Technology Blog

Pace University is thrilled to feature our new pilot program called Echo360! Echo360 is a lecture capture solution designed for students on the go, enabling you to watch/hear any class on your personal computer. We are currently testing it on all three campuses, and hoping to promote it campus-wide by the end of this year.

The Nursing Department has been cooperating with ITS and CTLT on the Pleasantville campus by capturing some of their classes. The program has so far generated an enormous amount of positive feedback, and the Nursing students are just as excited as we are to be testing this program.

What is Echo360?

Have you ever wanted to see or hear part of your class again? What about the whole thing? With Echo360, you can relive the entire classroom experience! Hear your professor’s lecture—word for word, see their computer screen—every image, slide, and video, all from your own computer! The professor’s voice, video and computer presentations are captured simultaneously for a true “rewinding” experience.

How can this program help me?

As a Pace University student, you can use Echo360 as a “lecture-on-demand” service, and view any lecture at any time—and any place. If you miss class, lose your notes, or need to study for a test, Echo360 is available for use on your own schedule, at your own pace.

How do I use it?

Every lecture capture will be automatically uploaded to your course’s Blackboard page; listed under Course Documents. Within an hour following the end of class, the lecture will be processed and accessible as podcasts, video and rich media files. You can download the lecture to your computer or just watch it straight from your browser. In order to view it in your browser, you must have Flash player installed (You can download it by clicking here).

Echo360 has the capability to capture from multiple sources—including a computer, microphone, and even a video camera feed. You can view a lecture from Professor Berro of the Nursing Department by visiting the following link:

http://echoess.dmz.pace.edu:8080/ess/echo/presentation/59795904-8c8c-4dfc-a535-8446553fff55

The responses so far from her students have been extremely positive. Trisha Moricette, a Junior in Professor Berro’s NUR 317A Pharmacology course states:

“It’s very helpful! Most classes are three hours long and this program lets you go back and catch things that you might have missed.  Not only hearing the audio, but also being able to see what she is referring to on the actual slides is great!”

Will this work on my computer?

Yes, all Echo360 captures are compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux platforms. If you want to download a capture, you can save it as a standard video, rich media, or audio file. You can even view or hear the lecture on your iPod/MP3 player!

Where is Echo360 being used?

Professors can use Echo360 with their own personal laptops, or they can use a technology-enhanced classroom such as Lienhard Lecture Hall. Lienhard Lecture Hall has been equipped with an Echo360 “Capture Appliance”, which is used to capture lecture materials and combine them into one package. The appliance requires absolutely no setup on the professor’s end. All courses are scheduled at the beginning of the semester, and subsequent captures are automatically started at the beginning of every class.

We envision using Echo360 to capture classes in every department, and in time utilizing more locations with “Capture Appliance” for the ultimate “playback” experience!

I have some feedback/more questions.

If you are a faculty or student who has had an opportunity to be a part of this pilot program, we would love to hear your experience.

For more information, you can contact Educational Media for the following locations:

New York – nyem@pace.edu
Pleasantville – plvem@pace.edu
White Plains – wpem@pace.edu

Microsoft Windows 7 is the seventh generation of the world’s most popular computer operating system. Although the general look of Windows 7 resembles Windows Vista, Windows 7 offers many new and improved features to make computing on any type of PC easier. Windows 7 comes in six different editions, including: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. The Windows 7 Release Date was October 22^nd.

Which version is right for you?

Follow the link to Microsoft’s website: Comparing Windows 7 Versions.  Microsoft has provided an easy to understand website that allows customers to easily compare various editions and the features they offer.

What are the requirements for the system?

If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here are the system requirements:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Additional requirements to use certain features are:

• Internet access
• Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
• For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
• Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware
• HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7
• DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
• BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
• BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
• Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on 

What are some of the new advantages to using Windows 7?

Some new features of Windows 7 are Aero Peek, Device Stage, Windows Live Essentials, Windows Touch, Compatibility Mode, XP Mode, & Problem Steps Recorder.  Below is a brief description of each of the features.

Aero Peek
Aero Peak enables you to instantly view the desktop without minimizing or closing programs. After you view the desktop, you can instantly bring program windows back to their original positions.

Device Stage
Device Stage is a Windows 7 feature that enables you to see and manage multi-function devices, such as all-in-one devices, smart phones, and others from a single dialog.

Windows Live Essentials
Windows Live Essentials is an optional part of Windows 7. If you take pictures, write blogs, send and receive e-mail, use social-networking sites, work with video files, or use instant messaging. Windows Live Essentials has the programs you need to get started. 

Windows Touch
If you have a touch screen PC with multi-touch capability & either the Home Premium, Professional, or
Ultimate version of Windows 7, you can use Windows Touch to free yourself from your mouse and
touchpad. The Start menu and taskbar icons are much larger for touch screen use, and all Windows 7 programs are touch screen ready. The multi-touch technology allows users to zoom by simply place 2
fingers and spread them apart, like you do on the iPhone.

Compatibility Mode
Compatibility Mode is built into all versions of Windows 7 and provides an easy way to help older Windows programs to run properly in Windows 7. If Compatibility Mode doesn’t help, and you use Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise editions, you can try XP Mode in Windows Virtual PC.

XP Mode
Some older programs are designed to run on earlier versions of Windows and do not work properly on Windows 7. You can set the compatibility of Windows 7 to act like an earlier version of Windows to run an older program. Windows XP Mode uses Windows Virtual PC software to provide a virtual Windows XP environment for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise users. Windows Virtual PC requires a CPU with the Intel Virtualization Technology or AMD-V feature turned on.

Problem Steps Recorder
Help the Help Desk Help You!  Solving problems unique to a pc can be a tough task for both the user and the help desk, especially if it’s on the weekend or after normal work hours. You can use the new Problem Steps Recorder to record the steps in your problem and email it to the Help Desk or attach it to a Help Desk request.  It’s as simple as hitting “record” then adding in comments as needed. A HTML-based file is converted to a .ZIP folder, which is easily passed on to the help desk as an attachment.

For users who have had the opportunity to check out Windows 7, many are coming back with positive feedback.  Their computers are running more efficiently and the newly added features have made using the system much more user-friendly.  For more information, check out the following link: Windows 7 Home Page.

Interested in knowing more about enhancing your Blackberry Smartphone?  Are you looking for games or entertainment to pass some time, or perhaps you are trying to organize your life using some helpful business solutions or productivity tools?  Blackberry offers a wide range of applications (apps) that can be downloaded easily. Three noteworthy applications that are currently available are Blackberry App World, Blackberry Messenger, and Poynt.

What is Blackberry App World and how do I download it?

Blackberry App World is a mobile program which allows you to download over 500 programs directly to your phone.  You are able to personalize your Smartphone by choosing from an extensive list of categories such as Business, Entertainment, Finance, Games, etc.  Before committing to an app, Blackberry App World allows you to view which applications are free and which come with a price tag.  Additionally, you can read a quick description, reviews by other users, and also view screenshots.

There are two different methods to download this application.

Option 1:
Use a desktop or laptop pc and go to the blackberry website (http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/appworld/).  You will be asked to enter your e-mail address and a link will be sent to your account for download.  From your phone connect to the given link and follow the download instructions to complete the installation of the app.

Option 2:
Go to the Blackberry website straight from your Smartphone.  The website will list the minimum system requirements needed for the app and how to check them on your phone.  Again, follow the download instructions to complete the install.

When Blackberry App World has been set up on your handheld, downloading more apps is effortless! The application programs updates automatically for new apps available and you can browse through them to see which programs will be useful.

What is Blackberry Messenger and how do I download it?

Want to chat with your fellow Blackberry friends and colleagues?  Use Blackberry Messenger keep in contact with anyone who has a blackberry phone.  It operates similar to the AIM Instant Messaging program where you can chat with fellow individual blackberry users or groups of users without having to sign into an account.  The new version of this app allows you to share your pin or unique barcode with other blackberry users by simply taking a picture of another person’s bar code.  Their display name will then instantly appear in your messenger contact list.  It’s great for asking a quick question or sending a picture or video.

We recommend that you download Blackberry App World prior to downloading this app.  Once you have, you can download Blackberry Messenger in just a few steps.  Go to your Blackberry App World on your handheld and scroll through the listed programs. When you locate Blackberry Messenger, you simply click download and install the program and you are ready to go.

What is Poynt and how do I download it?

Poynt is a versatile app that serves as a type of  navigation program which uses a GPS cell-site location to find your current position and provide you with information on nearby people, businesses, movie theaters and much more.  With this program you can book movie tickets, dinner reservations, and even send invites to your friends and colleagues.  Other convenient features of this app are having the ability to find phone numbers, browse websites and map directions to any location.

Poynt can be also be downloaded by launching Blackberry App World.  Search for the app via Blackberry App World, click download and follow download instructions.

How do I know if my Blackberry has the system requirements for apps?

Apps that are displayed through your Blackberry App World will be compatible with your phone unless otherwise indicated.   If you still feel unsure about a program you can always check the blackberry web site for further information and features.

This is only a sampling of some of the apps that Blackberry offers and the best part about many of these apps is that they are both free and extremely useful.  Remember to keep one thing in mind – it is recommended to have an unlimited data plan to ensure that you do not run up your phone bill.  Check out www.blackberry.com and happy downloading!

What is DimDim?

Dimdim is a browser-based web conferencing service that allows a meeting’s presenter to share a Whiteboard, Webpages, PowerPoint presentations, PDF documents, and the presenter’s computer screen with any other meeting attendees.  It works with Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems, and there is no software download required to host or attend web meetings.  You will need Flash Player 9 or higher, however, in many cases it should already be installed on most computers.  In addition, if you want to enable sharing of the computer screen, a plug-in is also needed. 

Dimdim offers public and private chat functionality among attendees, as well as video and audio broadcasting capability through the use of a webcam and microphone, which enables Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication.  A separate teleconference number is also available as an optional communication tool.  There are three main Dimdim editions to choose from.

 What are the benefits of using Dimdim?

Dimdim is user-friendly, affordable, and creating a user account is very quick and easy.  If you are just joining a Dimdim meeting, you do not need an account.  Using Dimdim can help save some travel time and expenses that come with commuting to a physical meeting location.  Dimdim can also be an effective online teaching and learning tool, and may help to increase group collaboration and productivity.  It’s latest version offers a new tool called a widget, which serve as a promotional and registration channel and can direct interested parties to a web meeting or webinar.  The basic idea with a widget is that details of a meeting or webinar can easily be shared by placing the widget on a main website, where people will see it.  A widget is automatically created whenever a meeting or webinar is scheduled and its HTML code can be easily copied and uploaded onto the desired website.

 How do I access Dimdim?

You can check out Dimdim at http://www.dimdim.com.  While Dimdim Free possesses some limited capabilities compared to the paid versions, it is a great way to become familiar with web conferencing services.  However, if you are interested in testing one of the more premium versions, you can try a free 30-day trial version of Dimdim Pro or Dimdim Webinar.

Google Docs is a free offering from Google for anyone who creates a Google account that allows users to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations online and share them with others for collaboration. These are very easy to use programs that run on the web browser and do not require any special programs to run on your computer. Many observers believe this to be the future – most programs running on a web browser. One of the aspects of the Google spreadsheet is the ability for even a novice user to create a form quickly and easily convert it to a survey. The  user-friendly interface for the creation of such a form also provides you with built-in reporting of the results. This is suitable only for simple surveys and does not support complex branching and adaptive surveys.

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It’s almost that time of year.  No, not the holidays just yet, but time to start registering for next semester’s classes!  So begins the appointment scheduling with your advisor and scouting out classes that you want to take for next semester.  Going to the Pace online class schedule or the printed schedule may or may not be the first place you look but pretty soon it should be!  The new Schedule Explorer website, currently in beta version, will soon make your life much easier.

This is not a replacement for the registration system! This simply helps you prepare for the registration by exploring the course offerings easily and collecting the courses that may be of interest to you. The registration process is still done through your MyPace Portal account.

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Do you know that Pace University has a Youtube channel?  You can get to it at the URL: http://www.pace.edu/youtube. Think you have the next hit video on Youtube? Want to share a good time you and your fellow students had at Pace? Then upload your videos onto the new “PaceTube” site by going to https://appsrvlnx.pace.edu/videos/! Pace is looking forward to seeing and selecting your videos for the official Pace University Youtube site.

Get creative, have fun, and start uploading your videos now so that the PaceTube has a lot of interesting videos to show what a vibrant and interesting campus that we have!

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Every student at Pace is assigned a randomly generated Pace username (and the associated email address) that is difficult for anyone besides you to remember. For this reason, all students are also provided a student E-mail Alias that is easy for others to remember, find and communicate with the student.  Any e-mail sent to your student e-mail alias will be automatically forwarded to your actual Pace e-mail account.

Your student e-mail alias is generated from the information that the student submitted to the Admissions office at the time of accepting your admission to Pace University.

For example:
First name: Jane
Last name: Doe

The example above will generate an e-mail alias of jane.doe@pace.edu.

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Pace University White Pages is the online directory written by the IT staff at Pace which provides useful information about the members of the Pace community.  For staff and faculty, White Pages provides public information such as the division, department, job title, user name, Pace e-mail address, and campus location. For students, you can find your school, major, user name, Pace e-mail address, and campus location. Since this is a key application used by not just internally but also those seeking information from outside, we feel that it is time to redesign it for ease of use with multiple operating systems and browsers as well as PDAs. We provide some ideas that we have come up with, but we want to hear from you about any enhancements that you think would make it better!

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