SAN FRANCISCO– Apple® today introduced the iPad, a revolutionary device for browsing the web, reading and sending email, enjoying photos, watching videos, listening to music, playing games, reading e-books and much more. iPad’s responsive high-resolution Multi-Touch™ display lets users physically interact with applications and content. iPad is just 0.5 in. thick and weighs just 1.5 lbs.— thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for the iPad, and will run almost all of the over 140,000 apps in the App Store. iPad will be available in late March starting at the breakthrough price of just $499.

“iPad is our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “iPad creates and defines an entirely new category of devices that will connect users with their apps and content in a much more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.”

iPad features 12 next-generation Multi-Touch applications. Every app works in both portrait and landscape, automatically animating between views as the user rotates iPad in any direction. The precise Multi-Touch interface makes surfing the web on iPad an entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate than on a computer. Reading and sending email is fun and easy on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard. Import photos from a Mac®, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s elegant slideshows. Watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD or flip through pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple’s new iBookstore while listening to your music collection.

iPad runs almost all of the over 140,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for your iPhone® or iPod touch®. The iTunes® Store gives you access to the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 11 million songs, over 50,000 TV episodes and over 8,000 films including over 2,000 in stunning high definition video. Apple also announced the new iBooks app for iPad, which includes Apple’s new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile device. The iBookstore will feature books from major and independent publishers.

Apple also introduced a new version of iWork® for iPad, the first desktop-class productivity suite designed specifically for Multi-Touch. With Pages®, Keynote® and Numbers® you can create beautifully formatted documents, stunning presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas. The three apps will be available separately through the App Store for $9.99 each.

iPad syncs with iTunes just like the iPhone and iPod touch, using the standard Apple 30-pin to USB cable, so you can sync all of your contacts, photos, music, movies, TV shows, applications and more from your Mac or PC. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

iPad’s brilliant 9.7-inch, LED-backlit display features IPS technology to deliver crisp, clear images and consistent color with an ultra-wide 178 degree viewing angle. The highly precise, capacitive Multi-Touch display is amazingly accurate and responsive whether scrolling web pages or playing games. The intelligent soft keyboard pioneered on iPhone takes advantage of iPad’s larger display to offer an almost full-size soft keyboard. iPad also connects to the new iPad Keyboard Dock with a full-size traditional keyboard.

iPad is powered by A4, Apple’s next-generation system-on-a-chip. Designed by Apple, the new A4 chip provides exceptional processor and graphics performance along with long battery life of up to 10 hours.* Apple’s advanced chemistry and Adaptive Charging technology deliver up to 1,000 charge cycles without a significant decrease in battery capacity over a typical five year lifespan.**

iPad comes in two versions—one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G. iPad includes the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi, and the 3G versions support speeds up to 7.2 Mbps on HSDPA networks. Apple and AT&T announced breakthrough 3G pre-paid data plans for iPad with easy, on-device activation and management.

Continuing Apple’s dedication to designing and creating environmentally responsible products, each iPad enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy-efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iPad contains no brominated flame retardants and is completely PVC-free.

Apple today released a new Software Development Kit (SDK) for iPad, so developers can create amazing new applications designed to take advantage of iPad’s capabilities. The SDK includes a simulator that lets developers test and debug their iPad apps on a Mac, and also lets developers create Universal Applications that run on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model. iPad will be sold in the US through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers. International pricing and worldwide availability will be announced at a later date. iBookstore will be available in the US at launch.

*(Apple tested wireless battery life by browsing web pages and receiving email over an AirPort® network, never letting the system go to sleep during the test, and keeping the display at half brightness. This is a typical scenario of use on the go, resulting in a battery performance number that is very relevant to mobile users).

**(A properly maintained iPad battery is designed to retain 80 percent or more of its original capacity during a lifespan of up to 1,000 recharge cycles. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings).

www.apple.com/ipad/

by Apple, Inc.
Press Release / NEWSWIRE

Most children want cell phones or skinny jeans. Not iPods anymore, because “everyone” has one. They really should upgrade, or add something new.

They have just made a new iPod nano that has a video camera and picture access, but it hasn’t made a huge wave. Even though the commercial was cool and catchy.

When they made it less expensive no one bought it because, most people like to buy expensive stuff so they could show off. I think Apple should come up with a new device, something that will make kids want to go to the store and buy it.

Most kids don’t even touch their iPods after they get it. I happen to own one and I don’t really use it anymore. In fact, I haven’t even bothered to charge mine!

iPods used to be the coolest thing but that is no longer true.

by Alinda A., 5th Grade
Editorial Assistant / THE LION LEDGER

The new Windows is a much better operating system than its predecessors– most notably, Windows Vista. And although you don’t need to rush out and upgrade this week, when it’s time to buy a new PC, Windows 7 will be a welcome change.

Vista was the operating system that sent me screaming from Windows and over to Apple computers years ago. It was slow, didn’t recognize some of my computer’s peripherals and drove me to distraction with its constant security warnings.

Windows 7 fixes these problems and adds goodies, from simple interface improvements that I’ve written about before, to making more complex tasks such as home networking and managing information easier.

I’m not switching back from the Mac, but for those devoted to Windows, here are some of features to look forward to:

• LEANER: Windows 7 doesn’t come bloated with programs for tasks such as e-mail, scheduling and photo editing. These applications can be downloaded for free, but they are no longer bundled in. Admittedly, some users will see this as an inconvenience, but others can rejoice that they don’t have to weed out versions of software they might not use and just install the Microsoft apps they want.

• ORGANIZED: Windows Explorer, which is the browsing system that shows the files, folders and drives on a computer, now includes a feature called “libraries” along the left column that lets users find files by type. Each library subject–such as music–combines all the files of that type no matter which folder or drive they’re in.

• CONNECTED: Networking with Windows 7 is still underwhelming, but better. A new feature that Microsoft has made a big deal about, called HomeGroups, streamlines sharing files and printers among PCs on a home network, but I found the process still more complicated than it needs to be. A setup wizard leads you through each step, but you must enter a long, complicated password to add new computers to the HomeGroup.

• FLEXIBLE: The popular programs from players such as Apple (iTunes), Mozilla (Firefox) run fine in Windows 7, but users of more niche software should be covered thanks to the new “Windows XP mode” included in some versions of Windows 7. XP mode runs a version of the older operating system inside Windows 7, but the feature requires a computer with more memory, hard-drive space and a specific type of processor.

• SWIFT: Windows 7 worked faster for me on a PC that previously ran Windows Vista. Windows 7 booted up faster, opened up programs quicker, and woke up from sleeping swiftly. I’m not going to pretend I can offer you the definitive benchmark tests with metrics on the speed of Windows 7. But I can testify things ran noticeably faster in the world of Windows 7.

There are several editions of the new Windows, but the one that will interest most home users is the Home Premium version, which costs $120.

Vista owners can upgrade and easily keep their files, settings and programs intact. But upgrading from XP is a nuisance because it requires wiping the computer’s hard drive–after backing up all your data–installing Windows 7 and then restoring all the backed up data. Microsoft offers an “easy transfer” wizard to help, but it moves only files and not entire programs.

The XP-to-Windows 7 upgrade is so arduous that Microsoft even recommends on its Web site getting professional help. If you’re not sure whether your computer will run Windows 7 well, visit www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7 to check the minimum and recommended requirements or download and Microsoft’s upgrade adviser program.

Technology reporter Stanley A. Miller II tracks news and trends, from the coolest new gadgets to the latest stuff on the Web on his blog, Gear, Games and Life Online: www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/stanmiller.html

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© 2009, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Visit the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel online at: www.jsonline.com
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

by Stanley A. Miller II
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / (MCT)

MCT is a joint venture of McClatchy and the Tribune Co.

Somewhere – perhaps in Chicago, maybe in Paris, possibly in Tokyo – the 100 millionth system in the Nintendo DS™ franchise has been shipped to a distributor or a retailer as of March 6, 2009. The combined total sales of 100 million Nintendo DS systems, Nintendo DS Lite systems and Nintendo DSi™ systems represent a significant milestone in the life of this franchise, which is still going strong.

Below is a related press release this month, directly from the Nintendo PressRoom.

*NOTE: Make sure to take our “Speak Out!” Survey and tell us which video game system(s) you have at home!

from Staff Reports
News Team / THE LION LEDGER

NINTENDO SYSTEMS ACCOUNT FOR 58.4% OF VIDEO GAME HARDWARE SOLD IN MARCH

April 16, 2009– Nintendo’s Wii™ home console and the Nintendo DS™ portable video game system comfortably led U.S. sales in March, according to data from the independent NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the United States. Pokémon™ Platinum Version for Nintendo DS emerged as the No. 2 video game of the month, with nearly 805,000 units sold.



Wii tallied sales of nearly 601,000 in March, while Nintendo DS sold more than half a million, even in advance of the April 5 launch of the new Nintendo DSi™ system. Both Wii and Nintendo DS extended their lead as the best-selling video game systems of this generation.



”Nintendo systems accounted for 58.4 percent of the video game hardware sold in March, more than all other systems combined,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Consumers continue to be attracted to the wide range of software available and the great value of Nintendo systems.”



Four games published by Nintendo finished in the top 10 best-sellers of March. These include Pokémon Platinum Version at No. 2, Wii Fit™ at No. 3 with more than 541,000 sold, Wii Play™ at No. 8 with more than 281,000 sold and Mario Kart™ Wii at No. 9 with more than 278,000 sold.



Early U.S. sales of the new Nintendo DSi hand-held system are ahead of those for Nintendo DS Lite, according to Nintendo’s internal tracking numbers. In its first week, Nintendo DSi sold 435,000 in the United States. After the same amount of time on the U.S. market after its launch, Nintendo DS Lite had sold 226,300 systems. These numbers demonstrate that the Nintendo DS brand remains strong, and that consumers continue to look for the best new experiences on their portable video game systems.



So far this year, video game industry revenues are on par with 2008, but Nintendo remains a key driver. Without Nintendo products, the industry would be down 14 percent for the year, according to the NPD Group.



For more information about Nintendo, please visit: www.Nintendo.com

“I had a student remark that he couldn’t read my notes,” Bowers said.
His fellow classmates fessed up, too. Bauer’s notes were hard to read. They were in cursive.

Over the past decade, teachers and secondary students across the country have reported a trend that their parents and grandparents could scarcely imagine:
The millennial generation is increasingly cursive illiterate.

The digital age has pushed to the periphery a penmanship skill used for generations. The world of personal computers, e-mail and texting has rendered the handwritten note an anomaly, something that many of today’s students get only from grandparents.

Some parents complain that their middle schoolers can’t sign their names.

Cursive–the long, flowing style of penmanship in which the letters are connected–is taught to youngsters letter-by-letter in daily drills. Teachers in California’s Elk Grove, Folsom-Cordova, Sacramento City, San Juan and Twin Rivers unified school districts report teaching it.

However, cursive instruction is not state-mandated, nor is cursive fluency tested as a California standard. So emphasis on penmanship varies from district to district and school to school.

Many students can’t read it, and many more can’t write it, either.

Despite its marginalization, cursive is still a state educational standard in California. Kids should be able to legibly write in cursive or joined italic lettering by the third and fourth grades, the state says.

“I love teaching cursive, so it’s hard to let it go, but with the priorities of No Child Left Behind, it’s almost being forced out,” said Elizabeth Wihtol, who teaches third grade at Twin Rivers Unified’s Pioneer Elementary School.

A few days ago, Wihtol wrote a lower case cursive “r” on an overhead projector and showed her class how to make the letter.

The room was quiet. The children lowered their heads as they practiced. One boy, a lefty, stuck his tongue out in concentration.

“It’s fantastic how the words connect– it’s so different in cursive,” said Alyssa Dallman.

“Once you know how to write cursive, you know how to read it,” said Hunter Jurkovich. He could now decode the “secret” cursive notes his older sister writes.

But while cursive fluency often makes elementary kids feel like grown-ups, this rite of passage often loses its currency once kids hit middle school, teachers say.

Middle and high school teachers receive word-processed assignments uploaded to Web sites. Pupils mastering complex content may be more of a priority than perfectly formed cursive script. Fluency dries up.

“Unless you use it, you lose it,” said Susie Schaffer, a retired third-grade and English Language Arts lead teacher at Folsom Cordova Unified.

She thinks cursive needs to be emphasized beyond one or two years of elementary school. “People are beginning to realize that children are graduating with atrocious or illegible handwriting,” she said.

Mark Bradley, an English and U.S. history teacher at Rio Tierra Junior High, said it takes his students longer to read something in cursive than when each letter is written separately– also known as block or print. And he added that they groan when asked to write in cursive.

“It’s a bit like going for a root canal for them,” Bradley said.

On a recent impromptu writing exercise, in which time was an element, of 65 students, only one wrote in cursive. The rest of the essays were in block, he said.

He then posed a question to his students: “If I paid you by the word to write something in a hurry, would you use cursive?”

Of those same 65 students, only two said they would.

Bradley also said he’s noticed that his fellow teachers–those about 10 years younger–tend to write in block letters.

“It’s been a slow change over time, but accelerated by word processing and texting,” Bradley said.

Some cursive proponents say the problem is exacerbated by teacher credentialing programs that no longer train potential teachers on cursive instruction.

What will happen when the next generation of teachers arrives, some of whom can no longer read nor write cursive?

Frances van Tassell, associate professor in the University of North Texas department of teacher education and administration, said she fears future teachers will no longer be able to teach cursive because they will not have mastered it. As a sort of remedy, she emphasizes cursive mastery and instruction in her program.

Van Tassell’s emphasis is rare, according to a recent study by Vanderbilt University professor Steve Graham, noted in a November 2007 Newsweek article. He found that only 12 percent of the elementary teachers he surveyed had taken a cursive instruction course.

So, is cursive fluency a 20th century cultural hang-up or a necessary skill? That’s up for debate.

“Who, when several generations have chosen the keyboard over cursive, will be able to read handwritten love letters or historical documents?” asked Dennis Williams, the national product manager for Zaner-Bloser, an education publisher that produces a popular cursive instruction curriculum.

Patrick O’Neill, assistant principal for academics at St. Francis High School in Sacramento, said cursive is a necessary skill.

“If (our students) can’t read or write cursive, there will be parts of the world they will not be able to access,” O’Neill said. “They have to be able to access all the forms of communication available today.”

According to the College Board, when the SAT added a handwritten essay to its 2006 exam, just 15 percent of the almost 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive. But those who did earned slightly higher scores.

Other studies show that learning cursive helps children’s brain synapses to develop because it requires fluid movement, eye-hand coordination and fine motor skill development,” said van Tassell. “It’s like certain kinds of music.”

Bradley said that his students who prefer print may lose out on “time efficiency” compared to their counterparts who choose cursive, but he doesn’t think cursive fluency is necessary anymore.

“In everyday life, most (students) don’t come across cursive,” he said. “Even those who have a wide skill set tend not to have that one as part of their repertoire.”

Mira Loma High School senior Molli Carlson said she rarely encounters cursive except when her grandmother sends her a card.

Classmate Haylie Casey agrees. “I see it on Christmas cards or birthday cards,” she said.

And how do they reply? …in print.
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© 2008, The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.).
Visit The Sacramento Bee online at: www.sacbee.com
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

by Melissa Nix
McClatchy Newsapers / MCT CAMPUS

[this story is made available to you from our partnership with the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services, using their "MCT Campus" newswire service for school newspapers]

MCT is a joint venture of McClatchy and the Tribune Co.