Udemy is a platform that hosts classes, both free and paid, on a wide variety of subjects. I took the leap and took my first class. I downloaded the Udemy iPad app and used my iPad to watch the lectures. Perhaps it is a bit far-fetched to call it a class because it’s only about thirty minutes long. Short though it may be, it was certainly worth the time.
I remember listening to my Sony shortwave radio many years ago while living overseas. One of the programs I enjoyed was Radio Moscow on Sunday evenings when they would broadcast short stories, complete with really great sound effects. Listening to the news from various countries was interesting too, as I listened to many views and perceptions about various events. I loved the VOA, BBC, and especially the CSM. I had a book with the stations listed from around the world, how to tune them in, and when they broadcast. So, when I saw that OneTuner was featured in AppsGoneFree today I was overcome with nostalgia and thought perhaps I could renew that feeling of cultural attentiveness I once had while listening to far off places.
Continuing along with the theme of free apps over the Thanksgiving holiday, today I thought I would download the GiftShopper app and pass along my thoughts. This is a basic app that helps you keep track of shopping for gifts. You can keep track of the people you are buying for, what you plan to get them, and you can include a photo. You can add your budget amount too, and keep track of what you are spending. If you tap and hold your finger for a moment on the three lines next to a person’s name, you can move them up or down on the list. If you share your iPad or iPhone with others, then other people might see what you have planned for them and the surprise will be ruined, since there is no password protection on the app. (App updated-see note below.) Continue reading
LivingOrganized is usually $9.99 but is free for the Thanksgiving weekend. I’ve just downloaded it on my iPad and it looks very promising. The User Guide is handy, and everything is right there in one place so you can click easily from one area to another. You can share one or more items with other people in any category. Continue reading
If you want to send a collage of holiday photos to someone today is a good time to visit iTunes to get Photo Wall which is free for a limited time.
Here is a link that gives you a good description of what you can do with the Photo Wall app. I downloaded it and played with it for a few minutes and I’m happy with the results.
Here are a couple of collages I made from pictures on my photo roll, with backgrounds and clip art from the Photo Wall app.
Since food will be on the minds of many people as we go through the holiday season, I thought I would write a post about the Fooducate app which I have on my iPad. It’s optimized for the iPhone 5, but works on the iPad. The app is free, or you can download Fooducate Plus which does not include advertisements, for $3.99. Continue reading
Doppeltext has a dual language Spanish/English edition of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, translation by John Ormsby in two parts:
El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha
The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha
As you read in Spanish on your iPad you can click within a sentence and a translation pops up. This is really awesome!
If your school is using Microsoft SharePoint as a place for you to create sites for your classes, you can add homework drop boxes for students surprisingly easily. Here are the steps: Continue reading
I have created a Lunch and Learn LiveBinders that can be used by Technology Coaches or individual users to learn to use and organize the blogs they read using Google Reader. The steps, for beginners, are straightforward and I have included screenshots to guide the way. Continue reading
If you are a K12 language teacher working in a school using Google Gmail, your students might find the language tools in the Settings area useful. There are many languages to choose from and it’s easy to change between them. I’ve only tried out Spanish and I am including screenshots below to get you started. These screenshots should get you headed in the right direction even if you plan to choose a language with a different alphabet. Continue reading
wild for web 2.0 