Samsung: Connected devices can replace books in schools

Samsung believes that its technology can revolutionise UK schools, with the electronics giant claiming that the likes of its Microsoft Surface toting SUR40 along with tablets and laptops are powerful tools for education.

Samsung's vice president of IT in the UK, Graham Long believes the poor humble book can be consigned to the past, with 3D monitors and connected devices taking the lead.

"Imagine schools without books, but with 3D displays, connected devices for every student in the classroom, and homework submitted online via the cloud," he said.

"This can be a reality with Samsung's range of AV and computing products."

BETT on it

Samsung is exhibiting at the BETT 2012 conference, where it will showcase the SUR40 interactive table alongside the SDP-860 Visualiser, the 700T Slate PC and ranges of laptops.

They will be featured alongside Samsung's "Power over Ethernet Cloud Computing" technology with Thin Client Displays compatible with Citrix and Microsoft and Zero Client displays compatible with VMware.

Long added: "Samsung is leading the market in cloud displays, and with its broad range of products for the education sector will open up virtualised learning for classrooms all over the UK."

Apple iCloud service to replace low-quality tracks with pristine ones?

Apple's iCloud music service is set to upgrade your low-quality tunes to higher bit-rate tracks stored in its cloud-based music locker, thanks to its licensing agreements with major record labels.

Business Week cites three sources who confirm that the license deals Apple is in the process of putting in place with labels will allow the company to scan a user's music collection and 'mirror' it virtually, avoiding the hassle of uploading your 1,000 song strong collection.

Apple has reached agreements with three major labels and is close to inking a deal with the fourth, Universal Music, according to BusinessWeek's sources.

All about the Benjamins

It's all about clawing back revenue from consumers who shifted to the free music model all too easily, regardless of the ethics.

Labels are said to be "negotiating aggressively" to make sure a slice of the cloud-music pie ends up firmly on their plates, revenue that will come from users' subscription fees.

It's looking likely that the iCloud service will be bundled with MobileMe, Apple's data back-up and synch programme, which currently costs £60 a year.

"It may be the last opportunity to stem rampant piracy and years of plummeting sales," says Business Week, which seems a little bit fatalistic to us.

Of course, nothing's set in stone until an Apple exec gets up on stage to tell us all why we won't be able to live without the music service; no doubt we'll hear all about it on 6 June at WWDC.

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