James Moore’s extemporaneous website

NITDroid (the version of Google's Android operating system for Nokia tablets) is looking stable and worthy of installation on the N900. I think I may give this a go...

My Game Gripper for the N900 arrived. I was somewhat hesitant ordering this, but decided that this would be an excellent way to use emulators on my mobile ‘phone. And it is…. Combined with a TV-out cable this will be travelling with me every time I take a trip – a perfect way to while a way the hours in dreary hotels.

Interestingly, the instructions / disclaimer form that arrived with the package was a little defensive. The Game Gripper will increase wear and tear on my ‘phone. Hoping that any damage to the keyboard is minimal.

Packing tape that looks like brass hinges. Via BoingBoing via Super Punch.

Brian Rimmer has assembled all the Doctor Who opening themes/credits. Superb! My favorite is early Tom Baker....

Monday through Wednesday was happily spent at the Desire2Learn (D2L) Fusion Conference. Work will be migrating from Blackboard to this (to my mind) superior Learning Management System. The change cannot happen too quickly for me.

Like all conferences, Fusion2010 was a mix of fascinating presentations and less-than-stellar presentations. Like most conference attendees I was in a constant state of partial attention - checking and tapping away on my mobile telephone. And here (according to one of the presenters) I age myself, because I use the term "mobile telephone." To the younger generation all 'phones are mobile. No distinction is necessary.

The 'phone was essential - a device to record notes from the good presentations, and portal to escape through during the deathly dull presentations (though keeping one ear open for the occasional pearl of wisdom). Here are my assembled notes from the conference.

Monday

The D2L conference distinguishes itself from more prosaic conferences by being more playful and mentally stimulating. For example, each table at breakfast and lunch had 3-D architectural puzzles (Empire State Building, Taj Mahal, etc.) for participants to complete. Little touches like this made a noticeable difference.

Chicago now has a giant eye gracing the corner of State and Van Buren (Pritzker Park,). This makes my daily commute to and from work much, much more interesting. The sculpture ("Eye") is by local artist Tony Tasset. My understanding is that each year there will be a new temporary piece in that spot. Public art definitely adds character to a city.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting some cool folks who were thinking about how best to design technology to support learning in the future. The group came from disparate backgrounds under the moniker of "Meeting of the Minds." Like ripples on a pond, I find the ideas we discussed reverberating in my mind - expanding and colliding off other ideas. 

To me, the future is five minutes away. To my mind, the educational process is broken - we are largely following a model developed more than a century go that was designed to impose conformity and train future generations to labor in factories and fight in wars. Talking about ways to fix things was extremely refreshing. 

Anyroad, there is now a background buzz in my brain. I am looking forward to continuing the conversation.