The Buzz

LoJack for Laptops

As computers become smaller and more portable, educators are faced with rising theft. To protect this investment, Absolute Software offers Computrace Complete, a recovery service that facilitates the recovery of stolen laptops. Once installed on your computer, the software links to a monitoring center. So if your laptop is stolen, Computrace reports its location. A recovery team then partners with local police to recover the equipment. $52.99/each for 1–2,499 units for one year. www.absolute.com.

Shuttle Launch

As schools embrace the concept of one-to-one computing, librarians are becoming increasingly responsible for the care of laptops. Higher Ground Gear provides protective sleeves to accommodate most laptop computers. The company’s K–12 model, the Shuttle, is a compact computer sleeve that fits easily into a backpack. $28–$42. www.laptopclassroom.com.

Oracle Sponsors Free Web Site

The Web site Think.com provides a protected online community free of charge to students and teachers. Created by the Oracle Education Foundation, the site is a teacher-mediated space that hosts individual Web sites, project forums, and e-mail. Here, students can post essays, images, polls, and debates. Think.com, which fosters collaboration within your classroom and across the world, has been awarded a Seal of Alignment with national ed-tech standards by the International Society of Technology in Education. www.think.com.

Work Like an Egyptian

Virtual History is a new simulation game series from Knowledge Matters. In the first installment, set in ancient Egypt, students can work through three levels of difficulty, progressing to advanced challenges, such as managing a stone quarry or constructing a pyramid. Whew! A potential item suitable for middle school libraries. $345 (five-user license); $795 (lab); $1,295 (site license). www.knowledgematters.com.

Follett Features Playaway

Follett Library Resources has signed on to distribute Playaway, a self-playing audiobook, directly to K–12 schools and public libraries. Produced by FindawayWorld, the device is the first of its kind, a preloaded digital-format audiobook. (see “The Buzz,” July 2006). www.playawaydigital.com.

Now Hear This

Podcasting was certainly the buzzword at NECC. Still, the necessary hardware might intimidate those who are new to audio recording. Now beginning podcasters have an alternative: the Samson C01U–USB studio condenser microphone. The new mic, introduced at NECC, can be plugged into any computer, Mac or PC, with a simple USB cable. “It’s the best bang for the buck,” says Chris Walsh, digital learning specialist at WestEd, a nonprofit education organization, who cited the mic’s ease of use on all platforms and low cost. $80–90. www.samsontech.com.

Clickers for the Classroom

TurningPoint, a student response system from Turning Technologies, can transform a standard PowerPoint lecture into a dynamic interactive presentation. Teachers can display questions, surveys, and games that allow every student in the class to key in a response via wireless keypads or “clickers.” Carl Harvey, library media specialist at North Elementary School in Noblesville, IN, purchased a TurningPoint system for his school. He plans to use TurningPoint in his fall orientation to determine what students want in library services. A 32-seat student response system costs $1,483. www.turningtechnologies.com.

No More Overhead

The advent of digital presentation in schools has relegated the overhead projector to the corner of the classroom. Its only function: collecting dust. When you’re done reminiscing about the good ol’ days, pick up a document camera. The AVerVision150, due out in October, is one model that features three-megapixel resolution for high-quality images, including projections of small text or microscopic items. Created by AVerMedia, the document camera includes an image capture function and AVerVision software compatible with Mac or PC. It’s also attractively priced for schools. $599. www.aver.com.

Sleeper Web Source Revealed

The California Learning Resource Network, CLRN, makes it easy to find hundreds of learning resources in a searchable database that allows users to compare key features of selected products. Sara Kelly Johns, media specialist at Lake Placid (NY) Middle/High School, met with CLRN’s creators at NECC. “It’s one of my most-used bookmarks,” she says. A free resource, CLRN is available for use by all educators. clrn.org.

A Workstation in Your Wall

The space-efficient workspace solutions created by Proximity Systems help make computers accessible, while also keeping them secure during off-hours. With a sturdy, retractable work surface, these units are space-saving alternatives to traditional desks. The systems can store a traditional CPU, keyboard, and monitor, and open into a workstation when needed. The CWT model accommodates the widest range of equipment and would be suitable for an underused wall space in the library. $1,500. http://proximitysystems.com.

Tech Depot

Educators frequently visit their local office supply store to stock their classrooms. So Office Depot has launched a Tech Depot division just for schools. Tech Depot works closely with state and local governments in arranging contract pricing, as well as equipment leasing. Tech Depot can even provide a customized Web page for school buyers, with variable user access. Edu.techdepot.com.

If Search Engines Could Talk

Educational search engine NetTrekker has added a text-to-speech function called Read Aloud. Peggy Milam, a library media specialist at Compton Elementary School in Cobb County, GA, tried it out at NECC. Milam highlighted the word “invertebrate,” which NetTrekker read aloud. Then it “recited the words to the FBI (Fungus, Bacteria, and Invertebrates) song,” she says. Read Aloud makes it possible to purchase NetTrekker with federal IDEA funding. www.nettrekker.com.