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21 Year Old Entrepreneur Raises $1 Million for Educational App

There is a huge market for educational apps today as they offer a great way for kids to learn while having fun, engaging students in a way that most textbooks cannot. At just 21 years old, Londoner George Burgess aims to take advantage of this booming market. His idea was said to have come about as a 17-year-old student when a geography teacher caught him emailing in class.

In the four years since that time, the young entrepreneur has managed to raise more than $1 million to fund the development of a mobile app focused on helping high school students pass exams. Gojimo was just launched in the U.K. and the U.S. and is now free to download.

Burgess said he realized when studying that while searching for helpful apps there was nothing available. The teacher who caught him emailing, Will Williams, was so interested in the idea that he became involved in the venture, helping to write the content for the first app, which was geography based. He remains involved in Burgess’ company, Education Apps, as an adviser.

Learning through educational apps can be much easier for kids as well as adults. Some are explicitly designed to educate, while others may have secondary educational value. They often allow the user to learn without even realizing it, if the information is presented in a well-designed, enjoyable game.

With the benefits of educational apps becoming more well-known to people across the globe, companies like Education Apps and Playworld Interactive are always trying to develop the next best educational app.

There are fun apps and even games available that can teach kids the basics of investing stocks, bonds and mutual funds to help give them a good head start on their financial future as well as apps that can educate children on the basics like reading, writing and arithmetic and everything in between.

Over the past decade, the use of technology to promote better education has skyrocketed with thousands of educational apps being created to help kids learn in more interactive and entertaining ways. A number of studies have revealed that apps like these promote learning because they are entertaining rather than purely education.

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How Educational Software and Technology Can Promote Better Classroom Learning

For the second consecutive year, Bill Gates discussed the importance of education reform in his Reddit AMA (Ask-Me-Anything). He responded to the top-voted question, “What’s one of your goals for the next year…and how can we help?”

“I wish the debate about education would focus on helping teachers improve and what we know about that. Right now it is caught up in state versus federal and testing versus no-testing. In general politics needs to focus on the problems rather than attacking the other side. Asian countries are helping their teachers improve and the impact is huge.”

While Gates arguably sparked one of the biggest technological revolutions, today, incorporating more educational software and technology in the classroom may be one of the most important things that can be done to turn things around.

The integration of technology in education is certainly no longer a new idea; in fact, it’s become an integral part of society, moving far beyond basic computer assisted instruction to opportunities for teaching and learning that were once considered impossible.

Educational apps help make learning fun, and while often geared toward younger children, today there are many highly effective education apps for teens as well as adults. Playworld Interactive is just one company focused on developing educational games and apps that keep children engaged and entertained while instilling a love of learning that will last a lifetime.

Rather than just becoming a diversion to responsibilities, educational apps and games can positively impact learning and keep kids engaged in a way that textbooks can’t. It helps create an environment where students are actually motivated to learn, reaching children on their level in a way they understand and can relate to. By taking elements of games that children enjoy and incorporate them into the learning process, students have a better chance at excelling in all kinds of subjects, including reading, math, geography and spelling.

While some parents and teachers may be skeptical, they are increasingly becoming aware that in the end, educational games and apps don’t weaken what is taught in the classroom, but helps make students become more comfortable, relaxed and motivated to learn. Studies are finding that using that incorporating this type of technology in the classroom can be more effective in promoting knowledge and is also more motivational than the traditional, non-entertaining approach.

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Educational Apps Aren’t Just for Children Anymore

Mobile applications have grown into a multibillion-dollar business in the last several years. Educational applications represent a large number of the paid apps available in the Apple App Store and a recent Common Sense Media study reports that over 25% of all parents have downloaded at least one application for their children.

This statistic isn’t necessarily surprising considering that 80% of the educationals apps available through iTunes target children, but what about adults? Websites like Luminosity have proven that adults have a desire to learn new skills as well and Codecademy is working to bridge the gap by teaching both parents and children how to write computer code.

Designed specifically for busy professionals, Codecademy teaches the basics of computer programming by relying on bite-sized lessons that are easily grasped by even the least tech-oriented students. Rather than forcing new students to write code from scratch, the learning environment is set up using a fill-in-the-blank model with multiple choice answers for most programming problems. The company plans on creating advanced lessons in the future where users will write more code, but the current schema works well for novice programmers looking to gain familiarity with basic programming concepts.

Originally launched to coincide with Computer Science Education Week (an initiative attempting to get 10 million students to take at least one hour of programming instruction), Codecademy is equally effective at teaching child and adult learners. Although the app is still in its infancy, current lessons include Getting Started, Data Types, Variables and Basic Logic functions. Codecademy plans to add more content regularly; helping students ease into more advanced programming topics as they go.

Playworld Interactive Holding Corp understands the importance of leveraging mobile apps for education. Based on Cisco estimates, there will be over 10 billion smart devices in use worldwide by 2016. That means 1.4 mobile devices for every person on Earth. From iPads in the classroom to learning environments like Codecademy, educational apps are becoming an increasingly important component of the curriculum for students of all ages.

Despite the explosion of apps that has occurred since the first iPhone’s release in 2007, many experts think mobile apps are still an underdeveloped market. Could 2014 be the year where this marketplace really comes into its own as an integral component of traditional education models? The work of Codecademy, Playworld Interactive and other tech companies seem to indicate that 2014 may indeed be the year of the educational app.

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Who Says an Education Has to Be Expensive?

Educational apps make up a significant percentage of the multibillion-dollar mobile app industry. Most of these apps are designed specifically for children in a time when many toddlers know how to navigate an iPad before learning to walk or talk.

With educational apps ranging in price from $0.99 to $5 or more, leveraging technology for education can be expensive. Fortunately, sites like Smart Apps for Kids have made many educational apps available for free without the in-app purchases that have cost parents millions of dollars in the last several years (Apple recently settled two separate lawsuits for this issue).

The benefits provided by educational mobile apps are clear. Schools around the world have introduced iPads into the classroom as an effective way to teach children new topics in a way that feels more like a game than a lesson.

Smart Apps for Kids offers many premium apps at no cost. Typically, available apps are changed once per week so it’s worth checking out the site regularly for the best offers. In addition to the attractive price tag of these apps, parents can read reviews left by other parents about the educational value of a particular app before downloading. Apps are separated by targeted age and subject matter making it easy to find apps suitable for your children quickly.

In this technology-driven age, children and teens spend more time using technology than ever before. Smart Apps for Kids makes learning fun by offering interactive, educational products at little to no cost. Kids are going to use iPads and iPods anyway, so why not make the experience beneficial? Playtime becomes productive educational time with apps like Jamaroos Musical ABCs, Camp Discovery and many others.

Did you know that 47% of the top-selling apps are educational apps for kids? Smart Apps for Kids and similar sites are providing premium content at no cost. From toddlers to teenagers, your children can benefit from educational mobile content; an advantage they can carry throughout the traditional education system.

Playworld Interactive realizes the importance of educational apps for children and the potential growth this space is likely to experience in 2014. Inflation and cost-of-living increases have left many families without the discretionary income they once enjoyed. It makes sense to save money whenever possible and Smart Apps for Kids is an excellent resource providing a valuable service for children of all ages.

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Stay Up to Date on the Playworld Interactive Stock with an iPad App

If you are a stock holder, then it is likely that you are looking for convenient ways to check the current trends on a day-to-day basis. People who own Playworld Interactive stock enjoy using iPad apps, which allow them to check stock prices and information from any location. Even though the iPhone has a great built-in app to check stocks, other apps will need to be used on the iPad. Here are a few apps to consider:

Stock Guru

If you are a daily trader who owns Playworld Interactive stock, then Stock Guru might be a good option to consider. It is a reasonable cost at $19.99, and it provides detailed stock information that can’t be access through other stock apps. For example, you will be able to access information about valuation rankings, volatility comparisons, and other details.

Bloomberg App

The advantage of Bloomberg is that it combines several resources into one. When you are using the app, you can check news and financial analysis, and view stock market details as well. Technically, this app isn’t designed to be dedicated for stock holders, but it has enough information that a casual trader will find it sufficient. The app is free, so you can try it at no risk to see if you like it.

Yahoo! Finance

Yahoo! Finance is another iPad stock app that is free, and it has a nice interface that many people enjoy. It shares a combination of news and stock information, and is good to stay up to date on several stocks at once. Once benefit to this stock app is the fact that you can hide the news section unless you want to see it, and when you view the stock page for any company you can see news that relates to that company. The Yahoo! Finance stock app is a free download for your iPad.

Stock Market Pro

Like Stock Guru, Stock Market Pro is a good choice for tracking unlimited stocks such as Playworld Interactive stock. This app isn’t the best option for high level traders, but it might be a good choice if you are a casual trader. It is priced at $5.99

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A Look at the Digital Wallet Phenomenon

Any given day, you can listen to a news story about a credit card theft. Over 40 million Target customers were affected last month and news just broke that Neiman Marcus customers have suffered a similar fate recently. It seems that the plastic payment methods cherished by consumers for the last few years are falling by the wayside as cybercriminals ramp up efforts to capture payment information for fraudulent purposes.

Fortunately, hope is not lost. Playworld Interactive has realized the importance of more secure payment methods and is leading the charge into the age of the digital wallet.

What is a digital wallet exactly?

The average American has at least three credit cards. Misplacing a wallet or purse leaves these payment methods susceptible to fraudulent use. Let alone the fact that online credit card theft is at epidemic levels. Also, keep in mind that U.S. consumers only pay with cash 7% of the time meaning that 93% of all purchases are made using plastic.

A digital wallet stores payment information electronically and represents a much more secure payment solution by “hiding” actual card information during a purchase transaction. Google Wallet and Passbook are two examples of digital wallets. Even PayPal shields payment details from retailers; resulting in a secure transaction despite hackers’ attempts to hijack secure payment sessions online.

Add in the popularity of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, which rely exclusively on digital wallets, and it becomes clear that this technology is here to stay. Early adopters can already purchase subway tickets, hot dogs and millions of items online using Google Wallet and Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology already embedded in most modern smartphones.

Is it possible that digital wallets will become the norm in the near future? Experts including former PayPal CEO Bill Harris think so. Playworld Interactive agrees and has devoted considerable resources to helping this technology grow into a universal solution that transcends everything wrong with current payment methods.

Although plastic is likely to remain mainstream for a few years to come, retailers are becoming digital wallet friendly by the thousands. It is clear that consumers are demanding a safe, secure payment option and digital wallets are the solution.

But don’t start cutting up those credit cards just yet. Most digital wallets require users to input credit card information before the wallet can be used for purchases. As new solutions are developed, this may not always be the case, but the benefits of a digital wallet are tangible and the technology is here now.

As this technology reaches higher levels of market saturation, credit card theft is likely to decrease and losses normally absorbed by card issuers will become less significant. Hopefully, these savings can be extended to consumers who often pay hundreds (or even thousands of dollars) in interest and membership fees typically associated with plastic each year.

Digital wallets offer a convenient, secure payment solution that could revolutionize electronic transactions much sooner than you think!

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Educational Software: Turning Fun into Learning – Playworld Interactive Holdings

The History of Educational Software  

Educational entertainment has been around for many years, and computer software is at the forefront of the movement. Providing education in an entertaining format is a great way to engage kids in their education, because they love having fun while they learned.

One of the established educational software companies, Headsprout, has recently been acquired, although the deal terms haven’t been shared publically. Originally, the company was backed by Kaplan, and over the years it has provided products which are designed to assist kids with reading. Each lesson is an animated episode that teaches kids valuable skills to improve their reading.

When Did Educational Software Become Popular?

Headsprout is a 14-year-old company, but educational software was around before the company was founded. Many people recognize the “Carmen San Diego phenomenon” that started the concept of learning and having fun at the same time. “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego” offer computer software that allowed kids to play an adventurous game, and learn about geography at the same.

Over time, other educational software programs were developed in different ways. Now, you can find reading, mathematics, music, science, history, and any other school subject included in an entertaining software program.

Benefits to Educational Software

Companies like playworld interactive holding corp understand the benefits to offering these types of software programs to our children. When fun software is available, kids want to spend time on the computer to play games. They love the activities that they are able to participate in when they are playing the games, and parents love the fact that their children are learning while they are having fun.

Educational software has shown that learning doesn’t have to be difficult or boring. In fact, there are many elements about fun education that are more beneficial than textbook education. When a child is actively engaged in the things that they are learning, they are more creative and excited about the concepts. The creativity and excitement helps to teach important lessons that will last. The child is stimulated visually and mentally, and the interactive aspect of the game helps to improve their comprehension in the lesson that they are learning.

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The Most Interesting Man in the World on Playtime Educational Games

And if The Most Interesting Man in the World is on board that must make a Playworld Interactive Investment a smart one.