Revolution, iPad, Google, Baseball and More!

Apps Take Position in the Topps Baseball Lineup

On Major League Baseball’s opening day, Topps, the 74-year-old company in a business with roots in the tobacco cards of the 1800s, introduced two apps intended to appeal to a more techcentric youth market.

http://nyti.ms/HtgGIc


CEO Larry Page & 7 Amazing Stats about Google
Google launched Gmail in 2004 and now is used by more than 350 million people. Over 5,000 new businesses and educational establishments sign up for Gmail every day.
http://bit.ly/HlCbrT

Photo by Suzanne DeChillo (NYT) http://nyti.ms/HtgGIc

10 iPad Photo, Video Apps that Maximize Retina Display

With 3 million new iPads sold (and counting), it looks like Apple's latest version of its tablet computer is a big hit. That's due in large part to the most impressive new feature of the iPad—its high-resolution Retina Display

http://bit.ly/HzJ5vZ

Amidst a Mobile Revolution in Schools, Will Old Teaching Tactics Work?

People are talking about this being an inflection point,” said Elliot Soloway. Soloway is a professor at the School of Education at the University of Michigan, and a longtime proponent of mobile learning. “It feels like something major is about to happen. It went from a silly idea, to, ‘Of course it’s inevitable.'

http://bit.ly/HzVpLX

H.P. Attempts to Take on Amazon's Cloud Service

Within two months, Hewlett-Packard will offer a large and powerful cloud computing service similar to Amazon Web Services, but with more business-oriented features, according the head of the project.

http://nyti.ms/I7Bbfu

Apps in Education: 10 Productivity Apps

There are certain apps that just make your day easier. These are apps that I have been using regularly as part of my daily workflow. There is a nice variety of apps here, some are for use at school exclusively others  I like because it gives me the freedom to just come home and continue with my lesson preparation. Have a look and see if any of these might be useful for you.

http://bit.ly/HugKWw

Six Interesting Reads

Saginaw high school students find 2 Lake Huron shipwrecks

"The best kind of learning is hands-on," he said of the Lake Huron adventure. "This wasn't just about finding a shipwreck. This was a lesson in life. ... They came in with doubts about what they could do. ... They did the work. They ran the equipment. They were the crew. What they achieved, well, it was beyond dreams."

http://bit.ly/qRKcPx

When Schools Are Forced to Rely on Sheep

 In one area, cash-strapped schools are now using sheep, instead of lawnmowers, for lawn care. . . . .You know, nothing says “21st century global superpower” like schools turning to sheep because they can’t afford lawnmowers.

http://bit.ly/oVYXqk

Should the U.S. Government Trust the Cloud?

The biggest advantage cloud computing offers governments is the areas efficiency and affordability. In his 25-point proposal to reform federal IT, outgoing U.S. Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra identified cost savings as one of the main justifications for adopting the "cloud first" approach to federal IT he advocates.

http://rww.to/nHsWZv

Math and Science: Out of the Classroom, Into the World

It’s great to be a student these days. The opportunities to learn math, science, technology and engineering have come such a long way from the days of sitting through interminable hours of watching teachers solve equations and explain complicated theories on the chalkboard. . . . . 

With access to a computer or mobile device, apps and websites, students can have a completely different learning experience – one that resonates within the digital world they live.

http://bit.ly/qbBeyg

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Flickr CC Photo by Urban Gazelle

How to Fix Our Math Education
There is widespread alarm in the United States about the state of our math education. The anxiety can be traced to the poor performance of American students on various international tests . . . . All this worry, however, is based on the assumption that there is a single established body of mathematical skills that everyone needs to know to be prepared for 21st-century careers. This assumption is wrong.


http://nyti.ms/oGHiGP


The Dog-eared Paperback-- Newly Endangered in an E-Book Age

A comprehensive survey released last month by the Association of American Publishers and the Book Industry Study Group revealed that while the publishing industry had expanded over all, publishers’ mass-market paperback sales had fallen 14 percent since 2008.

“Five years ago, it was a robust market,” said David Gernert, a literary agent whose clients include John Grisham, a perennial best seller in mass market. “Now it’s on the wane, and e-books have bitten a big chunk out of it.”

http://nyti.ms/qOmwgn

Timely Links on Anger at Netflix and other Techie Matters

"Link" Flickr CC Photo by bulliver

Netflix Subscribers Threaten to Quit, but Will They Really?

Even if a bunch of DVD-by-mail subscribers do leave, Netflix will be happy to replace them with the more profitable streaming subscribers.

http://bit.ly/pK2fwH


Google Apps v. Office 365 Feature Showdown
Microsoft took the beta label off of Office 365 last [month], and many consider the cloud-based productivity suite a potshot at Google and Google Apps. Office 365 may offer cloud-based document, storage, and collaboration services that look like Google Apps, but the user experience and price tag are very different. Here's a look at the major differences between them.
http://lifehac.kr/rt0oOt

Twenty-Eight Creative Ideas for Teaching with Twitter
Beyond facilitating communication within the course itself, teachers may like the idea of connecting with similar ones in other cities, states or even countries. Set up a communal hastag for students and professionals alike to use and exchange their views and lessons.
http://bit.ly/qD6CHU

Why an Amazon tablet can rival the iPad
Without so much as a whisper from the retailer itself, Amazon’s Android tablet is heading our way. Rumoured to launch at the end of the third quarter in time for the holiday season, Amazon is hoping it can steal a little of Apple’s thunder and steal a little of its market share.
http://tnw.co/nOmltr

Four Ways Schools Can Increase Their Social Media Presence
We’re now at a point where almost all schools have a social presence, but many have yet to fully embrace the spirit of social media and tap into its potential. Social media presents a wealth of possibilities for engaging prospective students, current students, alumni, and other community members.
http://on.mash.to/qPBl7b

Interesting Ways to (Possibly) Use Google+ to Support Learning
A collaborative Google Doc which is collecting classroom possibilities for Google Plus like "Organizing a Class with Circles" and "Curriculum Topic Sparks"
http://bit.ly/oYohcn

Resolved-- to share some music recs!

Don't know what to do with those Amazon or iTunes gift cards you received over the holidays. Rather than begin the New Year with a list of resolutions, I've made a list of suggested albums to add to your collection. I have provided music for most tests.

The first list of ten draws from a variety of popular styles. I have tried to stay a couple of steps off the beaten path. All ten are winners!


The Byrds -- Younger than Yesterday
Just as they were breaking up they hit perfection

Jorma Kaukonen -- The Land of Heroes
Absolute terrific folk/blues

Deep Purple -- Machine Head
My favorite work-out music by far

Del Amitri -- Some Other Sucker's Parade
Not a bad track on the album

Bob Dylan -- Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue
Wow! Dylan exploded back onto the scene with this tour. Outstanding performances

Grizzly Bear -- Veckatimest
The best indie band around. Highly intelligent and inventively musical.

Widespread Panic -- 'Til the Medicine Takes
Awesome Southern rock-- I rank 'em ahead of the Allman Brothers.

Aimee Mann -- I'm with Stupid
Terrific song-writing tinged with punk, pop, folk.

Blind Boys of Alabama -- Spirit of the Century
Mesmerizing gospel sound.

Sufjan Stevens -- Illinois
So multi-layered you'll hear something new each time you listen.


Since jazz is already off the beaten path for many listeners, I've been less concerned about avoiding "popular" artists. Just about anything by Bill Evans, John Coltrane and Miles Davis (especially 50's, 60's) is worth acquiring, so I left them off. I tried to add suggestions that would work for either discerning jazz collectors or someone who would like to take a spin with the genre.

Bill Mays -- Mays in Manhattan
I play this when I'm happy because it always makes me happy to hear those opening bars.

David Holland Big Band -- What Goes Around
To quote from one reviewer, "Highlights? The whole album is a highlight. . . . richly creative"

Kenny Burrell -- Lotus Blossom
This native Detroiter produces a lovely, understated sound on his guitar

Chick Corea & Gary Burton -- Native Sense
A duet which has produced my very favorite jazz album

Stan Getz & Kenny Barron -- People Time
This one came to me through jazz aficionado, Tome Schusterbauer. Highly melodious and emotional.

Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau -- Metheny/Mehldau
One more pairing made in jazz heaven.

Wynton Marsalis-- Mr.Jelly Roll
An impeccable tribute to Jelly Roll Morton

Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra -- Big Train
Tracie, Tom, you like trains? Put this album on and take a glorious ride through your imagination.

Wayne Shorter -- Footprints live!
Tremendous writer with an incredible quartet.

McCoy Tyner -- Soliloquy
The best jazz solo piano album in the universe.


I did not avoid major artists or composers with my classical recommendations. You will also note that I am partial to Baroque and Classical keyboard and chamber music.

Mozart Sonatas for Piano and Violin-- Mitsuko Uchida & Mark Steinberg
Astonishing performances

Bartok Concerto for Orchestra-- Fritz Reiner, Chicago symphony
The clarity of this Living Stereo recording is remarkable.

Bach Brandenburg Contertos-- Martin Perlman, Boston Baroque
My favorite performances of my favorite pieces of music.

"Kronos Released (1985-1995)"-- Kronos Quartet
A terrifically interesting program of music

Chopin 4 Ballades-- Murray Perahia
A perfect pianist plays perfect pieces.

Bach: Partita No. 4 Ballades-- Maria Joa Pires
My Bach keyboard collection mainly consists of performances by Perahia nad Hewitt, but this one is my very favorite

Ravel Gaspard de la nuit-- Boris Berezovsky
The best piano cd I have ever heard.

Schubert & Schumann Symphonies No. 4-- Nicholas Harnoncourt, Berlin Philharmonic.
Majestic sound.

Henryk Gorecki Symphony No. 3-- Dawn Upshaw & London Sinfonietta
The second movement is utterly sublime.

Tchaikovsky Quartets 1-3 -- Borodin Quartet.
A perfectly blended sound for these under.


I also am recommending some performance dvds. The first seven feature surround sound. I have deliberately not included documentaries (Woodstock, Moterrey Pop, Festival Express, etc).

Cream-- Royal Albert Hall '05
Finally a chance to hear this power trio in great digital sound.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse-- Rust Never Sleeps
Lousy picture, but ragged, bone-shaking garage band sound. Wake your neighbors!

From the Basement
Several artists play a song or two. The Radiohead and White Stripes sets are worth the cost alone.

An All Star Tribute to Brian Wilson
Uneven tributes, but I listen to the Aimee Mann/Michael Penn, David Crosby, Vince gill sets again and again. Transcendent.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live in NYC
Disc one is among my favorite rock music recorded any time, anywhere.

Concert for George -- Royal Albert Hall 2002
George Harrison's music performed by his highly accomplished friends like Clapton, Petty, McCarthy.

Alison Krauss & Union Station: Live
I've seen her live and this is the next best thing. Sweet 5.1 dts sound.

John Fogerty-- The Long Road Home
Not much showmanship but all the Fogerty classics are here and he is backed by terrific musicians.

Crossroads 2007
Tremendous blues music by one Hall of Fame performer after another. Tune for tune your best purchase of my top ten.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: Live from Austin, Texas (1995)
Two short sets from Austin City Limits, but both are terrific. Rock, jazz (and of course) blues influences are on display. What a great talent Vaughan was!
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"John Paul Jones & Uncle Earl" Flickr Creative Commons Photo by RussellReno