06/30, 8:00am
Algebra Readiness
The non-profit MIND Research Institute last week launched a new national intervention program, Algebra Readiness. The full year course is aimed at middle and high school students and endeavors to 'rebuild a solid maths foundation' and prepare students for success in 'Algebra 1'. Algebra Readiness offers a 'rigorous yet engaging curriculum', that encourages to 'look' and visualize mathematics problems from simple arithmetic to linear algebra concepts. "Algebra Readiness features MIND’s patent-pending visual approach, which both engages students at any level, and explains math in a direct but powerful way they can understand and retain... MIND developed the program in response to the persistent low student success rate in Algebra I classes and the increasing use of Algebra I as a requirement for a high school diploma." said Dr. Matthew Peterson, a neurosurgeon who helped develop the software.
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06/25, 8:00am
Keyboard Maestro 3.2
Stairways Software on Wednesday announced Keyboard Maestro 3.2, the latest evolution of its productivity enhancing 'keyboard macro' application for OS X. The software allows users to design a custom action sequence with their own shortcuts and use them at any time - all by pressing simple keystrokes; version 3.2 brings a host of bug fixes and code-level enhancements, as well as a range of new features, including the ability to records macros for replay at a later date, new options for pre-recorded 'triggering' of macros and an improved user interface.
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06/17, 3:35pm
Quick-dial for Leopard
Nova Media has released Phone Plugins, a utility that allows one-click dialing and text messaging from any application in Leopard. Users of OS X Tiger were able dial cellphones connected over Bluetooth, but Apple removed that feature in OS X 10.5. Nova claims the utility not only restores that lost functionality, but improves on it as well. The Berlin-based developer says the Phone Plugins include a Bluetooth wizard to connect cell phones in one step. Users can call or send a text message to any number within Address Book or other applications using the “services” menu.
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06/09, 8:05pm
Apple touts Snow Leopard
Apple on Monday previewed Mac OS X Snow Leopard, the successor to Mac OS X Leopard; the next major version Apple's operating system focuses primarily on new features to enhance performance of OS X, set a new standard for quality and lay the foundation for future OS X innovation, Apple said. Snow Leopard is optimized for multi-core processors, taps into the computing power of graphic processing units (GPUs), enables "breakthrough" amounts of RAM and features the company's new modern media platform with QuickTime X. Snow Leopard includes out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange 2007 and is scheduled to "ship in about a year."
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