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Ben W unpacks the world of APIs. He touches on their purpose and what they mean for the personal user. "The biggest reason to use APIs is to avoid re-inventing the wheel as a software developer. You're probably not going to build your own fully-featured mapping application, so if you need a map in your software, it makes sense to integrate Google Maps or OpenStreetMap. You don't want to build your own credit card processor (trust me), so it makes sense to use Stripe. You're going to have a hard time building a market of millions of enterprise software users, so you're going to piggyback on Slack. And so on. APIs present a pragmatic solution that allows us to build on other software while saving on short-term costs. They're not a magic wand, but used wisely, they allow us to build entirely new products and services. And maybe - just maybe - they will allow us to take control of our digital lives and build a new kind of internet."

Easy application for instant financial decisions, find the cash loan by apply online. Installment loan repayment available with poor credit.

As the post-PC era moves from interesting theory to cold, hard reality, one of the most pressing questions is: How can we use tablets, and especially the iPad, to help people learn? Most of the focus has been on ebooks replacing textbooks, a trend fueled by Apple's recent updates to iBooks. Specifically, the company released iBooks Author, a tool for creating immersive ebooks on the desktop. Plus, the new iPad is now the first tablet with a retina screen, making reading and watching multimedia on the device even more enjoyable. But technology is only as good as the system it's applied to. Much like a fresh coat of paint will not improve the fuel efficiency of a '69 Mustang, the application of technology to a broken system masks deeper problems with short-term gains.

"WhenInTime is a web application that enables its users to create, view, explore, share and contribute to interactive digital timelines on the topic of their choice" ... including timelines composed from data feeds like Twitter

"An application that turns mouse movements into a modern art. The idea is that you just run it and do your usual day stuff at the computer. Go back to IOGraph after a while and grab a nice picture of what you've done!"

Many of our staff have access to iPads and are keen to use these as part of their teaching. Some are exploring the use of Google Docs, some are exploring the Ultranet and some are exploring other options. The question of privacy and security of information was raised with regards to access to information that is stored within 'the cloud'. This lead to me completing a bit of an investigation of DEECD and Victorian Government policies on where we stand with regards to storing information online using Google Docs, Evernote and other web based applications.

"With all these direct applications for learning, it's easy to justify using mobile devices in school. But what real and lasting effect will they have on the "formal" learning equation?" As we introduce mobile learning devices to students, we must avoid a mechanised education horror. It s time to remember the rich and complex nature of learning.

Sqworl is a web application that provides a clean and simple way to visually bookmark multiple URLs

Could this be a productivity boost?

"Once launched, the ArduSat (Arduino - satellite) will be the first open platform allowing the general public to design and run their own space-based applications, games and experiments, steer the onboard cameras to take pictures on-demand, and even broadcast personalized messages back to Earth."

Blockly is a web-based, graphical programming editor. Users can drag blocks together to build an application. No typing required.

Veracode Security Blog: Application security research, security trends and opinions » INFOGRAPHICS

A basic screen cast of how to create and share digital portfolios using Evernote. What you will learn is how your students can create these digital portfolios in Evernote and share them with you. This enables you to have access to their work and work samples. Great assessing tool and record keeping application.

ost people use Microsoft PowerPoint to create presentations, however there are many other tools which enable creation of more dynamic presentations. One such example is the Prezi web application which is well known for its unique zooming UI. Similarly, Impress.js is a JavaScript library and a free alternative to Prezi. Unfortunately, Prezi comes with a huge price tag and Impress.js can only be utilized by developers. If you are a lay user who wishes to get the functionality of the aforementioned tools to create more innovative presentations, then try Infinite Canvas. As the name suggests, it is a web based canvas which can be used to add images for creating slides which can be zoomed (in and out) like Prezi and Impress.js.

A rising competitor in the VC application area