Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/777459
EdTech Show Daily Tuesday, February 7, 2017 1 2 WIRELESS ALUMINUM KEYBOARD FROM MATIAS Matias is a Canadian keyboard manufac- turer with operations in the U.S.A. and Asia, and distributors around the world. Matias has been making keyboards for more than 15 years, and is especially well known for its Mac-oriented keyboards. Matias started out making specialty keyboards for the assistive technology market (and still does, with its "Half Keyboard" and "Half-QWERTY 508 Keyboard"), but when the mechanical switch based Apple Extended Keyboard was discontinued, Matias had a new role to play: saving Mac mechanical key- board technology for those people who still wanted it. The company launched the Matias Tactile Pro Keyboard, and is still making it 13 years later. More recently, there has been anoth- er hole in the Mac keyboard market – this time involving slim aluminum key- boards. The normal offering is for either a wireless keyboard which does not have a number pad, or a wired full size keyboard with number pad. Matias has finally filled the gap with the launch of its Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard. The Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard is a full size wire- less (Bluetooth) keyboard with number pad that allows you to pair with up to four devices (e.g., Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android phone, PC, etc.) at the same time and easily switch between them, while having a rechargeable battery that lasts up to a year before needing recharging. The Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard is $99, and comes in four beautiful anodized alu- minum colors: silver, space gray, gold and rose gold. With beauty, performance and extra functionality, Matias has created the keyboard that should have been made before now. For more information, go to www.matias.ca or call 905.265.8844 (888.663.4263). NEPRIS BRINGS VIRTUAL INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO YOUR CLASSROOM There are millions of professionals with diverse backgrounds and exciting careers who can bring relevance into the class- room and expose students to careers through skills-based learning. However, teachers don't have the expansive net- work of global connections in the corpo- rate world to connect with these role models when they're needed. Today's teachers overcome the lim- its of time and distance by connecting with STEAM professionals virtually with Nepris. Through these live ses- sions, students can personally engage with the industry expert discussing their career, past education, life-long passions or simply providing real-world rele- vance to the current lesson plan. These professionals open students' eyes to careers and work they never even knew existed, while bringing classroom instruction to life by showing students how their classroom learning is applied outside of school. As Kenny Kaye Hudson, Assistant Superintendent of Special Programs at Royse City ISD in Texas, explains, "One of our driving questions for our students is, how do we help them understand what the real world is like? We live in Royse City, and we've got children who have never been out- side of Royse City. One of the things I love about using Nepris is that it opened up the world. It really did. It opened it up so that we can bring in anybody from anywhere and really pique the interest of the kids." Royse City students have now virtually connected with geologists, NASA scientists, Samsung engineers, botanists from Scotland and even embalmers. Teachers are connecting their class- rooms with employees from AT&T, the Department of Defense, FritoLay, General Motors, NASA, OtterBox, Procter & Gamble and Samsung, so students can partici- pate in mock-interviews, resume prep, career-exploration, live science experi- ments, project mentorship/evaluation, virtual tours of manufacturing plants and more. With topics from aerial map- ping and fashion design to water scarci- ty and zoology, students will never again ask, 'why do I have to learn this?' Teachers can sign up for free at www.nepris.com to browse its video library with more than 2,000 recorded sessions, request a live industry expert or simply join an industry offered session. Visit Nepris at booth #211. INNOFLASK 2.0 PORTABLE BLUETOOTH 4.1 SPEAKER: FEATURES & QUALITY INNOFlask 2.0 is a portable Bluetooth 4.1 speaker designed to stand out in a crowded space. Convenience, quality and style all work together for anyone who wants to listen to music on the go. The INNOFlask 2.0 speaker pairs instantly with any iOS or Android device. It weighs less than 8 ounces, and is housed in a sturdy case that can be tucked easily into a purse, carry-on bag or pocket. The unique carry case opens to create an easel stand that directs sound from the stereo speakers out into the room. Its lithium ion battery provides more than 10 hours of life along with a 10-meter Bluetooth range. The Flask is a genuine stereo product with total separation between left and right channels, so you can enjoy natural stereo sound. The INNOFLASK 2.0 also has a built-in micro- phone for convenient hands- free calling – a feature that's certain to appeal to road war- riors who have meetings all day and then come back to their hotel rooms at night to review their messages and return calls. "If you're in a hotel room, using a head piece is not always the most convenient way," said YoungSe Kim, INNODesign Chief Executive Officer. INNOFlask's $129.95 retail price is another attraction. "Many of the other Bluetooth portable devices in this price range don't offer this kind of quality," Kim said. "We've engineered it to have excellent volume and very low distortion, so it's perfect for people who care about the quality of their sound. This is a great product for those who want excellent sound reproduction and convenience while they're on the road or for those who sit in the garden and listen to music while they're reading or just chilling out." For more information, go to www .innodevice.com. SIGMA SOLUTIONS INCREASES COMMITMENT TO SLED SPACE Sigma Solutions has increased its com- mitment to the SLED space with a num- ber of new investments in training and resources. Scott Monroe, former Leander ISD CIO, has joined the company to lead the newly created SLED Practice, which strengthens its portfolio of advanced technologies that optimize the customer experience. Additionally, Sigma was recently named to the Dell Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) contract providing customers access to more than 1,300 products. With the help of key partners includ- ing Dell Technologies, HP, Intel and Cisco, Sigma Solutions has committed to innovation and leadership in the SLED space by delivering the tools state and local government and education organiza- tions need to modernize their IT infra- structures. Additionally, Monroe's expert- ise as a former CIO will be invaluable as the company continues to build its portfo- lio of government and education-focused offerings. These allow Sigma Solutions customers to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively while keeping up with increased demands for online services. As Leander ISD CIO, Monroe spent more than 20 years overseeing all IT functions for a K-12 organization of more than 42,000 students and staff, including IT networking and operations, data management and analytics, state assessment and accountability, library systems and innovative teaching and learning with technology. "I joined Sigma to utilize my expert- ise to help schools leverage communica- tion and collaboration tools to facilitate engagement and broader access to cours- es and materials," said Monroe, Sigma SLED Practice Manager. "As a former K-12 CIO, I am passionate about helping school districts, in conjunction with our certified engineers, for- mulate curriculum solu- tions that include 1:1 and STEM." Sigma has been participating with partners on jointly sponsored education around key topics including 1:1 technol- ogy, STEM and body cameras. Sigma is also now part of the State of Texas DIR Contract #DIR-SDD-1951 for comput- ers, laptops, tablets, servers, printers, peripherals and over 1,300 other tech- nology products and services. Eligible state agencies, cities, counties and other local governments, public school dis- tricts and public colleges and universi- ties can purchase through DIR contracts and services. About Sigma Solutions Sigma Solutions is the solutions integra- tor of choice for companies needing a technology part- ner that easily transitions from the strategy of the executive suite to the oper- ations of the data center, offering the perfect mix of business acumen and tech- nical expertise to help align IT operations and management functions with organi- zational objectives. Sigma Solutions' local presence and technology skills, combined with busi- ness savvy and understanding of the strategic goals of companies make the company the right choice to help organi- zations leverage IT infrastructure to its greatest advantage. Sigma Solutions delivers IT trans- formation by designing, implementing and supporting data center solutions for companies across all industries. Visit Sigma Solutions in booth #307 dur- ing TCEA's expo. After the show, visit www.sigmasol.com or call 800.895.0500.