Google Keep Gets a Couple of Needed Updates

Last fall I wrote about using Google Keep on my phone and in my browser to organize my thoughts with color coded notes. I've used Keep for that purpose off and on for the last six months. The knock against Keep has been that while color coding helps organize notes it would be better if you could label your notes too. The latest update to Keep will let you do just that (the update is on the web version now, the Android version is coming soon).

 I also use Keep to set reminders on my phone. The update for the Android version Keep will allow me to set recurring reminders for tasks and events.

Applications for Education
Setting recurring reminders on Keep could be a good way to help students get in the habit of reading or studying at a consistent time during the week. Using labels and color coded notes in Keep could be a nice way for students to construct an outline for a research paper or presentation.

H/T to Lifehacker for the updates.

Twisted Wave - Create Audio Recordings Online to Save in Google Drive

In my previous post I highlighted five apps for creating audio recordings on iPads and Android devices. If you're looking for web-based audio recording tools take a look at these five or Twisted Wave which I demonstrate in the video embedded below.

Through TwistedWave you can create and edit spoken audio recordings from scratch. Your completed tracks can be exported to Google Drive and SoundCloud. If you have existing audio tracks in your SoundCloud or Google Drive account you can also import it into TwistedWave to edit those audio tracks. TwistedWave's audio editing tools include options for fade-in, fade-out, looping, sound normalization, and pitch adjustments. The editor also includes the typical track clipping tools that you would expect to see in an audio editing tool.

Comparison Chart - 5 iPad and Android Apps for Audio Recording

It has been a while since I published my last chart comparing popular ed tech tools. (Ten of those charts can be found here). So when I was recently asked for suggestions for audio recording apps that could be used in a BYOD setting I put together a new chart. In the chart embedded below you will find five free audio recording apps for iOS and Android. The apps are designed for creating short audio recordings that could be used to capture short interviews or capture your own thoughts for a podcast/ audio blogging project.

You can download the PDF though the Box.com widget below or find a Google Docs copy here.

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5 good audio recording apps for BYOD classrooms. http://ctt.ec/fo408+.

Wistia - A Great Video Hosting Platform

YouTube can be a good place to host videos that you and your students have made. However, that doesn't do you much good if your school blocks YouTube. Furthermore, YouTube can and will insert video over and or next your videos (that's the trade-off for a free service). If you want another place to host your videos, take a look at Wistia.

Wistia is a video hosting service designed for businesses, I use it to host my webinar recordings, but it does offer a free plan for new users. Wistia's free plan allows you to host up to 50 videos at a time. You can host HD videos and videos of nearly unlimited length. Wistia also provides a wide range of customizations that you can apply to your embedded videos.

Visit Wistia's learning center for tips on producing great videos.

An Overview of Important Basic YouTube Settings for Teachers

When it is used correctly YouTube can be a good platform for spreading news about the great things that are happening in our classrooms and schools. It can also be a good platform for students to share their thoughts and projects. But before you upload videos to YouTube there are a few settings that you should be aware of. In the video embedded below I provide an overview of those settings.