Bett Show Report
Last year for my first ever Creative ICT news page I published my own Bett show awards based upon what I saw when I visited the show. A number of people commented positively on that article, so for the second year running, here are the Creative ICT Bett show awards.
First off, although the show was busy and as big as usual, it seemed to me that there was little that was completely new. Interesting developments, a few tweaks and some good resources, but noything that really stood out from the crowd. Unless you counted the Oculas (http://www.theoculas.com/). This weird podlike object resided on the Riverdeep stand. Origianlly designed as a luxurious games console which blocks out all external stimuli, this very lack of distraction means that the developers are looking at its educational potential. Clearly they haven't been looking at school budgets!
Best Piece of Hardware
Last year I gave this to Intellidesk and this year there were anumber of other producers displaying desk units with built-in pcs. However, the best product for schools I saw was a very simple innovation that has the potential to get around a massive problem for schools: namely, stolen projectors. Sahara showed a brand new projector with a removable security unit which disables the projector completely; a bit like the removable facias of car radios. You just need to make sure that your local criminal fraternity understand that your projectors are no longer worth nicking because they won't work. Add a three year bulb warranty for education and a competitive price, and I think they are on to a winner: http://www.sahara-products.com/main.php
Best Curriculum Software
I was quite taken by Mindjet's MindManager software: the best concept/mind mapping software I've seen in a while. It works excellently on Tablet pcs and it links to Office documents impressively easily. You can buy it with elcs, but may be a touch expensive for the school market? www.mindjet.com/eu
Many of you may be familiar with Memory Map. It's a tool that is used primarily by outdoors enthusiasts to plan routes, look at topography etc. It's a brilliant piece of software that will take a digital Ordnance Survey map and give you a 3d image of the landscape and the ability to fly through it. For those of you that want it, it also links with GPS systems to give you accurate positional readouts. What I hadn't realised about Memory Map is, how cheap it is for schools to use. Until the end of Feb, you can order Memory Map for any area of the country that you want with a teacher's resource pack and waterproof paper for printing maps onto for £105.95 Oh, and that includes a 35 user licence. It can be bought with elcs and as such it is such good value for money that it gets my vote for the best curriculum software. www.memory-map.co.uk
Best Freebie
In the words of Lizzie Wray, Ict co-ordinator at Chorlton Park Primary School, "There were slim pickings this year". However, undeterred, I cadged a nice laptop bag from SMC for saying nice things about their ethernet over power product: apparently you can run ethernet connections over the mains (as long as it is on the same ring main). Potentially very useful for anyone wanting to link a mobile classroom to a network without going to the expense of digging up the playground.
However, as anybody who knows me will testify, I am always very close to my stomach, and best freebie goes to Naace for the excellent buffet they put on to celebrate schools achieving Naacemark. In order to qualify for this freebie, however, you need to be a member of Naace. Recently they announced an institutional membership plan. For your money, you get the weekly Naace newsletter, the quarterly magazine, reduced rates on Naace conferences such as the annual primary conference (held in December - see my report) and of course, free entry to the Naace lounge, the one area in the Bett show that you are guarnteed not to get hassled by sales people and you won't have to queue for three hours to get a cup of coffee.
Best Free Resource
There were some interesting developments going on at the BBC, not least, the amazing piece of software they were using in conjunction with a web cam. Basically, you waved a specially printed card under the camera, and it interpreted the card into a 3d character. The character could be moved around simply by moving the card. Once you added a few more cards, hence, a few more characters, they could be made to interact. Very impressive, and there must be some interesting educational applications for this???
Best resource however, goes to a Government Department (unlikely, I know), but, step forward the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and their great collection of websites:
www.artisancam.org.uk My personal favourite
Roll on Bett 2007!
Comments