Re: [school-discuss] Wiimote Interactive Whiteboard: IR Penlight - update

[Daniel Howard <dhhoward@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi John,

Did the software itself seem ready for primetime?  One of our dad's at 
the school who is technically inclined put the pen together as Johnnie 
C. recommended, said it was very hard to use (I suspect he may not have 
scuffed the end up to make it more omnidirectional as Johnnie recommends 
from the sound of the diffulties with it), but his wife, one of our 
teachers, said the software itself was very hard to use.  What did you 
think?  The cost savings of this seem well worth it if can be made easy 
to use, but I also understand my teacher's mentality of "If you have to 
mess with it constantly to get it to do stuff, it's not worth it."

Interestingly, after someone posted the Mimeo reference to the 
schoolforge list, I looked it up and there is a commercial version that 
is still pricey, but far less than the interactive whiteboards themselves:

http://www.mimio.com/products/interactive/

$729 for the basic unit, don't know how much software comes with it.

I'd still prefer the $35 Wii remote version with a $20 pen...

Daniel


John Mitchell wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I've become obsessed with this project but have come up with an even 
> better design using the body of a retractable whiteboard marker. I even 
> have room for a AAA battery and holder and have added a LED diffuser to 
> boot and a nice momentary microswitch.
>
> http://k12connections.net/class/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/irpen_full.JPG
>
> http://k12connections.net/class/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/irpen_open.JPG
>
> Having too much fun...
>
> John Mitchell


--
Daniel Howard
President and CEO
Georgia Open Source Education Foundation