Using the free cross-platform Squeak implementation of Smalltalk, I’ll
demonstrate how to literally “draw” a car on the screen, and then
animate it using children-compatible programming techniques. I’ll
even “draw” a steering wheel, and hook it up to the car.

OLPC XO Etoys information
http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Etoys

Squeak
http://www.squeakland.org

Streaming video on the Web is becoming more and more popular, with services like Ustream.tv. There are some applications that allow you to add entertainment and value to your video chats, both streaming and non.

CamTwist, a free Mac application, interacts with Skype, Ustream, and Stickam. You’ll open CamTwist before opening your chat app., and set it up. Add your webcam, then choose from a multitude of effects, like thought bubbles, snowflakes, and graphics. Make it look like you’re in an earthquake, turn yourself upside down, or zoom in. You can also add some very useful effects, like an RSS feed and a clock. One of my favorite things about CamTwist is you can stream your desktop. If you need to quickly show a family member or friend how to do something with their computer, jump on Skype and show them how.

If you’ve upgraded to Leopard, or have recently bought a Mac with Leopard installed, play around with the built in iChat effects. You’ll recognize some effects from Photo Booth, and you can have a blast with new, green-screen enabled effects.

ChatFX is another Mac only application that gives you more options, but it doesn’t work with Leopard. It’s $20.

For Windows users, check out SuperWebCam. It’s been known to have some bugs, but it’s free, so why not try it out and see if it’ll work for you!

RELATED WEBSITE LINKS

CamTwist:
http://allocinit.com/index.php?title=CamTwist

iChat
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/ichat.html

ChatFX
http://www.scriptsoftware.com/chatfx/

SuperWebCam
http://www.superwebcam.com/

Ustream
http://www.ustream.tv

PRODUCTS SHOWN
CamTwist: Free for Skype
ChatFX: $20 for iChat
SuperWebcam: Free for Skype

Sandisk Sansa View
www.sandisk.com
$165 (8 GB), $220 (16 GB)
The Sansa View shows why Sandisk continues to gain fans: this little player is svelte but it feels very sturdy…you get the feeling that it won’t fly to pieces if you accidentally drop it. It comes with either 8 or 16 gigabytes of onboard flash memory, but it also comes with a microSDHC memory card slot for those who want to add content on the fly. The player supports Windows Media Video, MPEG4 and H.264 video files, but as with the Creative Zen, a lengthy conversion process may be required to fit the player’s screen. The Sansa View also features a built-in FM tuner, as well as a built-in mic for voice recorder functionality. Unfortunately, it’s Windows-only.

Creative Zen
www.creative.com
$129 (4 GB), $199 (8 GB), $249 (16 GB)
The newest Creative multimedia player skips all the fancy adjectives and superlatives in its name: it’s known simply as the Zen. This credit card-sized player features a 2.5-inch colour screen, a built-in FM tuner, and a SecureDigital memory slot for additional multimedia files. In addition to standard audio formats, the player is able to show photos and play Windows Media Video, MPEG 1, 2 and 4, DivX and XviD video files, but be forewarned that many of these will require a lengthy conversion process in order to fit the screen size. The Zen comes in 4-gigabyte, 8-gigabyte and 16-gigabyte capacities and is compatible with Windows XP and Vista….sorry, Mac fans.

iPod Touch
www.apple.com
$329 (8GB), $449 (16GB)
Of course, the iPod Touch isn’t the first digital media player with built-in wireless networking. Archos has been releasing players with this feature for a while now, with support for a wide variety of audio and video file formats …as well as the ability to record television when connected to a special dock. The 605 WiFi is one of the company’s newest wireless players, and it features everything that makes the company’s other players a treat, including the ability to surf the web using the Opera browser, the ability to read text documents and PDFs, the ability to custom-configure the menu system with your own artwork, and the ability to play back almost any audio or video file you can throw at it. True, the industrial design isn’t quite as slick as Apple’s, and you do have to pay a bit extra to unlock some of the extra features (like some of the file formats), but the 605 WiFi will appeal to multimedia enthusiast, tweakers and hackers alike. The 605 WiFi comes with a built-in 30-, 80- or 160-gigabyte hard drive. Compatible with Windows and Mac.

Mio DigiWalker C720t
www.mio-tech.com
$499
Yes, the DigiWalker C720t is actually a GPS, but it makes use of the large four and a half inch screen for showing off photos, playing your videos, and as a multimedia player interface for when you’re simply listening to the tunes. There’s a SecureDigital card slot on the side of the player, and that’s where you keep the multimedia files…simply load them onto the card using a card reader or by copying them over by connecting the GPS to your computer via USB. The video playback can be a bit choppy so don’t buy this if you’re looking for a high-end video plaback device…it’s simply a nice bonus to a device that will keep you pointed in the right direction while you’re driving down the road.