XplanaZine

Here’s our take on news that matters for Wednesday, January 11. Today’s theme is Apple and here is a link to coverage of Steve Job’s keynote speech at MacWorld. Today, our news that matters section will focus entirely on Jobs’ product announcements for Apple. We’ve all learned over the past years that while Apple may not own the lion’s share of the computer market, they do control a good piece of the “what’s cool” pie. And, wile this particular MacWorld didn’t have anything like a new iPod-like product, it did launch what could be some disruptive thinking and it reminded us that Apple intends to remain a serious player in the education field.

• iWeb – To my way of thinking, the most important product shown was the new version of iLife. iLife ‘06 features a new product called iWeb — that could have a serious impact on education. iWeb — is important because, like most Apple applications, it’s simple and intuitive, and because it allows people the ability to do exactly what they want to (but thought they couldn’t because it was too complex). With integrated podcasting and videocasting support and easy templates, iWeb — might be one of the solutions to Albert Ip’s call for simpler learning objects.
• Garageband — The new version features Podcast Studio with royalty-free sound effects and jingles, as well as the ability to easily add art. Podcasters will also be able to use iChat to record interviews conducted over the instant-messaging program. This, too is significant for educational partnerships. I know at this point I’m getting ready to switch.
• Intel Inside – We all knew that Apple was going to roll out a new line of Inte-based machines. But this announcement came way ahead of schedule and highlighted the company’s commitment to its computer brand.
• MacBook Pro –
  This is the PowerBook replacement, an Intel-based laptop that Jobs said is four to five times faster than the PowerBook G4. This is also significant because it qualifies as Apple’s first true “notebook” computer.
• Microsoft Office for Mac — We also got word of a new five-year agreement between Microsoft and Apple that will continue Office development for the Mac. This, too is good news for education and allows schools and universities a real choice when it comes to selecting hardware and software for education. It also shows that Microsoft recognizes the importance of the Apple presence in the world.

Now, here’s a recap of our favorite posts from the edublogging community from the past 48 hours.

• From Doug Johnson : Post on how what gets tested is what gets taught and the realities of living in a testing culture.
• From Anne Davis : Post on Ellie’s (Grade 7 Math Blog) and a great example of how to use blogs for teaching and learning.
• From Albert Ip : Post on RIP-ping learning objects.
• From Lanny Arvan : Informative post on teaching practical skills within a discipline-course context and helpful hints for doing so.
• From D’Arcy Norman : Post on playing with Moodle.