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The biggest obstacle to bringing the latest technology into the classroom is always cost. We always state this and generically nod our heads. However, how much exactly does it cost to, say, create an entire iPad lab? Lucky for you, one school system already did the math. Palm Beach County schools created a document outlining the cost and recommended cases for each iPad here. It is also embedded below and definitely wroth checking out. While each school has a different set of needs, this is a good jumping-off point to start thinking about real costs.

1) Flash CS5 – At the moment is probably the most complete solution.  The packager for iOS allows you to compile apps on the windows platform.  If you’ve been using flash you can rejoice in Apple’s latest policy, it performs well, but don’t expect highest performance games, and Papervision to run in here.  No mac required. 2) Airplay SDK – The airplay SDK allows you to create games, and sign your app on Windows PC’s.  I have not tested this solution, but apparently many apps have been created this way. Both these solutions can compile to code that is native to the iPhone right on your windows PC and many apps available in the app store have been created using them. 3) Unity 3D – Game development engine and editor that utilizes Boo and C# and the editor works on both Windows and Mac. 4) Stonetrip S3D – Game develop engine and editor utilizing LUA, the editor runs within Windows. These game engines allow you to develop your apps on Windows, but you’ll need a Mac to test/compile. 3) Appcelerator Titanium – This is a good solution, and has a very popular and vibrant community.  Apps are limited in performance because while they can be compiled as native apps and sent into the app store they are html/javascript based. 4) Genuitec MobiOne – This is an interface designer that uses the Phonegap framework to deliver native functionality.  It only runs on windows.  HTML/Javascript based. These solutions allow you to create apps using web technologies (HTML/CSS/Javascript) and then run them through an Objective-C framework that responds to actions within a UIWebView, thus allowing you to access native functionality on the iPhone.  These frameworks are free. 5)Dragonfire SDK – An interesting option that allows you to develop apps using their SDK on windows.  Then you send them your uncompiled source which they compile and you download the compiled iOS application file.  I’ve been asked if this means they get a copy of your uncompiled source code.. I couldn’t tell you that, I just know that you have to upload your code for compiliation to their website — but hey you wanted to develop iPhone apps on Windows.  Overall this is a wrapper, I like the syntax and it’s pretty popular so I’ll mention it.

Larva Labs presents a home screen that creates a meaningful hierarchy out of your information. Built for Android-based handsets, our home screen is designed for heavy phone users and people struggling with information overload.

The infrastructure of our computer technology can be overwhelming. My computer's infrastructure gets more complex each year, and all this complexity requires attention. Upgrades and security modifications. The need to change passwords for many accounts, and the need to keep my list of passwords up to date, synchronized across all my computers. The need to reboot, defragment, do continual scans for viruses and malcontent software, the need to renew batteries and accounts. Backup files. It seems that every day I spend considerable time on the infrastructure. Because the ability to maintain infrastructure is seldom designed with care, each simple activity can become daunting. Each new device purchased requires installation, complete with registration, agreeing to unread but undoubtedly onerous legal conditions, and finding space and sockets for all the communication and power cable. Did I mention that these invariably require stopping all work, saving everything, and rebooting, after typing in a long, complex registration number? I should have.

Infrastructure is taken for granted. It is time it is given as much attention as the primary applications, else maintaining the infrastructure will itself become our primary activity.

It is time to work on infrastructure. It threatens to dominate our lives with ugliness, frustration, and work. We need to spend more time on the designs for infrastructure. We need to make it more attractive, more accessible, and easier to maintain. Infrastructure is intended to be hidden, to provide the foundation for everyday life. If we do not respond, it will dominate our lives, preventing us attending to our priory concerns and interests and instead, just keeping ahead of the maintenance demands.

Earlier this year, OLPC workers dropped off closed boxes containing the tablets, taped shut, with no instruction. “I thought the kids would play with the boxes. Within four minutes, one kid not only opened the box, found the on-off switch … powered it up. Within five days, they were using 47 apps per child, per day. Within two weeks, they were singing ABC songs in the village, and within five months, they had hacked Android,” Negroponte said. “Some idiot in our organization or in the Media Lab had disabled the camera, and they figured out the camera, and had hacked Android.”

Children there had never previously seen printed materials, road signs, or even packaging that had words on them, Negroponte said.

“If they can learn to read, then they can read to learn.”

Microsoft’s research-oriented FUSE Labs launched a new, student-oriented social network last weekend

So.cl has been designed for students studying social media to extend their educational experience and rethink how they learn and communicate. They can build posts with many elements—photos, video, text, and more—and share them with colleagues. They also can find students with similar interests and build communities around specific educational goals. So.cl might even give students the ability to create their own social tool, customized for their own community.”

A pair of MIT Media Lab alums have come up with a do-it-yourself kit for making smart environments. David Carr and John Kestner, partners in the industrial design firm Supermechanical, have developed a small, durable, inexpensive remote sensor node, and an easy-to-use web app that turns data from the sensor node into timely information. The system, dubbed Twine, lets you tie everyday objects into your digital life.

Twine is a palm-size block of rubber that contains a WiFi node, temperature sensor and accelerometer. It’s powered by two AAA batteries or a mini USB connection. And it has a port where external sensors can connect. The initial external sensors are a magnetic switch, moisture sensor and a breakout board for building your own sensor. Supermechanical is also considering an RFID reader, pressure sensor and current sensor.

In all, Ice Cream Sandwich is a generous complement of clever features. The OS immediately elevates any phone past other Android competitors that may be considered for purchase. Voice dictation still falls far behind iOS, but aside from that and the vastly better selection of apps available for iOS, Android is easily just as enchanting to use, and markedly more robust.

If you have ever entertained that seemingly laughable thought of installing anti-virus software on your mobile phone, you are not alone.

A few months ago, Kaspersky Labs discovered two Trojan-SMS malware that masqueraded as media player apps for Android devices. Once installed, the malware can send premium SMSes costing US$6 ($7.70) each without the user's knowledge.

the money is still on computers, and cyber criminals follow the trail of money. The increasing number of people using smartphones is a factor, but not a big one yet. There are some banking services on mobile platforms, but the majority of consumers still use computers to access banking services

Information on hangouts can also be pushed to Facebook and Twitter.

The startup was initially funded by Spring Singapore for $50,000 and it recently raised US$500,000 in seed funding in September. It has received backing from big names in the global technology scene. Joichi Ito from venture fund Neoteny Labs, who's also chief executive of Creative Commons and an early investor and board member of Twitter, and Batara Eto, who is co-founder and former chief technology officer of Mixi, Japan's largest social network, have joined foound's board of directors and advisory board respectively.

Today Adobe is launching an experimental Flash-to-HTML5 conversion tool called Wallaby. The tool takes content created with Adobe's Flash Professional and converts it to HTML5

Wallaby