Tag Archives: molenet

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Brain Training “does no such thing”

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Brain Training does no such thing

Research from the University of Rennes has concluded that using the Nintendo DS Brain Training game “does no such thing”.

As reported in The Telegraph

Scrabble is just as good at improving mental sharpness as a Nintendo DS video games console and a copy of Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training, say researchers from the University of Rennes, Brittany.

However how many of our learners play Scrabble?

Graham Brown Martin on the new Game Based Learning forum says:

Although personally I think this is missing the point somewhat given that Brain Training has achieved something most Math teachers haven’t – namely making mental arithmetic cool.The fact is whilst a teenager might achieve the same benefit playing sudoko or Scrabble, even in Paris they don’t play these games anymore (although I’m sure that when the researchers played the games they found the sudoku). Assuming we accept that activities that use the mind are worth it then surely approach’s that at least engage with learners are better than those that don’t even if the net effect is neutral?

The use of Brain Training on the Nintendo DS in Scotland had better results.

What do you think? Is the use of games such as Brain Training just a waste of time and money, or are they tools that allow us to engage with disaffected and younger learners (or even adults) for whom traditional assessment methods do not work.

Photo source.

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New smartphone features ‘baffle users’

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BBC reports on how users are “baffled” by the complexity of modern smartphones.

The complexity of modern mobile phones is leaving users frustrated and angry, research suggests.

Some 61% of those interviewed in the UK and US said setting up a new handset is as challenging as moving bank accounts.

Of course some would say that today’s Google Generation and Digital Natives will be able to handle such smartphones with ease, therefore we do not need to worry about our learners using such devices.

I am not so sure.

The only mobile devices I have ever been able to set up e-mail on to both receive and send has been the iPod touch. Now I know I am not (according to the authors) part of the Google Generation as I am too old; however I do use a range of other services on my phone such as Qik, Shozu, JoikuSpot to name but three – and so I am quite adept at setting up applications and changing settings. However with e-mail, it has always been a pain!

The S60 operating system for example, is a great OS for installing third party applications,and I have done this on both the Nokia N73 and N95. Though there are included features which I can never get to work. For example, making video calls, hasn’t worked for me, so I just don’t do it. I got annoyed with the (Vodafone supplied) Nokia N73 which came with a Flickr application which never worked, in the main as Vodafone blocked Flickr as part of their Content Control.

Today’s devices are full of stuff we can use to save time, increase the quality and quantity of information we receive, to communicate, to share; however many devices are seriously lacking in terms of usability. This survey indicates that I am not alone in this view.

New smartphone features 'baffle users'

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Intel’s Classmate comes to the UK

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BBC reports that Intel’s netbook for schools in developing countries, the Classmate is now coming to the UK.

A new version of a laptop originally designed by Intel for the developing world is making its debut in the UK.

The newly designed Classmate machine can be converted from a traditional laptop to a tablet PC to allow children to write and draw more naturally.

It will be available in the UK in February, and will be sold directly to schools as well as via online retailer Amazon and high street store Argos.

Won’t be cheap like other netbooks though, it has a list price of £349.

Read a review of the Classmate (with pictures).

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Charging gadgets using a magnet

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At CES the BBC reports on companies which are demonstrating products which allow you to charge your gadgets just be placing them on a mat.

Magnetic induction could soon spell the end of tangled cables and a frustrating hunt for the gadget’s charger.

As someone who has a fair few gadgets, my office is full of small black chargers of various descriptions. Without my Tesco resealable plastic bags, Dymo labeller, I would be a total mess as more often than not before you know it, your chargers are all tangled up and due to poor labelling on the manufacturers’ part you are not sure if you are holding a charger for a USB hub or an UMPC!

I use resealable plastic bags for each charger, this avoids the entanglement problem, while a Dymo label on each charger gives me a much better idea about what it is for.

The thought of just having a mat to place devices on sounds very appealing.

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Palm unveils smartphone

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Palm, at CES, has unveiled their new smartphone, the Pre.

Palm unveils smartphone

BBC reports

Handheld computing veteran Palm has unveiled its Pre smartphone at CES.

The touchscreen handset runs a web-centric operating system that aims to help people organise and manage their many online contacts and identities.

The device is widely seen as a competitor to rival smartphones such as the iPhone, BlackBerry, N97 and G1.

Find out more from Palm.

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“learning by stealth” on the PSP

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gamesindustrybiz has an interesting and informative interview with Marco Minoli from Slitherine Software.

Slitherine Software are a games based company but with a slant.

Well, it’s very simple – we make history-based games. That’s our core, and I think while there are other companies who make a variety of products, we have a very clear idea of what we want to do. That’s what’s important for us – our licenses and the types of games we create.

It has to be cultural and entertaining – history is culture, and we don’t want people to notice that they’re actually learning something while they’re playing, that’s the goal. Because retail hates edutainment and culture, they just don’t like it. As soon as you say “culture” they tell you they won’t sell it.

The goal for us has always been to get people to learn by stealth, and movies like Gladiator or Saving Private Ryan – they’re entertainment, but they’re also giving some educational learning content too.

Though making a lot of PC software, they also see the PSP as having real potential as an edutainment device (though like most people I can’t stand the term edutainment).

But I think the PSP is more of a suitable platform right now, and I think at the moment it’s the console has the most potential to target new consumers.

From a learning perspective I do believe that the PSP has a lot to offer learners, and certainly my experiences with our MoLeNET Glossy project last year back this up, the PSP was the most used and popular mobile device we used, over other devices such as the iPod touch and the Asus EeePC.

Will be interesting to see if the PSP starts to have more educationally orientated content, the Nintendo DS certainly at the moment seems to have more non-gaming titles in its catalogue, though PSP sales outsell DS according to Minoli.

I’ve seen sales charts for some territories now and a top ten PSP game sells more than a top ten Nintendo DS game.

What do you think, is the PSP the future of mobile learning?

Original source of news, PSP Fanboy.

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BIG iPod Touch “due” Autumn 2009

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The rumour mill is starting again on the possibility of an Apple tablet style large iPod touch device.

Techcrunch says

We’ve got this from three independent sources close to Apple: expect a large screen iPod touch device to be released in the Fall of ‘09, with a 7 or 9 inch screen. Prototypes have been seen and handled by one of our sources, and Apple is talking to OEMs in Asia now about mass production.

Apple has been experimenting internally with large form tablet devices for years, one source says, but there was concern that users wouldn’t like the device. The difference now is the iTunes app store, which has thousands of games and other applications that are perfect for a touch screen device with an accelerometer.

I have always liked the Tablet PC format and to get something like a large iPod touch with a big screen would certainly fit many of my requirements. A stand and support for a Bluetooth keyboard and I would have the perfect mobile device for conferences, events and travelling.

Of course this rumour has been circulating for years and there is every possibility that we will never see an Apple tablet style device. Hope we do though!

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Netbooks and iPhones

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Ars Technica reports on how the sales of small netbooks (like the Asus EeePC) are larger than the iPhone.

It appears as if netbooks are now “more popular” than the iPhone, according to data from Gartner and Display Search. This is not hugely surprising news because netbooks are cheap and handy, while iPhones remain a niche (albeit popular) item. According to the data, 5.6 million netbooks were shipped during the third quarter of 2008, which reflects a nice public interest in the item (compared to 4.7 million iPhones in the same quarter), but we’re not exactly talking overwhelming sales numbers. Rather, it’s a nice, steady market.

Not sure why they are comparing two very different products, but they are!

Key thing to remember is that a year ago, we didn’t have netbooks! The Asus EeePC had been announced, but wasn’t generally available and no other laptop manufacturer was going down that road.

The iPhone was only available on EDGE and lacked applications, now we have 3G and 10,000 applications to choose from.

Makes you wonder what is going to happen over the next twelve months.

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Mobile internet usage on the rise

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Mobile internet usage on the rise

BBC reports on the fast growth of mobile internet usage.

Mobile internet use is growing while the number of people going online via a PC is slowing, analyst firm Nielsen Online has found.

Some 7.3m people accessed the net via their mobile phones, during the second and third quarters of 2008.

This is an increase of 25% compared to a growth of just 3% for the PC-based net audience – now more than 35m.

One thing which the survey also found was:

It also found that the mobile net audience was younger and searched for different things.

What this demonstrates is that our learners will be (or already are) using mobile devices to search for things on the internet.

Our learners will also as a result be more likely to utilise their mobile devices to access college web services, so we should ensure that ours are accessible from a mobile device.