Educational Technology Center
Georgia Department of Education
Kennesaw State University
(770) 423-6573
drbrent@speakwisdom.org

Edtech Field Notes #28: Save Money and Go Greener

Suggestions for saving money and going green through stimulus money and new technology purchases.

My expertise is technology and I want to suggest ideas you might consider should you have a chance to spend some money on educational technology in the near future.  This list is not all inclusive; it is intended to spur discussion and the exchange of more ideas on intelligent technology purchases given our difficult circumstances.

Everyone needs to save money and there certainly is a new emphasis in the country on “going green”.  To that end, I created a rating scale for the suggestions I make below, rating each for possible dollar and energy savings.  (1= low, 3=high)

Replacing PCs in the classroom and around the school

 It seems the era of the big box PC, at least in schools, is finally coming to an end.  There are several possible alternatives that are worth considering. 

1.   Consider using netbook PCs – small, very light-weight laptops that consume little power and are relatively inexpensive.  They include a built-in wireless capability and are capable of running Windows XP, Windows 7, Office 2007, and much more.  They can also be used as a thin client. Examples: Eee 1000H, HP Mini series, and more. $$ Savings = 2, Energy Savings=3

2.   New Intel Atom powered PCs.  A number of very low-cost PC chassis alternatives have come on the market that are powerful enough to run Windows XP, Windows 7 and Office 2007, but can be considerably less expensive than a traditional PC.  They, of course, can also be used as a thin-client. Examples: MSI Wind PC, Dell Optiplex FX-160, and more. $$ Savings = 2, Energy Savings=3

3.   Thin client solutions.  There are many possible clients from HP, Dell, Wyse, and others.  Server side solutions include Microsoft Terminal Server, Citrix, and more.  Savings come from reduced energy consumption, the low cost of the device itself, and fewer support personnel needed.  Students and teachers can use applications from home with just a browser.  BTW old PCs make good thin clients, too.  $$ Savings = 2, Energy Savings=2

Server Consolidation (server virtualization)

 This is a hot topic in the computer industry and with good reason.  It is possible to collapse 5 to 10 old servers to one new server using virtualization technologies.  Doing so saves power, real-estate, support costs, and more.  Need to replace old servers?  This deserves consideration.  Solutions include Hyper-V (built into Server 2008 64-bit edition) and VMware.  $$ Savings = 3, Energy Savings=3

Open Source (at least Open Office)

 Bills for software killing you?  It may be time to take a serious look at open source software.  There are many excellent software packages that are free and capable of use within schools and school systems.  The best known is Open Office – and is appropriate because Office 2003 and 2007 are major overkill for most student and teacher use.  Look around, chat with peers, and you are likely to find a number of open-source alternatives to packages you now pay for. There are even excellent firewall/content filter packages out there like Untangle. If you are really a daredevil, check out Ubuntu as an alternative to Windows XP/Windows 7.  $$ Savings = 3, Energy Savings=NA

Wireless N

If you are able to spend stimulus money on new or existing building networks, consider rolling out Wireless N.  You may have struggled with Wireless B and G (who hasn’t?), but N really works and is FAST!  It can be used instead of wire and makes it easy to reconfigure classrooms, offices, and the like. Great with the new netbooks.  Can be used with desktop PCs, too.  ALL the big vendors are doing N now.  Players include Xirrus, Cisco, and more.  $$ Savings = 1 (over wire), Energy Savings=NA

Implement Group Policy PREFERENCES

Microsoft has upgraded Windows Group Policy in a very significant way through Group Policy Preferences.  This new capability finally brings Novell Zen-like capabilities to Windows Group Policy.  One significant feature is the ability to control the power options of Windows XP (and of course Vista and 7.)  Think about all the $$ you could save if your idle PCs went to standby after an hour of non-use (typically they go from about 150 watts of power consumption to about 10 watts).  Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of PCs and you are talking real $$. 

 To implement Preferences, you need to have a Windows Vista or 7 PC or a Server 2008 box around. Preferences are not complicated – easy! Preferences are an active directory enhancement, so work fine from Server 2003 servers. $$ Savings = 3, Energy Savings=3

I could go on, but you get the idea.  Let’s have more dialog about what equipment and software makes sense going forward in these difficult times.  Good ideas, with or without stimulus money, will help assure that Georgia teachers and students have the best technology at hand that we can possibly provide them. 

EdTech Field Notes #27

Treadmill Desk

OK, yes, this Edtech Field Note is way off of my normal notes about Windows, networks, and hardware. However, I think the information presented here might be useful to you, given our hectic times.  Most of us live demanding, stressful lives and could stand to be in a little better physical shape.  To that end, it seems that “treadmill desks” are beginning to get traction (pardon the pun) providing an easy, effective, and enjoyable way to get a little more exercise. And who doesn’t have a treadmill gathering dust in a corner somewhere?

The basic idea is to mount a work-surface to a treadmill, and then use it as your desk as you walk and work.  This idea was pioneered by Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic – and has been featured in national press and TV shows like 20/20.  I decided to give it a try.  Rather than buy a commercial product (do a little Google searching on “treadmill desk” and you will find several), I decided to modify a treadmill I already own (which is what most are doing.) Mine is set up in my office at home – it may be a little early in this trend to get KSU to go for it in campus buildings!   

All it took was a few scraps of lumber, an hour or two of sawing, nailing, sanding, and painting, and waalaa, instant treadmill desk without modifying the treadmill in any significant way!  I’m pretty tall, so I made my work surface high enough that I can comfortably work on a laptop, write, read technical material, etc.  The work surface slides over the hand-holds on the treadmill – and I used a little heavy duty Velcro make sure the work surface stays securely in place. (See pictures)

What is it like to use?  First, Dr. Levine suggests walking at a very slow pace—0.7  to 1.0 miles per hour, the same speed most people walk around in an office area. You never break a sweat, but burn at least 500 more calories each day than someone sitting in a chair. Participants in various studies show weight loss, more energy, better alertness, etc.  I was amazed at how quickly my brain and body adapted to walking while working.  After only an hour or two, I noticed I had become completely unaware of walking while reading and sending email, working on documents, handling phone calls (blue-tooth headset), etc.  As a matter of fact, I’m writing this Edtech Field Notes Monday evening, while walking on my treadmill. So, in fact, it is really easy to do!

Most of us are too busy to exercise as we should, so maybe this idea will help you or someone you know.   

To your health!

Edtech Field Notes 26

Little Laptops Take Off

Ohhh for a laptop that would make one-to-one computing as common as notebook paper! Many of us have watched as manufacturers struggled to make the “Ultra Mobile PC” form-factor fly – with limited success.  The UMPC, as touted by Microsoft, (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/default.mspx ) has really not achieved marketplace traction – and certainly has not found its way to the classroom in a significant way. 

BUT WAIT! About a year ago, Asus released what has become a computing cult hit - the Eee PC 700 series (followed by the 900 and 1000 series.)  Finally, someone gets it – there is a place for a very portable, powerful, inexpensive laptop. In the case of the Eee 700’s, for about $300 you get a very well built little laptop with a 7” display, smallish keyboard, built in web-cam and a lot more. Asus has had trouble making enough of them and has released 9” and 10” display versions, also in short supply, that are a better fit for the classroom!  Other manufacturers have taken note and a slew of little laptops are either in the market now or are about to hit.  Companies like Intel, HP, and Dell have noticed the success of Asus and are scrambling to find the magic combination of features and price that will give them the success Asus has enjoyed.  The small form-factor laptops, as a class, have taken on various names, including “net computers” and “mini laptops”.  I hereby coin “Little Laptop” as an appropriate name.

The Little Laptop Phenomenon

 Many involved with educational technology have longed for the day when one-to-one computing might become a reality.  There have been many attempts at using full-size laptops for this purpose, meeting with varied results.  The big, heavy, fragile, and expensive nature of most full-size laptops has made them less than a hit with students, teachers and school system.  Enter the “little laptop.” Don’t underestimate the potential educational uses for these powerful, yet inexpensive machines.  As an experiment, I have been using Eee PCs (700 & 900) exclusively for all of my work for about the last three months.  Their extreme portability coupled with an ability to comfortably run Windows XP and Office 2007 makes them a good fit for the way that I work.  This article is being written on an Eee PC 900 in Word 2007.

Little laptops with a 9” display seem to be the form-factor that brings together all the features needed for the classroom.  The display is large enough and has high enough resolution to display a full web-page without having to scroll around.  All are in the about $500 price class, including the Eee PC 900 and 901 from Asus and similar models from Intel and HP. Dell is due to release models in August or September.

The Asus Eee PC and similar models from other manufactures typically use flash memory in place of a hard drive – so they are rugged and use less power. My Eee PC 900 has 1GB of RAM (upgradable to 2GB) and 4GB of very fast flash for OS installation and 16GB of slightly slower flash for applications and user data. I have installed Windows XP, Office 2007, Skype, Gtalk, and much more. I added a 16GB SD card (for a total of 36GB of flash) to my Eee PC 900 for all of my documents, email, etc. (I have a lot!)

Little Laptops in the Classroom

Advantages

·         Small, very portable, typically 2 pounds or less

·         Fast enough to easily handle Windows XP and Office 2007

·         Full-size laptop features

·         Flash memory used in place of a hard-drive in most models

·         Webcam – create videos or use if for video chat

·         WiFi and wired network connections

·         Built in speakers and microphone

·         USB and audio jacks

·         Memory card slot (SD)

·         Easily connected to full-size keyboard, mouse, and display

·         Price – you can get a lot for about $500 – and as competition increases, expect prices to fall further.

Disadvantages

·         Battery life is not any better than most full-size laptops – 2 to 3 hours, depending on use.  Extended life batteries are available for most to extend that to 6-8 hours.

·         Small keyboard requires a little getting used to.  Kids handle it fine.

I can absolutely imagine a classroom where little laptops are the primary instructional tool; used for writing, presentations, web-surfing, and more.  Little laptops might also bring an end to those heavy, expensive to buy and maintain paper textbooks, too. 

If little laptops have a future in your school system, I’d love to hear from you and will be happy to share all that I have learned about them.  You may find this link useful in evaluating various little laptops… http://www.umpcportal.com/products/

Keep us all posted!

REVIEWS:

Aric Audio Tube Stereo Preamplifier 2.5 (Preamp)

Many music enthusiasts are not satisfied with the quality of sound from modern solid-state preamps and amplifiers.

Getting “Real” Sound

If you are a music enthusiast like I am, you probably have spent many hours and much money experimenting with various stereo components, trying to find that magical combination that conveys the true sound and emotion of recorded audio.  In your frustrating and expensive search, you probably have become disillusioned with the sound of modern solid-state preamps and amplifiers – they can sound grainy and harsh; Highs can be shrill and middle frequencies muddy.  Not to mention the problem of an overall confused and unstable soundstage presented by a lot of modern gear.

Is there a solution?  Yes – it’s called the vacuum tube!  Sadly, however, most tube gear is expensive!  It’s easy to spend $2,000 or more each on a tube preamp and amplifier (don’t forget quality speakers and interconnects – plan on at least a couple thousand bucks there, too.) If all that is in your budget, then you know what you need to do.  However, some of us would rather not spend an arm and a leg on stereo gear – we have other commitments, too!  But we all want sound that is real (or as real as possible) – that makes your spine tingle and your body shiver in complex, emotional passages.

For those who would like to experiment with tube sound, but don’t want to spend a fortune, there is at least one possible solution.

Aric Audio (www.aricaudio.com), a very small Massachusetts based company, is offering a line of simple, inexpensive, hand-built (by Aric himself), tube preamps that are worth a listen.  Based on the famous, quiet, and excellent sounding 12AU7 tube, Aric Audio offers an opportunity to keep some or all of your solid-state gear, but gain the advantages of tube audio sound. His web site indicates that he uses metal-oxide resistors, polypropylene bypass caps, gold-plated connectors, and other high quality components and construction techniques. 

Aric Audio currently offers three models.  The 1.5 is a single 12AU7 (dual triode) preamp, the 2.5 is a dual 12AU7 preamp, and the 3.5 is just like the 2.5, but offers multiple inputs and a selector switch. All the preamps offer a front mounted power switch, indicator LED, and volume control.  Aric preamps don’t have bass and treble controls. There is no remote control either – that helps keep costs down and the overall product as simple as possible. The price range is amazing - $125 to a little over $200 as I write this!

The simple and attractive chassis of Aric preamps is wood! Aric Audio claims, reasonably, that a wood chassis reduces vibrations – important with tube gear.  It also makes for an attractive, simple package with its gloss lacquer finish and protective rails for the tube(s).  If you are looking for heavy, machined aluminum, steel, titanium or other esoteric stuff, with frilly curves and shiny do-dads, look somewhere else.  Aric preamps seem to be about “real” sound - not the silly (expensive) materials and artwork boxes that so dominate high-end audio today.

Applications

You can certainly connect your CD player, iPod or other source device directly to an Aric preamp and have it drive your existing amplifier.  Doing so gives you many of the advantages of tube audio – a smoother, more realistic sound with just enough tube harmonics and other characteristics to make the sound “natural.”  In my experience, you will enjoy a better defined soundstage with more depth and stability, too.  Vocals will sound like they are coming from human beings and guitars really sound like guitars (what a novel idea!)Don’t worry about frequency response – the 12AU7 (and Aric preamps) typically have a response of 5Hz-50kHz, +/- 3db. 

You can also use an Aric preamp in the tape-loop (processor loop) of your existing solid-state preamp, receiver, or integrated amplifier.  Doing so gives you tube sound advantages, but also allows you switch the Aric preamp in and out to quickly make sound comparisons.  You also retain the remote control capabilities (volume control, bass, treble, and other features) of your solid-state gear.

Experiment – Tube Rolling

It is well known that different brands and production models of tubes have different “sound.”  The Aric Audio 2.5 I purchased arrived with excellent sounding 12AU7s from J&J (Slovakia.)For fun, I purchased some old RCA and Sylvania 12AU7s and gave them a try.  To my ears, the Sylvania tubes I tried are a little less musical – a little harsh at times.  However, the RCA tubes are very open, have well rounded sound and really noticeably improve vocals.  Your mileage may vary, but for a few dollars and some listening time, you may find a set of tubes with a sound exactly to your liking.  The Aric preamps are quite versatile when it comes to supporting various tubes. According to included instructions, 12AT7, 12AX7, 12AU7, 12AY7, and 12AZ7 tubes will all work in an Aric preamp – allowing you to experience the differences that each brings to your overall system. I’m planning to experiment with some 12AX7’s next. There are some very expensive tubes available in the marketplace.  I suggest you try some inexpensive tubes first.  Seek tubes the dealer guarantees and quality-matches for you.

Summary

My years of experimenting and listening experience has convinced me that having an all solid-state system typically leaves music sounding unnatural – certainly less than desirable.  Adding a tube component is the easiest way to add realism, beauty, and stability to your listening environment.  Given its low price, versatility, quality, and performance, Aric Audio preamps are worth your attention.  You probably have more than enough change in your change-jar to afford one! I suggest you try an Aric preamp before he becomes famous and expensive!

Additional Printed Specifications

20db per channel gain

Outboard 20VDC power supply (brick)

100 k-ohm input and output impedance

1 year warranty, excluding tubes

My listening combinations:

Martin-Logan ReQuest Speakers

Acurus A250 Solid-State Amplifier

Aric Audio 2.5 preamp connected directly to the Acurus Amp

Carver CT-6 Preamp with the Aric 2.5 preamp in the tape-loop

Acurus RL-11 Line Preamp with Aric 2.5 preamp in the tape-loop

Assorted CD/DVD players and an Apple TV box

The Author

Brent Williams

www.speakwisdom.com

December 2007