What teachers should make

I'm sort of on an education buzz a the moment (as I try to inhale manuals again, mashup camp has me hitting the books) which following the Science Week posts make sense. So congratulations Kevin Breathnach, Brian from atrier.com, Pedro Monscooch, Poetbloggs and Johnny Keyes who won.

However things haven't completely stalled on that front. Sinead Cochrane asked what changes would you make to an existing piece of technology? and yes, I do want to see my suggestion made (flashing gnomes are optional).

Of course, combining things would improve an existing technology, so the after effects of the first European Mashup Camp will effect my thinking as well as meeting interesting people and presenters. Also being surprised by some large companies joining the fray.

And speaking of large companies, David Berlind (who set up Mashup Camp) has an interesting wrinkle against the existence of the Kindle, a kind of Fahrenheit 1981.4. Sounds far fetched, well I know one Apple advocate who has turned anti-Apple due to the DRM and legal disputes with iTunes so she can't get music she paid for back. Scary how knowledge could be destroyed.

Going back to education when Adam Beecher posted the the Impotence of Proofreading by Taylor Mali I did a looking searching.

Mali created a poem about what teachers do. About how they inspire and alter the way you think (spot the trend here). Of course, he got something wrong. The video is not what teachers make... its what GOOD teachers make.



and if you're still looking, go see how teenagers talk and should be talking also by Mali.

take care,
Will


tags : mashupcamp, Science Week, Sinead Cochrane, Joseph Johnson, John Herren, Microsoft, David Berlind, Kindle, Fahrenheit 1981.4, Apple, Adam Beecher, Taylor Mali

Best invention in 2007

Today's Science Week question is "In your opinion what was the best invention in 2007".

I've been looking in to this, partly to see what exactly was invented in 2007. The US Patent search revealed a few things ( like this completely not work safe item), ah. No.

With 20/20 hindsight we might declare Bruce Crower's improved engine design the eventual winner. Or given the popularity of Lego as the best invention of people's childhood the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT software as the best.

Given my data loss, I'm tempted to award the linkable USB hard disk as the winner, but no.

As Conor asked "How many people are going to plump for the jesusphone in their posts?" Well no. The iPhone simply has one of the best user interfaces on a touch screen created. However the phone itself , without Bluetooth, may make it illegal to use on the Irish roads (I remember that a wired earpiece is not permitted), so it looses out for legal reasons. But Nokia went one better, and offered something that should be in the next iPhone... touch feedback’ touch screen as reported by Red Ferret.

So there you go, a tiny touch that lets you know you've made a tiny touch.

take care,
Will

tags : Science Week, best invention, 2007, Bruce Crower, Lego, NXT, Apple, iPhone, Bluetooth, Nokia, HAPTIC, touch, feedback, touch screen, Red Ferret

What I want

Well you can never be too rich or have too much data? And today's Science Week question is What invention do you want to see most in the future? I'm sure that there will be flights of fancy, but I want something very simple to make... I might even make one myself.

Oddly enough, what I want is something which could be made today. Findable data. Physically findable data.

Back when I was a kid, there was a tacky toy keyring thing which beeped when you whistled. Its one of those things which seem like a good idea but no one ever really praised it.

Nowadays we have USB memory sticks which hold most of our data.

And I've lost 2 in the past few days.

Can someone combine these two things and make a whistle and beep USB memory stick?
Please?

And if someone finds a USB stick with my CV and interesting pictures from Mash-up camp... Contact me.

Will

tags: science week, invention, gadget, USB, data, memory stick