Make an App link directly to the iTunes Store

If you have ever wondered how to create a link that takes the user directly to the iTunes store, go to iTunes Link Maker. Here, you can find the App, Audiobook, Music, Podcast, or whatever you are looking for. Once you find it, there will be some basic information about it and a link. That takes you to a page where you can copy an paste the direct link, or create a small/large icon or just the text. Then all you have to do is cut and paste that information and use that on your website.

Find my iPhone

Do you worry about these little $200+ devices slipping out of sight? Well I do and here is a partial solution that I found. Ok, so it is a little late since iCloud is right around the corner, but you can use Find my iPhone to track your iPod Touch's. Go to Settings (or straight to mail if an account hasn't already been set up)/ Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Then click Add Account... and choose MobileMe. If you have iOS 4.2.1 or later, it will ask for you username and password. I put our school iTunes account information in and that worked. Then it prompts you to turn on Find my iPhone. Say Yes. Now go to any computer and go to https://me.com/find. Use the same iTunes account to log in and voila! You will see a map with pretty accurate details as to where your iPod Touch / iPad is. You can do this for several devices at once. I have about 20 so far and no problems. The device has to hit WiFi for it to be tracked. If nothing else, it could be a very good deterrent for sticky fingers in a school. Enjoy.

iOS 5 just around the corner

I just read a nice article about the new iOS 5 coming this fall. It seems like some helpful items for the classroom my be in store as long as the network and proxy's will cooperate. Being able to upgrade and sync straight from the device may remove that extra step which can be confusing if you've never done that before. Although many of the updates are phone specific, it does seem that there will be a new chat feature that could be used for some collaboration... your in the classroom and you student wants to go to the library. Well, send them a chat that it is time to come back ; ) Ok, maybe not so good for bathroom breaks. My favorite update on the list... click and hold any word - anywhere - and access its definition. I can be typing in notes, click on the word that I just typed and get the definition to see if that is the word I really wanted to use... fantastic! I hope there is a thesaurus attached. There are some new Twitter integration aspects that might be nice. There could be a tweet job for a student(s)... "Just learned about subtracting fractions - don't forget to have common denominators." Tweet a quick picture before the teacher erases the board and your golden! The iOS 5 TBA is this fall of 2011.

Discovery Education and the iPad meet

So Discovery Education has a mobile version of their website, however it was built specifically to fit an iPad. If you try to access it from an iPod or iPhone, you will see the page... well, part of the page at least. Anyway, go to http://mobile.discoveryeducation.com/users/login and use your regular login and password and enjoy Discovery Education in the palm of your hands.

Updating to the latest iOS doesn't take as long as you think anymore

So I got this from a source from a source... anyway, IT WORKS! Save some time when updating your iPod's/iPad's and check out the information below that I got from here.

“It turns out that actually updating the iPad (or iPod touch) doesn’t take very long at all. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes per device. The trick, though, is to download the iOS update image once and keep it around on a USB stick or portable hard drive.”

You can also keep a copy on the one computer you use for syncing all the devices, assuming you’re making sets with identical configurations. But please, make a backup of the iOS file before you begin updating multiple devices. After you update the first iPad or iPod touch, a copy of the update file will be saved to your computer.

“iTunes saves the update image in ~/Library/iTunes/iPad Software Updates.”

For the iPod touch, this folder is ~/Library/iTunes/iPod Software Updates

1. Connect the device and let it back up.
2. Decline iTunes’ offer to download the update.
3. Hold down the Option key and click the Update button in iTunes. This presents you with a file chooser dialog box. Navigate to where you saved the update file and select it.
4. Wait for the update to complete.
5. Let the device restart and sync
6. Install any updated applications

“The slowest part of the process is downloading the updates for the apps (and there will be many of these in the coming weeks). Saving the iOS update on local storage will save a ton of time and bandwidth. You really don’t want to be downloading 115 * 500MB over a school DSL connection!”

Even doing a few dozen devices with that same update downloading each time can slow your network considerably. This method for updating multiple iOS devices will save valuable time and bandwidth.

You can find Fraser’s original post at:
http://speirs.org/blog/2010/11/23/rolling-out-ipad-42.html

Windows Users: The ALT key generally substitutes for Mac Option key. However, I believe the left Shift key works in this case. For the location of the update file on Windows computers, see this Apple support document. Look for the folder name iPad Software Updates

iPhone Configuration Utility - Working

The iPhone Configuration Utility allows you the ability to "image" the settings for the iPod Touch. Until now, I have been unsuccessful at creating a Configuration Profile and loading that profile onto an iPod Touch. My problem was in the General section under Name and Identifier. Apparently, neither of these allow capital letters. This utility allows you to put a profile on the device which allows you to customize things like wireless network settings, passcodes, and other restrictions. Hey, it is worth it just so you don't have to type in your wireless code for each iPod.

QR Codes... Amazing!

So you have a video, website, picture... that you want your students to see. How do you set up bookmarks for all of these for each iPod Touch? With the iPod Touch (4th gen) it's a cinch. You need the free app, i-nigma 4 to scan the qr code, and go to http://www.qrstuff.com.  At the qrstuff website, put your text, website link... in and print the code. If you want to keep that code long-term, then download it for later. Now the kids use their iPod Touch to scan the qr code with the i-nigma 4 app and are immediately directed to the content you have linked it to. Watch this video to see it in action.