Itunes U: A new kind of learning, for a new generation:

The day my husband handed his iPad to our 2-year-old, I cringed, fearful of the $700 device’s imminent destruction and of introducing technology at perhaps far too young an age. But after seeing how quickly he picked up easy lessons on colors, matching and numbers from his first interactions with “Monkey Preschool Lunchbox” (a 99-cent app), I swallowed my protests.

Anecdotal evidence aside, recent studies have shown that working with a touch-screen tablet and an interactive learning application can improve test scores of students of varying ages.

In January, textbook publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt released findings of a yearlong pilot program in which students at a California middle school were given iPads with the HMH Fuse algebra app. The study found that over 78 percent of HMH Fuse users scored at “proficient” or “advanced” levels on last spring’s California Standards Tests, compared with only 59 percent of their textbook-using peers.” ...Keep On Reading!

I’ve been dragging my heels about adopting Timeline, the Facebook profile introduced in September. I haven’t wanted to accept that my comfy, familiar profile will soon be gone for good. But there’s no delaying anymore: Facebook announced last week that “over the next few weeks, everyone will get Timeline.”

Instead of waiting for Timeline to be sprung on you, I’d suggest that you jump in now and spend a few hours on www.facebook.com/about/timeline. Watch the tutorial video. Then click the “Get Timeline” button to get started, which I find preferable to logging in one day to a different layout.

Timeline makes sense. It aims to present your life in chronology, compiling your manual entries and status updates, threading them with photos and videos. Think of it as a huge digital photo album chronicling your life, with all the things you’ve posted to Facebook over the years. Your “News Feed” remains unchanged, so you can see your friends’ status updates just as you’re used to. ...Keep On Reading!

THE BEST FROM CES 2012

Every January, thousands of industry professionals and gadget-lovers flock to Las Vegas for the nerd Mecca, the Consumer Electronics Show. The recent gathering showcased tech toys slated to hit the market in the coming year, providing a shopping list for those who are first in line for everything new and cool, and more of a wish list for the rest of us.

ULTRABOOKS.

Among the highlights was the “ultrabook,” a super-thin and lightweight notebook that’s bigger and more functional than a tablet, but more portable than a traditional laptop. Every major manufacturer had its models, but my favorite was the Dell XPS13.

HP’s Envy 14 Spectre is flashier, with its scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass case and a starting price of $1,399. But the Dell — due out in late February with a rumored $1,000 price tag — is more accessible to the mainstream buyer. Boasting a 13-inch screen, 4GB of RAM and an Intel i5 or i7 processor, it weighs less than three pounds and sports a cool backlit keyboard. A Gorilla Glass screen and carbon fiber shell promise durability and heat resistance, so you can actually use the machine on your lap without burning a hole through your jeans. As with most ultrabooks, its small footprint means you lose some ports: It has no slots for an HDMI cable or SD card, just those for USB, mini display and 3.5mm audio cables. ...Keep On Reading!

 
 
The Tech industry is a booming business despite that the country is still recovering from a recession. Technology and electronics continue to outperform other major industries. To put the tech industry in perspective, of the 5,000 companies on the 2011 INC. 5000, 999 of them were tech companies. That is a whopping 19.98%. So almost 20% of the fastest growing, private American companies are in one of the following ...Keep On Reading!

On August 23, 2011 Inc. magazine announced its fifth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy— America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs.

Nerds On Call is one of the fastest growing private companies in America for a third year in a row. This year NERDS was ranked 3,010 out of 5,000 companies. Rankings based on revenue figures from 2007 through 2010. NERDS’ growth from 2007 to 2010 was 68%! You can oogle over the official article here.

And it all began on a dark and stormy night… OK, just kidding…

Our “Nerdstory” begins in 2004.Ryan & Andrea Eldridge had relocated from Orange County to Redding, California, leaving a successful internet billing services company in search of some trees, squirrels, and the ...Keep On Reading!

For us Apple-ites here at Nerds, today is a big day! Apple has released information on the newest version of OSX! While it won’t be available on the App Store until July, we still can’t wait for the lastest update to our OS! Apple has promised that Lion will be more similar to the iOS software with application organization that will group all of your programs and applications, Mission Control so that you are able to see everything that is running, and multi-touch gestures on the magic mouse and track pad to give you an experience more similar to the iPad.

Versions: While were excited for these features the… ...Keep On Reading!

Summer may be right around the corner but it’s never to late for spring cleaning. Here are a few ways to clean up the mess around your home office or entertainment center.

Excited about getting your hands on the latest iPhone this Summer? Think again. Normally Apple releases a new iPhone every summer, but this year Apple has danced around the issue of this summer’s release only stating that the focus of the WWDC conference will be all software based. So here at Nerds we’re all waiting with baited breath for the latest version. When do we think it will be coming out? We’re hoping for an October release, but most likely were probably looking at a release closer to the holiday season. With possible NFC capibilities (being able to use your phone as a debit card), updated camera, and updated processor… ...Keep On Reading!

As the days get longer and brighter, many of us start to notice the dust and clutter we’ve accumulated over the winter. From the tangle of cords surrounding your computer, to the ten remote controls lining your couch, Andrea Eldridge , CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, has brought us some fun tools to Spring Clean your tech.

I’ve got at least four remotes, and all of them claim to be all-in-one, but you need to be a rocket scientist to use them. What makes this one different?

Harmony Universal Remote

– simple command buttons (“Watch TV”, “Watch a Movie”) and every
device is automatically turned to the… ...Keep On Reading!

or watch the article on their website