Ever heard of a “pitch meeting” in the film industry? Say a writer or director has an idea for a film, or maybe they’ve gone as far as writing a full script. They would then pitch that story idea in person to a producer or studio executive. Essentially it’s a sales pitch, a presentation of the story concept to get people excited enough to read the script and make the movie.

And that brings us to a new idea for using IPEVO’s Perch S Desktop Stand for the new iPad 3 and iPad 2 (and there’s also a model for the original iPad). Perch S is the stand that’s just the right height for desktops and countertops. Available in black or white, Perch has a modern look and feel along with smart functionality.

Pitching has gone multimedia, and it’s often better to have some visual “eye candy” along with a verbal pitch. Perch S and the new iPad 3 (and its gorgeous retina display) provide an incredible presentation tool for a pitch. Writers can present a concept poster of their idea. And directors can show off preliminary concept art, a mock trailer, or their directing reel (the best clips from some of the films they’ve directed).

In fact, Perch S and iPad 3 make a great combination for any pitch meeting, interview, consultation, or meet-and-greet with artists and other creative people. Just consider this short list:

• Art directors, production designers, cinematographers, lighting directors, and other image makers in theater or film can provide a multimedia portfolio or video reel with a memorable presentation.
• Interior designers can show potential clients sample photographs of their work, color swatches, design schemes, links to furniture and accessories, and more.
• Let’s not forget visual artists: graphic designers, illustrators, painters, storyboard artists, and similar creative folks. Why bring in a paper portfolio? Go for the gold with iPad 3′s high-resolution display.
• Interactive media artists: web designers, video game designers and computer animators. Whether it’s still images or video, the iPad 3 and Perch will wow them.

We’ve just scratched the surface, but you get the idea. And one other note: it doesn’t matter whether your material is better in landscape or portrait orientation. Perch’s unique dual-axis hinge allows you to customize viewing angle as well as switch effortlessly between the two orientations.

What do you think, artists? And which artists did we miss in our list? Upgrade your presentation and really show ‘em what you can do with the iPad 3 and Perch S Desktop Stand.

Are you familiar with PadPillow? It’s the soft pillow stand that makes your e-reading and tablet computing much more comfortable. And now PadPillow is available in three new colors — Lemongrass, Honeysuckle, and Tangerine. PadPillow conforms to your body, and now it might just conform to your personal sense of style, too.

If you’re not familiar with PadPillow, this cushy triangular stand is made from a soft foam covered in an equally soft denim cover. PadPillow is for all those times you use your iPad or ebook reader away from the desk, whether it’s lounging on the sofa or reclining in bed. You can place it on the bed, the carpet, the arm of the sofa, or right in your lap. PadPillow can be used with all generations of iPad, including the new iPad 3, and it can also be used with other tablets and ebook readers like the different Kindles and Nooks. It can even be used with traditional magazines.

One more note: PadPillow comes in two sections which can be compactly kept together or folded apart. When folded apart, PadPillow gives you room for a separate keyboard if you’re writing emails or having an IM session, for just two examples.

Lemongrass, Honeysuckle and Tangerine (which are subtle shades of yellow-green, pink and orange) join the existing three PadPillow colors: Steve’s Blue Jeans, Light Khaki, and Charcoal Gray. That’s a total of six PadPillow colors to express your individuality while you’re getting work done or enjoying a nice, long read. Don’t crane and don’t strain: get PadPillow and enjoy a better way to read, surf, watch movies, and much more.

Head on over to the PadPillow product page. See how each color looks and read more about why so many IPEVO customers love their PadPillows.

Back in the last part of 2010, we posted an open call to European distributors in an effort to give the Point 2 View USB Document Camera a much-needed visit to Europe. We can now report that the Point 2 View has a brand new launch pad for European customers with our Amazon UK storefront. IPEVO can now ship to all 27 European Union countries.

And it’s not just everyone’s favorite inexpensive and versatile document camera that has made the trip. A total of 15 IPEVO items are available to customers and distributors all across Europe, and we hope to add even more items as time goes on. This includes two Point 2 View accessories — the Height Extension Stand and Carrying Case — along with four iPad accessories: PadPillow Pillow Stand for all generations of iPad (Blue Denim and Charcoal Gray colors); and the Perch family of iPad 2 and iPad 3 stands (black and white colors), including the Desktop Stand for tabletops, the Sofa Stand for seated users, and the Podium Stand for standing users. The final item is the Wireless Presentation System for turning any classroom or conference room projector into a wireless projector to make sharing and presenting easier.

Through Amazon UK, we are able to ship to locations in the United Kingdom along with the other 26 member-states of the European Union. Here is the full list:

IPEVO has won over customers in America and Asia with unique, well-designed tech products and accessories for educators, businesspeople, and individuals. And we can’t wait for customers all across Europe to have the very same positive experience. We’ve already received many inquiries from European educators and others eager for our products, so we’re excited to get started!

This is our fifth and final entry in the iPad 3 How-To series. Last but certainly not least is a personal favorite for many here in the office: Typi Folio Case + Keyboard.

Typi Folio Case is a terrific-looking case in handcrafted felt and leather for the new iPad. Typi comes in either black or tan, and it performs three jobs in one. Typi protects your case from daily wear and tear during transport and use. It also acts as a stand. Typi’s strap can be unbuttoned and rebuttoned to support iPad 3 at several viewing angles. This support is just as sturdy with iPad 3 as it is with the iPad 2. Not surprising: this is a well-made case!

Typi also has a separate QWERTY keyboard which is carried within the case by magnets. It communicates via Bluetooth with your tablet so you can get writing, emailing, and many other things done quicker versus the touchpad keyboard. Both iPad 2 and iPad 3 use the same Bluetooth technology, so the keyboard works just the same no matter which tablet you have. This keyboard can be easily removed for remote operation, and it has custom hotkeys like volume control and playback options which work for both generations of iPad.

The iPad 3 will easily slip in to Typi’s holder; just tuck in the tab to complete installation. All ports and controls are accessible, including sleep/wake mode, volume control, headphone jack, microphone, speakers, front camera lens, dock connector, and the rear camera lens. You won’t have to take the iPad in and out.

Also noteworthy is the fact that Typi has a magnet in its cover which causes the iPad to sleep when the cover is closed and wake up when the cover is open. This works just as well with iPad 3 as with iPad 2, and many iPad 3 cases now on the market can’t make that claim.

Overall, Typi is still the same “all-in-one wonder” accessory for iPad 3 as it is for iPad 2. And we think you’ll agree.

Have a question? Email us at cs@ipevo.com. And happy tablet computing!

This is our fourth entry in the iPad 3 How-To blog series. Here, we discuss the Kami Origami Folio Case.

Kami works with both iPad 2 and iPad 3. It’s an ultra-thin microfiber case in an attractive beige (if we do say so ourselves) which protects your device from the usual dents, dings, and wear and tear. But Kami also doubles as a stand thanks to some folding wizardry reminiscent of the Japanese art of origami. Its cover can be easily folded to support the iPad 3 at either a 20° or a 70° viewing angle for all your applications. That’s a lot to ask for in such a thin case — only 4mm thick! — but Kami delivers. The stand offers steady support for the iPad 3 just as with the iPad 2.

For Kami and iPad 3, our motto is: slow and steady wins the race. Tuck in one corner of the iPad 3 into the holder, then ease the other side in. Keep tucking in alternate sides bit by bit until the entire iPad 3 is within the holder. Then, just tuck the tab in under the device. Kami will actually “loosen up” after a few removals and insertions, so the first installation will be the tightest and the one you need to be most careful with.

Fully inserted, Kami has cutouts that will keep all of your ports and controls accessible, including sleep/wake mode, volume control, headphone jack, microphone, speakers, front camera lens, dock connector, and even the rear camera lens.

We also wanted to be sure to tell you that Kami has a sleep/wake magnet in its cover. If you close the cover, Kami will automatically put the iPad 3 to sleep. And when you open the cover, your iPad 3 will wake up. Because Apple changed the way magnets cause sleep/wake mode from iPad 2 to iPad 3, many cases can’t make this claim for iPad 3, but Kami can.

That’s about it; we hope you enjoy your new iPad and Kami! And for any questions, just ask a member of our Customer Support team at cs@ipevo.com.

This is our third entry in the iPad How-To series where we help you maximize your use of the iPad 3 and IPEVO accessories.

We recently introduced the standalone Perch iPad 2 Holder, and now (drum roll please), its new name is the Perch Holder for iPad 2 and 3. The Holder is offered for anyone who purchased a Perch stand (all three lengths) for the original iPad who then upgraded to an iPad 2 and now the new iPad, iPad 3. By just buying the holder instead of an entirely new stand, you save money and your technology grows with you. That’s a pretty powerful one-two punch.

The Perch Holder works with both iPad 2 and iPad 3. So if you have a Perch stand for the original iPad and you bought an iPad 3, just purchase the standalone Holder and you’ll be good to go.

All you do to install the Perch Holder is press the holder button in the back of Perch (where the holder meets the aluminum leg), slide the old holder out, and pop the new one in until the button clicks into place. You can also switch back and forth between the holders if you’re using different iPads.

As we told you in the last entry, the best way to install iPad 3 into the holder is bottom first. Slip the two bottom corners in, making sure they tuck underneath the ribbing, and then angle the iPad up and press the top two corners firmly in until the top ribbing secures the device. The Perch Holder still has the same versatile dual-axis hinge in back, so you can adjust viewing angle as well as orientation very easily.

Taking the iPad 3 out is even easier: press down the side tab, grasp the iPad from the back, and pull forward, same as the original iPad.

One last note: as you’d expect, all of the ports and controls of iPad 3 are accessible when it’s installed in Perch Holder, including sleep/wake mode, volume control, headphone jack, microphone, speakers, front camera lens, dock connector, and even the rear camera lens.

So if you have a Perch for the original iPad and need an upgrade because you just bought an iPad 3, save some coin and get the Perch Holder for iPad 2 and 3.

Thanks for reading. For troubleshooting or questions, our Customer Support team is always standing by at cs@ipevo.com.

Hello and welcome to entry number two in our iPad 3 How-To series, covering all of IPEVO’s iPad 3 accessories.

The Perch family of stands works with all generations of iPad. There’s a model just for iPad, and there’s another model for both the iPad 2 and iPad 3 — make sure you choose the right model for your device when you add Perch to your shopping cart.

As you may know, Perch provides an attractive and sturdy stand for all of your iPad habits. There are three lengths to choose from: S Type, for tabletops, the larger M Type for seated users, and the largest L Type for standing users. No matter which type you choose, you’ll enjoy easy installation of your device and generous customization of orientation and viewing angles thanks to a special dual-axis hinge.

With the iPad 3, the best approach to insertion is to install the bottom of the iPad 3 first. Slip in the two bottom corners of iPad 3, making sure they are tucked underneath the ribbing. Only after that should you angle in the iPad 3 and push the top two corners into the holder. Firmly press in the corners of iPad 3 until the ribbing is on top of the device and holding it in. The iPad 3 should be tightly in place, and not loose or wobbling.

All ports and controls of the iPad 3 are accessible thanks to cutouts in the holder, including sleep/wake mode, volume control, headphone jack, microphone, speakers, front camera lens, dock connector, and even the rear camera lens.

For troubleshooting with any of the Perch stands, just send us a note at cs@ipevo.com and we’ll be glad to help.

In the handful of days since the new iPad’s (or iPad 3′s) introduction, we’ve been busy at work exploring this great new tablet computer. And we want to make sure you know exactly how to use your new iPad with all of our existing iPad accessories. We will release several iPad 3 How-To’s, and here is the first, everybody’s favorite go-anywhere pillow stand, PadPillow.

PadPillow is a plush, triangular pillow stand designed for all those times you’d rather be lounging on the couch, stretched out on the carpet, or lying in bed with your iPad rather than confined to the chair and desk. PadPillow has two sections, which can either be folded together for a compact lap or couch arm stand, or stretched apart to accommodate a full keyboard. PadPillow is so comfy you could use it as a pillow after you’re done using it as a stand — and believe me, we have!

PadPillow is not so dependent on exact dimensions as other cases and stands, so iPad 3 works just fine with PadPillow. In the compact position, the leather IPEVO tag helps keep iPad 3 in place for viewing, reading or surfing. In fact, PadPillow works with all three generations of iPad, ebook readers like Kindle and Nook, and even traditional magazines. So for avid readers who enjoy being comfortable for long reading sessions, PadPillow is perfect.

And on that topic, one thing to note is the new iPad’s gorgeous screen. It’s the same 9.7 inches as the iPad 2, but it’s able to deliver an incredible 2048 x 1536 HD resolution and 264 pixels per inch. This is great for a lot of things — including gaming and movie-watching — but it’s also ideal for reading. Having checked out ebooks on the new iPad, we can say it’s a really, really nice experience, whether you’re just reading text or enjoying a full-color picture book.

So no matter what you plan on doing with your new iPad, we have you covered with PadPillow.

That’s all for our iPad 3 How-To series, and we hope you’ve found it helpful. As always, email us at cs@ipevo.com if you have any questions about how to use your iPad 3 with IPEVO’s family of iPad accessories.

We love to hear when our products are making a difference in the classroom, and so we’re extremely pleased and excited to bring you the story of Sallie and Ken and their son, Richard. It’s the story of dedicated parents and their efforts to make learning easier for their son — with a little help from IPEVO.

Richard is a high schooler who likes to game (real-time strategy games and The Sims are among his favorites) and watch baseball (including his hometown Chicago Cubs and White Sox) like other students his age. Richard cannot use his hands and he has trouble getting around without help, so he spends much of the day in a wheelchair.

Sallie wanted to find a way to help Richard with his studies and with classroom interaction. Sallie first went to a company called Stealth Products for a special wheelchair mount for the iPad. This mount positions the iPad above Richard’s lap, and it can fold away when not in use. But mom and dad still needed a way for Richard to operate the tablet.

Sallie had heard about IPEVO’s Chopstakes Multitouch Styli, and Ken contacted Marcus here in our Sales Department. Ken told Marcus about the project, and Marcus sent Ken both lengths of Chopstakes.

Ken then set to work. He’s a manager at a ceramics and metalworking company, and the skilled employees there are always willing to lend a hand to help Richard. At Ken’s direction, one of the shorter Type S Chopstakes were lathed and machined down, and then a mouth stick was fitted and epoxied into the top of the Chopstake. With this new stylus, Richard could bite down on the mouth stick and operate the Chopstake with his mouth. The omnidirectional rubber tip at the end of the Chopstake gave Richard the ability to operate the iPad most any way he wanted.

“Richard has adjusted to his new iPad setup very well,” Ken told us. “In fact, the hardest part was convincing the school to let Richard have an iPad in the first place! The school’s IT department had to change Richard’s iPad to restrict certain websites like Facebook because it’s against school policy. But beyond that, the iPad has been very helpful. Richard also has an aide accompany him at school, and the aide inputs Richard’s homework for the week so Richard can take it home and work on it on his computer.”

We’re glad we could make a small difference for Richard at school. And many thanks to Sallie and Ken for sharing their story. As we’ve said before, we’re always amazed at the innovative uses our customers come up with for IPEVO products!

Recently we had the pleasure of checking in with Tricia Fuglestad, a K-5 Visual Art Teacher in Arlington Heights, IL. She’s the current recipient of the NAEA 2012 Illinois Art Teacher of the Year. And she had plenty to teach us about using IPEVO’s Point 2 View USB Document Camera in her art class.

Tricia originally became interested in the Point 2 View after attending an education tech conference in her area. Many educators were praising the Point 2 View for its high quality and low price, and she decided to try it out.

Thus far, Tricia has developed 6 ways to use the Point 2 View in art class. We’ll let Tricia tell you more in her own words:

1. Animation: “The Point 2 View was a perfect tool for explaining and demonstrating the stop motion animation process to my students. Just move an object, click the snapshot button to take a still image, and move the object again.”
2. Augmented Reality: “We printed out an Augmented Reality marker in order to view a 3-D model of the Parthenon on the projection screen during our study of Greek art. Students could hold the marker at a comfortable level to view the model from all angles.”
3. iPads and iPods: “I connect the Point 2 View to the computer and project these devices for demos. This use is perfect for the Point 2 View.”
4. Photo Booth: “Apple’s Photo Booth allows the Point 2 View to record video. I can aim the Point 2 View at my students who are too small to reach the desktop camera or who can’t position themselves because of a disability. We recorded students’ lips for artwork we created.” (At the top of the page is their amazing video presentation of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax using this method!)
5. Sharing sketches: “The Point 2 View gives my students a way to share their sketches or writings with the class quickly. It’s perfect for playing guessing games or sharing with the class to see if artwork has communicated ideas clearly.”
6. Fine Art Techniques: “The Point 2 View is great for demonstrating small detailed techniques. Instead of calling all the students out of their seats to stand over me as I demonstrate, I use the camera to make art along with them.” (See picture below for the setup Tricia used to demonstrate in real time how to create the illusion of a curved 3D apple.)

Tricia sums up the Point 2 View this way: “The Point 2 View has amazing clarity and great weight balance, and I like that it uses USB as opposed to other document cameras that use VGA, which requires more fiddling with the projector. $69 is a very affordable price for a teaching tool that can make a world of difference for students.”

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and your images, Tricia, we really appreciate it. Please check out Tricia’s school website for even more great artwork. And for any readers interested in learning more, head on over to our Point 2 View page for more info and ideas.

Perch is finding a place in all sorts of venues. Today we wanted to share how Perch M as well as Perch L have scored a hole in one (or at least a very nice Eagle) on the golf course and driving ranges.

Perch is the user-friendly lightweight stand for iPad or iPad 2. Pop in your iPad and you have a versatile go-anywhere stand at the ideal height and viewing angle for hands-free operation. Perch M, our medium stand, comes up nearly waist-high and is ideal for seated users, while Perch L is higher for standing users.

One of the early inspirations for Perch came from the driving range. Our CEO, Royce, is an avid golfer, and he was eager to use the iPad (and a few golf swing tutorial videos and apps) to improve his game.

However, as you can imagine it’s tough (if not impossible!) to view the iPad while you’re practicing your swing. The iPad needs to be at a decent height. What do you do — prop it up between the clubs in your golf bag? Not good. For these kind of scenarios, Perch was born. Depending on personal preference and height, golfers using Perch have found that either the M or the L models have worked for them.

With either M or L, you can position the lightweight stand wherever you like, whether you’re right- or left-handed. Adjust the viewing angle as well as the orientation by hand, and you have a customized iPad mount for the course or driving range that’s easy to transport in the backseat or trunk of your car.

As an additional use, owners of courses and ranges can use Perch as a signboard to advertise tee times, pricing, specials on products in the clubhouse golf shop and more.

Don’t delay; the rolling greens await. Grab Perch M or Perch L and improve your game in convenience and style.

iPhone owners take note: you’re going to love this. IPEVO‘s newest product is Tubi, and it’s about as impressive a companion piece to your phone that you’ll ever come across. Just look at the pictures!

Tubi is a natural sound amplifier for iPhone 3G/3GS and 4/4S (adapters for both models are included). Tubi’s shape and dimensions acoustically amplify sound from the phone’s built-in speakers, making the volume significantly louder. And here’s the coolest part: it does this without electricity! It’s all about natural acoustics.

And not only does Tubi amplify sound — it spreads sound waves in all directions to create a fuller sonic experience. It’s the kind of thing where you have to hear it to believe it, but basically instruments will sound closer and more intimate, almost like the musicians are working their magic right next to you. For this reason, Tubi is great for old-school music like jazz, big band, and classical.

And on the topic of old school, it doesn’t get more classic than the phonograph. And as you probably guessed, the phonograph was the original design inspiration for Tubi. Our designers took the iconic horn and updated it with a larger-than-life modern aesthetic. And by the way, we definitely didn’t skimp on materials: the horn is made from real hand-crafted brass, and the base is made from solid aluminum.

All of this adds up to a one-of-a-kind showpiece that will wow most anybody. Can you imagine entertaining guests at your dinner party, cranking up some Benny Goodman or John Coltrane, and saying, “By the way, check this out?” That’s the kind of pure style and impressive cool we think Tubi captures. And we hope you feel the same way.

Check out Tubi’s product page, and let us know what you think about IPEVO’s new member of the family.

We won’t bore you with a long introduction. Here are the first fifty ideas for document cameras in the classroom. And here are fifty other ideas to use IPEVO’s Ziggi or Point 2 View USB Document Cameras to add variety, multimedia, utility, or just plain fun to learning.

We’d love to hear what you think. Any other ideas you’d like to share with educators?

51. Brainstorming — Write down ideas, and everyone can see the ideas as you go.
52. Votes and polls — Take a vote and show the results.
53. Digital flash cards — Study time just got more effective.
54. Stop-motion animations — Several customers have reported using our doc cams to perform educational stop-motion projects.
55. Biology — Share small live animals (like worms and insects) with crystal-clear detail.
56. Class pet — Have a class pet, like a gerbil? Create a “Gerbil Cam.”
57. Economics — Display charts, graphs, data and more for an economics, business, or marketing class.
58. Timelines — Help your visual learners with a timeline of historical events or things like the age of the dinosaurs.
59. Puzzles — For early learners, assemble a puzzle and let the class help you.
60. Tell time — Show how to tell time or read a calendar.
61. Sorting and identification — Take small objects and guide the class through sorting and identifying them.
62. Homework — Keep students on track by displaying tomorrow’s homework assignment.
63. Musical instruments — Demonstrate proper fingering on a recorder, for one example.
64. Sports — Introduce the basic rules of games and sports in physical education class.
65. Foreign languages — Share words, grammar rules, and side-by-side translations of foreign languages.
66. Poetry — Help students understand rhyme, meter, style and structure of poems.
67. Game time — Have fun with Boggle, Word Scramble, Hangman, Jeopardy!, or similar games.
68. Literature — Identify and compare literary genres and writing styles.
69. Grammar — Demonstrate and correct common grammar mistakes, like “i before e” or “than versus then.”
70. Round-robin reading — Read a play or book round-robin style so all students can participate and follow along.
71. Show off — When a student does a great job, reward them by showing off their perfect paper, test, or worksheet.
72. Math formulas — Don’t recreate math problems or formulas from the textbook. Save time and just show the textbook.
73. Phonics — Teach phonics, sentence construction, parts of speech, etc.
74. Preserve fragile items — For fragile or expensive items you want to share, show it with the doc cam rather than passing it around.
75. Color wheel — Show the colors in the color wheel, show how colors mix to create other colors, etc.
76. ESL/ESOL — Supply a valuable visual complement to oral teaching for students whose first language is not English.
77. Blow up text — Go big on tiny text, for your benefit or for the benefit of your students.
78. Tech tutorial — Teach how to use a digital camera, for one example. A doc cam is perfect to pick up all the small controls and menus.
79. Time-lapse photography — Take a snapshot of stages in a process, like a seed growing into a plant, for a terrific time-lapse photography project.
80. Environmental print cards — These cards are great for “reading readiness” for early learners. Sort and identify.
81. Fine textures — Our doc cams are ideal for showing details from anything with fine texture, like wood grain or fabric.
82. Round-robin drawing — Draw an object, then have students take turns adding more to the drawing.
83. Art analysis — For a test or in-class exercise, display artwork from a textbook or photo book and have students analyze it.
84. Getting closer to students — As a replacement for a whiteboard or chalkboard, a doc cam allows you to sit down and get closer to your students.
85. Proofreading — Demonstrate how to proofread a paper and how to use proofreader’s marks.
86. Drama — Drama teachers can display scripts or text from plays.
87. Political cartoons — Comic strips and political cartoons can often help spur discussion in a fun way.
88. Software tutorial — Step through a software application on the computer.
89. Make words — Rearrange magnetic letters to form words in preschool or kindergarten.
90. Picture schedule — Younger students can benefit from pictures representing what will happen that day, or things like a picture of a backpack to remind them to stow their backpacks in their cubbyholes at the beginning of the day.
91. Remote learning — Use either Ziggi or Point 2 View as a webcam for remote learning sessions and one-on-one tutoring.
92. Pen pals — Similar to #91, coordinate with a teacher in another country to create a unique pen pal program with real-time video between classrooms.
93. Mock courtroom — Doc cams are being used more and more in real courts of law to show evidence and court documents. Use it the same way for a mock trial.
94. Picture-to-story — Show a picture or pictures with the doc cam, and then have students create a story based upon those pictures.
95. Absentees — Snap pictures of today’s curriculum, homework assignments, math problems, or class notes for absent students.
96. Teleprompter — Use the doc cam and projector like a teleprompter when practicing speeches or staging debates.
97. Bingo — Host a fun game of Math Bingo or other types of Bingo.
98. Fill-in-the-blank — Involve the class in fill-in-the-number math sequences or vocabulary-building fill-in-the-word exercises.
99. Performance backdrop — When having students stage a play for the class, display a suitable picture backdrop for the scene using the doc cam, and then angle your projector at a 45 degree angle downward toward the actors. Instant backdrop!
100. Straight lines — Project a lined sheet of white paper onto the whiteboard. You now have nice straight lines when you or your students write on the board.

Continuing our survey of worthwhile uses for the Perch, this entry takes a peek inside a popular year-round destination: the jewelry store. Jewelers, gemologists, and gemstone merchants have a fascinating and complex product, to the point that the finer points of their merchandise are sometimes a challenge to properly communicate to customers. How do you best inform customers on the ins and outs of choosing the jewelry piece that’s right for them? Our answer is Perch S.

Perch S is the smallest member of our Perch family of iPad and iPad 2 stands, and it’s the perfect size for tabletops and countertops. That would include the jewelry countertop, where an iPad can function as a prominent interactive kiosk right alongside the merchandise.

As an impressive, interactive, and multimedia companion piece to traditional hands-on service, the iPad/iPad 2 and Perch S could really help deliver what jewelry store customers need to make an informed decision on their important purchase.

Here’s just a few ideas we had for what Perch S and the iPad could visually present to customers, either through website content, interactive apps, videos, or slideshows:

• Diamond certification — what’s the difference between GIA, IGI, HRD, and EGL? Why is a certificate important? Scan an actual certificate to show customers what exactly to look for.
• Clarity, color, carat, cut — how can customers best understand and choose between the 4 C’s of diamond evaluation? Customers could be exposed to images of different diamond cuts or a graph indicating the range of clarities, for just two examples.
• Gemstones — beyond diamonds, what other gemstones are available? How would gemstones look paired with other gemstones?
• Jewelry pieces — give customers an idea of what jewelry pieces work best with what gemstones through an interactive app or slideshow. How would the same diamond look in a necklace versus a bracelet, et cetera?
• Inventory — a natural use for the Perch S and iPad is as an interactive inventory where customers can browse your full range of products, view close-ups of jewelry, and consider specifications and price.
• Additional services — do you offer ring re-sizing? Custom engraving? Pearl restringing? Timepiece repair? Tell your customers about it with an iPad kiosk.
  
  What other uses can you think of for the Perch S iPad/iPad 2 Stand ? Let us know!

Have any other ideas to share? We’d love to hear from you.

In our previous entry, we brainstormed some ways students can use IPEVO’s Ziggi and the Point 2 View Document Cameras.

But let’s now talk about document cameras in the classroom from the teacher’s point of view, from kindergarten to college. We put our heads together — and relied on a lot of feedback from educators we’ve talked to via email or in-person at Ed Tech conferences — to come up with 100 ways document cameras can enhance learning in the classroom.

And here (drum roll, please) are the first fifty. Have other ideas to share? Please leave a comment!

1. Chemistry lab — Demonstrate the steps of a science experiment.
2. Replace transparencies — Transparencies take time to make and require an expensive, hot overhead projector. Work more comfortably, and more quickly, with a versatile doc cam.
3. Steps of an assignment — Display the requirements for a test or homework assignment.
4. Digital clock — Capture a stop watch or egg timer for a cheap but effective way to keep students on task for tests and in-class assignments.
5. Math manipulatives — A doc cam is a great way to work out math problems.
6. Geometry — Teach shapes, angles, and how to use tools like the compass and protractor.
7. School board meetings — Doc cams are not just for students. Conduct meetings and display assessment data, agenda points, or anything else.
8. Study guide — Use the snapshot feature to capture images of notes or pages from the textbook. Faster than scanning!
9. Handwriting — Demonstrate proper technique and letter formation.
10. Maps in social studies — Say goodbye to huge pull-down maps.
11. Graphs — Teach about slopes, the x axis and y axis, and other concepts in a visual way.
12. Calculator — Show the class how to use a scientific calculator.
13. Daily agenda — Get everyone on the same page by displaying today’s agenda.
14. Thought of the day — Share a quotation or encouraging thought to start the day off right.
15. Let a student teach — Have a student demonstrate for the class. It’s sometimes the best way to learn.
16. Model note taking — Taking good notes is essential to education. Show them how.
17. Impress parents — Take snapshots of items from the day’s curriculum and share with parents.
18. Picture/photo books — You may have only one of an expensive book. Now you can share with everyone.
19. “Microscope” — Zoom and Macro mode will capture fine details from circuit boards, for one example.
20. Construction — Show students how to build or construct something.
21. Essay writing — Give an interactive lesson about the parts of a good essay.
22. Corrections — Correct a student’s work for the benefit of the classroom.
23. Reader’s theatre — Display text from the script as students perform.
24. Food — Teach how to read nutrition labels and ingredients, or share a recipe.
25. Current events — Spur discussion with pictures or magazine/newspaper clippings.
26. Measuring tools — Teach about thermometers, rulers, etc.
27. In-class contest — Keep everyone excited by keeping track of an in-class contest, such as reading a certain number of books during the year.
28. Grades — Visually share how a project (like an essay) will be graded: 25% for grammar, 25% for thesis, etc.
29. Dissections — From frogs to fish, doc cams are perfect for demonstrating dissections in science class.
30. Help for visual impairments — Give any visually-impaired students large, readable text.
31. Reading aloud — Help your visual learners by displaying text as you read aloud. Or, have students read from the displayed text.
32. Early readers — Related to #31, early readers can particularly benefit from watching your finger track text left to right. Plus, storybooks are more fun when students can clearly see the pictures.
33. Parts of a book— Identify things like the title page, table of contents and glossary.
34. Origami — Have fun with an origami lesson where everyone can follow along and attempt their own.
35. Typography — Compare fonts and page layouts in a graphic design class.
36. Rules — Establish your classroom’s rules with a list.
37. Word of the day — Have a word of the day or create word walls/vocab walls.
38. Art portfolios — Capture your students’ art projects with a snapshot and create an invaluable portfolio for student and parent.
39. PowerPoint — Images captured from the doc cam can be used in multimedia presentations like PowerPoint or iMovie.
40. Freeze frame — Snap an image during a crucial part of a science experiment, for one example, so that moment can be discussed later.
41. Sheet music — Teach musical annotation, or display music for band class.
42. Dictionary — Capture an actual page to show students how to use the dictionary.
43. Money — Use real coins to teach about money or solve math problems.
44. Diagrams — Show how to solve word problems in math by drawing diagrams.
45. iPad — Apple’s iPad has a growing number of educational apps that you can share.
46. Architecture — From dioramas to intricate scale models, get up close and personal with 3D objects.
47. Geology — Show fine details from different kinds of rocks.
48. Art technique — A doc cam is perfect for demonstrating your drawing, painting, or sculpture technique in art class.
49. Test answers — Display the test as you go over test answers to increase comprehension.
50. Archive — Snap day-to-day images and archive them so you have a record of your curriculum.

But for now, let’s flip the script, turn the tables, put the shoe on the other foot, and take a look at Ziggi and Point 2 View from a student’s perspective. How can students — whether it’s elementary school, middle school, high school, or college — use document cameras to take their own learning to the next level?

We’ve brainstormed plenty of ideas, and maybe you can add some of your own.

So without further ado, here are 25 ways students can use Ziggi and/or Point 2 View document cameras in the classroom. (And parents, this will give you lots of ideas, too.) Plenty more ideas for educators will be on the way in future entries!

1. Save math formulas — Use the one-touch snapshot feature and Review mode to capture useful formulas from your math textbook to save for later.
2. Study with a friend — Have a remote study session with a classmate and share test materials, class notes, or textbooks. But no copying, and no cheating!
3. Tutor time — Ziggi and Point 2 View make it possible to work with your teacher or tutor from anywhere.
4. Show and tell — For younger students (and teachers, you can show them how), show and tell is taken up a notch when everyone can see details on the big projector screen. No more complaints that students can’t see.
5. Better class notes — Enhance the notes you take in class by capturing small text passages, graphs, maps, data, or anything else from the textbook, and adding it to your notes.
6. Book report —Take your book report from good to great by presenting a sample page from the book and reading it for the class so they can follow along.
7. Play scene — Students acting out a scene from a play in class can display the scene in text form on the screen so the audience has two ways of understanding the play.
8. Art appreciation — Collect a semester’s worth of your favorite images from an art textbook or photo book using the snapshot feature and Review mode.
9. Diorama — Have you built a diorama? Give the class a close-up view of the diorama’s details.
10. All-subject essay helper — Students in upper grades and college need to cite and quote sources, data, and other texts in their essays. Use the doc cam to display the info on screen for easy reference and copying.
11. Help for the visually-impaired — Visually-impaired students can benefit from Ziggi and Point 2 View’s Macro mode and digital zooms for large, readable text.
12. Science fair project — Lots of science experiment ideas could benefit from some real-time video or snapshots, whether you’re presenting for the class or testing your hypothesis.
13. Help! — Stuck on a homework problem? Take a snapshot and email your teacher for help. Or, post the image to Facebook to get your classmates’ help.
14. Multimedia presentations — Save images from the doc cam and use them in PowerPoint, Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, and more.
15. Art class — Proud students can show off their latest painting, sketch, mixed media piece or sculpture for the whole class.
16. Side by side copying — Need to type up text from a worksheet or textbook? Use the doc cam to project it onto your computer to save time.
17. Web chats — Did you know both Ziggi and Point 2 View can be angled up and used like web cams? You never know when students will benefit from some face to face time.
18. Restricted texts — Take a snapshot of text you might not be able to take with you, like books in the library, a friend’s class notes, or books reserved for classroom use only.
19. Give your eyes a break — Hours of studying tiny text can result in eye strain and fatigue. Give yourself a break by displaying tiny text on the computer and zooming in.
20. Quality, not quantity — Posters, graphs, and charts are often made so they are large enough for the class to see. By projecting these items for presentations, they don’t have to be so large, saving time and material.
21. Add visuals to an oral presentation — Every student has to deliver an oral presentation. Give it some visual punch with accompanying images or text using the doc cam.
22. English literature — Need to analyze a passage from a text you’re writing about? Use the doc cam to put the text side by side with your word processor doc on the screen.
23. Nature “microscope” — Leaves, insects, dissections… you can learn more about anything complex and intricate by getting a closer view that’s still nice and sharp.
24. Cram for the exam — Host a study session with several classmates, and display test materials, flash cards, sample questions, etc., onscreen so everyone can have a look and participate.
25. Student becomes teacher — Use the doc cam as a presentational tool to teach other students how to solve math problems, construct something, or proofread a paper.

What ways can YOU think of for students to use Ziggi and Point 2 View? Let us know. And remember, many ideas for educators are on their way soon.

No doubt you’re back into the swing of things after the holidays. Inspired by the retail therapy we did ourselves during the holidays — and some of the malls and boutique stores we visited — we have a great idea to share that caught our attention.

Clothing stores, iPads and IPEVO’s Perch family of stands.

Sound far-fetched? We don’t think so, especially for retailers and shop owners (particularly high-end boutique owners) looking to gain an edge over the competition and add a whole lot of “wow” to their visitors’ experience.

If you’re not familiar with Perch, Perch comes in three sizes — S for tabletops, M for seated users, and L for standing users. It securely and easily holds either iPad or iPad 2 (depending on which version you select) so users can enjoy hands-free operation at the perfect height.

Clothing and accessories are one type of product that could really benefit from increased customer knowledge and awareness. With Perch and the iPad, you have a fully interactive information center and kiosk — as customers step into the store, at the checkout desk, outside the fitting room, or while shopping among racks or displays. What value can you add to the shopping experience with iPad and Perch? We asked ourselves that same question, and here are just a few possibilities we came up with for what customers could do:

• Interact with a presentation/app giving them a “crash course” in determining their body type and what kinds of clothing look best on them in general
• Get exposed to style tips, including tips to accessorize based on what accessories are available in-store
• Take a look at the specifications, fabric type, or other distinguishing qualities of clothing and accessories they’re considering, along with price
• Watch interviews with designers or style consultants, runway footage, or other multimedia
  content that could help them make a selection
• Discover clothing and color combinations that would work well together via an image gallery or slideshow, or via an interactive mix-and-match style app.
• Become aware of specials, discounts, new arrivals, and other in-store promotions

And one final thought: Perch’s thin profile and light weight make it a versatile, portable addition that won’t get in the way of the real star of the show: the clothing!

Have any other ideas to share? We’d love to hear from you.

Have you heard about the Intellipad app? It’s an education app featuring rich text-to-speech features and keyboard customizations to help students with reading and writing skills. We read a very interesting article about the origins of Intellipad, and how its designers had special-needs children particularly in mind. Cheryl Bergman, the Director at Intellipad, had this to say about the power of the iPad in education:

“It is interactive, delivers a direct cause-and-effect relationship, and provides opportunities to learn materials in a multi-sensory way.”

In this regard, one of the best features is the powerful text-to-speech functionality, something that’s perfect for students who could benefit from the “multi-sensory” approach Cheryl is talking about.

For teachers considering the Intellipad for standard classrooms or special-needs environments, IPEVO has the perfect accessory to complement your efforts: Tubular Wireless Speakers.

If you’re not familiar with Tubular, it’s a portable tube of interlocking Bluetooth wireless speakers. It’s just as portable as your iPad, and it can pair up with your device to deliver strong stereo sound — a significant upgrade from iPad’s built-in speaker. Whether it’s a one-on-one session or an entire classroom, Tubular has the power to reach your students on that extra auditory level of learning that might make all the difference. And it’d be a great way to get the most out of the Intellipad app.

Check out Tubular Wireless Speaker’s product page for more information, and thanks for reading.

As so often happens, each of IPEVO‘s two new products started with identifying a problem and then coming up with a solution.

With respect to Chopstakes, we’ve all had one of those moments when you tap your iPad (or iPad 2) in the slightly wrong place. Misstrokes are a part of life with our touchscreen technology. But do they have to be? There are some stylus products on the market to give you better control, but when you’re using a stylus, it’s pretty awkward (if not impossible) to perform multitouch gestures. Isn’t there a way to combine razor-sharp stylus control with multitouch capability for your iPad?

Our solution to that problem is Chopstakes. No, you can’t eat with them, but they’ll definitely offer up some deliciously precise control –along with plenty of meaty multitouch magic—for your iPad sessions.

So what exactly are Chopstakes? They are multitouch styli (the plural of stylus; you have to love that word) that come as a pair. They’re priced less than buying two separate styli from the other guys. And they’re designed to work as a team. You can hold them with one in each hand for multitouch functions—rotating, zooming, grouping items together in Keynote and other applications, and of course, gaming.

Chopstakes are made from a handsome forged aluminum, and they feature special rubber tips made just for the iPad’s touchscreen. They’ll give you the omnidirectional precision you need, and the effortless multitouch capability you never thought was possible with a stylus.

Let’s hop on over to Typi now. You’ll love Typi. In this case, the problem we identified was how best to accessorize your iPad 2. Sure, there are nice cases, nice stands, and decent (and usually expensive) Bluetooth keyboards. But how often do they work perfectly with each other? In our experience, never — until Typi.

Typi is three accessories in one – case, stand, and full QWERTY keyboard. You’ll be amazed at what this slim package can do. The case keeps your iPad 2 scratch-free and protected (not to mention looking good), but when you need to prop up your touchscreen, the case’s strap can do the job in no time at all. Three distinct viewing angles are possible with just a couple snaps of a button.

But we didn’t stop there. Typi also comes with a Bluetooth wireless keyboard so touchscreen typing will never slow you down. The keyboard even has special hotkeys for some common iPad functions. This is one busy accessory!

We’ve only scratched the surface of what you can do with Chopstakes and Typi, but you get the idea: we’re helping you to get the most out of your iPad. Take a look at Chopstakes’ product page as well as Typi’s product page for more info and pictures.

IPEVO is taking our show on the road at the end of October and beginning of November. We’re going to be setting up booths to showcase the latest and greatest in IPEVO educational tech at two conferences.

First up is EdTech 2011, which takes place from October 26th through the 28th in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. (Look for us; we’re Booth #511!) The theme of this year’s event is “Unplugged, Unwired.” EdTech is a great gathering of educators, IT administrators, business professionals, librarians and more, all collaborating to discover the very best ways to incorporate technology into education.

Less than a week later, we’ll be greeting visitors at Booth #213 for GaETC 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Georgia Educational Technology Conference takes place from November 2nd through the 4th. From workshops to student-run showcases, GaETC will have a lot to offer educators looking to make an impact on learning in the classroom.

Starting with everybody’s favorite easy-to-use, easy-to-transport, easy-to-get-your-students-inspired image maker, the Point 2 View USB Document Camera, we feel we have a lot to offer educators. So much is possible in your classroom with today’s technology, and we’re proud to be on the cutting edge of educational tech.

If you’ll be in the southeastern United States, please consider stopping by and saying hello at one or both conferences. We’d love to meet you!

Click here to download IPEVO product brochure (2.5MB).