Pixie 4 (new Sept. 2016)

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    pixie 4 logo       Moving to Pixie 4 this fall 2016!


    New features in Pixie 4 not found in Pixie 3:


    • ePub3 Export - Users can export their projects as ePub3 files to share with iBooks, Google Play Books, or other ebook readers.           

    • Assign a Default Sticker Folder to Activities  Activities can open to a specific folder in the library.          

    • Add Page Instructions            

    • Backgrounds Library            

    • Create Widescreen Projects                      

    • Print Preview Multiple Sheets            

    • Print Specific Pages and Number of Copies            

    • Print Avery Sizes   Users have additional options for printing, including program, business cards and note cards (Avery). Users can now see a preview of the sheet before printing.          

    • Import Pages from Activities  Users can quickly create projects that include multiple activities.  Many activities are too short to use for a lab period – combine a few tasks into one template (or have ITSS do it for you and then save it to Templates for Student Use)        

    • Import Pages from Pics4Learning – great photographs that can be used in projects – think animal research project or county projects         

    • Turn off Object Scaling Handles    Users can turn off the scaling handles for objects making it easier to move small objects on a page (students don’t accidentally make sticker huge when trying to move it).        

    • Preference to Hide Sticker Names    Teachers can use a preference to turn off the sticker names. Helpful for K-1 when kids are doing a lot of “starts with” activities.        

    • Duck Background Sounds Users can duck background sounds, which lowers the volume of background sounds automatically when another page sound is playing.


    Paint tools: Fewer color choices but if you use the slide bar you can “alter the base color”.



    Symmetry tool: an additional pattern of 32 points was added


    Print menu: choose what pages you print – if you have students add page while they wait after completing a project you can now specify what pages to print. Still can choose printout format and click on more options to choose printer. Recommend you set default printer in lab for each student and then they are set for year if they sit at same computer each time (which they should)



    Remember to teach the students: SAVE THEN OPEN WITH OUR TEMPLATES

    At end of each project: Save - to computer - if older have them click on Documents folder otherwise if they save template it will go in Downloads - available only on the machine they downloaded it to.

    THEN Print after saving - if default printer is set just hit print after choosing size and pages - if not -click on More Options and where it says Microsoft XPS - click on arrow and choose correct printer - then hit print.