GoAnimate – make your own films
Posted by BobToms in Uncategorized on October 17, 2011
I tried out this wonderful piece of online software GoAnimate
It could be used by teachers to create presentation or revision resources and tests. Pupils could use it learn and revise and provide their peers with materials to test each other. Although the implications for language learning are clear, this could be used by all subjects.
As a user, you can gain rewards (points, experience which earn you badges), with which you can claim prizes, including characters to use in your animations. The site is well designed and has a lot of features, including connections to social networks.
The free version is more than enough to get started. You can record your add voices and add them to an animation or use the Text-to-Speech tools, including voices in languages besides English.
Here is my small effort (in Spanish).
GoAnimate.com: El encuentro by BobToms100
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It’s free and fun!
Qwikvotes.com – QR code powered questions, votes and polls
Posted by BobToms in Uncategorized on September 25, 2011
Quickly and easily create a vote or poll for multiple voters using Qwikvotes.com. Voters use a QRcode & a smartphone, iPad or iPod Touch+ to vote. Votes can be before, during or after a class or public event. Vote creator gains instant access to a table of results & a graph.
If you an event organiser, you could create a poll for participants. Get instant feedback from them on their favourite speakers or events, enabling you to be more informed and offer the best value for money in future events.
If you are a Publisher of digital or traditional print media, you could create a poll that consumers could respond you and enabling you to gain valuable marketing information for any product.
Downloads (PDF format):
The World in photos – Countryside & Photosynth
So I downloaded all the Microsoft stuff MS ICE and then Photosynth and here are the results:
Step-by-step process if you’re new to it:
- Take photos of a 360 degree panorama and upload to your computer
- Create a free Photosynth account (I used my MSN login)
- Download and install MS ICE (via link to MS Photosynth website above)
- Create New Panorama in MS ICE (my 1st attempt using the ‘Structured Panorama’ didn’t work
but my 2nd attempt by just dropping the photos from the folder worked in seconds) - Having checked that the panorama looks ok (at 1st I cropped it, but then on trying to
upload to Photosynth , it wanted the original, uncropped version
I saved it as JPEG & it was 3.40mb (surprisingly PNG file was enormous 1st time) - Download and install Photsynth
- In MS ICE, click on the “Publish to web” button in the bottom rh corner
- Login to your Photosynth account (the one created before)
- At this point close any up/downloads in progress as you will a lot of bandwidth,
especially if it’s a large file - Select the (large) file and upload
- Go and make a cup of tea!
- MS Photosynth doesn’t inform you of when the upload is done (the pause button
is greyed out when upload is actually complete) - Sign in to your Photosynth and go to your Photosynth page, which should show your
beautiful panorama in 360 degrees!
If you follow those steps, within about 20 minutes, you should have a completed panorama that you
can show and share, and inspire others to do the same.
Here is the finished results of my 360 degree panorama
The World in Photos – Madrid around and about I
Those were the days. Many happy memories, which is what a camera is best for capturing. These were taken using my first digital camera and a considerable investment at the time that I thought was worth it. The camera was a Nikon Cool Pix 700, one of the first digital cameras on the market. More memories to come soon.
Tweecket – An impromptu and enjoyable event
Last night over 100 people, my good self included, participated in a live Twitter event; to come up with songs and films/movies titles related to cricket and cricket persona. As you can see, there was much hilarity and an equal amount of creativity.
Whether you’re familiar with or whether you like cricket or not, it doesn’t matter too much. Just enjoy some of the speedily, yet cleverly, thought up Twitter talk like I did.

Groundhoggard Day
Saving Private Ryan Sidebottom
From Botham Sides Now
Swann Lake
The Holy Bail
Steve McQueen in “Pavillion”
The Vaughan Identity
Life of O’Brien
Pietersen Pan
Bodyline of Evidence
Batsman Begins
Homeward Boundary
The Umpire Strikes Back
Lords of the Flies
Fried Graham Onions At The Whistle Stop Cafe
The Third Man
Stig of the Stump
all the Batman films of course… (set in the fictional metropolis of Botham City)
The long-off Good Friday
The Freddie Truman Show
The Warne Identity
Full Metal Cricket Bat, lead actor Lillee (Aus, 1979)
The Whole 22 Yards
The World in Photos
It’s always good to take a walk, and even more so after a heavy rain shower, and thunder and lightning.
With the summer heat and low pressure from the south, we’d had a couple of heavy downpours, enough to make me rush into the garden and collect the washing on the line as the water was let loose from the sky.
On the way to the supermarket for some pan scrubbers that we needed, sometimes life does get more exciting than this, I came across a scene; beautiful colours. The sky lit up. It was almost as if it was on fire.
Pylons. Ah, pylons. You know there’s a pylon appreciation society, with all the different shapes and forms of pylons present in the UK, they even have their own website. Amazing. To think that that some people would devote their time and energy into such a pursuit, but they do. If we like something, we do. Fair enough; it is their gain.
I like how this looked this evening. Stalwart and unmoving. Against the elements.
The World in Photos – Eiffel Tower, Paris
A special anniversary item. Me and Shirley tied the knot 2 years ago today. Here are a few photos taken 3 years ago on our summer trip. That particular summer was amazing. We both visited Paris for the first time. We had glorious weather when it hit the mid-30s by the time we arrived in Paris from Belgium.
The World in Photos – walking the Grand Union canal
These were taken several miles away from home walking alongside the Grand Union canal.
The start of the good weather which has been with us for a few weeks now was with us that day.
There were a few barges moored up and even signs of life; brollies hiding inquisitive hounds.
The World in Photos – back garden
This is the first lily of the summer season. Grown and tended with my generous care in the tub in the back garden. Let’s put all our wishes into seeing more handsome examples of the flora.
The world in Photos – an afternoon in Amersham old town
I took these in Amersham, a small, picturesque commuter town in the south of Buckinghamshire, Southern England.
The flowers were taken in the park in the town.
I took them with my Nokia X6 ( Carl Zeiss cam 5MP) which has done a very good job I think.
You can find out more about Amersham from Wikipedia here.


















































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