iPhone Developer University Program

This week Apple launched a new free iPhone Developer University Program.  The program was created specifically for "higher education institutions interested in introducing curriculum for developing iPhone or iPod Touch applications".

The program will allow instructors to create student development teams of up to 200 students. Additionally the program will offer development resources, tools for testing, debugging and optimizing, as well as providing various methods for sharing and distributing newly created app, such as the ability to share applications within the student development team via email or private website, or distribute through the App Store.

This program may have very interesting ramifications for the availability of interesting specialized applications for teaching and learning, as well as pedagogical benefits for students to develop real world mobile applications.  The Office of Instructional Consulting will be watching these developments very closely...

For more information: http://developer.apple.com/iphone/program/university.html  

New Versions of MS Office for Mac!

MS Office 2008 for Mac now available!

Although MS Office 2007 for Windows has been available for a while, it's been a long time coming for those on the Mac-side of things, but Microsoft has finally released Office 2008 for Mac. The being made available is Office 2008 Standard and is freely available for all IU affiliates. For the IU community both Windows and Mac versions of MS Office are available for download at the IUware website.

The new version of Office 2008 for Mac has many new features all which bring it up to similar functionality with MS Office 2007 for Windows. This new version is completely compatible with MS Office 2007 for Windows files (docx, xlsx, pptx).

Best,
- IC Staff


UPDATE (02/05/2008):

This IUware installer incorporates a custom fix for the security issue detailed in the following article: Security issue in MS Office 2008 Installer for Mac.

The original installer provided by Microsoft to IUware prior to 02/05/08 did not contain this fix. If you have previously installed Office 2008 you should run this custom installer found here: Office 2008 Standard Security Fix.

Thanks,
-IC Staff

Teach with Tech Podcast: Episode 17

On Thursday I was delighted to join Chris Essex on his Teach with Tech podcast as a guest commentator. In the podcast we discuss the recent MacWorld Expo conference that Chris attended, and focus on the iPhone and AppleTV, which were announced at the keynote. We also talk about how these new technologies might be used by classroom teachers and higher ed faculty.

We also discussed some of our new favorite software packages, some of which we already use, and some that Chris discovered while attending Macworld Expo.

• Toon Boom, Mac/Windows/Linux animation and storyboard software
• Toast 8 Titanium, Mac disc-burning software
• Slick Transitions & Effects, Mac special effect plugins for iMovie
• Civilization IV, a Mac/Windows history/politics simulation game
• Sims 2, a Mac/Windows people simulation game
• SubEthaEdit, a Mac text editor with synchronous collaboration features
• Profcast, a Mac program that allows you to convert your Powerpoint and Keynote presentations into screencasts/videocasts.
  

You can watch the full Macworld Expo Keynote by Steve Jobs.

Also, you are welcome to check out other Teach with Tech podcasts at: http://www.indiana.edu/~icy/podcast/.