Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/446933
E d Te c h S h o w D a i l y F r i d a y, J a n u a r y 2 3 , 2 0 1 5 2 0 ESD: Can't teachers and district assess- ment staff write their own content? Or simply buy it? No. 2: They certainly can – from us, even! But many educators want more specific content than off-the-shelf item banks provide. When they start that work, they often discover that there's a lot more to writing quality items and tests than meets the eye. You have to edit for bias, cognitive complexity and a host of other elements. Further, if the items and tests don't support a complete assessment program, all you get is a snapshot of student performance – you're really missing the power and dynamic view that a comprehensive assessment program provides. ESD: You mention analytics. Isn't that really just a fancy word for reporting? No. 2: Oh no! Simple static reports only provide a single dimension of the infor- mation you need to build data-driven instruction. They answer one question at a time, when what decision-makers need Scantron (Cont'd. from p. 1) is a more dynamic approach. Scantron Analytics, our solution, unifies a variety of data sources – without the expense of a data warehouse! – into a single loca- tion. From there, you can use visualiza- tions to really see all the information you have on a student (scores, attendance, discipline, etc) and how that affects the student's performance. ESD: Pick one thing educators should think about when they think of Scantron. No. 2: Well, me, of course! Seriously, though, they should think "assessment and analytics solutions." Our expertise and decades of experience uniquely qual- ify us to help schools get to the end result of student achievement faster and easier. From simple data capture (where it all starts) to test content and delivery to solutions where you can use the assess- ment data you're collecting, Scantron helps you transform the way you approach student growth. For more information, visit www.scan tron.com, call 858.349.9488, email bonni.graham@scantron.com or stop by Room #220E. efficient manner. We are currently one of the only companies in the United States capable of successfully perform- ing the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Retina LCD repairs. At our 84,000 square foot facility, we perform repairs in four of our class 10,000 clean rooms, which creates an environment free of dust and debris, ensuring the highest quality repair possible. We can handle extremely high volumes with ease due to our equipment and technical knowl- edge, and offer the industry's longest warranty on all repairs. ESD: Does AG iRepair offer anything else outside of repair services? JB: Yes, we also offer school districts an extensive line of replacement parts so they can manage their less difficult repairs in house. We support various Apple and Chromebook models, provid- ing replacement parts such as: LCDs, top AG iRepair (Cont'd. from p. 1) cases, keyboards, ac adapters, batteries, plastics, digitizers, glass overlays, hard drives, etc. ESD: What is happening at the AG iRepair booth at FETC 2015? JB: AG iRepair will be located at booth #358 for FETC 2015. We are excited to speak with school districts in need of device repair services who are looking for a solid repair partner. We will be showcasing all of the advantages we offer our customers. In addition, we will have more information about replace- ment parts, especially for Chromebook initiatives. We will also be handing out coupons to receive your first repair for free. If you set up an account with AG iRepair, we will perform your first MacBook Air or iPad screen repair for free. For more information, visit www .agirepair.com, call 888.325.5713, ext.120 or stop by booth #358. CHILD ANGEL LOCATOR PUTS PARENTS' MINDS AT EASE A ground-breaking new gadget will give parents total peace of mind about their child's whereabouts thanks to cutting edge location technology. Child Angel is a small, brightly colored bracelet that uses GPS, GSM and Wi-Fi to deliver highly accurate location readings back to a parents' smartphone or tablet. According to statistics released by the Department for Justice, a child is reported missing every 30 seconds in the U.S. It's every parent's worst nightmare, and something that many worry about on a daily basis. The Child Angel came into being as a result of the personal experi- ence of Founder Andrew Purcell. Purcell lost his young son in a shopping center after turning his back for just a few sec- onds, and without the location tracking technology now available, it was a truly nerve-shredding few moments for the panicked father. Luckily, Purcell was reunited with his son, but his experience led him to search for a product that would help other parents faced with the same situation. Purcell said, "We're thrilled to be launching Child Angel after three years of extensive research and prototyping. After the experience I had in a shopping center, I knew we had to take action and create a product that would give parents the peace of mind whenever out and about with their children. We've utilized cutting-edge location tech- nology and a child friendly exterior to create this portable, lightweight and highly functional bracelet that could help to reunite lost children with their parents." He added, "Once chil- dren are up on their feet, they naturally want to explore the world they live in – we don't want to shackle children or alter their inquisitive nature, we simply want to give parents that extra little confidence that there little ones are safe at all times of day, whether they're playing at home, on a day trip with school, on holiday or at a theme park." The Child Angel has a vast number of features that help to promote child safety. With a smart locator to help zone in on their location and the ability to set up an unlimited number of 'SafeZones' on the bracelet, the Child Angel ensures all bases are covered. The device can be paired with the smartphone and/or tablet of parents, and delivers an alert when a child leaves a SafeZone, or when they remove the bracelet. The bracelet has been designed to be as child compatible as possible, with the option to per- sonalize the face plate with a range of clip-on accessories and coming in cute colors that kids will just love to wear. The rounded edges and plastic exterior make them perfectly safe to wear when play- ing, running, rolling, skipping, jumping and all of the other activities that your lit- tle angel loves to do. For more information, visit www .child-angel.com. MARTIAN WATCHES GOING DEEP INTO VOICE AND NEW DESIGNS FOR 2015 Martian was the first company to put voice command technology on a smart- watch, with its initial product launch in 2013 being named a Best of CES final- ist. Building on a successful sales year for its Notifier smartwatch, Martian has returned to voice and is debuting four new series of smartwatches fea- turing voice command technology. All of its new designs will allow the wear- er to use spoken commands to direct their smartphone's voice command feature, allowing the user, for example, to navigate to a destination, read a text message or answer a phone call even if that phone happens to be in a pocket or purse. The four new series include two for men and two for women, with each available in high-end stainless steel or a nylon/resin case that's offered at a lower price point. While the Martian Notifier was an entry-level smartwatch for young adults, these new Martian Voice Command series are designed to appeal to users ranging from rugged adventurers to the style-conscious urban professional. With advances in smartphone voice technology coming rapidly, these watches now have the capability to control a full range of the smart- phone's functions on both iOS and Android smartphones. "With improve- ments in voice command, next year you'll be able to say, 'Secure the home,' to your wrist, and your phone will know to dim your lights, lock your doors, and lower the thermostat," says Stanley Kinsey, President of Martian Watches. Martian's watches also fea- ture a unique smart alerts system of distinct vibration patterns for eyes-free awareness of what's arriving on their smartphone, and a tap-glass feature that allows a quick recall of the most recent alert. A dozen other fea- tures include an electronic tether app that will alert the user when he walks away from his phone, leaving it behind on a restaurant table, perhaps, and the watch can even activate the shutter on the phone's cam- era for a group photo that's not limited to arm's length. The four series being debuted this year include, for men, the Martian Commander and Martian Aviator series. The Martian Commander features a ruggedized design for out- doorsmen in a 43 mm watch. "It's a very masculine design and, especially with its rugged nylon/resin black body, will appeal to first responders, tradesmen and outdoorsmen: people who work in the field and might find communication easier from the wrist than by pulling out their smartphones," Kinsey said. The Martian Aviator series' 41mm watch features a design that's a little more retro and would be suit- able for either casual or dress wear. Both are offered in either stain- less steel or a black nylon/resin case. For women, Martian offers the Martian Monarch, an elegant and upscale 40mm diameter watch with a jeweled bezel, and the women's Martian Electra series, also 40 mm, which is a sportier but still classic women's design for all occasions. These come in stainless steel or a white nylon/resin case that has a ceramic look to it for the lower end. These watches are intended to retail for approximately $299 to $399 for the stainless steel cases and for about $199 to $249 for the watches with the resin/nylon case. They will be available for shipment in April 2015. For more information, visit www .martianwatches.com.