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FotoViewr is a cool new site that I came across today that allows you to access your photos from your Flickr or SmugMug account, create a slideshow, and embed it into your blog or website.  Why do I like FotoViewr?

1. You don’t need to sign up or create an account to use the site.
2. Easily access your photos by entering your username and the “tag” of the photos you wish to view.
3. Pick a “gallery” tool to showcase your photos.
4. Embed the slideshow using the code Fotoviewr provides for you.

The transitions remind me of PicLens (otherwise known as Cool Iris), which is a new way to search for multimedia on the web.  The effects are very similar to what I see in FotoViewr. If you can’t see the slideshow below, try viewing this blog in Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.

http://amyboehman.blogspot.com

Virtual worlds like Second Life have exploded with the rise of the Internet. Interacting in a virtual world means you need to have an avatar, a virtual representation of YOU.  But how many people actually make their “virtual” selves look similar to their real selves?  I dare you to compare! 

Hair down, hair up.  Let’s look at the avatars now.

This is my avatar from a manga avatar maker. (see above)

Here is my South Park avatar. (see above)

Try as I might, it was impossible to look good as a Simpson’s avatar. (see above)

And finally, my avatar in Second Life.  (see above)

Given the chance, would you try to improve on your real self or try to make your avatar really look like you?  One person on Second Life who tries to make his avatar look like himself is David Warlick. 

What would YOU do?

If you enjoyed this post, please follow me to my new blog address where I will continue to post new tech tips:

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Welcome, Fall!  October is here! 

To get into the Halloween spirit, why not carve a pumpkin online?  There are two sites that I have found that are fun. 

 The first one located at theoworlds has the most options for your pumpkin.  It gives you to option to cut “freeform” or with straight lines only. When you connect the lines of your cut, then the piece automatically falls out of your pumpkin.  You can change the background picture, add your own message, print your pumpkin, save it to view later, or send it to your friends in an email.  Don’t forget you can turn on and off the spooky background music! As you can see from the picture above, the pumpkin is realistic instead of a cartoon.  I like it!

The second pumkpin site is called the “Pumpkin Simulator“.  You have a cartoon pumpkin to carve on, and when you are finished, you click, “done”.  At that time, a lit candle is added to your pumpkin and spooky music plays.  It doesn’t have any of the other options as the first pumpkin site, but it still provides entertainment!  Happy Halloween!

Kitzu is my newest find!  I mentioned it briefly in an earlier post, but I finally had a chance to look at it this weekend.  Kitzu offers free, copyright-friendly, and educational media packages for teachers and students to use in multimedia projects.  Most packages include about six pieces of media around an educational theme from the 21st century that can include images, documents, audio clips, video clips, and illustrations.  As a teacher, download one of these kits to use with your whole class.  You will be amazed that each student uses the media differently to create a unique project.  For teachers who do not know where to start, Kitzu is the perfect first step for integrating with PowerPoint, Photo Story, Movie Maker, or Adobe Premier Elements.

http://amyboehman.blogspot.com

Do you like to personalize pictures to make them look real but don’t have time to dabble in Photoshop?  Have no fear!  Check out says-it.com. They have many different generators where you can personalize the information printed on them.  Personalize a church sign, a McDonald’s sign, or a Danger sign.  Add a little spice to your webpage or your blog.  I’m easily amused, but if you’re reading this blog, you probably are, too.

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Many teachers struggle to find images that they are allowed to use without running into copyright trouble.  Here are a few sites that I found over the past few months:

Discovery Education Clip Art (Be sure to look at copyright. You can download about 10 of these images)

Pics4Learning (Copyright friendly for teachers and students)

Clip Art for Educators

USA.Gov (read the disclaimer at the top of the page)