QR: New Mobile Phone Technology

Another new development in the Mobile Phone technology is officially called QR. QR Codes are 2 dimensional barcodes that are easily scanned using any modern mobile phone. This code will then be converted (called "dequrified") into a piece of (interactive) text and/or link. For instance, you walk around in the city and notice a poster for an event that seems interesting. You take out your mobile phone, scan the QR Code and will instantly get more information and a link to a website where you can book your tickets. You don't have to type or remember anything and because QR Codes can be very small, this saves a lot of space on the product as well.

This will have significant impact on how we perform and deliver handouts in the future. The handouts will all require QR codes. Check out: QR Codes for more information and to get one for your phone, Now!

Ultra Portable Projectors (Beamers)

You can check the comparison of two models of ultra portable LCD beamers (or projectors) made by Dell and 3M in this video. What's more exciting are the prices that these portables are sold. The much bigger version Dell costs a mere US$ 500 and the palm sized 3M, a measly US$ 360. My goodness, the prices have really rolled down since we last bought some of the potable projectors that may now look like dinos. Unbelievable how technology is making it easier for people to learn and entertain.

3M may not be a well known brand in projectors, but it looks like it will be one of the first on the market to produce a pocket-sized one. Called the MPro110, the mini projector can display VGA (640 x 480) resolution. This is done by fairly simple means – an LED lamp and LCoS screen technology, which is a type of LCD technology used in even the most old-school of projectors.

The pocket projector is not aimed at the home cinema enthusiasts.This is meant for on-the-go types who need a projector for PowerPoints and the like. It's even being touted for use with iPods.

Another competing model is called a Pocket Cinema from Aiptek. With a little bit more tweaking and refinements, this can easily become a poor man's TV in the house. All you need is an empty wall to project your videos or TV feeds.

But wait, there's more. Checkout the cellphone projectors. You can see a video clip of an actual model. This can still be pricey for now but when you really start to consider how much much we are paying for our phones, then you might consider this as a good addon.

All I Want for Christmas....

Have been asked by a few colleagues about what's in store for this Christmas season. I don't know yet. However, most computers firms were planning to make these wonderful gifts items for this season. Some will make it others won't. Anyway, have a look! I wish some Santa would give me one of these.... Lots of huggggssssss.... Merry Christmas!
Ed Canela

1. Canova Dual Screen Laptop

Canova Dual Screen Laptop possesses two screens, a multi sensitive touch screen and is very easy to use. Not only can it be used to handle your daily computing tasks but it also lets you read articles on your laptop in the old-school newspaper fashion.

2. Vaio Zoom

Vaio Zoom notebook features a holographic glass screen that goes transparent and a keyboard that turns opaque when turned off. Turn it on and the touchscreen holographic festivities begin.

3. DesCom

DesCom is basically a two-in-one concept laptop which seamlessly integrates inside a desk.

4. MacTab

MacTab is the complement to MyBook in the high-end. The incredibly thin wireless keyboard is used as a protection cover for transportation. It stays in place with a combination of magnets and notches.

5. LG Ecological Laptop Concept

LG Ecological laptop concept uses fuel cell batteries and features organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology, it received a Red Dot Award nomination for best concept design.

6. Compenion Laptop Concept

Compenion concept laptop by Felix Schmidberger consists of two sliding OLED screens, one of which can be used as a keyboard, where necessary.

7. Samsung Amoled Concept

AMOLED concept notebook by Samsung features a unique design which is thin and sleek and a touch-sensitive keyboard which lacks tactile feedback.

8. Traveller Concept Laptop

Traveller concept laptop is a GPS enabled navigation system for pedestrians with internal storage to save photos or data and built-in Geotagging functionality so you always know where you took your photos.

9. Canvas Laptop Concept

Canvas is a futuristic concept laptop that is supposed to provide a better quality for the designer and also its said that it will raise the productive rate of the artist. It will feature a very thin touchscreen and the other components will look just about the same but they will be better adjusted.

10. Macbook 0801

Macbook 0801 concept laptop by Isamu Sanada is more like a black version of the now Macbook Air. It also features an ultra-thin keyboard and a very sleek design.

Windows 7 Beta is Out!

Windows 7 (formerly known as Blackcomb and Vienna) is the working name for the next major version of Microsoft Windows as the successor of Windows Vista. Microsoft has announced that it is "scoping Windows 7 development to a three-year timeframe", and that "the specific release date will ultimately be determined by meeting the quality bar." Windows 7 is expected to be released sometime in 2010. The client versions of Windows 7 will ship in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. A server variant, codenamed Windows Server 7, is also under development.

On October 28, 2008, Microsoft distributed a pre-beta build of Windows 7 with the build tag 6801.winmain_win7m3.081020-1655 to attendees at its Professional Developers Conference (PDC). Microsoft also demonstrated build 6933.winmain.081020-1842 during the PDC, but did not give it to attendees. It has a new desktop interface, a new taskbar and many new features.

Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela

Turning Whiteboards into SmartBoards for US$ 40

Hello all,

Poor me. I got a lot of requests for the easy and step by step method of transforming ordinary whiteboards into SmartBoards. Whiteboard, we all know. But SmartBoard is something else.

SmartBoard is a large, touch-controlled screen that works with a projector and a computer. The projector puts the computer’s desktop image onto the interactive whiteboard, which acts as both a monitor and an input device. Trainers and facilitators can write on the interactive whiteboard in digital ink or use a finger to control computer applications by pointing, clicking and dragging, just as with a desktop mouse. It is usually mounted on a wall or a floor stand and is used in face-to-face or virtual settings in education. The price range is from US$ 4,000 to 6,000 a unit. Where in the Philippines can you see them? I was informed by Amir and Hao (I guess), that you can see them used in the International School and the British School. They are not portable and are fixed on a wall. This makes them appropriate for our courses here in HQ, but unfit for our DMC venues.

So how do we bring the benefits of the SmartBoard technology to our DMC clients without breaking our budget? Johnny Lee (and his followers) think it is possible! How? Use the ubiquitous whiteboards that you and I are so familiar with. Make a small gadget from ordinary and off-the-shelf electronic parts....all for a measly US$ 40 (and going down) per whiteboard. Interesting, isn't it? Well, I know you wouldn't just take my word for it.

Do checkout the following videos in their order.

The first video shows Johnny announcing the breakthrough. The second video details how it is done by assembling some general purpose and cheap electronics that you can buy in some good shops. I am sure that there are already one or two suppliers in Manila, but I do not know them..... just as yet! The third video shows a guy assembling the hardware and calibrating an ordinary whiteboard to make it behave like a SmartBoard. According to him, his contraption is cheaper than $ 40 a piece.

Now, who would like to try? Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela
Photo courtesy of Google Images

IBM's Powerpoint Alternative

Hello all,

From time to time, Terry asks me if there are subsitutes for Powerpoint. And I always answer, course there are. I just have not sat down and really gave him some new cool presentation software like Mac's KeyNote and Open Office.

Interestingly, IBM has launched at New York a new and free alternative to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs. The package came under the name IBM Lotus Symphony which is based on the Open Document Format standard and allows you to import, edit and save different file formats including Microsoft Office files. You can also export files to PDF. The set of tools is supported by Windows, Linux and Macintosh. For those who would like to be the first to try, you can download the package here for your personal use.

It looks like we have more competitors trying to crack the aging Office market of Microsoft and Apple. If anyone will have a chance to try the package, please share with us your impressions. Happy long weekend.

Lots of huggggssssss....
Ed Canela

Intriguing Word

Have you ever wondered how much time you lose by using Word? I have always been thinking about this as we tend to just wonder around and do formatting works and others. Well, I bumped into a chart that hints on this. Someone obviously figured it out. Look at the chart and see how much continuous use of Word is costing us in productivity losses. And scaling it upwards, consider how long do you use it in your work, everyday. And for how long have you been using it. Then factor in your colleagues, friends, clients and almost everyone else using this word processor instead of a clean Notepad and then transferring the results into Word for formatting? I wonder how much are we losing with the continuous use of boring Powerpoint slides? Just a thought.