance the show from a distance.

The downside to the Presenter-to-Go is that animation and transitions can't be viewed on the handheld. An additional piece of software that comes with the device is a mirroring application, which allows users to display the handheld's screen over a video projector. This is an invaluable training aid for instruction in the use of the handheld or handheld programs. The Presenter-to-Go lists for $199. For more information, log on to www.margi.com/products/prod_ptg.htm.

AlphaSmart Dana makes life a lot easier for students who take handwritten notes from information gathered on online databases, CD-ROMs, or the Internet. This hybrid device, a cross between a traditional AlphaSmart keyboard and a Palm handheld, runs the Palm operating system and has the ability to save text to removable storage devices like Zip drives. It also allows users to directly link to a printer.

It's best to buy a 32–megabyte Secure Digital memory card and to have SD readers at all computers in the school. That way, students can save information to the card and retrieve it at a later time. With multiple Danas in the media center or classroom, cooperative groups can break down an assignment and beam information to each other for editing and compiling. The Dana can also run a freeware program called FlingIt, which allows users to grab entire Web pages and save them to the device for reading and summarizing.

Although the Dana is slated to have a network card and a wireless card sometime in 2003, its monochrome screen doesn't bring the Web to life. At a cost of under $400, however, the Dana should be more than sufficient for taking notes and searching information with one of the Palm-based browsers. For more information about this device, visit www.flydana.com.

One of the newest forms of data storage can be found in something as small as your keychain. These 3" x 1" storage devices have USB connections and come in various file storage sizes, ranging from 16 to 512 megabytes. Widely popular with students, they don't require installed drivers and work equally well on Macs and PCs with USB ports.

These devices solve a multitude of problems. You can back up all of your Word documents or easily take documents home. One useful way to take advantage of this device is to move a PowerPoint presentation from a non-networked computer in the library to a networked computer. These devices cost between $35 and $220, and some of the popular manufacturers include Lexar, KangaruMicro (some models even include an MP3 player), PowerUser, Iomega, Sony, and Sandisk.

If you want to get rid of your old, bulky Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector, take a look at one of the new microportable ones that weigh between 2 and 3.5 pounds, are about 9" x 7" in size, and cost under $2,500. Since they can be set up anywhere, they're great for media center presentations or even in larger group settings with dimmed lighting. The least expensive models have less advanced features, but their brightness, clarity, ease of use and transport more than make up for the lack of advanced features. Some of the current microportable LCD projectors in this price range include the Hewlett-Packard's SB21 (hp.com) and PLUS Vision's V807 (www.plus-vision.com).

One of the biggest trends in technology is combining two or more devices into a single product. The latest entrant is a digital still camera that also acts as a Webcam. The Fuji FinePix F402 (fujifilm.com), priced at $350, is a 2.1–megapixel digital camera that can also record short movies with sound. The camera can also be hooked up to a computer as a Webcam for videoconferencing. If you're short on funds, hybrid devices are ideal ways to teach and learn in a different way.

Before you buy a DVD player for your media center, do a little extra research about the different functions that are available. Some DVD players can read a CD-R disk produced on a computer. If you want this capability, for instance, to view pictures burned onto a CD, look for a DVD player with dual laser or dual optic features, or a logo stating "MultiRead." (Here is a link to a comparison chart of features: www.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers.php.)

If you create MPEG movies with a camcorder or digital camera and would like to view them on a DVD player, look for a DVD player that can read the VCD format. You'll also need to purchase software for the computer that will allow you to turn MPEG movies into the VCD format for burning. (I use Adaptec's EasyCD Creator Software to accomplish this. For directions, see www.vcdhelp.com/easycd.htm.) Some DVD players can also play MP3 files. For more information on DVD players and formats, see the "DVD Demystified" site at www.dvddemystified.com.

One of the coolest gadgets in my library is a fingerprint recognition device. A simple biometric device in your library media center can help you keep those important passwords from prying eyes and even make it easier for students to log on to a computer.

Digital Persona's (www.digitalpersona.com) "U.are.U" solutions provide a system for logging users into Windows XP computers, as well as a corporate solution for large, networked environments. The little devices, once introduced to your fingerprint, can log users on and off computers easily and even log them into Web sites that require user names and passwords.

Imagine how wonderful it will be once these devices are compatible with library circulation software! Students can place a finger on the device and their name and pertinent information will pop right up. These devices are available for under $100. Try them out in various ways to get a feel for what they can do to help you and your students. (Note: "U.are.U" solutions only work with the Windows XP operating system.) You can read more about fingerprint recognition at techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2002/11/topten9htm.

As you consider the various new devices for your media center, keep up with current trends by thumbing through general computer magazines. Remember, the best way to plan for new technologies is to stay one step ahead of the curve, but don't just jump on the bandwagon. Carefully assess your students' needs before deciding to buy.