Tech Toys

Windham Tech Camp Donna Morton

The world of technology is far greater than the applications on your hard drive. Digital devices (peripherals) can add so many more option. The goal of this session is to have you learn about some of the options you have for input and out put devices and get to use them.

Here are short descriptions of each of the tech toys:

Digital cameras

• • Digital cameras ($199-$900) allow you to capture images and input them into your computer. Once in your computer, they can be cropped and enhanced. Images can be printed out, burned onto a CD, put into slideshows, documents, powerpoints, imovies and webpages. The images can be downloaded by plugging the camera into the serial or USB port, or the memory card can be put into a card reader, taken to CVS or Walmart’s camera center, or the camera can be plugged directly into a TV for display.

• Look for: • Megapixels (see chart for sizes) • Battery type • Zoom optical or digital • Media Storage type/size: http://www.aarp.org/computers howto/Articles/a2002-12-20-ct-understandingmemory.html

• Kodak How To: http://www.kodak.com/US/en/digital/dlc/index.jhtml

Downloading..

Easy as 1..2..3….

Scanners

• Scanners are devices that input images. ($59 $400) You can set the scanner for the type of material being scanner: newspaper, color photo or drawing. You can set them for resolution or quality. Like pictures, once scanned they can be put in documents, e-mailed, put on web pages, slides shows or printed out or burned to a CD.

• http://www.aarp.org/computers howto/Articles/a2002-07-16-scan.html#top

External Hard Drive

• External Portable Hard Drive-($199 and up)Either USB or FireWIre. This device plugs into your computer and stores files similar to a floppy disk or flash memory, but instead of a couple MB, they store Gig’s!

Flash Memory (I wish I had some!!)

• Flash Memory Sticks ($19-$100) USB devices that store files and goes between Mac and PC.

View Cams

• View Cams are used for video ($99)conferencing and making short videos. Two common programs are iChat and iVisit.com. The view cams are now USB or firewire. Students can record and save video messages: welcome to open house!

Electronic Microscopes

• Electronic Microscopes: These allow you to show microscopic images on the computer screen or project onto a wall. The images can be saved to be used for later learning or in presentations and reports by students. ($360)

Midi Keyboard

• Midi instruments are used with a music editing program like “Garage Band” to create and record music digitally for the computer.

iPod

• The coolest and best selling device to store and play music. Listen to your own playlists on the go , record students, download and listen to audiobooks with headphones or even on your car radio.

Digital Movie Cameras

• Look for storage features- DVD, mini DVD or tape • Look for still picture feature • Just plug into a TV to watch or tape to VHS or DVD • Download into iMovie for some fun!!