It’s pretty cool that we have a software and gaming developer in town coming up with cool stuff like this. I just might have to get my hands on one of these and use it for some of my up am coming epic musical pieces I intend to create. You can pre-buy one on their indiegogo website – http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jamstik-real-strings-real-frets-turn-your-ipad-into-a-real-instrument. Also they are having an event on Friday the 19th at Crooked Pint Ale House. See the full details below.

Zivix, LLC a Minneapolis based software and gaming developer and music & volunteerism nonprofit Rock the Cause have teamed up to deliver a night of music, community, and the launch of the revolutionary new mobile music device JamStik.

Named one of the top 10 inventions of 2013 by Popular Science, the JamStik delivers an authentic guitar experience in a mobile friendly size with mobile friendly connectivity.

This stellar event happens April 19, 2013 at the Crooked Pint Ale House in downtown Minneapolis from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM. Live demos of JamStik will take place on one of downtown Minneapolis’s largest AV screens, followed by live music live music from Viva Knievel – a covers band featuring members of White Light Riot and Usonia. Rock the Cause will be on hand engaging audience members to get involved in their communities through volunteerism.

JamStik demos are free from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM and all ages. The live music cover is only $5 after 10:00 PM with 100% of the door proceeds going to Rock the Cause to support their general operating fund. A $20 investment in the JamStik Community Education Fund gets you five pints of the Summit Brewing special!

The surprisingly small and light Jamstik is, in short, one of the coolest things I’ve seen at CES Today. It is a MIDI guitar that is actually a musical controller. By playing and plucking the strings you can play music using synthesized sounds and it recognizes chords, notes, and nuances including bends and hammers.

“The end result is fast, accurate and cost effective to make,” said Chad Koehler, Zivix VP. The device connects to a PC or tablet and you can play it just like a regular guitar. To go up the neck you simply slap a button on the body to play higher notes.

“Our goal is to provide a platform for making music more meaningful, accessible and fun for the masses. While the Jamstik is instantly compatible with Garage Band and hundreds of other core-midi applications, we are developing apps for teaching, interactive Tab and a fun music re-mix experience,” said Koehler. The Jamstik uses IR sensors to see your fingers as you press the strings so you never have to tune the guitar and it can notify you before you tap the wrong notes. It’s a great teaching tool and a fun portable music maker.

We got the chance to sit down with the Zivix team and talk about their creation. The plan is to gain distributors here at CES and launch the product this summer. While it’s not as “guitar-like” as the similar GTar, it’s definitely an amazing addition to the world of musical gadgets.

You better watch out, You better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why..
iTeach: Apps for the Classroom has the best apps for you.
I’ve been making a list, and checking it twice,
To try to find apps that will en-tice!
This page has the best apps for you.

Who said learning and Christmas fun can’t go together? 
The 10 Must Have Educational Christmas Apps can be used at school or at home. 

Ho Ho Ho!

Kids Christmas Pattern Game
by Laura Bangerter
(Universal iDevice – Free )
Kids Christmas Pattern Game is a fun educational game for kids from 4 years. The game is played by identifying a picture that is missing from a pattern or sequence. The game gets progressively harder; from simple to complex repeating patterns and sequences.  This a great app for developing mathematical thinking and visual discrimination. Children will love this app. Check it out!

Christmas Matching Game
by Good Neighbor Press
(iPad – Currently $0.99)
Christmas Matching Game requires players to identify images that match with target images. They must then drag and drop them alongside the target. It is a short fun festive game, and is ideal for students with short attention spans or that require alternative modes of learning. It is great for developing visual discrimination, memory and fine motor skills in a fun and festive way. Check it out!

Santa’s Tap & Match
by Cambridge English Online 
(iPad and iPhone version - Free)
Santa’s Tap & Match is a memory game that involves concentrating on a sequence of events involving 4 Christmas picture tiles, recalling the steps in the sequence and reproducing it. Some tiles also have audio which may support players that are still developing their visual discrimination and memory skills. The sequences get longer and quicker as the game progresses. Santa’s Tap & Match is ideal for young learners and learners with special needs. Check it out!

Snowman Math (Santa’s Christmas Village)
by EnsenaSoft
(Universal iDevice – $0.99)
Snowman Math involves your children answering simple addition and subtraction questions. The snowman is made from random parts so it is not always the same snowman each time the game is played. It has great music and festive sound effects. Children can visualise the numbers in the form of candy canes. This helps with early counting and is useful for learners that need visual supports. It includes a point system and rewards. Snowman Math is suitable for ages up to about 8 years. Check it out!

Christmas Jigsaw Puzzles for Kids 123 – Fun Learning Game for Kids by GiggleUp Kids Apps 
(iPad and iPhone versions – FREE)
This fun festive jigsaw puzzle app is suitable for children aged 1-6 years. You can customise the  number of pieces from 2 up to 16, to suit your child’s level of game play. Select a puzzle subject by pressing an object that is missing from the main picture. Cute pictures and playful animations are sure to make this puzzle game a favourite. Christmas Jigsaw Puzzles 123 helps to improve concentration, problem solving, and memory. This app will be a favourite with younger children. Check it out!

FirstWords Christmas by Learning Touch 
(Universal iDevice - $1.99)
FirstWords Christmas is a festive spelling app designed for children aged to about 7 years. It has 40 beautifully illustrated Christmas words and matching holiday sounds, including sled, chimney, star and more. You will find all your favourite festive words here. As children tap the letter they can hear the letter name being said and when the word is complete, the word is spelled and the related animation moves. FirstWords Christmas is sure to make your children merry!

Christmas ~ PostPad by Tapfuze
(iPad – Currently $0.99 from $1.99)
Christmas ~ PostPad is a magical way to build and share beautifully crafted holiday cards with your family and friends. There are over 19 custom designs. This app could be used for home or school. At school, it could be used as part of a literacy activity or for just fun festive creativity. Children can add their own photos and then save the completed cards or email them to family and friends. Christmas ~ PostPad helps to foster creativity in children (and adults) of all ages!

Preschool Christmas Kitty by Irina Koenig
(Universal iDevice – $1.99)
Preschool Christmas Kitty is a jolly jingle app designed to educate children in a fun and festive way. It features over 230 games including:  matching objects; spot the difference; where is the object?; picture puzzles; patterns; catch the snowflakes; and find the right images. Preschool Christmas Kitty is suitable for children aged up to about 6 years. Children receive rewards and parents/educators can track progress. It is sure to be popular with many children.

TES Christmas HD by TSL Education Ltd
(iPad and iPhone – FREE)
TES Christmas features 3 educational maths games with a Christmas theme. Great for school use, and fun for all of the family. The games are: Elf Flinger – where children fling Santa’s elves into the air to catch the presents; Bell Ringer – where children have to copy a sequence of bells; and Add with Santa – where children win carrots for Rudolph by solving addition questions. TES Christmas helps to build math fluency, memory and motivation, and hand-eye coordination. It is fun and engaging, and children won’t even realise that  they are learning!

Scrap It: Christmas HD by Dirk Bost
(iPad – FREE – IAP $0.99)
Scrap It: Christmas HD brings out the inner creativity in you and your children. Designed to be used before and after the holidays, it is just like using regular scrapbooking materials. Scrap It: Christmas can be used for Christmas collages in the classroom, as a gift for parents or relatives, or as a tool for other curriculum subjects. Children (young and old) will love making new festive themed scrap pages!

Please CLICK the images below for
more great Christmas Apps!

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring … except for Santa Klaus
[work with me and rhyme it with house!].
The stockings were hung by the mantle with care,
in hopes that new iPads would soon be in there!

This list won’t help the children receiving iPads on the BIG day
but if you already have one, check out iTeach: Apps for the Classroom’s fun Christmas array. 

Ho Ho Ho!

Slingin’ Santa By Zivix LLC
(Universal iDevice – Free )
Slingin’ Santa is a fun game for kids under 11 years. The player is required to launch presents into the chimneys of passing houses, but only for the good kids, not the naughty ones! The levels increase in difficulty and require children to use a little bit of strategic thinking and hand-eye coordination. This will be a firm favourite with the kids (big and small!).

Racing Santa by Top Free Games
(Universal iDevice – Currently Free;  was $0.99)
Racing Santa is great fun for kids that are over 4 years old. It is a physics based slide and jump game where the player is required to control Santa to complete each level by travelling a certain distance. Make sure that Santa completes the level before the grinch-like monster gets him. The game has 5 worlds and 40 levels. Each level gets progressively harder. I love this one.

Cut The Rope: Holiday Gift by Chillingo 
(Universal iDevice - Free;  Full version $4.99)
Cut The Rope: Holiday Gift is a great physics based game. Swipe your finger to cut the ropes and feed Om Nom candy. Think before you cut though. There are many obstacles, which include spiders and spikes. In this app you can also make greeting cards and watch animations of Om Nom exploring the real world. Twenty five of 75 levels are available for free. I think it’s a great app and enjoy playing it myself!

Santas Crazy Reindeer by Nice Touch Games
(Universal iDevice – Currently Free;  was $0.99)
Santas Crazy Reindeer is an entertaining game where the player must round up Santa’s escaped reindeer by drawing a rope around them, and then guide them to safety by drawing a line to Santa’s stable before they encounter dangers. Hurry to catch them all and keep the Holiday spirit alive! This one is great for hand-eye coordination and visual attention, plus heaps of fun! Santas Crazy Reindeer is suitable for 4+. Check it out!

Rudolph’s Gift by Oceanhouse Media 
(Universal iDevice – Free)
Rudolph’s Gift is a great game for children that are over four years old. It requires players to deliver presents to as many homes as possible by shining a light from his nose on them while avoiding obstacles in the sky. Players must use both hands to control play. This is great for hand-eye coordination and visual attention, and is plenty of fun. You can fly as different characters, and customise sleigh colours. It will be a family favourite.

Slide-n-Glide- Elf on the Shelf – Christmas Game by the Elf on the Shelf CCA & B LLC
(iPhone - Free)
Packages arrive at Santa’s Shipping Yard on special slides, and the elves have to use their Christmas magic to stack the gifts on carts and move them to Santa’s sleigh. Play the Slide-n-Glide game to help the elves get the presents from the slide to the cart! Just use your finger to pull the elf forward, then let go and see where the package lands. This is a game of strategy that your children will love. Have fun!

Bo’s Matching Game – Christmas Gift by Heppi
(Universl iDevice – Free)
This Christmas game offers toddlers and preschoolers more than just a standard Memory game! It is a fun game that can be customised for different levels (6, 12, or 20 card matching game), and children will love to try the play-off feature. Bo’s Matching Game offers innovative play and educational functionalities with a Christmas vibe! Children use memory and concentration to match these festive cards. This will be a firm favourite for younger children. Check it out!

Toca Hair Salon – Christmas Gift by Toca Boca
(Universal iDevice – FREE)
Cut, colour and style Santa Claus’ beard and hair! In this Christmas edition of the Toca Hair Salon, you can choose between styling Santa Claus or a funny Christmas tree! It has bonus accessories - when your children have finished cutting and colouring, they can add accessories to customise the look. This is a great cause and effect app and is a lot of fun for children aged up to about 10 years.

Christmas Visualizer by Chris Egerter
(iPad – $0.99)
Christmas Visualizer displays a festive scene with dancing reindeer, penguins, a Christmas tree, elves, and of course, SANTA! All of the characters will react and dance to the music played from your media library. Children will be entertained by these cute Christmas characters and their cool jolly jiggling. This is a crowd pleaser for children; the young and young at heart.  Check it out.

12 Days of Christmas – Polk Street Press Singalong by Polk Street Press
(Universal iDevice – $0.99)
This is a nice version of the 12 Days of Christmas song. Your children can create their own videos as they singalong  to this original music. 12 Days of Christmas is unique and beautifully illustrated. Children can play along with the app during each of the verses of the song, and they can practice their counting skills to 12 on this journey of discovery. This app is played a lot in our home and is suitable for children (of all ages!).

Dreamworks Dash n Drop by Pikpok
(Universal iDevice – $1.99)
This lucky 11th addition is a must have for your Fun Christmas App Collection. There’s trouble at the North Pole and the presents have been scattered everywhere! Collect and deliver presents to children around the world as you dash through the evening sky in the Guardians’ magical sleigh. Be sure to grab some elves and coins along the way, but watch out for evil Nightmare creatures who will try to stop you! Dreamworks Dash n Drop will help improve visual attention, concentration and motivation. Be sure to check it out!

Angry Birds Seasons HD by Rovio
(iPad – $0.99; down from $2.99)
Angry Birds Seasons builds on the original Angry Birds game and extends it to a whole new level! It features different festive seasons from around the world which include Halloween and Chinese New Year. It has more than 300 levels to keep you busy. Suitable for players over four years but great for all ages. You will be wanting to play this one before your children!

Please CLICK the images below for
more great Christmas Apps!

When it comes to Guitar Hero we’re all rock gods, sent from the musical halls of Valhalla to power-chord our way round the rockin’ world. But put a real guitar in our hands and we start trembling, frantically wondering where the bright red and yellow buttons have gone. Zivix wants to change all that with the Headliner. It’s a real electric guitar that uses sensors in the fingerboard that make it a compatible game controller. Guaranteed to make you look cooler while blasting Through The Flames and Fire on expert.

[via CrunchGear]