Waffle Bytes

The vast majority of my morning has been spent "playing" with iPads on Meraki.  This is only my fifth time I have blocked out some hours to work with it, and finally I am feeling like I've made some headway! It's been quite an involved process, and if you are wondering if you should go this route for your MDM solution for iPads there are some pointers I think worth sharing that may help you decide. Items to keep in mind when troubleshooting: It is a multi-faceted process - you have to deal with Apple's DEP and Apple's VPP, in addition to the tools within Meraki;  There are many ways to do similar functions - for instance, you can create & add profiles from within Meraki, or you can create them in iPhone Configuration Utility Tool and upload them, or you can create them in Configurator... you get the picture. Meraki has a definite delay in the data that displays - sometimes you just have to sit and be patient, or even walk away These all contribut...

Seven Ways to Display Your iPad This lovely resource comes from Tony Vincent's Learning in Hand website. (If you have never checked it out, you need to!) Tony has put together a comparison chart for the various methods of displaying an iPad's screen onto a projector.  This is one of the most frequently asked questions for me when I am doing iPad training, so I figure there may be others out there than have a need to know. To see the full resolution chart, go to his blog posting .

MyScript Calculator Basics:  MyScript Calculator allows you to handwrite the equations and then it converts it to type text while solving it.  This eliminates the back & forth movement from selecting numbers and mathematical symbols from a selection screen.  It handles fractions, factorials, exponentials, trigonometry, logarithms in addition to basic math operations. Drawbacks :  Be careful if you are doing equations - you cannot use an "x" as it reads that as a multiplication symbol.  However, you can use other variable symbols. Current Costs:   currently FREE! Link to iTunes Store:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/ app/myscript-calculator/ id578979413?mt=8

Tellagami Review Basics: "T ellagami is a mobile app that lets you create and share a quick animated message called a Gami."  Think PSA! The user can set a male or female character's characteristics (including emotion), adds a background then records the message.  Upon playback, the character is animated - with some emotion added to the hand gestures.  It can then be shared. Drawbacks :  There is a 30 second time limit to your recordings - this could be a drawback or a benefit. Current Costs:   currently FREE! Link to iTunes Store:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tellagami/id572737805?mt=8

MyScript Memo   Basics: Today's app review is a handwriting to text converter! You can now take handwritten notes on your iOS device, and either send the picture of them OR have it convert the writing to text and send the text Drawbacks :  The screen size on a phone is somewhat a hindrance, but on the iPad it works great. Current Costs:  currently FREE! Link to iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/myscript-memo/id446368116?mt=8#

There are many changes that come with updating to iOS 7 on your iOS devices.  I have found that some take some getting used to (like the brightness of the new icons!), and others are welcome changes.  Here are a few items you might want to look for or know about at first blush: Updates to the Notification Center - there are some nice additions to this, if it is something you use.  I find it more useful now than I did before because I can "highlight" those need to know items. Updated Siri - Siri's better in many ways: you know if the mic is working by the wave motion; the voice is a little more natural sounding; the interpretations are better; and you can pick a male voice now. Ability to close more than one app at a time - this is a huge plus for me.  I can close 3 apps at a time on my iPad, and 2 on my iPhone (if you don't know how yet, double-click the home button then swipe the windows up to close the app) Appearance - I'm still ad...

Drawp by Moondrop Entertainment LLC Basics : Make drawings, add audio and share them easily   Educational Uses : The app is made to use with young children, but could also be easily used with students that have special needs.  A difference with this app - the parent (teacher) sets up how the drawings are shared, and the kid simply swipes the drawing onto a picture to share it.   Current Cost : currently free!   Link to iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/drawp-drawing-families-closer/id571816406?mt=8

Dink  - "Become a Master Animator" Basics : Dink is an app for creating animations.  The user creates the animation using stop frame (or stop motion) animation, allowing the user to customize on a frame by frame basis.  Creativity is only limited by the user, as the user creates all the content. Educational Uses:   If you are looking for an app for animation that is easy for students to pick up and learn very quickly, this app may be the one.  I was able to create a simple 15 frame animation - with layers - in under 15 minutes.  That was without looking at any tutorials or examples.  Very easy to learn and use.  Overall, very powerful....however, you might want to read the drawbacks before purchasing for your classroom set of devices. Drawbacks in Education:  The link to MyDink.net within the app is a serious concern - not the site itself, but that it connects to animations created by others and many of these are not appropriate fo...

Let me begin by saying I am not a lawyer, nor am I speaking as a representative of Apple.  However, in my job I am consistently having to educate teachers on the how the terms and conditions apply in these situations: how their personal Apple Accounts work with devices they own versus how their personal Apple Accounts work with devices supplied by a school how a device is used personally versus how it is used in a school setting the different rules concerning where apps can be downloaded, and how many devices a singly purchased app can be used on I've color coded the information so that green text is a direct copy/paste from the Terms and Conditions.  That is followed by my interpretation of the it, why it is important and how it might impact a teacher. If you see any inaccuracies, please feel free to let me know as this is certainly a work in progress. (Terms & Conditions Version - updated December 3, 2012) APP STORE PRODUCT USAGE RULES: “ (iii) You s...

Haiku Deck App - "Set Your Story Free" Basics : Haiku Deck is a FREE app for creating presentations very quickly and easily.   While only 5 of the themes are provided (others can be in-app purchased), they are very modern looking.  The app is very intuitive to use, offering easy to change layouts.  There are fewer choices than many other presentation creators, meaning the user stays more focused on the content.  Also, text space is limited forcing the user to focus in on the main ideas of their presentation. You can either add your own photos or use the app to search a photo service where you can select a word/phrase from your slide and have it find  pictures that are tagged as such.  Some of the built in messages are quirky, funny or annoying depending on your sense of humor (such as: "Patience grasshopper downloading a large file"). Educational Uses:   This is a great free alternative to other paid presentation apps (such as Keynote). Link...

Aurasma App  - "See and Interact with the World in a New Way!" (Currently free in the iTunes Store) Basics : From their site: "Thanks to Aurasma, every image, object and even place can have its own Aura. Auras can be as simple as a video and a link to a web page or as complex as a lifelike 3D animation. Use the Aurasma app to unlock Auras and share the experience with friends. Or get experimenting and use the simple tools within the app to create and share your own Auras." Educational Uses : Aurasma is a great introduction to using augmented reality as you can make simple "auras" for any object - whether a student piece of work or everyday object.  Some examples: student work can connect to an audio file that has them reading the piece or explaining their work in their own words (Thank you to  @bcteacher  for introducing this type of project to me!) teacher instruction can connect to a website, audio file or other resource that may be used ...

I've create a series of videos to help users starting out with Apple Configurator.  These can be found in two locations: via a YouTube playlist via a series in Michigan's MI Learning on iTunes U Perhaps these can help others avoid some of the pitfalls I've experienced in helping schools set this up locally!

Photo Transfer App (Currently $2.99) Basics : Photo Transfer App is just that, an app to transfer photos AND videos between devices.  I have tested transfers between: two iPads or iPhones (and each other) iPad/iPhone & pc computer iPad/iPhone & Mac computer (The site says it will work with Linux, as well.  And there is now an Android app out. I have not tried those.)   Some points: you can transfer up to 200 photos (I did over 2000 one day, and it is a firm 200 at a time) it transfers the full resolution videos, not compressed video of reduced quality preserves photo metadata both devices need to be on the same wireless network (I did note that the new version says you can use bluetooth to transfer photos between iOS devices) Educational Use:   As I have seen more iPads go into classrooms, one of the big questions has been the ability to share or move photos between devices and the teacher's computer.  I know there are o...

A week ago I spent 5 hours at one of our local schools playing with Apple's new tool for managing iPads - Apple Configurator.  I have to say that it was time well spent - I can see this being a viable tool for school districts struggling with managing large numbers of iOS devices. Some of the pros & cons (as some people might see them) to using this: Pros Cloning devices is easier to do using this tool than iTunes, especially as it is easier to do multiple devices at the same time. Devices can be uniquely named very quickly & easily Updating can range: now you can fully restoring all the devices, make smaller updates, just add a profile, or even simply rename them Changes can be set up in the tool, and will be applied when/as the devices are connected Can manage multiple groups of devices in a more visual easy to see way VPP redemption codes can be managed via the tool - codes can even be removed from one device and loaded on another Profiles can be "s...

If you have an existing account and would like to change it so it is not connected to a credit card, you can do this by accessing the payment information on the account.  To do this in iTunes: On a computer, go to the iTunes Store in iTunes Click on the account name in the upper right corner Select to display the account information Click on Edit Payment Information Select None Click Done at the bottom of the page

Coach's Eye (Currently $4.99) Basics : Coach's Eye is an app to use for recording video... but it takes your video way beyond simple playback.  What makes this app exceptional are what you can do to the video AFTER the recording.  You can: use a flywheel to inspect the video frame-by-frame add annotations in specific locations of the video add voice over share the video with others, either via YouTube or TechSmith's server space Educational Use : This app was developed for coaches - as in athletic coaches - to use with their athletes. However, the number of uses for educators is very large.  Just think of the material you can provide for students that are absent or need to see something multiple times.  OR think of the power of it in student's hands, where they can self-assess their own or each others work.  I see applications in all curriculum areas.  Here are my brainstorms on ways Coach's Eye could be used to record/anno...

Do you want to use an Apple account without a credit card (only going to use fee apps or apps redeemed from the volume purchase program)?  You can either create a new account OR modify an existing account so that no credit card is listed as a form of automatic payment. This can be useful if it is in the hands of children (it is how we set up the account we use on our own kids' iPod Touches) as there is no fear of them "accidentally" purchasing apps and charging it back to a credit card.  Set up a new Apple account not associated with a credit card: On a device,go to the iTunes Store and find a free app (this is while the device does not have any account signed in) Click on the free button next to the app Click on Install App Select Create New Apple ID Select your Country, then accept the User Agreement Fill out the information for the new account (name, password, birthday, etc) The next screen will have Billing Information.  If you click on Visa (the ...

Sketch Pad 3 - Unlimited Canvas (Currently Free) Basics : User is provided with a canvas to write & draw on.  What makes this app exceptional are all the advanced features.  You can also: add a picture, resizing and rotating it to fit where you want on the canvas make the background lined or graph paper, change the color of the background add typed in notes select, move, layer and change the style of individual elements on the screen extend the canvas size as much as needed, using a tooled in scroll control to move in exactly where needed add a size customizable palm rest to prevent unwanted marks ability to export out in multiple ways (email, photos, print & app) and formats (jpg, png, pdf, file) Educational Use : This is one of the most flexible "drawing" apps I have explored.  Because everything on the canvas is an individually controlled item there is a lot of flexibility in creating materials that can be used by students.  Additi...

Recently we have had to add another facilitator account for one of our buildings.  Unfortunately, when trying to get the account setup it snagged at the "verify" stage. Essentially, after a new facilitator account has been created by the VPP Manager, the person acting as facilitator goes to the VPP store to login with the new facilitator account.  The first time the account is used, the password recovery process must be used to set the password for the account.  (This means you click on "Sign in," then on the Volume Purchase Program sign-in page select "Forgot Password" to set the password for the account.  The person gets an email with a verifying link to finish the password setting process.)  After the password is set, the user is required to provide additional security. When clicking on this link currently, the user gets a "Secure Connection Failure" that prevents him/her from finishing this process.  However, there is a work-around t...

At Leslie Fisher's iOS Support Group session Friday morning at the MACUL 2012 Conference. (Hmmm.... some of the material is the same as what I'm using in my session during the next session time!) Tips & Tricks Take a screenshot - press Home & Power button at same time Hidden keys - hold .com key in browser app will show other domains Split keyboard - pull keyboard apart to corners In General Settings - Keyboard -  International Keyboard - Add New Keyboard -Emoji keyboard - puts Globe icon next to space bar so you can access icons Magnifying Glass - hold finger in typing area to get cursor where you want it Apps Calendars ($6.99) - plugs into Google Calendars and has great interface & looks Typewith.me (website) - real time document collaboration ClassDoJo (website) - students behavior tracker GoSoapbox (app & website) - interaction between the speaker & the audience, can raise importance of question if multiple people select. ($80 a year) Scr...