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Microsoft releases next-generation Office 365 for business and education

On 02/28/2013, in business, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, Microsoft, productivity / tips and tricks, tools, by Daniel Christian

Microsoft releases next-generation Office 365 for business and education

Excerpt:

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 27, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. today announced worldwide availability of a major new update to its Microsoft Office 365 services for business. Microsoft’s most complete Office cloud service to date has new features and offerings tailored to the needs and budgets of small, medium-size and large organizations. In addition to updated Microsoft Lync Online, Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft SharePoint Online services, business users can now get the rich Office applications they are familiar with, on up to five devices, delivered as an always up-to-date cloud service. Office 365 features enhanced enterprise social capabilities with SharePoint and Yammer today, and Lync-Skype connectivity for presence, instant messaging (IM), and voice by June. The new Office 365 service is available today in 69 markets and 17 languages and will be available in an additional 20 markets and 16 languages in the second quarter of this year.

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Ecosystem economics, strategies for getting your app discovered, and a Developer Economics Portal — from visionmobile.com

On 02/05/2013, in Apple, business, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, economics, Google, Microsoft, mobile learning, mobile technologies, platforms, programming, workplace, by Daniel Christian

The new basis of competition and the superiority of ecosystem economics — from visionmobile.com by Michael Vakulenko

Also see:

The changing landscape of app discovery — from visionmobile.com by Andreas Pappas

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VisionMobile - The changing landscape of app discovery

 

Also see:

 

DeveloperEconomics-Feb2013

 

Also see the following infographic from
OnlinePhDPrograms.com

Making Money with iOS Education Apps

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Grad student turns heads in Norwegian schools with technology-charged pedagogy [Brandon]

On 01/16/2013, in attention, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, Europe, ideas, memory, Microsoft, pedagogy, student-related, by Daniel Christian

Grad student turns heads in Norwegian schools with technology-charged pedagogy — from beditionmagazine.com by DC Brandon; with thanks to brian k (@iEducator) for posting this on Twitter

Excerpt:

Salerno says using video games in the classroom is a sure-fire way to get students excited about learning. She used the example of a social studies unit that students are taught in Norwegian schools. In one particular unit, they usually read a textbook chapter about famous explorers. In the game-based version of the unit, textbooks may be used but are not relied upon.

So how does she incorporate video games into a social studies lesson?

She uses a Microsoft product called Kodu, although she says there are many other software products that could be used, like Minecraft and Little Big Planet.

She breaks the unit down like this (from the perspective of a student):

  1. Choose an explorer to profile
  2. Research the explorer’s history online and in textbooks
  3. Create game map (games require planning to be successfully built)
  4. Create game details and missions, mark out important plot points
  5. Build world
  6. Build in characters and plot in the form of missions
  7. Demo game to classmates on “gameday”

 

Also see:

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Example slides from ECAR’s 2012 Annual Study of Students and IT [Educause]

On 12/18/2012, in Apple, education technology, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, Google, IT in HE, Microsoft, open courseware and systems, simulations, student-related, tablets, by Daniel Christian

ECAR2012

 

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Example slides from today’s presentation:

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 ECAR2-2012

 

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ECAR3-2012

 

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 ECAR4-2012

 

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ECAR5-2012

 

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ECAR6-2012

 

 

From DSC:
I also support one of the questions which, paraphrasing, asked, “Do you pulse check students’ expectations?“

 

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Over the top: the new war for TV is just beginning [Patel]

On 12/05/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, analytics, Apple, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Bring your own device (BYOD), business side of he, changing business models, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, corporate / business world, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-publishing related items (EPUB and more), e-readers, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, future, game-changing environment, Google, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, internet, K-12 related, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, learning spaces, machine-to-machine communications, media/film, Microsoft, mirroring and/or multiple devices, multi-touch, multimedia, Near Field Communication (NFC), New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new business models, online learning, online media, online tutoring, participation, personalized/customized learning, play, smart classrooms, smart/connected TV, social learning / networks, social media, streams of content, technologies for your home, telecommunications, telepresence, television, training / L&D, transmedia, trends, ubiquitous learning, user experience (UX), using teams, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Over the top: the new war for TV is just beginning -- from The Verge by Nilay Patel -- November 12 2012

 

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 Future of TV

 

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The Living [Class] Room -- by Daniel Christian -- July 2012 -- a second device used in conjunction with a Smart/Connected TV

 

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From DSC:
I’m beginning to wonder if many of us will be moving off of Moodle, Sakai, Bb Learn, Desire2Learn, etc. to platforms and ecosystems that are being created by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.  Rockstar professors on “primetime” — or anytime. If that happens, you can be sure there will be teams of specialists creating and delivering the content and learning experiences.

 

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Tech wars/changes/opportunities occurring in the living room

On 12/03/2012, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Apple, Artificial Intelligence/Agents/LLMs/and Related, Asia, convergence, emerging technologies, Google, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, Microsoft, smart/connected TV, by Daniel Christian

Living room wars — from tnl.net by Tristan Louis

Excerpt:

Control of the TV screen is seen as a major step in the next iteration of computing. The field can be divided between hardware manufacturers, content providers and end-to-end players who are looking to provide a complete solution. The net result is that while everyone is trying to get into every other player’s field, the emerging winners may not be the ones who grab most of the headlines.

Also see:

  • The four screens — from tnl.net
    Excerpt:
    The battle for digital supremacy is increasingly being waged on 4 different screens, with much of the focus in the computing industry being focus on 2 of them. When one looks at the expanding field, however, the dynamics may be radically different than expected.

 

Addendums/see:

 

 

From DSC:
What might H2O-like functionality look like on a Smart TV?

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H20 from Harvard Law

 

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From DSC:
What educationally-related apps could something like ScreenBee address?

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Top 10 connected TV interfaces (as of Nov 2012 per FierceCable.com)

On 11/21/2012, in A/V -- audio/visual, Apple, convergence, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital video, emerging technologies, Google, human-computer interaction (HCI), Learning from the Living [Class] Room, Microsoft, smart/connected TV, by Daniel Christian

 

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From DSC:
Eventually, this will lay a solid foundation for what I’m calling “Learning from the Living [Class] Room.”

 

Also see:

  • HEVC is game changer for multi-screen and IPTV
    Excerpt:
    There is an industry consensus that HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding), the draft compression standard, will have a dramatic impact on the industry thanks to its ability to eventually halve bit rates compared to MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), the current encoding Gold Standard that it will complement but ultimately succeed. And as with all encoding, if you create sufficient extra coding efficiency to halve bit rates then you can also choose to leave bit rates the same but double picture quality, or turn the bandwidth/quality dial to any point in between. Encoder vendors are working towards deployments of the new codec as early as next year, probably starting with multi-screen TV services and fixed line IPTV.
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  • Indra Sistemas SA : Connected TV: Gateway to the job market for the disabled
    Excerpt:
    Thanks to this standard, researchers of the Visual Telecommunications Application Group (G@TV), through the Indra-Adecco Foundation Chair, are developing a television platform in which people with various disabilities can access services such as distance learning and job offers. It will also enable employers and the public to obtain information about disability and the integration of the disabled into the workforce.
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Microsoft Research shows a promising new breakthrough in speech translation technology [blogs.technet.com]

On 11/12/2012, in emerging technologies, languages and translation, Microsoft, by Daniel Christian

Microsoft Research shows a promising new breakthrough in speech translation technology — from blogs.technet.com

Also see:

 

 

 

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Microsoft announces Windows 8, Surface tablet

On 10/25/2012, in human-computer interaction (HCI), Microsoft, mobile technologies, multi-touch, platforms, tablets, by Daniel Christian

Microsoft announces Windows 8 and Surface tablet

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Microsoft unveils Windows 8, Surface tablet — from finance.yahoo.com/Reuters

Excerpt:

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp launched its new Windows 8 operating system and Surface tablet on Thursday in a bid to revive interest in its flagship product and regain ground lost to Apple Inc and Google Inc in mobile computing.  “We’ve reimagined Windows and we’ve reimagined the whole PC industry,” Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer told Reuters Television.  Windows 8 devices and the company’s new Surface tablet, which challenges Apple’s popular iPad head on, go on sale at midnight on Thursday.

Microsoft’s Windows 8 Test: Courting Consumers — from WSJ.com by Shira Ovide

Excerpt:

The software giant on Thursday formally introduced the touch-oriented overhaul of the operating system that powers nine out of every 10 computers in the world and goes on sale Friday. Microsoft’s new Windows 8 is widely viewed as a test of whether the PC-era kingpin can become a factor in new-wave mobile devices—not just tablets but convertible devices that can operate in clamshell or slate-style modes.

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Mapping the entertainment ecosystems of Apple, Microsoft, Google & Amazon [Spencer]

On 10/18/2012, in Apple, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, corporate / business world, e-books, Google, media/film, Microsoft, music, television, vendors, by Daniel Christian

 

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From DSC:
Entertainment-related ecosystems now…but educationally-related ecosystems could be coming up next…

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The convergence continues

On 09/22/2012, in A/V -- audio/visual, convergence, emerging technologies, future, innovation, media/film, Microsoft, smart/connected TV, by Daniel Christian
The future of Microsoft’s Xbox? Interactive “TV” — from readwriteweb.com by Mark Hachman
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The future of Microsoft’s Xbox appears to be moving briskly toward interactive TV,
based on a high-profile hire of CBS Entertainment’s former television chief and the
launch of two interactive TV “programs” that tap into Microsoft’s Kinect peripheral.

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1.5 million homes cut the cord in Q1 2012 — from videomind.ooyala.com by Greg Franzese

Excerpt:

Americans continue to gobble up online video, watching almost 35 hours a week across all connected screens.

Nielsen’s Cross Platform Report for the first quarter of 2012 found the average TV consumer is watching six fewer minutes of traditional television per day, but overall viewing continues to grow as more people watch TV content online. (Our Online Video Index data shows a similar trend, as people watch more movies, sports and TV shows online.)
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50 interesting ways to use Skype in your classroom [Dunn]

On 08/24/2012, in Daniel S. Christian, digital video, Microsoft, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

50 interesting ways to use Skype in your classroom — from edudemic.com by Jeff Dunn

Excerpt:

I’m a so-so fan of Skype. I’ve used it on an infrequent basis and have had more than a few dropped calls. Audio and video alike. However, it’s a cheap way to make long distance calls and seems to work better over wi-fi and the video quality is improving on a regular basis. So therefore it’s probably a great tool for the classroom. But how can you use Skype to do more than just make calls? Well, there’s a pantload of interesting ways! Check out these fun ideas:

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From DSC:
And for “Skype on steroids”, consider using Blackboard Collaborate:

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Blackboard Collaborate - Skype on Steroids

 

 

From DSC:
I created this graphic, so I ask for
mercy from you lawyers  at
Microsoft and/or at Blackboard! 🙂

 

 

Also see:

 

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A collection of resources re: the new Microsoft Office; involves the cloud, mobile computing, tablets, social and more

On 07/17/2012, in cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, digital learning, education technology, Microsoft, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multi-touch, tablets, by Daniel Christian

8 things to know about the new Microsoft Office  — from inc.com by Christina DesMarais

Microsoft starts integrating Skype into Office — from techcrunch.com by Frederic Lardinois

Next version of Microsoft Office puts emphasis on subscriptions with Office 365 — from techcrunch.com by Frederic Lardinois

Licensing is the Achilles Heel for the new Microsoft Office — from techcrunch.com by Alex Williams

Microsoft’s new Office: The cloud finally takes center stage — from cnet.com by Mary Jo Foley
A public preview of Microsoft’s coming Office 2013 client is out today. But Office 365 and SkyDrive are the real stars of the new Office show.

New Microsoft Office taps into the cloud — from cnet.com by Lance Whitney
Like Windows 8, the new version of Office will let you sign in with an online account, providing you with the same settings across different devices.

The new Microsoft Office — in pictures –– from cnet.com

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http://news.cnet.com/2300-10805_3-10012965-15.html

 

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New Microsoft Office to embrace Windows 8 touch-screen tablets — from cnet.com by Lance Whitney
Demoing the applications in the new Office suite today, Microsoft emphasized the ability to integrate with Windows 8 using taps and other touch-based gestures.

Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 to be bundled on all Windows RT tablets

Hands On: Microsoft Office 2013 and Office 365 — from PCMag.com by Jill Duffy

New Microsoft Office ropes in Skype, Yammer, SkyDrive — from gigaom.com by Barb Darrow

What the new Microsoft Office gets wrong — from fastcodesign.com by Austin Carr
Microsoft unveiled a preview of its latest version of Office, and the design is a schizophrenic mess. Here’s why.

Office 15: Microsoft’s Best Bet For Beating Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive — from FastCompany.com by Austin Carr
With one billion Office users worldwide, the newest upgrade to Microsoft’s productivity suite could give the company a significant hold on the cloud, which Gartner estimates will become a $149 billion industry by 2015.

 

 

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Potentially, some great educational applications/implications of Microsoft’s recent purchase

On 07/11/2012, in A/V -- audio/visual, Daniel S. Christian, human-computer interaction (HCI), learning spaces, Microsoft, multi-touch, multimedia, smart classrooms, smart/connected TV, by Daniel Christian

Microsoft buys CNN’s Magic Wall maker — from CNN.com by Erin Kim

Excerpt:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Microsoft is adding a magic touch. Microsoft said Monday that it has agreed to buy Perceptive Pixel Inc., which makes large, multi-touch displays, including CNN’s “Magic Wall.”

CNN's John King used the Magic Wall for his coverage of the Michigan and Arizona primaries this year.

CNN’s John King used the Magic Wall for his coverage of the Michigan and Arizona primaries this year.

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Why Did Microsoft Buy Giant-Touchscreen-Maker Perceptive Pixel?— from readwriteweb.com by Brian Proffitt

 

From DSC:
I could easily see a “video wall” in the Smart Classrooms of the near future, integrating this technology and more. Intel’s incorporated/captured such a vision as well in this piece here.

I would like to see such a mechanism be able to obtain files from students, check them for any viruses/malware, and then distribute the files to other students (if they choose to receive the files).

 


 

 

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[Report] Developer Economics 2012 – The new app economy [visionmobile.com]

On 06/22/2012, in Apple, business, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, Google, marketing/social marketing, Microsoft, platforms, programming, tablets, by Daniel Christian

[Report] Developer Economics 2012 – The new app economy –– from visionmobile.com

Excerpt:

Here’s just a sample of the key insights and graphs from the report – download the full report for more!

The new pyramid of handset maker competition.
In the new pyramid of handset maker competition, Apple leads innovators, Samsung leads fast-followers, ZTE leads assemblers and Nokia leads the feature phone market. Apple has seized almost three quarters of industry profits by delivering unique product experiences and tightly integrating hardware, software, services and design. Samsung ranks second to Apple in total industry profits. As a fast follower, its recipe for success is to reach market first with each new Android release. It produces its own chipsets and screens – the two most expensive components in the hardware stack – ensuring both profits and first-to-market component availability.

Tablets are now a mainstream screen for developers.
Developers are rapidly responding to the rising popularity of tablets: our Developer Economics 2012 survey found that, irrespective of platform, more than 50% of developers are now targeting tablets, with iOS developers most likely (74%) to do so. This is a massive increase over last year, when just a third of developers (34.5%) reported targeting tablets. On the other end of the spectrum are TVs and game consoles, with fewer than 10% of developers targeting those screens.

Survival of the fittest has played out within 12 months.
Whereas 2011 was the era of developer experimentation, 2012 is shaping up as the era of ecosystem consolidation around iOS and Android. Developer Mindshare is at an all-time-high 76% for Android and 66% for iOS. Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” model explains how BlackBerry, BREW, and Bada (Samsung) have lost Mindshare by failing to compete in terms of user reach, which is by far and consistently the top platform selection criterion for developers. In 2012, developers used on average 2.7 platforms in parallel, vs 3.2 in 2011, a clear sign of consolidation. The trend is further evidenced by declining IntentShare scores for most platforms – apart from mobile web and Windows Phone.

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