Kick Start: New Edtech Tools for Your BYOD Classroom

The TabSync is a new product from Aver. It’s a mobile charging cart that can house and charge up to 32 iPads at a time. Each iPad slot is padded for protection and measures .96,” which should fit almost any iPad case. The TabSync features LED lights that let you know when the iPads are charged and ready to go. It also includes a wall mount attachment for security and 2.1 amp charging power from a single power cord. The TabSync offers three additional outlets on top of the cart to power a MacBook, document camera, etc.

Manage Mobility and Smith Micro Software are partnering together to create a wireless connectivity and device management solution for K-12 schools that are launching or managing mobile learning initiatives. The Connection Manager is designed specifically for education and will allow school administrators to set policies that prioritize wireless networks, enabling students to connect securely with the push of a button.

The Connection Manager will automatically connect to preferred networks and will also notify students when they are approaching their 3G or 4G data limit. It will also force the device to connect to Wi-Fi once the limit is exceeded.

The new Connection Manager is a component of the Wireless Campus Manager education product and it will be available for deployment in the 2013 fall school year. It works in both BYOD and 1:1 environments and offers K-12 schools asset management, procurement, device imaging, logistics, and help desk solutions as well as turnkey bundles that add additional features such as mobile device management (MDM) and learning management software (LMS).

The Amplify tablet is marketed as an all-in-one solution for 1-1 environments in K-12 classrooms. What sets this tablet apart is that it comes fully loaded with education tools that can be customized. The Amplify tablet can come with Kahn Academy learning videos, textbooks, quizzes and more.

• Customized Android tablet, similar to ASUS MeMO Pad ME301T
• 10-inch class device
• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
• NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core CPU with 4-Plus 1 architecture and 12-core GPU-Crystal-clear 5MP auto-focus camera with back-illuminated CMOS sensor
• 178-degree wide-viewing angle IPS panel
• Lithium-polymer battery providing up to 8.5 hours of battery life on a single charge
• One-year manufacturer’s warranty, with optional extended warranty and theft and damage warranty

DisplayNote is an app that allows teachers to share content with their class across multiple devices. A teacher with an iPad can push out content with live annotation to any tablet, smartphone or Internet-enabled device. Students can then interact with that material. The DisplayNote works with Mac, iOS, Android and Windows. Teachers control their presentation via a laptop or desktop computer that is hooked into an interactive projector or display. Or, they can present via their tablet so they can roam the classroom. Students can annotate over the content and choose to keep the notes private or share with classmates. Integrated whiteboard tools allows you to write or draw over any kind of media.

The LearnPad ClassView is a Web-based classroom tablet management tool. It serves as a window for educators to view and control student tablets. The ClassView allows you to monitor student activity by allowing you to see each tablet’s screen. It gives the teacher the ability to lock or suspend devices or groups of devices, push out lessons and receive low battery alerts. The ClassView allows teachers to send private messages to individual students who may need more help or a reminder to stay on track. It works with any PC, Mac, laptop or tablet and also allows teachers to push out content from any of the classroom tablets to a whiteboard or display at the front of the classroom.

Google announced it will expand its education offerings to include the Nexus tablets later this year. Google will also launch Google Play for Education, a place where teachers can download educational apps, books and videos, making the Nexus tablets a great choice for a 1-1 or BYOD learning environment.

• 7” 1280x800 (216ppi), HD IPS screen
• 198.5 x 120 x 10.45 mm
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, NFC (Android Beam), 32GB + Mobile data version only: Unlocked GSM/UMTS/HSPA+, 32GB + Mobile data version only: GSM/EDGE/GPRS (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 32GB + Mobile data version only: 3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz), 32GB + Mobile data version only: HSPA+ 21 Mbps
• Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
• 16GB or 32GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less), 1 GB RAM, NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor
• 1.2MP front-facing camera

The Belkin Store and Charge is a mobile device management solution that allows you to charge up to 10 devices at a time. Tablets, e-readers and thin laptops all fit inside the Store and Charge and the units fit comfortably on a mobile classroom cart or A/V rack for easy movement between classrooms. The Belkin products uses the mobile devices’ own charging cable or adapter to power the device, making the solution itself device agnostic, which is important in a BYOD environment where students may need to charge a variety of devices. The Store and Charge also features surge protection.

Here you can see the back of the Belkin Store and Charge where up to 10 devices can be plugged in at a time. The inside of the unit also offers a cord management feature to keep wires from tangling.

The Belkin Air Protect case is a tough, military tested tablet case that uses closed cell foam to absorb the shock of a drop. It’s designed to withhold the daily wear and tear imposed on a mobile device in the education environment. It’s available for the iPad 2,3,4 and the mini and it comes in black, green or blue. The case fits in most charging carts and can be used in a 1-1 environment.

Gumdrop cases are built to withstand drops. The case fits snugly like a second skin and includes a snap on integrated screen protector. There are even port covers for additional tablet protection. The cases are available for the iPad 2,3,4, and 5 as well as the iPad Mini, Google tablets, The Microsoft Surface, Asus tablets, the Kindle Fire, the Nook and Samsung tablets.

The Toshiba Protege Z10 is a convertible tablet Ultrabook. It’s a 2-in-1 device that offers students the convenience of a mobile tablet and the functionality of a full Ultrabook. The Protege runs a Windows 8 operating system and offers 10-finger, capacitive-touch and an anti-glare, fingerprint-resistant, IPS display with Corning Concore Glass. It has a variety of ports including HDMI and is powered by Intel Core processors with vPro technology.

The Microsoft Surface is designed to be an ultra-light, thin tablet. It features an integrated kickstand for hands-free viewing of couse content. It has rear and front-facing LifeCam cameras. The rear camera is angled 22 degrees so that it looks straight ahead when the device rests on the kickstand. The Surface comes with a colorful spill-resistant keyboard and has several ports including a full-size USB port, microSD card slot and an HD A/V out port.

The Panasonic ToughPad tablet is built to handle the sometimes rough and tumble environment of a K-12 classroom. It features a Windows 8 operating system and can withstand extreme heat and dust. It’s also water resistant should any student spill during class.

• Windows 8 Pro 64-bit (with Windows 7 downgrade option) - Third-generation Intel Core i5vPro Processor
• MIL-STD-810G, 4-foot drop and all-weather IP65 dust and water resistant design
• 10.1-inch, HD daylight-readable, 10-point multi touch + digitizer The thinnest and lightest fully-rugged, 10.1–inch, Windows 8 tablet
• USB 3.0 + HDMI ports; optional dedicated GPS; Serial, Ethernet, MicroSD or second USB port
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and optional 4G LTE or 3G Gobi

The Dell Latitude 3330 is a good option for schools that don’t want to go the tablet route because it’s still compact enough to be carried from class to class.

• Intel Celeron 1007U Processor (1.5GHz, 2M cache)
• Windows 7 Home Premium, 64-bit, English
• 2GB2 DDR3L at 1600MHz
• 320GB 5400RPM Hard Drive
• Intel HD Graphics
• 1 Year Basic Hardware Service with 1 Year Mail-in Service
• 3.9 lbs
• Dell recommends Windows 7 Professional

The Acer Iconia W5 is a tablet that functions in three unique ways. It’s a tablet, but with its keyboard dock it becomes like a laptop. You can also twist the display when docked to share your screen. It has 18 hours of battery life, more than enough to get through the school day.

• Windows 8
• Intel Atom Z2760, 1.50 GHz, Dual-core (2 Core)
• 2 GB memory, microSD Card
• 64 GB Flash memory capacity
• 10.1” screen, 1366 x 768 resolution
• IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n
• HDMI port
• 18 W power
• Height: 0.3”, width: 6.6”, depth: 10.2”, weight: 1.28 lb

At ISTE 2013, Samsung announced the commercial availability of its Smart School Solution, which is a fully integrated, interactive classroom package that pairs the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet, display technology and Samsung’s learning management and interactive teaching software. The end result is a student-centric learning environment that lends itself to collaboration. Teachers can push content to their student’s devices and share screens. They can lock down student devices to prevent them from surfing the Web during class and monitor how each student is using the tablet. Teachers can also send private messages via their tablet to students who may need additional help and can receive real-time feedback through interactive polls and quizzes.

The ElitePad is a Windows 8 tablet. It has a docking station accessory that provides the tablet with a keyboard, making the device versatile enough for the education Environment.

• Windows 8 Pro operating system
• 1.80 Ghz dual core Intel Atom processor
• Height: 7”, Width: 10.28
• Under 1.5 lbs
• 10.1”, Corning Gorilla glass 2, 1280 x 800
• Front 1080p HD, rear: 8.0 MP cameras
• SRS audio, digital dual-array microphones
• Up to 64 GB

Enterasys Networks’ Mobile IAM (Mobile Identity and Access Manager) is a BYOD network and management solution that provides security and IT control. Mobile IAM features auto discovery, which allows for the automatic discovery and provisioning of users, devices and access location. It also includes multi-level device profiling, the ability to support multi-vendor networks and guest access management. The Mobile IAM is available as a physical hardware device or as a software solution depending on your needs and preferences. It also allows you to enforce use policies based on user profiles and devices so you can manage who gets access to what material and on what kind of device.

Bretford’s high capacity charging cart for the iPad and the iPad Mini is great for 1-1 learning environments where every student has a device that needs to be powered and ready to use for the next day’s lessons. The cart holds 42 tablets and features separate front and rear compartments that lock to keep devices secure overnight. The high capacity charging cart also features wider slots to accommodate larger iPad cases. It’s available for order in the U.S and Canada on July 1st.

The back of the Bretford charging cart.

SOTI’s MobiControl for education allows schools to manage the mobile devices on their network and helps ensure students use those devices responsibly whether school owned or personally bought. It can be used to to manage tablet, smartphones and laptops and offers Web content filtering. MobiControl also features remote device lock and swipe, app installation, password management, remote control, a content library for managing class materials, Classroom App Catalogue and location aware services.