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Microsoft Enters Tablet Market

SurfaceNo, that image to the left is not an iPad surrounded by SmartCovers. That is the Microsoft Surface. Not to be confused with the giant table-sized computer the company released a while ago, the Surface is Microsoft’s entry into the tablet market.

Attempting to take a page out of Apple’s playbook on several levels, Microsoft revealed the Surface during a mystery press event in California. What those in attendance saw was an iPad knock-off that is heavier, boasts shorter batter life and an inferior chip. To be fair, the Surface does have an impressive cover that contains a fully functioning keyboard, but that is an accessory that must be purchased.

Microsoft has two versions of the Surface in the works, each for a very different audience. There’s a “consumer version” that will run Windows RT and a “business version” that will run Windows 8.

Microsoft isn’t saying exactly when the Surface will be available for purchase, or how much it will cost, but experts are predicting the “consumer version” to fall in the $500 price range with the “business version” to come in at over $1,000. The pricier version does have better overall tech specs than its cheaper brother, but that improved performance comes at the cost of weight and, of course, cost.

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Middle Schools Students and "...

Bullying is a serious thing. And when it happens in schools~ officials must react and act to show that it will not be tolerated. But is it working? Is this effective at all? Can punishment stop the bullying culture that is tainting schools today?
Karen Klein is a bus monitor. She rides school buses with students to ensure that the bus ride is safe and everyone gets where they are going. But on a recent day~ the bus ride turned emotionally painful as a group of boys bullied her....

Say "Cheese" Mr. President

I posted another career survey. I was fortunate to have Pete Souza~ the Official White House Photographer~ share his career choice. Perhaps~ you may find it of value to use with your students.

Gail

Here is the link at my website to read the career survey: http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?Souza2.html

An extension might be to have the...

Greater Good

One of my most memorable school years happened when I taught lessons that were nowhere to be found in the curriculum. Lessons like raising money for those in need~ collecting supplies for animals that cant help themselves~ and assisting children with a fatal disease to live out their dreams.

Sure~ I taught the required curriculum. However~ what made it a special year~ and hopefully a special learning experience~ was going beyond that curriculum to teach lessons that apply...

RAD 2

In a previous post~ I discussed the importance of RAD~ or reflecting~ adjusting and delivering. In short~ it means thinking about your teaching approach and classroom~ making adjustments based on what works and doesn't~ then applying those insights.

This week~ I want to go through an actual RAD session~ by listing what worked for me this school year. In doing so~ I believe that you may grasp an idea or concept that could help your classroom. Likewise~ you might share a technique that I...

Lesson Planning Tips

Lesson planning can be an art form~ if done properly. For too many teachers~ lesson planning can be the black hole of a week - taking several hours out of planning time. Or leaving no planning time~ so the lessons~ teacher editions~ materials~ etc. are toted home to be done in front of Thursday night primetime...

Using News for Creative Writing-Caution...

Current events can be used to not only create an awareness in young people to what is going on around them but can also be used to create some interesting creative writing exercises. I saw this news story and thought it would be great to use for a creative writing exercise.
A farmer in the Chinese city of Taizhou(about 180 miles south of the city of Shanghai) brought traffic to a stop as he herded his flock of 5000 brown ducks down a highway towards a nearby pond where the ducks get a...

Mozilla Joins iOS With Junior

Junior MozillaAfter years of sitting on the iPad sidelines Mozilla, the non-profit behind FireFox is set to enter Apple’s mobile browsing world with a product dubbed Junior. This will be Mozilla’s first crack at creating a Web browser for the titan of tablets and it appears the company is opting to build one from scratch rather than provide a different version of their...

Working Apple I Sells for $374,500

Apple I

 

Sotheby’s just auctioned a working Apple I computer for the astounding price of $374,500. The machine is one of the first ever produced by the tech behemoth, and one of only a handful that are in working condition. Sotheby’s claims that only six surviving Apple Is are in working condition.

First Lady Joins Pinterest

MO PinterestIt remains the fastest growing site on the Internet and now the First Lady has joined the ranks of Pinterest enthusiasts. Michelle Obama recently launched a Pinterest page which currently features some candid pictures of the First Family from their years in the White House.

The page...

NASA Launches Black Hole Hunter

NuStar

The space shuttle program may be discontinued, but that isn’t stopping NASA from plowing ahead with other space exploration initiatives. Case in point is the launch of the space agency’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuStar) high-energy X-ray telescope spacecraft.

The spacecraft’s mission is to get as close as possible to black holes and...

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