New iPod Touch and MacBooks right around the corner

Apple is likely to announce a redesigned iPod Touch and slimmer MacBooks at an event in September, analysts said on Monday. The announcements -- scheduled ahead of the U.S. holiday shopping season -- could include price drops for the iPod Touch and MacBook laptops. Starting prices for the iPod Touch could fall to $199 from $299 and for MacBooks starting prices could drop to $999 from $1,099.

Read more here: http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/11/New_iPod_Touch_and_MacBooks_coming_soon_1.html

Look for record book, fitness, teacher observation program software that runs on the iPod Touch and iPhone in our next newsletter.

3-D Virtual Reality

North Carolina Public Schools See Learning Gains With 3-D Virtual Reality
By News Report
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August 04, 2008

Quest Atlantis (QA), an innovative online educational technology program for 4th to 8th grade students, passed its pilot year in North Carolina. Tested during the spring of 2007, then introduced to thousands of North Carolina public school students in 2007-2008, QA is advancing students in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The impact of this virtual world learning tool has been shown for students who were performing below grade level.

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Do laptops help children learn?

Does a child learn better when he or she has a laptop to use in the classroom?

In the United States, Maine has led the way with its laptop program, which has made students more enthusiastic in the classroom, but not necessarily resulted in better test scores.

The state started its laptop program for 7th-graders in 2002, and later expanded it to 8th graders and to one-third of the state's high schools. Maine is spending $90 million through 2010 with Apple to supply computers, software, warranties, technical support, training for teachers and installation of Wi-Fi networks in all middle schools across the state.

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