Benefits of Vehicle Mounts

Many people who work from their vehicles require a computer in their car or truck. Computers that are developed specifically for this use are called car computers, vehicle computers, mobile data terminals (MDT’s), or mobile computers. For anyone who plans to use a computer in a vehicle, they should add a mount to the vehicle. Adding a mount will provide ease of use, better ergonomics, and safety for both the computer and the user. Why would you want a computer mount when using your computer in a vehicle? The answer is simple - you cannot afford not to! A vehicle mount is a must have if you are driving with your computer in the vehicle. Here are some top reasons why mounting a computer in your vehicle is beneficial.

Safety is one of the top reasons to use a computer vehicle mount. Every year over 130,000 people are hurt by flying objects inside vehicles, not just during an accident but during sudden stops, turns and unexpected maneuvers. Your computer, or your employee’s computer, becomes a very dangerous object at unexpected times. The computer itself can be damaged, causing down time and potentially costly repairs.

Ergonomics and ease of use are additional reasons to install a vehicle computer mount. Having the computer in a comfortable and easy to reach position reduces back and eye strain as well as increases productivity. If you use a mobile printer, it can also be mounted keeping everything safe, within reach, and in a professional looking set up.

Group Mobile offers a wide selection of mounting options to choose from. We carry the top brands, including Gamber Johnson, RAM, Jotto Desk and LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD.

Click here for more information on vehicle mounts.

New online groups

When I returned from my secondment, I said that I would re-invigorate the online communities and I've now set up a number of new groups to support various SQA awards. I've chosen Jiglu to host the groups since I prefer this service to Yahoo Groups - but neither one is as good as Smartgroups (RIP) in my opinion. Here are the groups...

There is a group to support the new National Certificate in Digital Media Computing, one to support HNC/D Computing, one for HNC Interactive Media, and one for HNC/D Information Technology. It's straight-forward to subscribe to these groups - simply visit the home page and select "Join space" (left-hand column). Please note that you have to register with Jiglu before you can join a group (or "space" in Jiglu terminology).

The existing groups will continue. There's a generic mailing list hosted by Yahoo (for all Computing-related qualifications), and a dedicated Jiglu group for Internet Safety. I would particularly encourage you to subscribe to the mailing list (it currently has over 650 members) since this is where many announcements are made.

None of these groups replace the traditional means of communication. Every important development will be notified in the usual way (letter to centres and/or e-mail to SQA Co-ordinators). But they provide a uniquely interactive means of communicating with you and also for you to provide support to your colleagues.

Twitter milestone

We got our 400th follower on Twitter today. We started to use Twitter three years ago so that's a reasonable following in a relatively short period of time. In fact, we decided to give Twitter a try after one of our annual team meetings, and it has clearly turned out to be worthwhile.

Of course, I would like more people to follow us, since it's a great way of keeping up to date with what we're doing, so, if you don't already, please follow the team via this link. I promise not to bombard you with trivia. We use Twitter for small updates (such as important news about new IT qualifications) but we don't over-use it.

You can access Twitter via your PC, tablet or smartphone, so it's an easy and convenient way to receive news about vocational Computing qualifications. I hope you choose to follow the team.

HND Graded Units - Update

We are in the process of updating the following HND Graded Unit Specifications:

F0NA 35 Information Technology - Graded Unit 2
DN4N 35 Computing: Software Development - Graded Unit 2
DN4P 35 Computing: Technical Support - Graded Unit 2

Changes to these specifications include amendments to -

1. Conditions of Assessment including minimum marks per stage
2. Minimum Evidence Requirements item detail and marks allocation
3. Conditions of assessment to include marking in stages
4. Instructions for designing assessment tasks
5. Corrected type of Assessment Instrument

We anticipate the amended versions (ie Version 02) will be available for download from the SQA website within the next 2 weeks.

Please ensure that your centre has the most up-to-date version.

Rugged Computer Testing

Rugged computers go through a number of tests to ensure that they meet certain qualifications. These tests can be done in the laboratory, in a natural environment (field testing), or a combination of the two. Rugged computers are typically tested for drops, humidity, low and high temperatures, vibration, dust-resistance, thermal shock, water-resistance, and altitude.

For the drop test the laptops are dropped onto each face, edge, and corner in non-operating mode. Following this test, the computers are checked to make sure they boot up properly. The vibration test is conducted in both operating and non-operating mode. The rugged computers are clamped onto an aluminum plate and endure different frequencies of shaking for a total of one hour. For the water test, the computers are turned on and left open with the port covers closed. The rugged laptops endure streams of water for a total of 15 minutes.

For the humidity test, the rugged computers go through 10 days of temperatures being cycled from 86 to 140 degrees Farenheight, with a relative humidity of 95%. They are checked to make sure they are still operating near the end of the 5^th and 10^th day. For the dust testing the laptops are blasted with dust/sand coming from different directions.

In the high temperature test the computes are subjected to 140 degree farenheight temperatures in operating mode and 160 degree Farenheight temperatures in non-operating mode. In the low temperature test the computers are subjected to -20 degree farenheight temperatures in operating mode and -60 degree farenheight temperatures in non-operating mode. In the thermal shock test, the rugged laptops go through three cycles of extremely high (205 degrees farenheight) to extremely low temperatures (-60 degrees farenheight). This test is performed with the computers in both operating and non-operating mode. The last and final test is the altitude test. The rugged computers are tested at an altitude level of 15,000 feet.

Click here to view a list of fully rugged laptops.

Special CLOSEOUT Pricing on the GD8000! SRP $4,945 - Save $3,025!

The General Dynamics Itronix GD8000 fully rugged laptop is designed for the toughest user and tested to meet, and even exceed military standards. From its the water tight case and shock mounted display, to the ability to withstand 48" drops, it is ready for years of rugged use. The GD8000 featured in this closeout is powered by an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor and features a shock-mounted hard drive with a heater, 1GB RAM, Windows 7, and a 13.3" DynaVue® display with touchscreen for excellent viewability in all lighting conditions. This configuration also has impressive communications capabilities including Bluetooth and GPS. Learn More...

Other GD8000 CLOSEOUT configurations are also available while supplies last! Call for more information or request a quote.

More online assessments are coming

I met with Graeme Clark last week to discuss new online assessments for HNC Interactive Media and HNC Information Technology.

We met with a couple of Computing verifiers to discuss the standards required from the assessments, which will be placed in a large item bank and made available to centres.

The first task is to identify the units/outcomes that can be tested this way and I hope to work on that this week.

The online assessments should be available from January 2008.

This development is funded by ESF.

GLOW and Internet safety

I met with Alan Hamilton, a GLOW Development Officer for LTS, this afternoon to discuss Internet safety resources available to schools via GLOW.

Alan told me that there is a the dedicated GLOW group called Internet Safety and Responsible Use that every teacher is automatically subscribed to, and also two blogs relating to Internet safety, one about resources and one for teachers.

I agreed to use the resource blog to link to the various SQA resources that support our Internet Safety qualification, which includes the entire course deliverable via mobile phone.

GU (Examination) Exemplars

Welcome back, we hope that you have all had a good relaxing break and looking forward to the new academic year. Here's some advanced information on what's happening with the development of the examination assessment exemplars for the 2006/7 academic year -

• We will be removing all previous exemplars from the secure website and these should not be used in a centre after August 2006.
• We have the following examination exemplars in production -

1. 3 assessment exemplars covering HNC Computing
2. 3 assessment exemplars covering HNC Information Technology
3. 3 assessment exemplars covering HNC Interactive Multimedia Creation

At the 18th of August Showcase event, Gillian Leitch (Langside College) will be presenting research that we have been carrying out to e-enabling this facility. So if you managed to book a place at this event for the Solar/e-enabling session then she will be looking for volunteer centres to work with us to roll this out. You may want to consider the volunteering of your centre to undertake the assessment opportunity via an SQA electronic system prior to this event?

Mike Jannetta (0845 213 5473)

We have recently created a number of on-line learning materials as part of an ESF project covering a number of the mandatory units in the HNC Computing. We are interested in persuing this further and are looking to create additional on-line learning materials for the HNC Information Technology. This will be presented at the evnt on the 18th of August and your contact for this initiative and development is Caroline Douglas (e-mail) and her telephone number is 0845 213 5476.

We are also interested in looking at the use of Wikis to assist front-line assessors so is there any centre out there actually using this facility who would like to share this with the rest of the field?

Mike Jannetta
0845 213 5473

Digital Passport in the news

The day I stopped for annual leave, the Times Educational Supplement (Scotland) carried a prominent article about Digital Passport. I was pleased with Julia's article, which seemed to be a fair summary of the strengths and (potential) weaknesses of the new award.

Overall, it was positive and emphasised the originality of the new qualification. The team behind it worked hard to ensure that it captured up-to-date digital literacy skills, and I do think that it is unique in what is covers. One of the criticisms of the qualification in the article is that it mustn't be "too closely linked to a narrow set of skills". That was a major objective of the development team -- to ensure that the qualification embraced high order knowledge and skills that could be transferred to new technologies as they come along.

The units are available now. The group award is available to pilot centres. Contact Hilary for more information about Digital Passport.

Summer work

The summertime is a good time for the team to catch up with all of the things that fall behind during term time. The Computing team, in common with all SQA staff, have standard holidays so we work through the summer, but the place is a lot quieter with many staff on holiday and most centres closed for the holidays. So it's a great time to catch up with unfinished work, and take stock of things.

Last week we had our annual team meeting, when we review the last year, consider the current year, and generally discuss what works and what doesn't. We plan to continue with the satisfaction survey that we started last year, which aims to measure your satisfaction with the service that we provide to centres. Look out for more news about this.

The team are working on a number of projects over the summer including, but not limited to, the HN Review, the e-commerce project, the review of Graded Units, the Computer Games development, and the HN 2.0 initiative.

Gobi Wireless

Panasonic just recently added Gobi wireless to their Toughbook 19, 30, and 52 computers. What is Gobi wireless you ask? Well, let’s take a look at it.

On October 23, 2007, Qualcomm introduced Gobi global mobile internet. Notebooks that have this multi-mode Gobi solution can have access to high-speed mobile internet/broadband services, as well as GPS, in virtually all parts of the world. Gobi-enabled laptop computers unify the most widely-deployed wireless carrier network technologies around the world to deliver global mobile internet. Gobi enables high-speed connectivity to all 3G & Legacy 2G networks worldwide with a single embedded device. The Gobi chips are certified to operate on CDMA2000, UMTS, and HSPA networks worldwide. They provide comprehensive support for all 3GPP and 3GP2 technologies. The embedded Gobi wireless solution includes Qualcomm’s MDM1000 chipset, associated software, and API. EV-DO Rev. A and HSPA are both supported and backwards compatible with the modules. GPS functionality is also included in the chipset.

In the past you would have to order the computer pre-configured with integrated Verizon, Sprint, or AT&T. Now with Gobi, you don’t have to choose. You can switch carriers without having to send the computer back to Panasonic to get it reconfigured. Another pro to Gobi is it’s cost. Compared to Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T integrated wireless options, Gobi cost less.

Group Mobile Adds iKey StreetCase to Product Line

Group Mobile is excited to offer the new StreetCase for Apple® iPad® from iKey. The iKey StreetCase is designed to instantly change an iPad into a rugged laptop. With the click of a button, an iPad easily locks into the durable ABS polycarbonate case, giving the user the protection of an industrial-grade solution at a fraction of the cost. When the iKey StreetCase is closed, the StreetCase fully shields the iPad from drops, vibration, and extreme temperatures. The ikey StreetCase can even be submersed in water without causing damage to the tablet.

The iKey StreetCase has many great features such as an integrated Bluetooth-compatible keyboard that is completely sealed to withstand the elements, and with three levels of red LED backlight, it can always be seen clearly, even during nighttime use. The keyboard has a micro USB charging port built into the case, and can be used for 2 months on a single charge. Along with a fully QWERTY layout, the StreetCase includes iPad-specific hot keys for media controls, search function, home screen and locking. Learn more about the iKey StreetCase...

iPad® is a registered trademark for Apple®.

Links with CIW

We met with Loraine Johnston, of James Watt College, this morning to discuss a new PDA linked to CIW. We currently have a PDA that links to CIW's Foundations curriculum but we have been planning on extending links to include the CIW Site Designer award for some time.

We asked Lorraine to do a mapping of existing units to the Site Designer course a few months ago. The results were mixed -- some coverage but not 100%. So we decided to revise an old unit (Internet: Web Development) to cover the missing bits. The result will be a new PDA entitled Website Designer at SCQF Level 7, which will fully cover the Site Designer curriculum. This might consist of three units:

1. Web Development Essential Content (existing)
2. Web Development Complex Content (existing)
3. Internet: Web Development (revised)

The Site Designer course will not cover all of these units, but we will produce guidance on what extra needs to be done to pick up these units.

Of course, we have to consult on all of this but we know from centre feedback that there is a demand for this award. We hope to have the new PDA available to centres from January 2011. The new PDA (and the associated units) would sit inside HNC/D Interactive Media.

Contact Caroline for more information about the links between SQA and CIW.

NPA Web Design Fundamentals at SCQF Level 5 (G8HD 45) - Support Materials

The NPA Web Design Fundamentals at SCQF Level 5 was created to match the requirements of the vendor curriculum, Digital Design: Foundations of Web Design from Adobe (formally Macromedia). This curriculum provides resources and learning materials which may be used in the delivery of the NPA Unit F181 11 Web Design Fundamentals.

Materials have been donated to support this qualification from Adobe as part of the SQA's DIVA project. CD-ROM copies of the master set of materials for your centre is available for £5 to cover copying, postage and packing. These materials can be ordered using the publication code CB4370 from the SQA Customer Contact Centre (customer@sqa.org.uk).

Getac B300

The Getac B300 is a fully rugged laptop with a 13.3” TFT XGA ultra-bright, sunlight readable display. The B300 also has optional touchscreen functionality. There is an option to upgrade the screen to a 1,200 NIT screen, which is one of the brightest in the industry. As a fully rugged laptop, the Getac B300 has fully sealed I/O caps and doors to prevent damage from solid particles such as dust and waster as well as moisture. Along with a magnesium alloy case, the B300 has a 120GB shock-mounted hard drive that is vibration and shock resistant. The magnesium alloy case is stronger than plastic so it protects the computer if it is dropped. A shock-mounted hard drive means that the Getac B300 can be mounted in a vehicle and the data on the hard drive will be protected. The Getac B300 also offers integrated options such as Bluetooth(standard), optional integrated GPS and optional mobile broadband wireless. The fully rugged Getac B300 also includes security features such as a fingerprint scanner, TPM v1.2 (Trusted Platform Module), and an optional smart card reader. Another great feature of the B300 is that the battery has a life of up to 12 hours. Weighing in at just 7.7 lbs. and dimensions of 11.9” x 10.35” x 2.36”, the Getac B300 qualifies as a top choice for a fully rugged computer.

Impact of IT on learning

I attended one of SQA's occasional research seminars yesterday afternoon. This one was about learners' use of IT. The research was carried out (by SQA) between April and May 2011, and focussed on school pupils and college students in Scotland. The main points I noted were:

• 9 in 10 used their own technology for learning
• just over half felt "very comfortable" using technology for learning
• 2 in 3 used technology for assessment purposes
• 3 in 4 used some sort of virtual learning environment
• 9 in 10 felt technology helped them to learn.

Although students themselves used social media (such as Facebook) for learning, this was pretty limited (such as setting up a Facebook group to discuss homework) and they didn't think social media had a lot of potential for learning.

Teachers were also positive about learners' use of technology, expressing the view that it improved engagement (particularly with less able students), provided access to up-to-date information, and improved learners' IT skills, which they will need for their working and adult lives. Both teachers and learners enjoyed using technology.

It wasn't all positive. Some teachers were concerned about the "cut and paste" mentality among some learners. Teachers also expressed some concerns about students' different levels of access to technology - and the implications for fairness. And they were also a little worried about students' ability to differentiate between the quality of information on different websites. Blocks on access to "useful websites" was also commented on.

Although one of the advantages of using technology in school and college was the new skills students acquire, only 30% of students felt that they were well prepared for using technology in the workplace. Half the students felt "very comfortable" using technology - meaning that half did not. And although 9 in 10 felt technology helped them to learn, only 4 in 10 said it helped them to a "great extent". So there is clearly room for improvement.

We plan to publish the report in the near future. Contact Simon Allan if you want more to know more about this research.

Website Update – Universal Vehicle Mounts

Check out our website at www.groupmobile.com for Universal Vehicle Mounts. We have recently created this section and are constantly updating it with more options and brands such as RAM, Gamber-Johnson etc. At Group Mobile we offer competitive pricing and great customer service. Please call us at 1-866-RUGGED8 or visit our website to place your order today.

SVQ IT Professional Survey - Your help required

Please find below link to a survey on proposals to replace the current SVQ IT Practitioner and Professional qualifications which form part of Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PJTR5KY

Your feedback is much appreciated.

Want a chance to win a $100 American Express Gift Card?

Just visit the Group Mobile Facebook Fan Page between July 27th and August 31st. Post relevant content about any Panasonic Toughbook model and you'll be entered to win a $100 Gift Card.

The winner will be chosen randomly on September 1, 2010 from all posts submitted between 12:01am PDT July 27th through 11:59pm PDT August 31st. The winner will be notified by email and announced on our Fan Page.

For more information regarding rugged mobile computing visit www.groupmobile.com or call us at 1-866-RUGGED-8.

National Certificate Arrangements are now available

The definitive Arrangements for the new National Certificates in Digital Media Computing are now available on the SQA website.

These documents cover levels 4 and 5. Level 6 is under development and should be available by end-year. More information about these awards is available from Angela.

Changes to Unit Specifications and Frameworks

There is a new facility available on the SQA website which tracks all changes made to exisiting HN Unit Specifications and any changes to existing Group Award structures across all subject areas. This could prove to be a useful tool for all practitioners looking to ensure they have the most up-to-date information.

Click here to access.

Internet Safety update

The Internet Safety unit has been very popular in schools and colleges in Scotland -- and across the UK. Infact it's SQA's most popular award in England.

It was originally developed in 2006 as SQA's first "paperless qualification" with digital teaching, learning and assessment materials -- including SQA's first course deliverable on a mobile phone. Thousands of young (and not so young) people have undertaken the qualification. Some schools offer it to every pupil in specific years (such as S2). Many colleges offer it to older students who are worried about such things as identity theft.

But the unit and the associated support materials are now nearly five years old so we plan to commence a minor update on the contents of the unit and the materials. We haven't started this project yet so there is no timeline as yet but expect to hear more in the near future.

Contact Caroline for more information about Internet Safety.

Arrangements Documents - Update

The Group Award structures within each of the following HNC/D Arrangements documents have been updated and can be downloaded from the SQA website from 1st August 2010:

1. HNC/D Computer Games Development
2. HNC Computing
3. HND Computing: Technical Support
4. HND Computing: Software Development
5. HNC Information Technology
6. HND Information Technology
7. HNC Interactive Media
8. HND Interactive Media
9. HNC/D Computer Networking & Internet Technology

Computer games qualifications in the news

Today's Scotsman has an article on the new qualifications in Computer Games Development.

SVQs accredited

The Accreditation Unit formally approved the new SVQs in Using Information Technology today. These new awards will be available to centres from 1 August.



They're based on the new National Occupational Standards, defined by the E-Skills Sector Skills Council, which are more flexible than the previous Standards.



We're also working on revising the Practitioner Standards and these will be available to centres from 1 January 2005.



You can keep up-to-date with developments by subscribing to the SVQ online community. We're working on a dedicated website within the SQA website to support these new awards. Watch this space.

Semi-Rugged Laptops

Semi-Rugged Laptops are typically commercial computers that have been significantly enhanced for rugged use. This normally entails the addition of a magnesium case, a shock-mounted hard disk drive and a spill-proof keyboard.

General Dynamics Itronix GD6000 Vehicle-Rugged Notebook

Designed for mobile workforces, the GD6000 is the only notebook optimized for vehicle deployments. It meets fully-rugged standards for temperature, vibration, dust ingress and humidity. It can also survive punishing 30" drops and comes standard with a spill resistant keyboard, dual task lights and 13.3" outdoor viewable touchscreen display.

Getac S400 Semi-Rugged NotebookThe Getac S400 is one of the most durable semi-rugged notebooks on the market. It features Getac's KryptoShell™ body which allows the S400 to withstand temperature extremes, shock, vibration, and drops from up to 2.5 feet. It features a 14 inch widescreen, sunlight-readable display, a water-resistant keyboard, an integrated webcam, and a Super Multi DVD drive.

Panasonic Toughbook 53 Semi-Rugged LaptopThe Toughbook 53 semi-rugged notebook from Panasonic features a 14" HD LED display, the latest Intel® Core™ processors and an oversizedmulti touch touchpad. This rugged laptop performs like a desktop. Options on the Toughbook 53 include a sunlight-viewable Panasonic CircuLumin™ touchscreen, backlit keyboard, 4G LTE mobile broadband, and vehicle mounting capability.

For more information regarding rugged mobile computing visit http://www.groupmobile.com/ or call us at 1-866-RUGGED-8.

Go-Book MR-1 Price Drop

For a limited time, General Dynamics Itronix has dropped the price on their fully rugged GoBook MR-1 Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC). The price drop applies to their 512 MB models.

Was: $4,450

Now: $2,995

The GoBook MR-1 features an outdoor viewable screen with the new optional patent-pending DynaVue™ technology. This new technology allows for the computer to be used outdoors in the bright sunlight. One important thing to note about the GoBook MR-1 is its light weight (2.0 lbs.) and small form factor (4.8” L x 6.6” W x 1.6”D). Despite its light weight and condensed size, the GoBook MR-1 is fully rugged. This means that its ports are fully sealed to protect it from any outside elements such as dust or water. The hard drive has its own rubber frame that fits tightly and neatly against the metal enclosure and is shock- and impact-protected. The GoBook MR-1 also includes various industry leading optional wireless capabilities like Bluetooth, Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG module for WiFi, and a whole variety of 3G wireless options like mobile broadband wireless.

A variety of secure computing functions are also available with the GoBook MR-1 like the optional integrated fingerprint scanner and the optional SmartCard reader. Take advantage of this great offer while it lasts!

AGM

Our meeting with Colin and Gerry from Scotland's Colleges last Thursday was part of the team's "AGM". Once per year we try to find a day to get away from our e-mails and telephones to discuss more strategic issues.

Our relationship with Scotland's Colleges is clearly one such issue, but we also discussed other things. We reviewed the membership of committees. We run three committees: the Sector Panel for Computing & IT; and the Qualifications Support Teams for NC/NPA and HN/PDA awards. The Sector Panel and the QST for HN awards are OK, but we need more members for the QST for NC awards so please contact Hilary if you are interested in joining.

We make a specific effort at these meetings to review our use of technology. For example, at our AGM in 2009 we decided to use Twitter to communicate with centres (there are now almost 250 followers). In 2010 we decided not to use something -- we felt wikis were not ready for serious use as a collaborative writing tool (at least for our purposes). At this year's meeting we looked at video communication, such as Skype, and agreed to try to use this more often to communicate with stakeholders. We can review the success of this idea at next year's AGM!

Contact me if you have any ideas about how the team can work more effectively with you.

Toughbook U1 & Road Tour

The newest Toughbook product by Panasonic to hit the market is an Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) called the U1. Slightly bigger than a handheld, the Toughbook U1 offers the full functionality of a rugged laptop yet is small enough to fit in one hand. The U1 is a sleek, but functional unit that can run full-blown Windows XP. The Toughbook U1 features hot-swappable twin batteries and the ruggedness of a Toughbook laptop. Some of the integrated options of the U1 include GPS, 3G mobile broadband, a 2 MP camera, and fingerprint and barcode scanners.

The U1 is the toughest product offered by Panasonic. It features rugged features like a solid state hard drive, a magnesium alloy case, sealed ports, and drop spec of up to 4 feet. The design of the solid state hard drive offers more protection from vibrations and less vulnerability to wide temperature variations than a regular hard drive. The magnesium alloy casing on the Toughbook U1 is 20 times stronger than the regular plastic casing of laptops so they can withstand tougher conditions. The fully sealed ports protect the Toughbook U1 from outside elements such as dust, water, moisture, and extreme temperatures from entering the U1. The Toughbook U1 will begin shipping in September.

Panasonic is also hosting a road tour to preview the revolutionary new fully rugged Toughbook U1 UMPC. See the list below for dates and cities as well as further information pertaining to this event.

Introducing Panasonic’s Toughbook^® U1:
The power of a rugged laptop in the palm of your hand!

Come see how Panasonic and our partners are developing new solutions that will help your field personnel increase information accuracy, improve communication and produce more with less.


Also learn about:

• Wireless communication advances using GOBI
• Hot portable products with Intel’s new Montevina
• Indispensable tools to measure Return on Investment of portable products

Tough Tour 2008 Special Lunch Session 12:30 pm-2:30 pm

July 22 July 24 July 29 Aug. 7 Aug. 26

Norfolk, VA St Louis, MO Washington, D.C. Minneapolis, MN Rosemont, IL Boston, MA Atlantic City, NJ Palo Alto, CA Houston, TX

Aug. 28 Sept. 9 Sept. 11 Sept. 23 Sept. 25

Dallas, TX Phoenix, AZ Nashville, TN Anaheim, CA Columbus, OH Ft. Lauderdale, FL Denver, CO Atlanta, GA Seattle, WA

Don't miss the Panasonic Tough Tour Coming to Your Area:
Click on the button below to register for Panasonic’s Tough Tour 2008.

Introducing the Motion CL910 Rugged Tablet PC

The Motion CL910 is a rugged and lightweight tablet built for mobile business. Running Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional and featuring an Intel® Atom™ Dual Core Processor, the CL910 provides increased power and performance while maintaining a battery life of up to seven hours. Weighing just 2.2 pounds, the CL910 offers the capabilities, applications, accessories, and connectivity mobile workers depend on for on-the-go productivity and efficiency.  

  

Dual touch technology enables workers to use a digitizer pen and touch input. The CL910's 10-inch display comes standard with Corning's® break-resistant Gorilla™ Glass to make the device durable enough for highly mobile workers.

The Motion CL910 has a 64GB solid state drive and is equipped with two integrated cameras - a rear-facing 3MP documentation camera and a front-facing 1.3MP web camera. Connectivity features include 802.11 WLAN, Bluetooth®, and a wireless SIM port for advanced communications. Motion offers integrated upgrades for the CL910 including Gobi™ 3000 mobile broadband with GPS capabilities.  

Additionally, the Motion CL910 is expandable and versatile, with docking and carrying options, as well as integrated peripheral modules for extra features like mag stripe and fingerprint readers. Learn More...

Intel Centrino 2 Upgrade on Toughbook 52 and 74

On July 15, 2008 Panasonic Toughbook® announced upgrades to their semi-rugged Toughbook 52 and Toughbook 74. The Toughbook CF-52 and the Toughbook CF-74 will now incorporate the new Intel® Centrino® 2 processors. With the addition of the new Intel® Centrino® 2 processors, the video and graphics capabilities of the Toughbook 52 and 74 have been enhanced significantly. The hard drive capacities have also been increased to 160GB from 80 GB. The Toughbook 52 and the Toughbook 74 are also expanding their Wi-Fi performance to include 802.11 Draft N. The new Toughbook 52 and Toughbook 74 will be available in August.

Comparing qualifications across the UK

It can be confusing comparing qualifications from different awarding bodies and, especially, from different countries in the UK. A colleague sent me this useful leaflet this morning, which explains how the different frameworks relate to each other.
Qualifications Can Cross Boundaries

I thought that you might find it useful.

New Juno T41 Models from Trimble!

Mix and match configurations to meet your needs!

The versatile, fully rugged Trimble Juno T41 handheld is available in a variety of configurations, allowing you to build the handheld computer you need: Android or Microsoft Windows operating systems, Barcode Imager, Smartphone, or GPS collector. Whatever the ideal combination of features and functionality, the Juno T41 is dependable and built to last for years in any environment.

Android 4.1 Operating System:

Android 4.1 (nicknamed "Jelly Bean") is fully operational for all hardware features of the T41 family of products. With Android 4.1, users will appreciate increased battery efficiency, improved security options, more robust Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® and a much-improved, sleek user-interface.

Enhanced GPS:

Enhanced GPS uses SBAS and a GPS Accuracy Algorithm to provide dramatic improvements. Under the correct conditions, Enhanced GPS allows data collection with 1-2 meter accuracy in real-time, while gathering raw data output for post-processing applications. Enhanced GPS can be paired with any other Juno T41 configuration including the basic handheld computer, smartphone, or the 1D/2D Barcode Imager to get extra value out of existing workflows.

1D/2D Barcode Imager: 

Trimble Scan Technology reads a wide range of traditional 1D barcodes, as well as 2D matrix codes. It also digitally captures signatures and images. All of these features are customizable using the Trimble "Scan Agent" application.Omni-directional reading capabilities, along with high motion tolerance, will allow quick, accurate scanning - no matter what the angle or orientation the unit is to the barcodes. The white light illumination with red LED sight line simulates laser scanner performance and provides fool-proof barcode reading in real world conditions: dirt and mud, glass and bright surfaces, harsh and dark conditions, and partially obstructed barcodes or matrices.   

To learn more, configure, and order a Juno T41, visit http://www.groupmobile.com/product.asp/sku=6156, or call 866-RUGGED8.

Digital Literacy

I had a discussion about this NPA with Caroline this morning, and she pointed out the range of materials available to support this small but important qualification. The materials are available on the Digital Literacy homepage.

We have recently bid for funding to develop e-assessments for this award and, if we're successful, the qualification will be fully supported for traditional and online delivery.

Contact Hilary for more information about Digital Literacy.

Possible PDAs in Computing/IT

We have asked Syd Woods (syd.woods@north-gla.ac.uk) to carry out a new look at and research into possible new PDAs within the Computing and I.T. curriculum. We have a number of vendor PDAs available for delivery but we are interested in what other kinds of PDAs (ie bite-size learning courses) that could be created to assist part-time/evening provision in centres. We would be grateful if you could find the time to read over Syd's proposals which he has uploaded to the 'file section' of the HN Computing and IT Smartgroups and offer comments as to which of them you consider could be beneficial, and those which you don’t. His proposals will then be put forward to SQA management who will decide whether they should be taken forward and developed into actual awards. He would also be grateful if you could inform him of any award(s) that you feel could be beneficial that are not on his list. In line with his remit, we asked him to try to keep the duration of these awards to 3 units (not written in stone) for delivery at evening classes, although some are 4 units in length. He is aware that the Web Design unit belongs to the Art & Design curriculum group. Please feel free to offer suggestions on any length of PDA that you consider suitable directly to any of the Smartgroups or directly to Syd (syd.woods@north-gla.ac.uk).

I am sure that you will apprciate that there are a number of initiatives in the 'development stage' and the output of this work will feed into the SQAs development planning for next finanacial year (ie from April). We will be hosting an update event, probably before the end of this calendar year, with the morning covering the current PDAs and the afternoon a workshop session covering proposed PDAs.

We look forward to your continuing support.

Mike Jannetta
0845 213 5473

HN Multimedia - Specifications Modified

We have updated a number of HN Unit Specifications within HN Multimedia Awards. At the Focus Group meetings held in June, we discussed the current Graded Units and the difficulties in defining the standard of the student deliverable(s) through these awards. I stated that we could modify these specifications and take them to the QST (Qualifications Support Team) for authorisation to replace the current versions. I immediately instigated this work and I have just uploaded these new versions in PDF format (they are currently out for vetting) to the HN Multimedia Smartgroup (in the folder New GU Specs). I am seeking any comments before they go forward for QST approval which means that these would be available next academic year.

Mike Jannetta
0845 213 5473

18th August - Showcase Event

The 18th of August Computing & IT Showcase Event is now full and we cannot accept any additional booking as we have reached our quota (re Health & Safety requirements) for the venue.

If this causes a problem for a centre, who haven't registered anyone, then please e-mail me (mike.jannetta@sqa.org.uk) and if there are any cancellations then we will try and get one representative from your centre in attendance. We have 120+ booked to attend!

Mike Jannetta
0845 213 5473

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