The Buzz

Write Brain is a new Web-based writing program for students in grades 2–8. Created by software company Sunburst Technology, Write Brain covers various aspects of “text production,” including writing strategies, self-evaluation, and collaborative writing. Featuring more than 150 educational writing prompts that cover 11 genres of writing, the program aligns directly with all 50 states’ standards. Teachers can select from prepared lessons or create their own using the software’s easy-to-use tool. Write Brain guides students through all the steps in writing, using peer collaboration, among other strategies, to support learners through the most arduous part of writing: the revision process. An annual subscription (building-level basis only) starts at $2,000 for up to 500 users. www.Sunburst.com.

Zlango has created a new mobile language comprised of more than 200 icons that makes for an expressive, juicy, and textless texting experience, according to the Israeli start-up. Each colorful icon carries a specific meaning—a heart represents “love,” an ambulating figure, “go” or “come.” Users download a thin 64K Java or BREW application, available for the vast majority of GSM and CDMA handsets, to send and receive ZMS’s (Zlango messages) just as they would a regular SMS message. You can also add traditional text, if you must. www.zlango.com.

From books and memos to restaurant menus and ATM receipts, most of us think nothing of the avalanche of printed material that we work with each day. It’s another matter if you’re blind. Enter the Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader, the first truly handheld device that scans and reads printed material aloud. Hold the Reader’s camera over any text and snap a picture. In seconds you can hear the contents of the document in clear, synthetic speech. Capture, read, and discard pages; store them for later reading; or transfer files to a computer or Braille-aware PDA. The Reader even has a headphone jack so you won’t disturb your neighbors. $3,495. www.knfbreader.com.

Technorati, the popular search engine that tracks blogs, has undergone a major overhaul. In addition to a bright new design and less intrusive ads, the service boasts a faster and more accurate search mechanism. To help make sense of the Web, especially for novice searchers, Technorati has added a few new elements, including Discover, a topic-based feature, and Popular, which algorithmically derives the most linked-to items in the last few days. “While we got a lot of positive feedback from bloggers about the core service,” said Technorati’s founder Dave Sifry, in announcing the upgrade, “We were hearing that we weren’t being of equal service to folks who are new to the live Web. In short, we sought to make Technorati easier and more intuitive.” www.technorati.com.

Polycom Communicator provides high sound quality conferencing via Skype. With no need for a headset, Communicator users simply connect the device to their PC’s USB port to enjoy hands-free Skype calls one-on-one or in group conversations. In addition to boasting high-fidelity, wideband voice quality, the unit is easy to use, with one-touch buttons to launch Skype, receive and disconnect calls, and control volume and mute. $129. www.polycom.com. To learn more about Skype, a free program that allows you to talk to others over the Internet, visit www.skype.com.

Quality—in terms of information—is more important than quantity. So says Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, who spoke at Wikimania 2006, the annual powwow dedicated to the online reference, among the most celebrated and debated wonders of the online world. The August event, held in Cambridge, MA, featured several librarians, including Meredith Farkas, distance learning librarian at Norwich University. “The conference was really fascinating. I was surprised by how much the Wikipedians were interested in what librarians had to say,” she says. “I think they were relieved when I said that students should be critical of all sources; not just Wikipedia.” Pictured below from left: Copresenters Meredith Farkas, Mary Chimato, Ellyssa Kroski, and Maureen Clements.

The Web site Library Technology NOW (LTN), which covers product reviews and other news affecting Libraryland, has ramped up it’s online presence with the release of a social networking element called Library Technology NOW 2.0. “Our hope is that individuals interested in library technology will use [the 2.0 site] to share news, opinions, and wisdom with each other,” says Adam Wright, assistant director of the North Texas Regional Library System, LTN’s sponsor. www.ning.com.

Learning to type is an essential skill (as this writer hunts and pecks her way through this copy). Now Spanish speakers can utilize a popular keyboarding instruction program tailored just for them. The software, UltraKey 5.0 by Bytes of Learning, has a new feature that allows users to hear instructional support in Spanish while learning to keyboard in English. Future versions of UltraKey will offer German, French, and British English. While keyboarding in English, a student can request a Spanish-spoken explanation of any section of instruction by clicking a button or striking a short key combination. The new feature is available for free to UltraKey 5.0 users. www.bytesoflearning.com.

Would you like your standard desk dictionary served up on a stick? The Merriam-Webster USB Dictionary & Thesaurus provides instant access to 300,000 definitions and 500,000 synonyms and antonyms. The 256 MB tool accommodates phonetic spell correction, so you can key in a word according to the way it sounds and the dictionary will provide alternatives for misspelled words. There’s also a Grammar Guide, providing quick access to rules and usage, and a Crossword Puzzle Solver to help you fill in the blanks. $49.95. www.franklin.com.