Always running around looking for your phone? Do you have to search madly for you cell phone when it rings? Here are some tips to help you never lose your cell phone again. When you are out, always store your cell phone in the same pocket of your coat, purse or briefcase so that way it will be in the same place each time. It sounds simple but deciding on this designated place and sticking to it will save you time, frustration, panic and maybe even money. No one wants to bother with the expense of replacing your phone not to mention the issues associated with losing your phone's private information. As soon as you get home or at the office place your phone in a cell phone holder so you will know where to grab it when it rings or when you are on the way out the door. Set up your cell phone holder by an outlet which you will always use to charge your phone. The outlet should be visible. Be careful when creating this docking station at home to make sure there is no chance of water reaching your phone. Many homes today have multiple users and the docking area to recharge is scattered around the kitchen, don't forget that just a few drops of water can sometimes ruin a phone. Keep your phone in a case with a clip, so you can attach it to your pocket or your purse. This often forces you to keep it in the same place every time and you also are more likely to notice if it is not there. Have you ever lost your phone under the seat in the car? Keeping your phone on silent or vibrate is often a great idea for meetings and at lunch but this causes real havoc if you are trying to locate it. Remember to return your phone to normal mode as soon as possible. Make sure your phone is always well charged. If your phone goes dead you won't be able to call it. Having an additional charger in the car is a handy way to get the recharging you need and doesn't leave you stuck without communication on those long road trips. Always check for your cell phone when leaving a public area such as a restaurant or public washroom. And speaking of washrooms many a cell phone as taken an unfortunate dip into the toilet bowl and the results of this voyage are nothing to write home about.
Following these tips will simplify your high tech life. A little extra thought and planning can save you time later. Now you can actually run out the door without running around looking for your phone first.
About the Author
Colette Robicheau, President of Organize Anything, is a consultant, coach, and public speaker offering corporate, residential, and personal organizing services. For more information contact Colette Robicheau, Organizing Consultant and Coach visit her website www.organizeanything.com or email info@organizeanything.com.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
K-12 Teachers, Please take the Cell Phones in Schools Survey!
I have developed a short survey to get a better sense of cell phone use in schools around the world. Please take a few minutes (it is short) to take the survey! Click on the image above to take the survey.
Thank you
Liz
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Survey Results: Favorite Cell to Web or Web to Cell tool!
I asked my educator friends on twitter to share their favorite cell to web or web to cell application. I want to thank everyone who replied. There were some of the expected outcomes such as Google sms or Flickr Mobile, but I was surprised at how many more obscure sites were referenced. A few of those that stand out are Loopt, Evernote, and Mofuse. Below are the ranked results.
#1) Flickr Mobile
#2) Polleverywhere
#3) Twitter
#4) Google sms, Dial2do, Netvibes, Mofuse, Jott, Qik, Pingfm, mobile gmail, mobile myvocal, Evernote, Loopt, OperaMini, Utterli (formerly Utterz).
tomgrissom @lkolb polleverywhere and dial2do
zecool @lkolb Web to mobile/cell: Mofuse. It makes my blog (Blogger) easily readible from cell. Can add comments, switch to standard view, etc.
KevinByers @lkolb Mine polleverywhere.com. Now if I could only get cell phones unbanned. I'm working on it!
paulrwood @lkolb my students use their phones for Google sms and polleverywhere in my classes.
drezac @lkolb twitter and jott
zemote @lkolb evernote is my favorite, followed by qik
dougsymington @lkolb Flickr may be best mobile web, tho pingfm and netvibes good too. Twitterberry one I use a lot on BB
mguhlin @lkolb Fav tool--email images/video to Flickr. You can't beat that when doing a workshop. "You're on the Web NOW." Response:"Wow
patsko @lkolb m.gmail.com and m.myvocal.com
tonitones @lkolb OperaMini closely followed by utterli or qipit
klmontgomery @lkolb Twitter Poll - My favorites are Mobile Fotos (Flickr) and JustUpdate (Twitter) for iPhone.
bjmcdonald @lkolb gotta be Flickr
ucdjoe As much as I might sound like a high school student, my favorite is the Facebook app, followed by Twitterific and Loopt.
Vote for your favorite! Feel free to add a comment if your favoite is not an option.
#1) Flickr Mobile
#2) Polleverywhere
#3) Twitter
#4) Google sms, Dial2do, Netvibes, Mofuse, Jott, Qik, Pingfm, mobile gmail, mobile myvocal, Evernote, Loopt, OperaMini, Utterli (formerly Utterz).
tomgrissom @lkolb polleverywhere and dial2do
zecool @lkolb Web to mobile/cell: Mofuse. It makes my blog (Blogger) easily readible from cell. Can add comments, switch to standard view, etc.
KevinByers @lkolb Mine polleverywhere.com. Now if I could only get cell phones unbanned. I'm working on it!
paulrwood @lkolb my students use their phones for Google sms and polleverywhere in my classes.
drezac @lkolb twitter and jott
zemote @lkolb evernote is my favorite, followed by qik
dougsymington @lkolb Flickr may be best mobile web, tho pingfm and netvibes good too. Twitterberry one I use a lot on BB
mguhlin @lkolb Fav tool--email images/video to Flickr. You can't beat that when doing a workshop.
tonitones @lkolb OperaMini closely followed by utterli or qipit
klmontgomery @lkolb Twitter Poll - My favorites are Mobile Fotos (Flickr) and JustUpdate (Twitter) for iPhone.
bjmcdonald @lkolb gotta be Flickr
ucdjoe As much as I might sound like a high school student, my favorite is the Facebook app, followed by Twitterific and Loopt.
Vote for your favorite! Feel free to add a comment if your favoite is not an option.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Toys to Tools the Book has been Released!
After what seems like years, my book Toys to Tools: Connecting Student Cell Phones to Education has been released today. Published by ISTE. I started writing this book two years ago (October 2006), there have been many revisions since. I look forward to hearing feedback.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
From the 20th Century T.V. Dinner Families to 21st Century Networked Families!
PEW Internet & American Life Project, has released a new report on 21st Century families and how digital media and tools are affecting the family unit. Below I've listed a few of the highlights.
Digital media has created a new connectedness in American families
Instead of technology pulling families apart, PEW found that it is bringing families together (although differently than in the 20th Century). American families with cell phones are in touch more often than ever and created a common bond from mobile exchanges throughout the day when they are not together. It allows for easy coordination and the ability for families and parents to touch-base throughout the day.
While overwhelmingly people seemed to feel that technologies help them stay connected, they also felt that these technologies like the cell phone have really blurred the lines between the personal and professional world.
Digital media has created a new connectedness in American families
Instead of technology pulling families apart, PEW found that it is bringing families together (although differently than in the 20th Century). American families with cell phones are in touch more often than ever and created a common bond from mobile exchanges throughout the day when they are not together. It allows for easy coordination and the ability for families and parents to touch-base throughout the day.
- 95% of married couples with minor children has cell phones in household (10% more than married couples without minor children)
- 93% of married couples with minor children have a computer in household (compared to 77% of married couples without minor children)
- 66% of married couples with minor children have broadband Internet access at home
- 89% of married couples with minor children own multiple cell phones
- 57% of the married couples minor children (ages 7-17) have their own cell phones
- Children who have cell phones are somewhat less likely to go online
- 58% of married couples with minor children own two or more computers
- 70% of couples who both own a cell phone contact each other once a day or more to
say hello or chat; 54% of couples who have one or no cell phones do this at least
once a day. - 42% of parents contact their child/children daily using a cell phone (compared to
35% using a landline telephone)
While overwhelmingly people seemed to feel that technologies help them stay connected, they also felt that these technologies like the cell phone have really blurred the lines between the personal and professional world.
- 40% of everyone surveyed said they felt an increase in the amount of contact they had with co-workers as a result of cell phones and Internet.
Radio Show #3: Cell Phone Cameras for Curriculum-Based Learning
Transcript from Chat:
Liz Kolb:Welcome to Cell Phones in Learning...Today's topic: Taking advantage of camera phones to connect with content learning
Liz Kolb:http://mguhlin.blogspot.com/2008/10/mobile-citizenship-commenthoist.html
Peggy_G:Great to hear you Liz. Squeezing this in before the ISTE webinar.
Liz Kolb:http://Flagr.com
Liz Kolb:http://photobucket.com
Peggy_G:Photobucket is one of the widgets that works on Wetpaint wikis
Liz Kolb:http://lastspotted.com
Peggy_G:probably ads :-(
Peggy_G:what great suggestions for LastSpotted-can't wait to share them! :-)
Meccanized:wouldn;t it be easy to cheat with picture-hpone assignments? what with the bluetooth and picture messaging
Liz Kolb:iReport@cnn.com
Liz Kolb:politics@cbseyemobile.com
Liz Kolb:http://www.allvoices.com/
Peggy_G:excellent response about ways to redefine the assignments to make them more open-ended to encourage conversation
Liz Kolb:http://Jumblr.tv
Peggy_G:Oh I love the addition of Geek of Week for Mobile :-)
Peggy_G:what a fun, motivating vocabulary activity with jumblr.tv!
Liz Kolb:http://Dial2do.com
Peggy_G:how great to have an alternative to JOTT that is free :-)
Meccanized:wait....u can listen to ur text? wth?
Peggy_G:that is incredibly exciting! I can't wait to explore it! so many features!!
Peggy_G:Definitely do a blog post about that!!
Peggy_G:Love your 30 minute show Liz! Just perfect and allows plenty of time to give examples. Thanks!
Liz Kolb:Thanks for joining me! DId I miss any resources?
Peggy_G:Nothing you can't continue with next week.
Peggy_G:Off to the ISTE webinar on blogging :-) Thanks!
Liz Kolb:@meccanized...YES you listen to text with your cell phone
Liz Kolb:Thanks Peggy!
Peggy_G:see you next week!
Next Broadcast will be in 2 weeks on Wed. November 5th between 2-3:30 (TBA). Topic will be: Creating Professional Development for Teachers Interested in Integrating Cell Phones in their Curriculum.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Is Dial2Do...The New Free Jott...
I have been playing with Dial2do for a short while and have found it to be a useful service. While many of my favorite Jott features are now paid services (such as sending a speech to text Jott to my Google calendar or creating speech to text emails that are longer than 15 seconds), Dial2do's services are free and work in a similar fashion to Jott. You can create contacts and groups to send speech-to-text voicemails or emails. Additionally, Dial2do is available in 19 different countries! Similar to Jott Links and Jott Feeds, Dial2do also links up with a variety of useful sites such as...- Google Calendar or 30Boxes
- Translate (will translate what you say and text back the version in a foreign language)
- Evernote
- Tumblr
- Blogger
- Wordpress
- Weather (listen to your local weather report)
- Remember the Milk
Classroom Connections
Management
Dial2Do allows students to use their phone's to manage their emails, calendars, and reminders without having to access the Internet. Therefore students who do not have Internet access at home but do have cell phones (with or without Internet access) can still fully participate in digital management by using Dial2do. For example they can call their Google calendar and listen to their upcoming assignments and due dates. Teachers could even create class calendars that students and parents and listen to through Dial2do to get homework and project information.
Assistive Devices
Visually impaired students can more easily participate in social networking and management related to class content by using Dial2do's call in and listen to features. For example a student can post on their Twitter account by calling Dial2do AND they can hear all the reactions to their post by calling Dial2do and saying "listen to Twitter"! They can also post and listen to their Remember the Milk reminders and checklists. The same is true of email and calendar accounts.
Foreign Language and Culture Studies
Since Dial2do links with Translate, students who are studying a foreign language could use it to learn new phrases and translations on-the-go. For example as a homework assignment the students could come up with some phrases or words that they normally do not study in class (but find them useful or interesting in their everyday lives) and find out the translation by calling Dial2do. The next day in class, the student's could share the translation and with their teacher's help give the proper pronunciations.
Science
Using Dial2do's weather services, students could track weather phenomenon such as cyclones, hurricanes, tornadoes, or tilde waves. This could be done by having different students each sign up with a different location (city or zip code) for their weather report. As a result, they could each call in to get the daily updates as the weather pattern changes and effects different areas. For example if a hurricane is about to hit Texas, one student could sign up for the Texas city, another student for a city a few hours away, another for a city five hours away, and so on....so they can track the weather as it changes from major city to major city. It might be an engaging way to track atmospheric patterns.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Taking Puppy Pictures From Your Cell Phone Camera
It is not all the time that you bring your digital cameras with you. And so, it is important to have a cell phone with camera if the situation calls for it. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best gadget in town. Since photography is about the way you take your shots, you can have a less "techy" gadget but still come up with the best pictures.
One good reason you should consider bringing the cell phone cameras is your puppies. You could never deny that taking pictures with them is perhaps the best leisure activities you can enjoy. By knowing a few things about picture taking and by simply conditioning your dogs for the shoot, you can definitely have the best puppy pictures from your cell phone camera.
Megapixels aren't actually a thing that you should worry about. If you have cameras which only have 1 or 1.8 megapixels, that is good enough in taking puppy pictures. What is more important is the shot itself. Remember, megapixels aren't your main concern in taking your dog's photos. By getting the right angle, and some perfect clean shot, you can always come up with a picture that is worth keeping on your mobile phones.
Zoom features are actually great. They can capture your dog's photos no matter how distant they may be. However, not all phones have these features in their cameras. And if ever they have the feature, the pictures can end too grainy that your perfect shot ends getting damaged. Nevertheless if your cell phone cameras have the nicest zoom features, then why not make use of it to capture great pictures, right?
Good pictures are always ruined by a bad background. If your dog strikes a nice pose and the background is super crowded, you can end getting a messy picture. So before you even plan for your mini photo shoot, consider going somewhere quiet, relaxing and peaceful. Strolling at the park or staying in your own garden would be a nice idea.
Portrait pictures can be a great concepts in photography. However, you need to play around with the distances so you can come up with a nice puppy picture. You have to adjust the distances on the top and on the sides so your dogs can fit perfectly well on your screens. In taking portrait photos, you also have to be careful in the angles. Going on top may result to bigger arms; and focusing on the center may produce a bigger face. Nevertheless for while you do it correctly, there's no harm in taking portrait puppy photos from your cell phone cameras.
About the Author
Allison Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company
One good reason you should consider bringing the cell phone cameras is your puppies. You could never deny that taking pictures with them is perhaps the best leisure activities you can enjoy. By knowing a few things about picture taking and by simply conditioning your dogs for the shoot, you can definitely have the best puppy pictures from your cell phone camera.
Megapixels aren't actually a thing that you should worry about. If you have cameras which only have 1 or 1.8 megapixels, that is good enough in taking puppy pictures. What is more important is the shot itself. Remember, megapixels aren't your main concern in taking your dog's photos. By getting the right angle, and some perfect clean shot, you can always come up with a picture that is worth keeping on your mobile phones.
Zoom features are actually great. They can capture your dog's photos no matter how distant they may be. However, not all phones have these features in their cameras. And if ever they have the feature, the pictures can end too grainy that your perfect shot ends getting damaged. Nevertheless if your cell phone cameras have the nicest zoom features, then why not make use of it to capture great pictures, right?
Good pictures are always ruined by a bad background. If your dog strikes a nice pose and the background is super crowded, you can end getting a messy picture. So before you even plan for your mini photo shoot, consider going somewhere quiet, relaxing and peaceful. Strolling at the park or staying in your own garden would be a nice idea.
Portrait pictures can be a great concepts in photography. However, you need to play around with the distances so you can come up with a nice puppy picture. You have to adjust the distances on the top and on the sides so your dogs can fit perfectly well on your screens. In taking portrait photos, you also have to be careful in the angles. Going on top may result to bigger arms; and focusing on the center may produce a bigger face. Nevertheless for while you do it correctly, there's no harm in taking portrait puppy photos from your cell phone cameras.
About the Author
Allison Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company
4INFO...Text Info Web Search and Alerts
While I have posted multiple times about my love for ChaCha, a free guided Internet search tool that answers any question from anywhere! I am now adding 4INFO to my phone contact list. 4INFO is an SMS text messaging service that allows anyone to text a search term to 44636. Then within seconds, they will receive a text back with the search. 4INFO has some built-in categories such as stocks, sports, weather, news, airline info...etc.Besides texting a search to 4INFO, you can also create an account on the website and set up alerts/reminders to send to your phone as designated times (similiar to PingMe, AbbyMe, Sendible, Alerts.com, BitBomb, & rminder). 4INFO also allows you to create custom searches, reminders, and alerts.
Classroom Connections:
While I do think that ChaCha is still the best for guided Internet searches, I do like the built-in reminder alerts in 4INFO (which ChaCha does not currently have).
Business Classes
I love the stock market search options on 4INFO! They are great for tracking the market in business or social studies courses. In addition, they could do price comparisions (a search option in 4INFO) on products (great for math courses too!).
Current Events (Social Studies/Science)
In social studies and science courses where current events are important to understanding the course content, students could get weekly news alerts on topics of choice OR they could text a curricular topic (such as stem cell research) to 4INFO to find out the latest information.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Strengthen Vocabulary Learning with Gaming and Text Messaging!
The same group (Locamoda) that developed one of my favorite resources Wiffiti, has also developed Jumbli. Jumbli is a billboard (it really is in Times Square) with letters on it. Jumbli asks viewers (anyone can play it is free) to participate in a game of super-scrabble.This is how it works; view the letters, and come up with the most "complex" word in the English language. Then send a text messagew with the word to 87884. Your word will instantly appear on the Jumbli billboard in Times Square, along with anyone else's words that have been added. Each word is given a difficulty score. Jumbli also works from anywhere in the world (they have an international number that you can text to). The letters are continously changing, so it allows students to continue to concentrate on developing new words. It currently does not seem to accept words in non-English languages. The game lasts a few minutes (great for an activity after a test or quiz to keep students learning but not bothering others). When the game is over (it starts and stops continiously) the winning words will appear. If the students do not know the words, it is an opportunity to learn the new words. I have also noticed that the Jumbli board is monitored (no offense language is posted), and it recognizes "pretend" words. If a students posts made up words or inapproprite words, they receive a text back that it will not be posted.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
View any webpage on your cell phone!
Finch allows anyone who has a Internet-enabled cell phone to view any webpage on the device. Finch takes webpages with lot's of Java and multi-media and transcribes it into plain text. This allows you to easily view your favorite webpages (text only) on cell phones.
Here is how it works...
Go to the Finch site on your cell phone, type in a URL and BAM!
How is this useful for classroom learning?
1) Allows Internet access outside of school to students who have cell phones but not computers. Therefore teachers can assign and use websites that are not mobile ready (.mobi) in homework and out-of school assignments/activities.
Here is how it works...
Go to the Finch site on your cell phone, type in a URL and BAM!
How is this useful for classroom learning?
1) Allows Internet access outside of school to students who have cell phones but not computers. Therefore teachers can assign and use websites that are not mobile ready (.mobi) in homework and out-of school assignments/activities.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Episode 2: Rules and Regulations around using Cell Phones Inside of the Classroom for Learning.
Links from Broadcast:
Drape's Takes Post on Controlling Mobile Use
TxtEagle
Geograffiti
Next Episode: Wed Oct, 22nd (between 2-3:00) Mobile Picture Projects with Cell Phones.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Facebook Game Played Live With Cell Phone
Have you ever tried playing a game on your cell phone before? If you have, you probably noticed several problems with traditional mobile games.
When mobile games first started, they are simple games, mostly developed in Java to keep the cell phone owner entertained - especially when he or she is on the move. But as hardware and software continue to advance, mobile games have become more and more sophisticated as well. Consumers are also becoming more and more demanding.
Cell phones are becoming part of everyone's life styles. Graphics have become more stunning, and new features are constantly being added. Soon, everyone's cellphones start to have bigger disk space (or memory) to keep their data, which is mostly in the form of games, audio and video files. As the memory of cell phones continue to increase, application developers are able to create more sophisticated games to be played on the cellphones.
Most of these games require the cell phone owner to download a small installation file, which then installs the game into the cell phone. Only after the installation can the cell phone owner get to enjoy the game. Still, these games are played largely by the cellphone owners alone.
But all that is about to change with Facebook's unique developer platform. Facebook is the first social community website that allows developers to tap into its database of millions of users worldwide, by allowing them to create third party games and applications for the website. Once an application or game has been developed, all Facebook members can get access to them very easily. Usually, installing a new game or application involves only two or three simple clicks. But what does Facebook has to do with cell phone games?
You see, the greatest thing about social websites is that all members are encouraged to interact freely on the website. So when they see a cool game or application, there is a high chance that they will, in turn, tell all their friends in their network. And great games and applications get a chance to grow on Facebook's network.
Furthermore, interaction is fueled by the various third party games and applications that have been freely available on Facebook's website. Games such as Corruption Unlimited continues to provide hours and hours of entertainment for Facebook members. One of its unique feature is that it allows gamers to participate in the game using their cell phones.
The game is highly interactive, and comes complete with a leaderboard to keep track of all scours on the official website. So all gamers get to see where they stand in the game. Top players may also be rewarded with cool prizes.
Compare Corruption Unlimited with the traditional Java mobile games, and we see a huge contrast. Very likely, most Java mobile games will go the way of the dinosaur. So the next time you are looking for some new and interesting games to play on your cell phones, be sure to check out Corruption Unlimited. It's free, and all you need is a Facebook account, a browser and an internet connection to join.
To play New Mob Wars Games like Corruption Unlimited, please visit our official website.
When mobile games first started, they are simple games, mostly developed in Java to keep the cell phone owner entertained - especially when he or she is on the move. But as hardware and software continue to advance, mobile games have become more and more sophisticated as well. Consumers are also becoming more and more demanding.
Cell phones are becoming part of everyone's life styles. Graphics have become more stunning, and new features are constantly being added. Soon, everyone's cellphones start to have bigger disk space (or memory) to keep their data, which is mostly in the form of games, audio and video files. As the memory of cell phones continue to increase, application developers are able to create more sophisticated games to be played on the cellphones.
Most of these games require the cell phone owner to download a small installation file, which then installs the game into the cell phone. Only after the installation can the cell phone owner get to enjoy the game. Still, these games are played largely by the cellphone owners alone.
But all that is about to change with Facebook's unique developer platform. Facebook is the first social community website that allows developers to tap into its database of millions of users worldwide, by allowing them to create third party games and applications for the website. Once an application or game has been developed, all Facebook members can get access to them very easily. Usually, installing a new game or application involves only two or three simple clicks. But what does Facebook has to do with cell phone games?
You see, the greatest thing about social websites is that all members are encouraged to interact freely on the website. So when they see a cool game or application, there is a high chance that they will, in turn, tell all their friends in their network. And great games and applications get a chance to grow on Facebook's network.
Furthermore, interaction is fueled by the various third party games and applications that have been freely available on Facebook's website. Games such as Corruption Unlimited continues to provide hours and hours of entertainment for Facebook members. One of its unique feature is that it allows gamers to participate in the game using their cell phones.
The game is highly interactive, and comes complete with a leaderboard to keep track of all scours on the official website. So all gamers get to see where they stand in the game. Top players may also be rewarded with cool prizes.
Compare Corruption Unlimited with the traditional Java mobile games, and we see a huge contrast. Very likely, most Java mobile games will go the way of the dinosaur. So the next time you are looking for some new and interesting games to play on your cell phones, be sure to check out Corruption Unlimited. It's free, and all you need is a Facebook account, a browser and an internet connection to join.
To play New Mob Wars Games like Corruption Unlimited, please visit our official website.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Liz is Going Live! Cell Phone Live Radio
After listening to a great podcast from Seedlings where Tracy Pariseau was speaking about using Blog Talk Radio for live radio broadcasts, I have decided to take the plunge and create my own live radio talk show. I created an initial episode to try the tool (and to make sure my voice was not horrific to listen to!).
Blog Talk Radio has made significant improvements since I last posted about it. While I am not currently opting in to share in advertising revenue, anyone who sets up a show is able to do this. In addition, Blog Talk Radio added live chat as well as a call-in number so anyone can call in and add their opinion to the show! Of course it is all cell phone friendly! Therefore students (like Tracy's) can create their own live radio shows via their cell phone (Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace, at Any pace)!
I hope to broadcast at least once a week around 2:00 (Eastern Standard Time). I am going to start with 15 minute broadcasts focusing on one "cell phone in education" topic. I am also borrowing the idea from Bob, Cheryl, and Alice at Seedlings to include one "Cell2.0" site of the week. Where I will highlight a new favorite website that integrates cell phone use, and has the potential for connecting to classroom learning.
Blog Talk Radio has made significant improvements since I last posted about it. While I am not currently opting in to share in advertising revenue, anyone who sets up a show is able to do this. In addition, Blog Talk Radio added live chat as well as a call-in number so anyone can call in and add their opinion to the show! Of course it is all cell phone friendly! Therefore students (like Tracy's) can create their own live radio shows via their cell phone (Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace, at Any pace)!
I hope to broadcast at least once a week around 2:00 (Eastern Standard Time). I am going to start with 15 minute broadcasts focusing on one "cell phone in education" topic. I am also borrowing the idea from Bob, Cheryl, and Alice at Seedlings to include one "Cell2.0" site of the week. Where I will highlight a new favorite website that integrates cell phone use, and has the potential for connecting to classroom learning.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Cell Phone and Its Utility in Today`s Scenario
Cell phone has brought the world much closer. It does not matter on which part of world you live, you can get in touch with your loved ones through this amazing device. It is small in size, smart and slick in look, portable.
Though it was originally designed to eliminate the limitations of telephone, but gradually cell phone manufacturers come up with models containing many advanced features like MP3 player, camera, video recording facility, and 3D-games. Even you can access the Internet from your cell phone. In fact, the services provided by SMS, MMS and WAP have been popularized by cell phone. It is no wonder then why the use of cell phones has increased many folds in the last couple of years. According to one survey, every eight out of ten people own a cell phone in the USA.
Have you ever wondered how this cell phone works? You can say cell phone is more or less like a sophisticated radio. Cell phone is a full-duplex device which means one frequency is used for talking and another for listening so that both people can talk simultaneously. Earlier first generation mobile technology (1G) was used for Analog model of cell phone and had only 56 channels.
With the advent of second generation mobile technology (2G) the number of channels gradually increased. Now-a-days, a cell phone can communicate on 1,664 channels or more. The range of cell phone depends on its battery or cell power. You can talk hundred miles of your journey if your cell supports that range. The range also depends upon the tower locations. Cell phone tower is a steel pole containing equipments to send and receive the frequency.
Wondering what your cell phone can do for you? Here is the list:
You can store and retrieve information from your cell phone;
You can set of your important appointments and reminders through cell phone;
You can send and receive text, multimedia messages from your cell phone;
You can access internet, send Email through your cell phone;
You can watch movie, play 2D or 3D games through your cell phone;
You can enjoy listening music through the MP3 player of your cell phone;
You can integrate your cell phone with GPRS service facility to download music from internet;
You can share your favourite music among your friends through the Bluetooth technology of your cell phone;
Some models of cell phone also act as a compass guide so show you the exact geographic location (altitude, longitude wise). They come across quite handy especially for people who are on expeditions.
Like any other electronic devices, cell phone also has got its own share of problems. Doctors have warned against use of cell phones over a long time as it can lead to cancer and liver related problem due to the strong radiation emitted from this electronic device. Now research has shown that prolong use of cell phones can result in infertility problem in women.
Scientists have also examined a significant reduction in sperm count among men who use cell phone for longer period. Talking or listening to music for long time can lead to loss of hearing as well. Children should not be allowed to use cell phones much as its radiation can lead to different kind of health hazards.
Certain precautions should be taken while using cell phone. For instance, you should never use your cell phone when there is strong lightening or thundering. Never let your cell phone gets wet and do not use it with wet hands as there is chance of corrosion to the non-repairable internal parts. In case it does get wet, make sure it to be completely dry before switching it on. If you take care of these couple of things your call phone`s longevity will be increased.
About the Author
You can have access to portuguese articles about cell phones from page Cell_Phone Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil
Though it was originally designed to eliminate the limitations of telephone, but gradually cell phone manufacturers come up with models containing many advanced features like MP3 player, camera, video recording facility, and 3D-games. Even you can access the Internet from your cell phone. In fact, the services provided by SMS, MMS and WAP have been popularized by cell phone. It is no wonder then why the use of cell phones has increased many folds in the last couple of years. According to one survey, every eight out of ten people own a cell phone in the USA.
Have you ever wondered how this cell phone works? You can say cell phone is more or less like a sophisticated radio. Cell phone is a full-duplex device which means one frequency is used for talking and another for listening so that both people can talk simultaneously. Earlier first generation mobile technology (1G) was used for Analog model of cell phone and had only 56 channels.
With the advent of second generation mobile technology (2G) the number of channels gradually increased. Now-a-days, a cell phone can communicate on 1,664 channels or more. The range of cell phone depends on its battery or cell power. You can talk hundred miles of your journey if your cell supports that range. The range also depends upon the tower locations. Cell phone tower is a steel pole containing equipments to send and receive the frequency.
Wondering what your cell phone can do for you? Here is the list:
You can store and retrieve information from your cell phone;
You can set of your important appointments and reminders through cell phone;
You can send and receive text, multimedia messages from your cell phone;
You can access internet, send Email through your cell phone;
You can watch movie, play 2D or 3D games through your cell phone;
You can enjoy listening music through the MP3 player of your cell phone;
You can integrate your cell phone with GPRS service facility to download music from internet;
You can share your favourite music among your friends through the Bluetooth technology of your cell phone;
Some models of cell phone also act as a compass guide so show you the exact geographic location (altitude, longitude wise). They come across quite handy especially for people who are on expeditions.
Like any other electronic devices, cell phone also has got its own share of problems. Doctors have warned against use of cell phones over a long time as it can lead to cancer and liver related problem due to the strong radiation emitted from this electronic device. Now research has shown that prolong use of cell phones can result in infertility problem in women.
Scientists have also examined a significant reduction in sperm count among men who use cell phone for longer period. Talking or listening to music for long time can lead to loss of hearing as well. Children should not be allowed to use cell phones much as its radiation can lead to different kind of health hazards.
Certain precautions should be taken while using cell phone. For instance, you should never use your cell phone when there is strong lightening or thundering. Never let your cell phone gets wet and do not use it with wet hands as there is chance of corrosion to the non-repairable internal parts. In case it does get wet, make sure it to be completely dry before switching it on. If you take care of these couple of things your call phone`s longevity will be increased.
About the Author
You can have access to portuguese articles about cell phones from page Cell_Phone Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil
Cell Phone Battery Chargers Buying Tips
Cell phones have become a necessity that people cannot live without. You can easily get connected to your family, relatives, friends and even business matters even if they're half the world away. With its handiness, convenience and availability, this technological advancement has changed the lives of many.
But cell phones also have its limits. Cell phones run on chargeable batteries, if it goes empty then it would be useless. Cell phone battery charges come with every purchase of a cell phone unit. Much like laptops, cell phones stores up energy in its battery. Each activity made such as calling, texting and while it is turned on, will consume energy and will eventually drain down these cell phones. As much as cell phones are essential to us, cell phone chargers are also very much important in its battery life.
There are also individually sold chargers if in case you lost or your cell phone charger was broken. Each cell phone model has its own appropriate kind of charger; you definitely cannot use Nokia chargers on a Samsung phone. However, there are also universal chargers that you use. These can charge up batteries directly whatever the brand and model your phone is.
There are actually different kinds of cell phone chargers and you'll be surprised to know that you can actually choose which kind will go with your needs. Travel chargers are compact and handy thus it is the perfect choice for people who love to travel. Car chargers are especially made to able to fit in car outlets. It is easily handy and can be used to charge up your battery even on the road. The wall chargers and the desktop chargers are the usual kind.
Cell phone chargers also come in attractive packaging. The designs and colors can even reflect the owner's personality and can also be great gifts for special occasions. Manufacturers not only produce cell phone chargers in boring black items, for competitiveness, they are now made with varying designs and looks. Check out online stores and you neighboring local shops for a wide choice of cell phone chargers, not only to serve their purpose but also to reflect your personality.
But be careful in choosing cell phone chargers too. Make sure that what you've picked meets all safety standards. Original chargers that come with the cell phone units maybe the safest and most reliable one. But in cases where you need to buy another one, check out if it's an original one. Don't ever risk safety with low quality cell phone chargers.
For more information on cell phone battery chargers please visit cell phone chargers.
But cell phones also have its limits. Cell phones run on chargeable batteries, if it goes empty then it would be useless. Cell phone battery charges come with every purchase of a cell phone unit. Much like laptops, cell phones stores up energy in its battery. Each activity made such as calling, texting and while it is turned on, will consume energy and will eventually drain down these cell phones. As much as cell phones are essential to us, cell phone chargers are also very much important in its battery life.
There are also individually sold chargers if in case you lost or your cell phone charger was broken. Each cell phone model has its own appropriate kind of charger; you definitely cannot use Nokia chargers on a Samsung phone. However, there are also universal chargers that you use. These can charge up batteries directly whatever the brand and model your phone is.
There are actually different kinds of cell phone chargers and you'll be surprised to know that you can actually choose which kind will go with your needs. Travel chargers are compact and handy thus it is the perfect choice for people who love to travel. Car chargers are especially made to able to fit in car outlets. It is easily handy and can be used to charge up your battery even on the road. The wall chargers and the desktop chargers are the usual kind.
Cell phone chargers also come in attractive packaging. The designs and colors can even reflect the owner's personality and can also be great gifts for special occasions. Manufacturers not only produce cell phone chargers in boring black items, for competitiveness, they are now made with varying designs and looks. Check out online stores and you neighboring local shops for a wide choice of cell phone chargers, not only to serve their purpose but also to reflect your personality.
But be careful in choosing cell phone chargers too. Make sure that what you've picked meets all safety standards. Original chargers that come with the cell phone units maybe the safest and most reliable one. But in cases where you need to buy another one, check out if it's an original one. Don't ever risk safety with low quality cell phone chargers.
For more information on cell phone battery chargers please visit cell phone chargers.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
BASIC Cell Phones Can Be Assistive Technologies
While we are starting to see cell phones and software being developed specially for the blind and deaf, I wanted to take a few minutes and explore how BASIC cell phones (without the costly software) can be assistive devices for hearing impaired and visually impaired students. I am NOT an expert on assistive technologies, but I have been hearing from more teachers on how their special needs students are benefiting from cell phone technology, so I wanted to share what I have learned.
For the Visually Impaired
A VI teacher in one of my courses (Julie Burger) shared with me that her VI students often are the last to get to experience new technologies because the technologies need to be modified for the visually impaired. For example digital resources often need to be modified for screen readers. However, Julie became very excited about the possibilities of cell phones in learning because she realized that this would be one time that her VI students could be on the forefront of technologies (possibly even being able to introduce their new mobile tool discoveries with their classmates without disabilities). A basic cell phone offers the ability for visually impaired to do the following;
While VI students can take advantage of speech to text, and text to speech options in cell phones, HI students can take advantage of these same options on a basic cell phone but in the opposite directions. For examples, HI students can type in text and it can be sent to other students/teachers cell phones as a audio message. A basic cell phone offers the following options for hearing impaired students to better participate in their everyday class activities:
The following are some free applications that couple with basic cell phones for students with assistive needs. The best part of these resources is that they can be used by any student (Univerisal Design), and they are a great way for teachers to be inclusive when developing assignments, group projects, or even basic class activities.
Free Mobile Resources for VI and HI Learners
Jott (Speech to Text Translation, emails, appointments)
Jott Feeds (Listen to text-based webpages)
Rocketron (Listen to news feeds)
Rminder (Text to Speech reminders)
PingMe (Text Message Reminders for groups and individuals)
Text4deaf (2-way text messaging, keeps tracks of texts, sends to individuals/groups) (Thanks to
Karen Montgomery for showing me this resource!)
ChaCha or Mymiamia for Google Searches (Text Message for HI students)
Dial2do (Speech to Text)
YouMail & GrandCentral (Transcriptions of VoiceMail)
Sendible (Text-Based Evites)
Voki (Text to Speech Avatars)
Hey Cosmos (Text Message to Speech Surveys and Quizzes)
Google Voice (Voicemail with Speech to Text Transcription)
Phonevite (Voice Message surveys, quizzes, and feedback)
I know a few others also are researching and using cell phones as assitive tools, please share your ideas and resources.
For the Visually Impaired
A VI teacher in one of my courses (Julie Burger) shared with me that her VI students often are the last to get to experience new technologies because the technologies need to be modified for the visually impaired. For example digital resources often need to be modified for screen readers. However, Julie became very excited about the possibilities of cell phones in learning because she realized that this would be one time that her VI students could be on the forefront of technologies (possibly even being able to introduce their new mobile tool discoveries with their classmates without disabilities). A basic cell phone offers the ability for visually impaired to do the following;
- Listen to any webpage
- Listen to newscasts and podcasts
- Send Speech to Text emails
- Send Speech to Text Blog posts
- Send Speech to Text Group posts (to places like Yahoo Groups)
- Send Speech to Text Calendar appointments and meetings
- Receive Voicemail reminders
- Listen to text messages
While VI students can take advantage of speech to text, and text to speech options in cell phones, HI students can take advantage of these same options on a basic cell phone but in the opposite directions. For examples, HI students can type in text and it can be sent to other students/teachers cell phones as a audio message. A basic cell phone offers the following options for hearing impaired students to better participate in their everyday class activities:
- Send text messages that can become audio web-based posts (such as podcasts)
- Send text messages that can become audio Voicemail
- Receive an audio Voicemail message that can be transcribed into a text message
- Read podcasts/audio broadcasts on their cell phone
The following are some free applications that couple with basic cell phones for students with assistive needs. The best part of these resources is that they can be used by any student (Univerisal Design), and they are a great way for teachers to be inclusive when developing assignments, group projects, or even basic class activities.
Free Mobile Resources for VI and HI Learners
Jott (Speech to Text Translation, emails, appointments)
Jott Feeds (Listen to text-based webpages)
Rocketron (Listen to news feeds)
Rminder (Text to Speech reminders)
PingMe (Text Message Reminders for groups and individuals)
Text4deaf (2-way text messaging, keeps tracks of texts, sends to individuals/groups) (Thanks to
Karen Montgomery for showing me this resource!)
ChaCha or Mymiamia for Google Searches (Text Message for HI students)
Dial2do (Speech to Text)
YouMail & GrandCentral (Transcriptions of VoiceMail)
Sendible (Text-Based Evites)
Voki (Text to Speech Avatars)
Hey Cosmos (Text Message to Speech Surveys and Quizzes)
Google Voice (Voicemail with Speech to Text Transcription)
Phonevite (Voice Message surveys, quizzes, and feedback)
I know a few others also are researching and using cell phones as assitive tools, please share your ideas and resources.
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