#throwbackthursday - Databox Flashbacks

Who remembers the old dot matrix printers? ( I am showing my age on this one)  You know the ones we used in college computer labs that required switching the printer to print from Computer A, Computer B, C or D.  Am I getting a few nods?

So why not try this same concept for an iPad and computer?  At the teacher station (hooked to a classroom overhead projector) often switching back and forth between the monitor and iPad can be a bit troublesome taking out the VGA cord from the computer and hooking into the dongel to display the iPad screen on the projector.  I use the dongel below for the iPad2 to project on the screen.

In comes the "old school" data switch box.  By switching from A to B, either the computer screen or the iPad screen is projected on the screen.  Viola!

Simply place the VGA Cable from the computer to the I/O (input/output) of the data switchbox.  Place the pictured cable below in the A or B and connect one to the dongel on the iPad and the other to the computer.

The data switch boxes typically come with 4 of these male to male end cables.

Adding Color to The Noun Project Icons

At the  #ISTE2015 Conference I was introduced to this AMZING noun repository site called The Noun Project.  There are tons of free icon-like clipart.  Create a free login to download.  There are three options for downloading these beauties.  First, free with the credit to the author embedded in the clipart.  Second, purchase single uses of the clipart.  Thirdly, purchase a monthly or yearly license for unlimited clipart downloads. For more details, see the pricing guide.  Below is the free example with image credit.

Another super cool trick I learned from Tony Vincent's session on images was how to recolor the images. Tony shows how to recolor them using Method Draw.  See Tony's step-by-steps here.  I wanted to try recoloring with PicMonkey.  

How cool is this?  Do you know how many times images are used in education?  From teacher presentations, student presentations, digital storytelling, comic strips, book reports, to claymation, and the list goes on and on.  

Steps for Recoloring in PicMonkey:

1.  Choose Design in PicMonkey, select square

2.  Select Overlay on the left (butterfly icon)

3.  Select Choose Your Own at the top

4.  Open clipart from The Noun Project

5.  Recolor with image editing dialogue box

6.  Change translucency if desired.

7.  Add text with the text tool

8. Save, import into another project.

Visual QR Codes with Visualead

Guess what I learned this week?  How to create visual QR Codes with Visualead then edit with PicMonkey.  These could be created for open house with a link to your class website. Imagine the possibilities.  How would you use it with your students?  Parents?  Community? At the time these were created, the free account allowed for 3 visual QR Codes with ads. Really like it?  Want more?  Here is the Pricing guide.

How to Create a QR Code using a photograph: 

1.  Create an account with Visualead.  Easiest to sign in with a Google Acocunt. 
2.  Select Dashboard, Create QR Code 
3.  For the one above, I chose the Website URL QR Code (first one).  Depending on the type of QR code created, choose accordingly. 
4. Copy and paste the URL code into the box. 
5. Upload your photograph - select large pink box at the top of the page. 
6. Edit QR Code - can have some fun with this. 
7. Click on Create QR Code. 
8. Right click, save as, choose folder location and filename 

How to edit in PicMonkey. 

1.  Go to PicMonkey. 
2.  Choose Touch Up, Computer 
3.  Select the QR Code image 
4.  Click on frames on the left. 
5.  Select a few borders- Simple Edge, Drop Shadow, etc. 
6.  Test the QR code to be sure it works after frames - it should with no problem, but I always like to test it. 
7.  Select save at the top. 
8.  It's ready to be imported into Word, Powerpoint, etc.  Then printed for distribution. 

Get creative!  If you make one share it with us below in the comments.  We would love to see them.