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Sunday 6 January 2013

Technology for the lessable

In the past few months my father has been diagnosed with brain cancer, had two brain surgeries to remove the tumors, undergone 6 weeks of radiation and chemotherapy and has been sleeping a lot. His life changed very quickly from being a very capable, active, adventurous motorcycle rider who travelled all over the world, watching his investments on the stock market and restoring and rebuilding motorcycles. He was also an avid and voracious reader.

He now has problems seeing properly as the tumors were in that part of the brain which controlled vision. He also cannot recognize words and has effectively become illiterate as he can no longer read or write. He is 71 years young. 

When visiting with him over the past holidays I noticed his frustration using an old style mobile phone (along with other frustrations). He couldn't see or recognise the numbers to call, had trouble discerning the button to press to answer the call, he had difficulties holding the phone and found it difficult to end the call as he was not able to see the finish button.

I bought him an iPhone 4 to help him reduce his frustration in communication. The ease of answering the calls by swiping the surface, the included voice commands and voice over to access the phone functions has ensured he now has some independence back. The access that Apple has inbuilt into the iphone has made communication much better for him and others like him who have permanent or temporary disabilities.

He is able to tell the phone who to call or text, he is able to 'read' texts and emails when they come in and the screen is able to be magnified further if he does need to see an app to open it.




We have also purchased for him a handset (see above) which he can hold with more ease and protect his brain from further damage. He will also be able to listen to audio books when he is able to. At the moment his brain can't keep up or process the words being read on the audio book. This apparently will settle down with time.

As educators we are always trying to help our students learn through different means and to support them in whatever way we can whether it be simplified text, audio books or different apps. I am glad I have had the experience with supporting learning with students so that I could help my parents through this difficult time.

Modern technology surely has its positives in situations like this..

Why Gaming Development Technology became so easy?

“My top tip is making baby steps before giant leaps”, “By starting slowly, your risk factor is greatly diminished, and financial commitment is much lower. You can get out at any time with minimal losses, or move forward into more risky gaming technology development areas with good fundamental knowledge.” Another tip is based on the idea of dollar cost averaging gaming technology development portfolios, which is a strong modus operandi in the stock field. The theory is simple and it can payout nicely if investment is done on a consistent basis. Dollar cost averaging for gaming technology development investments is best leveraged over a 3 year period, where the investor can choose to buy more shares monthly or bi-monthly. All the while, we’ve always wanted answers about gaming technology development and how to better manage such issues. Now, for the first time in ages, Kry Oehlenschlage will supply you with exclusive gaming technology development commentary that can’t be beat! Delley Corsello from www.orkut.com states it best: “We want all of this to be simple and risk to be nominal. The main area in which people have difficutly is assessing their wealth and risk factors. Far too often, we see gaming technology development investors jumping into a portfolio that is far too aggressive. The end result can be disasterous, invoking many to file bankruptcy.” Be sure to also look at other active markets aside from the gaming technology development sector you may follow. By diversifying your portfolio, you diversify your risk and hence can tolerate losses in one gaming technology development area by making gains in another. Wohlert Surma of www.ft.com recommends diversifying with three to six various gaming technology development companies, and as many different gaming technology development mutual funds. “I invest heavily in areas that look promising, but also proportionately balance my risk by putting some money in standard investments, such as stocks, bonds, and money market funds”, states Wohlert Surma. Second only to this idea is the wealth factor, a key indicator showing one’s ability to actually breach the gaming technology development market and get in while the “getn’s good”. The wealth factor is simply an expression of one’s income and disposable figured by a gaming technology development tolerance or risk factor. Then, based on this tolerance level, an appropriate amount of startup gaming technology development capital can be allocated. Then, it is necessary to consider the end game. Gaming technology development investing is risky, but becomes more so when money is needed for basic needs. “Give yourself a nice cussion of cash and retirement income”, suggests Peppler Difeo of www.checkpoint.com, “Personally, I save about 10% each month for retirement, 20% as liquid cash for everyday needs, and another 40% for investing. This may sound very demanding, especially with regard to gaming technology development investments, but in actuality it is really a reflection of what you want for your future, not necessarily what you want now.” Lemke Zoellner of the HOQYT facility recommends starting out slowly with gaming technology development purchases and moves, and then moving more aggressively into the market once substantial gaming technology development real estate has been acquired. Further information about the gaming technology development industry can be obtained by writing Huso Panning@www.ieee.org, or by searching the net with your favorite search engine. “The motivation to have money from a gaming technology development portfolio in the future is great,” counters Lindberg Leadbeater, “but don’t forget that you can’t live in the future forever. Many people fall into the trap of not meeting basic needs in the present, which, logically means that their future will become progressively more difficult.” Lindberg Leadbeater is author of the the famous gaming technology development How-To guide “Make gaming technology development investments work for you, and retire wealthy”, recently seen in magazines across the country. All in all, success with investments in the gaming technology development industry come with time. Rarely do people see quick returns, and rarely do people with gaming technology development portfolios lose a lot either. “Essentially,” remarked Rollyson Scotty, “we’re looking at the long term here. Quick wins are for lotteries and penny poker games, not the gaming technology development investment market. I think, given enough time, those who invest in this area will see good returns for their gaming technology development money.”

Saturday 5 January 2013

How to uninstall Microsoft Office 2013 or Office 365


f you have installed a trial or full version of Microsoft Office 2013, the company’s latest installment of the suite, on your PC and want to uninstall it again, for instance because it is causing issues on the PC, you do not want to use it anymore, or simply because you want to install it again at a later time, then you can usually use the uninstall a program control panel applet to do so.
Press the Windows key, enter uninstall, select uninstall a program from the results listing and browse to the Microsoft Office 2013 or Office 365 listing. Right-click the program and select uninstall from the context menu. This works most of the time and all is good when it does. Sometimes, you may get an error message, or Office may not even be listed in the Control Panel applet.
uninstall microsoft office2013 365
If it works, you should see the official Office uninstaller:
Are you sure you want to uninstall
Uninstalling will remove all the files and data of this Office product and you will no longer be able to use the related product
We’ve noticed you have other Office products that will remain intalled after you install this product. We recommend you Repair these products from the Programs and Features item in your Control Panel once you’re done uninstalling
office uninstall
If the uninstallation fails, you will get to the following screen which tells you to try the uninstallation again.
Couldn’t uninstall Office
We’re sorry. Office couldn’t be uninstalled. Please try uninstalling Office again. You can go online to find more help.
We’re sorry, but we ran into an error donwloading and installing your Office programs. Please check your network connection, ensure you have enough disk space, and restart your computer. Your installation will continue automatically. If your installation does not complete, or you see any more errors use the Repair option from the Programs and Features item in your Control Panel to repair your installation.
could not uninstall office
The link leads to a Fix It that tries to resolve the issue. It walks you through the removal process and should be successful if the regular uninstaller can’t uninstall Office 2013 or Office 365 from the PC.
uninstall microsoft office 2013 suite
The process may take several minutes to complete and should not be interrupted. Note that you are asked to restart your computer at the end of the process. You can click on cancel on that page to reboot at a later point in time.
removing office

Manual removal of Office 365 or 2013

If you prefer full control over the process, you can try and remove Office manually from the PC. There are two ways to uninstall Office manually. Microsoft recommends the first option for Office Home and Student 2013, Office Home and Business 2013, Office 365 Home Premium Preview, or any other Office 365 edition. Office Standard 2013 or Office Professional Plus 2013.
Method 1
  • Open C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\integration\ 
  • Delete all C2RManifest*.xml files in that folder.
  • Open an elevated command prompt. Tap on Windows, enter cmd, right-click on the result and select run as administrator from the menu.
  • Type cd “C:\Program files\Microsoft Office 15\root\integration”.
  • Type integrator.exe /U.
  • To remove the Office 2013 preview scheduled tasks run the following commands.
  • Type schtasks.exe /delete /tn “FF_INTEGRATEDstreamSchedule”
  • Type schtasks.exe /delete /tn “FF_INTEGRATEDUPDATEDETECTION”
  • Type schtasks.exe /delete /tn “FF_INTEGRATEDOffice 15 Subscription Heartbeat”
  • Keep the command prompt open.
  • Open the Task Manager with Ctrl-Shift-Esc.
  • Click on the Process tab and kill the following processes: integratedoffice.exe,appvshnotify.exefirstrun.exe and setup*.exe.
  • Type sc delete OfficeSvc at the command prompt.
  • Open Windows Explorer and delete the Microsoft Office 15 folder
  • Open %ProgramData%\Microsoft and delete the ClickToRun folder
  • Open %ProgramData%\Microsoft\office and delete the FFPackageLocker file
  • Press Windows, type regedit and hit enter to open the Registry editor
  • Delete the following Registry keys.
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\ClickToRun
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\AppVISV
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Microsoft Office 15 – ProfessionalRetail – en-us
  • Note that the name of the last Registry key depends on the installed version of Office.
  • Delete Office 2013 start menu shortcuts
  • Open %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs and delete the Office 2013 folder
  • Go to the command prompt and run one of the following commands:
  • If you are running an x86 version of Office 2013 and an x64 operating system run the following command: MsiExec.exe /X{50150000-008F-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}
  • If you are running an x86 version of Office 2013 and an x86 operating system run the following command: MsiExec.exe /X{50150000-007E-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}
  • If you are running an x64 version of Office 2013 and and x64 operating system run the following command: MsiExec.exe /X{50150000-008C-0000-1000-0000000FF1CE}
  • Run the following command afterwards: MsiExec.exe /X{00150000-008C-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}
Method 2
  • Open the %windir%\Installer folder. Make sure you can view Hidden files and folders on your system
  • Select View, then Choose Details
  • Select Subject, type 340 in the width of the column and click ok. This may take several minutes before subjects appear.
  • Select View > Sort by > Subject
  • Locate all .msi files that have Microsoft Office 2013 product names and uninstall them.
  • Use Windows-R to open a run box
  • Enter services.msc and hit the enter key
  • Locate Office Source Engine and right-click the service and select Stop from the context menu.
  • Open the %CommonProgramFiles%\Microsoft Shared folder or%CommonProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Shared on a 64-bit operating system
  • Delete the folders Office15 and Source Engine from the folder list.
  • Open the %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Office folder or %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Office on 64-bit systems
  • Delete the Office15 folder.
  • Open the MSOCache folder on the root of the hard drive
  • Open the All Users folder and delete every folder that contains 0FF1CE} in the name
  • Open the folder %appdata%\microsoft\templates
  • Delete the following files Normal.dotm and Welcome to Word.dotx
  • Open the folder %appdata%\microsoft\document building blocks
  • Delete the building blocks.dotx file
  • Press Windows-r, type regedit and hit enter
  • Open the following Registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0
  • Delete the following Registry keys if you are running a 32-bit version of Windows.
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Delivery\SourceEngine\Downloads\*0FF1CE}-*
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*0FF1CE*
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\Upgrade Codes\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ose
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Features\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\UpgradeCodes\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Win32Assemblies\*Office15*
  • Delete the following Registry keys if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\15.0
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Delivery\SourceEngine\Downloads\*0FF1CE}-*
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*0FF1CE*
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ose
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Features\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\UpgradeCodes\*F01FEC
    • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Win32Asemblies\*Office15*
  • On a 32-bit version of Windows, open the following Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
  • On a 64-bit version of Windows, open the following Registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
  • Select File > Export, type UninstallKey01 and select Save.
  • Under the uninstall key determine the subkey that has the following values:
  • Name: UninstallString
  • Data: file_name path\Office Setup Controller\Setup.exe path
  • Delete the keys that match the data and repeat the process until all keys have been processed.
Restart the PC afterwards.

Fanless Mini PCs for Industries by Giada Technology F-Series

The New Fanless Giada Mini PC F102D with Atom N2600: Slim, Silent, Dust-Proof, And Energy-Efficient
Manila, Philippines – Hardly larger than a paperback, Giada Technology`s F102D is a harmonic composition of performance and functional design. Its compact size, its energy efficiency, and its high performance make it a perfect and highly functional solution for end users; its solid metal housing makes possible application in rough industrial environments as well. Quiet offices profit from its low noise level, ensuring creative, effective, and concentrated work. What is more, it can be used as a small server or gateway with two LAN ports. Giada MG 4312The VESA holder which is available as an optional component allows easy positioning behind monitors, for example.


The new F102D Mini PC from Giada Technology`s fanless series is a small computer giant, hiding the latest PC technology inside. At its heart is an Intel Atom N2600 processor with a 1.6 GHz dual core based on Intel`s Cedar Trail technology.
An almost silent solution, the F102D offers a broad range of ports and connections: 2 GB LAN, a 4-in-1 card reader, Bluetooth, WLAN (802.11n), as well as five USB and two COM ports. It has 2 GB RAM (DDR3 SO-DIMM) which can be upgraded to 4 GB, and an internal hard drive with 320 GB. Building in a hard drive with a capacity of up to 1 TB, or an SSD is possible as well. Additionally, the Mini PC features HDMI and VGA video output which can be used simultaneously as well to work with two HD screens at the same time.
The latest PC technology in industrial environments
With its solid, black metal housing, the F102D is ideally suited for rough industrial environments, ensuring smooth operation even under very hot (up to 65°C) or very cold (down to -15°C) conditions. Its compact size of only 190 mm x 149 mm x 26 mm (D/W/H) makes possible operation in small areas as well. With its low energy consumption of not more than 14 W, there is no need for a noisy fan. Combined with its small heat development, the F102D meets all requirements for an industrial PC.
Another field it is a perfect fit for is Digital Signage. With its slim size around 2 cm, it can be placed behind a monitor or used as an embedded system. Automatic start-up and shut-off can be realized using Wake on LAN (WoL). It easily plays 1080p content and can easily be placed behind a monitor or on a wall with the VESA holder available from Giada as well.
Giada F102D Mini PC: the most important performance specifications
• Ultra-compact size – 190 mm x 149 mm x 26 mm, 0,7-liter housing
• Metal housing, black
• Energy consumption of not more than 14 W
• Extremely silent without a fan
• Robust and tight for industrial application
• Network: WLAN 802.11n, Bluetooth, 2 GB LAN ports
• Full-HD 1080P video
• 2 GB DDR3 SO-DIMM RAM (max. 4 GB)
• 320 GB SATA 2.5 ’’ hard drive
• Intel Atom N2600 (2 x 1.6 GHz, Cedar Trail)
• Optional: Windows 7 Professional
• Intel NM10 Express Chipset
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3600 with Microsoft Direct X9 support

New soil stabilisation technology to be used to deal with landslips and damaged roads


The Ministry of Local Government will partner with the Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) to provide stability along damaged roadways and alleviate landslips by implementing soil cement stabilisation.
Line Minister, Suruj Rambachan made the announcement at TCL’s launch of its new alternative use of cement initiative in Mayo. The process involves the use of premium cement, mixed with aggregate, water and asphalt dug up from the road to be rehabilitated.
Rambachan said he was excited by the prospects of using TCL's new initiative to repair roads and that he expects the process to be useful in various applications of road construction and rehabilitation.
“I think we are looking at something that is very innovative and we are looking at something that is of great value, especially when we do a proper cost benefit analysis as we are using this type of technology as against the traditional type of technology. We at local government are prepared to begin to try this technology and partner with Trinidad Cement Limited in this regard,” stated Rambachan.
He said TCL's engineers had informed him that the process would incur government no further costs as it did not involve the use of specialised equipment or required additional manpower.
The process is also expected to reduce costs for road construction by 35 per cent noted TCL Group civil engineer Avaleen Moloo.
Application of the soil cement stabilisation process was made on approximately 50 meters of roadway into the Mayo quarry, to test its strength. Further tests included the covering of the road with a thin layer of bitumen, after which two six-tone trucks, one loaded, then drove over the road.
Rambachan noted that there was minimal movement at the road's base, which would normally require being paved every other day because of breakage. With the new process, roadways are expected to be completed in one day and ready for use by motorists within 24 hours.
Rambachan said he was certainly impressed and deemed it a significant development in Government's plans to see proper, sustainable rehabilitation and repairs of the nation's roadways.

New solutions to school boards by NSBA Technology


The National School Boards Association (NSBA) recently announced its first Technology Innovation Showcase, which will help school board members realize the potential of new and innovative educational technology products for their schools.
The Technology Innovation Showcase is designed to show emerging companies that represent the diversity of new solutions in education, according to Ann Flynn, NSBA’s Director of Education Technology.
“The education market sector is experiencing rapid growth from investors and creative entrepreneurs, yet few of the nation’s 90,000 board members and their school districts are fully aware of the innovations enabled by technology that can transform old practices,” said Flynn. “NSBA wants to be a bridge between the entrepreneurial community and the nation’s decision-makers by encouraging districts to embrace a culture of innovation that is open to new approaches and looks to the Showcase examples as a way to ignite those conversations.”
The 2013 Technology Innovation Showcase includes the following companies:
  • BloomBoard – Helping educators grow by providing a free platform to manage the entire feedback cycle for improving educator effectiveness (e.g.: observations, coaching, and individualized learning plans, etc.), connected to recommendations from an open marketplace of professional development resources.
  • Guide K12 – Using the power of geovisual analytics, districts can look at student data in new ways for the purpose of forecasting, capacity planning, and boundary discussions and get immediate answers to “what if” questions.
  • Nearpod – An all-in-one solution for the synchronized use of iPads (and other mobile devices) in the classroom that is helping redefine the traditional classroom lecture through interactive presentations and real-time assessments.
  • TenMarks – An engaging web-based learning environment that super-charges math instruction by delivering contextual help, automatic interventions, real-time assessments, and a personalized curriculum for every student.
  • VizZle® — District Edition / Monarch Teaching Technologies – Committed to providing technology-enhanced solutions that offer districts more effective, yet cost-efficient data-driven tools that support children with autism and other special learning needs.
  • World Wide Workshop, Globaloria – A blended-learning platform with a results-proven curriculum and educator support system to teach youth to produce STEM games with industry-standard methods and tools to increase digital literacy and global citizenship skills, and promote engagement in STEM and Computing.
The 2013 class will be featured by NSBA in an exclusive Innovation Showcase Pavilion and Showcase session during the NSBA Annual Conference in San Diego, April 13-15, 2013. In addition, they will be featured in NSBA’s magazine for school leaders, American School Board Journal, and highlighted in a February 27th webinar hosted by NSBA’s Technology Leadership Network. Go to www.nsba.org/tln to register.
Submissions were solicited from start-up companies providing new approaches to challenges across the K-12 curriculum, administrative operations, and communication channels. Reviewers included educators from NSBA’s “20 to Watch”, a recognition program that honors emerging technology leaders.
TLN, launched in 1985 by NSBA and its state school boards associations, helps advance the wise use of technology in K-12 education to support learning, operations, and communications.

A Brief Review on Stem Cell's Technology for Rejuvenate Immune Cells


 Stem cell technology may one day give new life to tired immune cells so they can battle diseases such as HIV and cancer more effectively, two new studies suggest.
IM23023Vicriviroc HIV bounce off Tcell 02 Stem Cell Technology May Help Rejuvenate Immune Cells
Scientists in Japan used old immune T-cells and regenerated them into T-cells that multiplied in greater numbers, had longer lifespans and showed a greater ability to target diseased cells. The finding could lead to more effective immune therapies, the researchers said.
Both reports were published in the Jan. 4 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.
“The system we established provides ‘young and active’ T-cells for adoptive immunotherapy against viral infection or cancers,” study senior author Dr. Hiromitsu Nakauchi, of the University of Tokyo, said in a journal news release.
In one study, researchers transformed mature T-cells from an HIV-infected patient into pluripotent stem cells, a type of stem cell that has the ability to differentiate into nearly any type of cell in the body. In a second study, researchers used T-cells from a patient with melanoma, a particularly deadly type of skin cancer. In both cases, the researchers helped the pluripotent stem cells differentiate back into T-cells.
The good news was that these “rejuvenated” immune cells were an improvement on the original T-cells, the researchers noted.
The HIV patient’s T-cells had an unlimited lifespan and long caps on the ends of their chromosomes, which protected them from aging.
Meanwhile, the T-cells from the patient with melanoma were able to recognize the protein commonly expressed in this type of cancer.
“The next step we are going to do is examine whether these regenerated T-cells can selectively kill tumor cells but not other healthy tissues. If such cells are developed, these cells might be directly applied to patients,” study senior author Dr. Hiroshi Kawamoto, of the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology in Yokohama City, Japan, said in the news release. “This could be realized in the not-so-distant future.”
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has more on the immune system.