Saturday, April 19, 2008

PicoCricket-Just Bring Your Imagination

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As a youngster I was always excited to get a new Erector set for my birthday and have the chance to build new items using nothing but my imagination and a couple of screws. Today's youth can take this idea and use their imagination to create their own PicoCricket project using arts and crafts materials alongside with a powerful computer that they can program to spin, light up and make music. Students have the opportunity to apply math, science and engineering principles into their projects to give them a taste of how these content areas can be applied. The PicoCricket Kit is similar to the LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ robotics kits. MINDSTORMS is designed especially for making robots, while the PicoCricket Kit is designed for making artistic creations with lights, sound, music, and motion. For example, students can make a cat and program it to purr when someone pets it. The kits are full of wonderful materials to spark their imagination of students and engage them in learning and how to program using an easy to use software application for PC and Mac.

At the heart of the system is the PicoCricket which can be programed by
connecting it to a computer via a USB port. Students can select from a number of different sensors that the PicoCricket can interact with. There are many different types of sensors available for students to choose from which include: light sensor, motor, sound, and touch to name a few. PicoCrickets looks like a great way to engage students in engineering, math, and science in a fun and exciting way. You can check out PicoCricket on their website

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

April Mindjet User Newsletter Now Online

If you are an avid MindManager User then you should take a look at this month's Mindjet User Newsletter which just hit the web. In it you will find some great articles by Jamie Nast and Stephanie Diamond who show you how their clients are applying and using MindManager to solve real world problems. Also, please check out my latest MindManager Quick Tip Video in the newsletter on how to add Resources and the Task Completion icon. The screencast video was created and produced using Camtasia Studio. Enjoy

LiveScribe Pulse Smartpen in Action

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It was with great anticipation that my Pulse Smartpen arrived and I had a chance to use it and see just how effective a tool it could be. After using it for two straight days it is surpassing my expectations as far as the quality of the sound that is captured. Using the 3D microphones that plug into the Pulse Smartpen you can get very high quality recordings of the the teacher speaking. The 3D microphones which also serve as ear buds were draped over my shoulders to record the sound. The quality of the recordings is rich with most of the background noise canceled out. It was really amazing to be able to click on the page and hear the audio cue up to the spot on the page almost instantaneously. You should have seen the students when I was using it to record my classroom observation. The desktop software that comes with the Pulse Smartpen allows you to download your digital ink to your computer which can also be played. Your journal pages are all indexed and you can search your pages quickly for any words that you wrote. When the software finds the text it highlights it for you. As the computer plays back your audio it highlights the words that you wrote on the page that were synced to the time that it was said. All in all the Pulse Smartpen worked right out of the box without a hitch and the sound quality of the recording was unbelievable. You have to see and hear it to believe it!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Visual Mapping and the Information Economy


Visual Mapping and the Information Economy

By Wallace Tait- Visual Mapper

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BSF: Hi Wallace can you share with us what is a visual map?

WT: A Visual map is: “A systematic and graphical framework expressing information and knowledge in a non-linear format”

We do indeed live and work in a linear world when it comes to academics and business. Taking a look at our established formats for communicating information and knowledge, there’s no denying, we clearly rely heavily on linear text and thinking.

Linear communications are natural; but not always the best format to convey information and knowledge in a succinct and clear manner. As visual mappers we firmly believe that non-linear information and knowledge communication tools that are readily available can, and do, enable you to experience an exponential increase in information management.












A lack of clarity and focus is what causes constraints within information exchange and knowledge growth. In this century, professionals are compelled by established systems to merely maintain the status quo of their respective information economies. Effective communication is essential to organizational efficacy, but we rarely see this as a reality within the overwhelmed business and academic environments where communication clarity and focus is not only expected but demanded.


BSF: What do you mean by the term information economy?

WT: The information economy is defined as: “Knowledge and information that ultimately affects process, system and organizational business investment”

Information has become a commodity that is exchanged both internally and externally within information economies. These economies are our established organizational systems, which in many cases have been overlooked with dire consequences to the organization. Corporate scandals of the late 90’s were characterized by the abject mismanagement of organizational information economies. This can be avoided by adopting the tools such as Mindjet MindManager Pro 7 and techniques of visual mapping into your business functions.

BSF: Can you expand on your idea about knowledge and its relation to the

information economy?

WT: “Knowledge as the main element of the information economy is of no profitable use unless it is created with focus, managed effectively and re-invested as an improvement tool”

Information is what knowledge is made up of and, we must take responsibility for the successes and failures of our information economies, after all, our information economies are what enable, assure and secure our personal, academic and business future successes.

Visualize a national financial reserve being a knowledge bank and the information economy as being the supplier of the resources that secure the strength of this institution. It makes logical sense that the continuous supply of resources is essential to the strength of the reserve. This is indeed how we should be viewing our information economies. Whether you are an academic or business professional, the continuous development of your information commodities ensures your strength, existence and further survival.

Taking a further view of the information economy, we see that it is absolutely impervious to any kind of recession. Global economical recessions do not affect information economies, while a downturn or recession is happening; the one thing that remains constant is information
exchange. Information being a priceless commodity that supplies our knowledge banks ensures our survival through the most severe of global effects of recession.

BSF: Where does Visual mapping fit into this information economy you may be asking?

WT: We firmly believe that the software tools such as Mindjet Mind Manager Pro 7 and techniques of this graphical framework are more than capable of enabling you to experience an exponential increase in your information management skills. We are all information managers, whether we acknowledge it or not, the fact that we create, manage and exchange information to gain knowledge is a testament to the human need for expansion. Within academia and business we must manage information for greater good of the systems that we support. There are various degrees of information management efficiency yet, we see time and time again that the informant managers who connect with our visual mapping approach, see the bigger picture and gain absolute control of their information economy.

The exponential gains experienced using Mindjet MindManager Pro 7 and techniques of visual mapping add to the financial bottom line of the environment of use. For the academician the gain is effective formats for enhancing student and faculty information exchange and management. The business system is relieved of information gaps that may affect further expansion of information resources and organizational processing.

The gains to business at all levels are experienced by enabling corporate communications to be

managed from a “master map database”. This master map is the realization of visual mapping as being a “graphical framework for business improvement”, thus adding to the financial bottom line of corporate profit.

BSF: Wallace to summarize what are the benefits as you see it in using visual mapping

WT: Information management, quality system analyses and improvement are but a few of the benefits of using visual mapping to exponentially add to the bottom line of any business function. The financial constraints associated with time management and organizational training is known to be aspects of business and academia that often cause frustration at the base level and financial loss at a higher level. We firmly believe that using tools like Mindjet MindManager Pro 7 and applying techniques of visual mapping to benefit all aspects and functions of any business or academic institution.

Visual mapping will enable you to become a more effective communicator and information manager whom effectively improves upon the bottom line associated with your working environment.

Wallace Tait: Visual Mapper.








Come join us on October 1, 2008 for a full day conference on how to use MindManager Pro 7 and the strategies of intelligent visual mapping to help you to better communicate, manage your information economy, manage projects; to exponentially add to the bottom line of any business or academic organization. The conference will be hosted and led by Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D. and his professional team of preeminent visual mappers. The conferences’ working title is: “Intelligent Visual Mapping: graphical information management, solving your real world problems.” His assembled team comes from such areas as banking, psychology, manufacturing, business management and college teaching. The conference will be held on the campus of the College of St. Elizabeth which is centrally located in Morristown, New Jersey, in close proximity to Newark Liberty International Airport and to Manhattan via New Jersey Transit. The entire team will spend the day sharing their insight and strategies to help you derive the benefits of intelligent visual mapping and to enable you to experience the power of visual mapping as your systematic framework for improvement.




We look forward to meeting you on October 1. 2008; please contact Brian S. Friedlander for conference cost and booking arrangements. To register for the conference click here.

Conference: Intelligent Visual Mapping: graphical information management, solving your real world problems

Date: On October 1, 2008

Time: 8:30 am- 5:00 pm

Place: College of St. Elizabeth

City: Morristown, NJ 07960

Phone contact: 908-852-3460 Email contact: brian@assistivetek.com

We look forward to meeting you on October 1. 2008; please click here to Register for the event.

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Monday, April 14, 2008

Mind2Chart Pricing

Several readers had asked me about the pricing for Mind2Chart and Dennis from Mind2Chart was kind enough to email me the information for this MindManager Pro 7 add-in. Below is a screenshot of Mind2Chart running with MindManager Pro 7. I just installed the trial version and will give you my feedback once I had a chance to use it a little more. So far I found it easy to use and the integration is fantastic!
Pricing
The base price for a single copy will be $79 excl. taxes. Volume discounts are
available:
5-19 licenses $69 each;
20+ licenses $59 each.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Dimdim Now Open to Everyone!

If you are looking for a free open source web conferencing solution look no further then Dimdim. Dimdim which was in private beta is now open to all parties that are interested in setting up an account. Dimdim is a free cross platform web conferencing service where you can share your desktop, show slides, collaborate, chat, talk and broadcast via webcam with absolutely no download required for attendees. I have used it with some of my clients quite successfully. Like all webinar platforms you will need to learn how to navigate your way around- but once you do you will find it a very easy platform to do your webinars in. Give it a try- it is a great way to deliver professional development programs and the price is right:-)

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Mind2Chart-New MindManager Add-in



I just came across a new project management add-in for MindManager 7 called Mind2Chart which I though that you would be interested in learning about. I have emailed the company to see if I can get a copy of the add-in and hope to review it shortly. The text that follows is from the Mind2Chart web site.





With Mind2Chart just a couple of clicks will turn your discussion topics into tasks for plan. Our add-in will display them in the most popular way of graphical representation of projects – Gantt chart.

Mind2Chart add-inlets you:

  • Observe the whole scope of work in your project or selected part of it;
  • Set key dates of the project,schedule tasks;
  • Set any kind of dependencies between tasks, automatically modify plan according to them;
  • Distribute and manage all kinds of resources (e.g. human resources) for the project tasks, take in account resource limitations when planning;
  • Detect problem allotted works, “bottle-necks” of your project, critical path;
  • Get reports about current status of tasks and resource allocation in ready-to-print form;
  • Evaluate the current state of the project completion and obtain information about project progress.

Benefits of Mind2Chart:

  • Complete integration in MindManager Pro 7, no external applications required;
  • Intuitive interface, all common project management tasks are covered, with no redundant extra functionality;
  • No additional information; Mind2Chart operates only with information that is visible and editable with MindManager interface. Your colleagues can work with your plan even without our add-in installed;
  • Two-way instant synchronization with mind map;

Such pleasant details as automatic time calculation, automatic taking into account task relationships and resource capacity, and also elements of analysis, representation of all obtained information on the chart, printable reports – everything that makes planning process as easy and clear like never before.