Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
Security threats, patches, and updates
Since this blog covers Emerging Technologies, I felt that viruses should be covered as they are a technology that is constantly emerging. :P
You will find the latest updates on viruses, the tools you can use to remove them, and security advisories at the bottom of the column on the left here.
Keep your Windows updated, your firewalls strong, and your antivirus programs patched (or buy a Mac)! :D
You will find the latest updates on viruses, the tools you can use to remove them, and security advisories at the bottom of the column on the left here.
Keep your Windows updated, your firewalls strong, and your antivirus programs patched (or buy a Mac)! :D
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Not exactly 'emerging technology'...
...but this could be an emerging trend: people protesting for fun.
Here is a hilarious 'protest' of the Wendy's logo by a group of redheads:
Here is a hilarious 'protest' of the Wendy's logo by a group of redheads:
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
NetLibrary & Project Gutenburg
NetLibrary and Project Gutenburg are free resources that allow you to download books in print or audio formats.
I think it's pretty cool that I can get "The Raven" and DaVinci's Notebooks for free from Project Gutenburg. Here are the Top 100 downloaded audio books from Project Gutenburg.
NetLibrary is a collection of over 20,000 electronic books you can search, borrow, read and return over the Internet at any time from anywhere. Included are travel, classics, computer, reference, and other non-fiction titles. Note: You must first register for a free Net-Library account at a computer in one of the three county libraries. After that you can use your account from your home computer as well as in the library.
I think it's pretty cool that I can get "The Raven" and DaVinci's Notebooks for free from Project Gutenburg. Here are the Top 100 downloaded audio books from Project Gutenburg.
NetLibrary is a collection of over 20,000 electronic books you can search, borrow, read and return over the Internet at any time from anywhere. Included are travel, classics, computer, reference, and other non-fiction titles. Note: You must first register for a free Net-Library account at a computer in one of the three county libraries. After that you can use your account from your home computer as well as in the library.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Podcasting
Podcasting is GREAT! For libraries, it can be a wonderful tool for bibliographic instruction, whether you have just an audio podcast or go all the way and have a video podcast.
I actually have a podcast on iTunes. There are only two episodes, but if you do a podcast search for author: Teleologic, you'll see two short video podcasts we made for an online webware program I created for my Master's project.
And I've tried a couple of audio podcasts using GarageBand for SinglesHealth.com. I haven't published them yet because I want to have at least ten podcasts before I do.
So I used Podcast.net to search for new podcasts I might like. I ended up adding The Rev Up Review to my Blogroll, a British fiction book review.
I'm honestly not crazy about Podcast.net. I might be too addicted to my iPod, but I find iTunes a little easier to use. :D
I actually have a podcast on iTunes. There are only two episodes, but if you do a podcast search for author: Teleologic, you'll see two short video podcasts we made for an online webware program I created for my Master's project.
And I've tried a couple of audio podcasts using GarageBand for SinglesHealth.com. I haven't published them yet because I want to have at least ten podcasts before I do.
So I used Podcast.net to search for new podcasts I might like. I ended up adding The Rev Up Review to my Blogroll, a British fiction book review.
I'm honestly not crazy about Podcast.net. I might be too addicted to my iPod, but I find iTunes a little easier to use. :D
I've been hearing a lot about Twitter. If I may say so, there's been a lot of twitter about Twitter...
(sorry)
At the Computers In Libraries conference, many of the presenters had their laptops open to Twitter and said things like, "I can see there are a few audience members Twittering about my lecture now." I was amazed. It was like being back in school with kids passing notes behind the teacher's back, except now, the teacher can electronically catch all the notes! So I think it's time I explore the phenomenon (or as it's called in internet slang, the 'meme') of Twitter.
Twitter is a website that allows you to update your friends on what you're doing right now. It's designed to be used with your cell phone, but I just set it up online with my laptop. I think the site is mainly intended for the Millenial generation that ABSOLUTELY HAS to be in touch with their friends, 24/7. My friends couldn't really care less what I'm up to from one minute to the next.
The website is extremely basic. Once you create an account, all you do is enter whatever it is you're doing right now, and submit it. You're only allowed 140 characters for your description (a little bit more than you might be able to fit in a text message from your cell phone), so Twitter couldn't be called a blog - the entries are too short. It's like broadcasting slivers of your life from the point of view of a GPS tracker. And if your friends have Twitter accounts, you can follow their every move, like a lowjack.
If you're stuck on a deserted island or bedridden and are interested in my life, I have created a Twitter widget that goes in my Blogger sidebar. You can see it on the left, near the bottom of the sidebar. :D
(sorry)
At the Computers In Libraries conference, many of the presenters had their laptops open to Twitter and said things like, "I can see there are a few audience members Twittering about my lecture now." I was amazed. It was like being back in school with kids passing notes behind the teacher's back, except now, the teacher can electronically catch all the notes! So I think it's time I explore the phenomenon (or as it's called in internet slang, the 'meme') of Twitter.
Twitter is a website that allows you to update your friends on what you're doing right now. It's designed to be used with your cell phone, but I just set it up online with my laptop. I think the site is mainly intended for the Millenial generation that ABSOLUTELY HAS to be in touch with their friends, 24/7. My friends couldn't really care less what I'm up to from one minute to the next.
The website is extremely basic. Once you create an account, all you do is enter whatever it is you're doing right now, and submit it. You're only allowed 140 characters for your description (a little bit more than you might be able to fit in a text message from your cell phone), so Twitter couldn't be called a blog - the entries are too short. It's like broadcasting slivers of your life from the point of view of a GPS tracker. And if your friends have Twitter accounts, you can follow their every move, like a lowjack.
If you're stuck on a deserted island or bedridden and are interested in my life, I have created a Twitter widget that goes in my Blogger sidebar. You can see it on the left, near the bottom of the sidebar. :D
Free Office Software Online!
And you thought you had to spend $400 to be able to write a Word document or create an Excel spreadsheet...
Well, not anymore! Google Docsand Zoho Writer both have free, online versions of Microsoft Office (of course, different enough so as not to infringe on any copyrights). As long as you have an internet connection, you have access to these tools.
One of the greatest features of these websites is the chance for online collaboration. I had use Google Docs with a writer friend of mine to help him edit his short stories, but I've never used Zoho Writer.
After experimenting with it, I think I like the Zoho interface better. It's a little more friendly than the Google Docs interface. Other than that, it's pretty similar. I'll probably continue to use Google Docs, simply because I have a Gmail account from my email and I use Google Calendar for everything. :D
Well, not anymore! Google Docsand Zoho Writer both have free, online versions of Microsoft Office (of course, different enough so as not to infringe on any copyrights). As long as you have an internet connection, you have access to these tools.
One of the greatest features of these websites is the chance for online collaboration. I had use Google Docs with a writer friend of mine to help him edit his short stories, but I've never used Zoho Writer.
After experimenting with it, I think I like the Zoho interface better. It's a little more friendly than the Google Docs interface. Other than that, it's pretty similar. I'll probably continue to use Google Docs, simply because I have a Gmail account from my email and I use Google Calendar for everything. :D
Wikis
How cool is that? Yeah, that's right guys. I cruised straight through viewing other library wikis, then went ahead and made my own. That's just how I roll.
Oh, yeah, I checked out the Core Competency blog and the Princeton Public Library's summer reading wiki. Thrilling. I even checked out the other library wiki examples. That's where I found PBwiki.
PBwiki gives you a free wiki! With templates! And instructional videos! And all sorts of jazz. Your library could have a wiki right now - for free! (And if you noticed, the Princeton Public Library does use PBwiki for their wiki.)
So this exercise took entirely too long, but it was a lot of fun and I hope to find a use for my cool new wiki soon. :D
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Library 2.0 - Just for laughs
When I think of Library 2.0, I think of a huge robot, tearing through a city of book shelves, eating all the books, and shushing the screaming crowds of patrons as they vainly try to escape the awesome power of Library 2.0.
Library 2.0 would have rocket launchers that propel water balloons full of Germ-X at dirty patrons, unlimited funding sources, and exhaustive databanks with the answers to each and every silly question a patron could ask.
Library 2.0 also has fiery eyes that cause patrons with censoring thoughts to burn with guilty feelings of inadequacy, stopping them in their tracks before they even think of asking Library 2.0 to take Harry Potter off the shelves.
Library 2.0 reeks of robot charisma. All the kids want to be like Library 2.0, men want to be around him, and women want to be with him.
Library 2.0 would have rocket launchers that propel water balloons full of Germ-X at dirty patrons, unlimited funding sources, and exhaustive databanks with the answers to each and every silly question a patron could ask.
Library 2.0 also has fiery eyes that cause patrons with censoring thoughts to burn with guilty feelings of inadequacy, stopping them in their tracks before they even think of asking Library 2.0 to take Harry Potter off the shelves.
Library 2.0 reeks of robot charisma. All the kids want to be like Library 2.0, men want to be around him, and women want to be with him.
Technorati
In this previous post, I had already established a Technorati account, not realizing there would be an exercise on it later. I didn't mean to double-up my exercises like that, but it sort of worked out because now I can see that my Singles' Health blog has a Technorati authority of 12, which is pretty cool (this blog has a zero authority so far...heheheh). Here's a Technorati widget that shows SH's current status:
View blog authority
So now I have claimed two of my blogs on Technorati. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer Technorati's search engine for blogs.
As for searching for "Learning 2.0," the blog directory search had by far the best results. I never would have discovered that tool if you hadn't pointed that out. Thanks!
And from the Popular page, I enjoyed reading Boing Boing! These are the same guys who create Make magazine, another cool resource.
View blog authority
So now I have claimed two of my blogs on Technorati. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer Technorati's search engine for blogs.
As for searching for "Learning 2.0," the blog directory search had by far the best results. I never would have discovered that tool if you hadn't pointed that out. Thanks!
And from the Popular page, I enjoyed reading Boing Boing! These are the same guys who create Make magazine, another cool resource.
Del.icio.us
Of course I have heard of Del.icio.us for about as long as I've been in the 21st Century. It's about time I started keeping my bookmarks there. Many is the time I have been on someone else's computer and wondered, what was that cool site I discovered that day about [something or other]. I have finally created my own Del.icio.us account. Down with procrastination! Yay for 23 Things!
Beyond the bookmarking usefulness of this website, the only way I can envision Del.icio.us becoming useful as a research tool is for people with really bizarre vocabularies discovering sites they were looking for because someone else out there also had the same bizarre vocabulary and tagged that particular site with the bizarre search term. I've heard Tim Spalding talk about how LibraryThing's social bookmarking actually works better than the LOC's subject headings in some cases, and I love tag clouds, but I feel like social bookmarking can only be a secondary research tool at best.
Check out my Del.icio.us network badge:
Aren't I fancy-schmancy.
Beyond the bookmarking usefulness of this website, the only way I can envision Del.icio.us becoming useful as a research tool is for people with really bizarre vocabularies discovering sites they were looking for because someone else out there also had the same bizarre vocabulary and tagged that particular site with the bizarre search term. I've heard Tim Spalding talk about how LibraryThing's social bookmarking actually works better than the LOC's subject headings in some cases, and I love tag clouds, but I feel like social bookmarking can only be a secondary research tool at best.
Check out my Del.icio.us network badge:
Aren't I fancy-schmancy.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Rollyo
My friends and I enjoy making fun of dating rituals, fitness magazines, and current events on our website. Therefore, I decided to make a Rollyo searchroll based on current events. I find this to be a very cool little tool. Select the Singles' Health News option from the drop down menu below and search for a current event topic:
LibraryThing
Yay for LibraryThing! Due to the generosity of PLAN, I got to meet the founder of LibraryThing in DC at the CIL Conference. He's a very cool guy, even if he isn't a librarian. Thanks, PLAN!
I have catalogued almost 250 books in my catalog, but I have many more to go.
I even have a LibraryThing widget on my MySpace page!
I have catalogued almost 250 books in my catalog, but I have many more to go.
I even have a LibraryThing widget on my MySpace page!
Locating Newsfeeds
In a world of Information Glut, where it's almost impossible to keep up with the news, your email, AND what your neighbors are up to, I'm thankful for search engines of all kinds. If you have the time or inclination to keep up with your RSS feeds, these search engines will come in handy:
Bloglines search engine: I experimented with this newsfeed search engine by searching for PLAN's Navigating New Technologies, and the feed appeared on the right side of the screen (posts appear as the search results down the left side of the screen).
Feedster: I wasn't able to easily find the particular feeds I searched for with Feedster, possibly because it indexes so many sites, but it is interesting to note that Feedster searches podcasts.
Technorati: This website has my sense of humor. From the main tagline ("Zillions of photos, videos, blogs, and more: some of them HAVE to be good") to their WTF tab, I enjoy Technorati's enthusiasm for gorging oneself fully in the Information Glut. When I searched for PLAN's 23 Things, it popped up right away. I prefer this method over Bloglines' search engine. I even joined Technorati to claim this blog and my Singles' Health blog. They gave me this cool little icon. Click on it!
Bloglines search engine: I experimented with this newsfeed search engine by searching for PLAN's Navigating New Technologies, and the feed appeared on the right side of the screen (posts appear as the search results down the left side of the screen).
Feedster: I wasn't able to easily find the particular feeds I searched for with Feedster, possibly because it indexes so many sites, but it is interesting to note that Feedster searches podcasts.
Technorati: This website has my sense of humor. From the main tagline ("Zillions of photos, videos, blogs, and more: some of them HAVE to be good") to their WTF tab, I enjoy Technorati's enthusiasm for gorging oneself fully in the Information Glut. When I searched for PLAN's 23 Things, it popped up right away. I prefer this method over Bloglines' search engine. I even joined Technorati to claim this blog and my Singles' Health blog. They gave me this cool little icon. Click on it!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Ode to the Bookmobile
My friends and I hijacked the bookmobile last weekend to shoot a music video for the Thomson/Gale Librareo competition. If you enjoy this video (and if we are chosen for the top five videos on June 1st), I hope you'll vote for us next week. If we are chosen, I'll keep you posted through this blog.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Ah, Bloglines...
Well, I had blogged about Yahoo's RSS aggregator, Yahoo!Pipes. Well, I have to admit, PLAN is right... Bloglines is better.
Yahoo!Pipes is pretty cool, in a techie, complicated way, but Bloglines is simple, clean, and easy.
Here is my public blogroll. I have a dozen or so feeds and only 600+ articles to read! Yay!
Yahoo!Pipes is pretty cool, in a techie, complicated way, but Bloglines is simple, clean, and easy.
Here is my public blogroll. I have a dozen or so feeds and only 600+ articles to read! Yay!
ThinkGeek.com
I thought that for my technology-related blog, I would help bring back a technology I miss: old phones that stay where they're put and don't try to follow you around everywhere. Well, actually, this one follows you around too, but it reminds me of the old phones that stayed at home. Don't you miss those days?
If you haven't been to ThinkGeek.com, you're missing out on a real treat. It's the perfect place to shop for the geek in your family. Believe me: they'll be so thankful, they'll stop hacking into your email.
If you haven't been to ThinkGeek.com, you're missing out on a real treat. It's the perfect place to shop for the geek in your family. Believe me: they'll be so thankful, they'll stop hacking into your email.
Patience
I've always wanted to create these demotivational posters. Now I can have my very own Misery Inc.
fd's Flickr Toys are fun!
I also like the Blog function of Flickr that allows it access to my blog. How easy is this?
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Oh, no! Someone stop him from video blogging!
I noticed that PLAN members were woefully underrepresented at the 25th Anniversary dinner of the North Florida Library Association. So, instead of letting PLAN suffer taxation without representation, I decided to report directly to my fellow librarian bloggers with this special video blog report:
20 Cool Sites from CIL Conference
Thanks to PLAN, I had a great time at the CIL Conference and I wanted to share the joys of free, cool things the speakers showed me at the conference. Here were my top 20 favorites:
- Yahoo! Pipes: http://pipes.yahoo.com/ This is a very cool RSS aggregator that can apply logical filters to your RSS feeds. It looks good too!
- Google's My Maps: I'm sure you've used Google Maps, but now you can edit the maps right inside Google! You can insert images, tags, and draw lines between locations. This will be a great way to redo the the Bookmobile stops!
- Yahoo! Design Pattern Library: Yahoo has recently released their entire knowledge base of website design. So whenever we want to add an RSS feed or a blog to one of the websites, we can look at all the research Yahoo has done on the subject. Wow!
- Zamzar.com: A free website that allows you to convert files online. This will also allow you to download YouTube videos, which is otherwise impossible.
- Gliffy.com: A free website that allows you to create flowcharts and mind maps. Very easy to use, as long as your charts aren't too big.
- 2 Firefox extensions: 1.) Linkchecker: will allow you to check all the links on a page to make sure they work, and 2.) Firebug: allows you to debug a page.
- Pixer.us: Ever wished you had a copy of Photoshop with you on vacation. I know I sure have! Now you have a free version wherever you are!
- Trailfire.com : This nifty tool allows you to create a webtour by marking pages with a 'trail' mark which contains any comments or tags you put on the website, and then links your visitors to the next website on the tour. I know this is a bit difficult to conceptualize, but believe me: it's cool. (And free!)
- Myxer.com: Another free site, but this one allows you to mix MP3's. Kids use this site a lot to create custom ringtones for their cell phones.
- MyBlogLog.com: This site will give you statistics on the visitors to your blog. It's free up to a point, then I think it's $20 for a lifetime subscription.
- CrazyEgg.com: Another statistics site, but with the very cool added power of 'heat maps.' These show you where people are going within a certain page of your site. I will be using this tool first when I get back. I can't wait!
- "Many Eyes" by IBM: IBM has a free site that allows you to create imaginitive visualizations of data. There are a lot a very funny mind maps and flowcharts on this site of bizarre data, ranging from Monthy Python data to comparing the size of our Sun to other stars.
- Google Webmaster Tools: Google has an entire section that allows you to check how well your site can be spidered, statistics on hits, page rank, page views, etc.
- SiteMapBuilder.net: This should be used in conjuction with Google. This site allows you to create an XML file of your site map, which you can then send to Google, so Google has an easier time spidering your site. And that's important. :)
- gVisit.com: This is an awesome 'mash-up' (the combination of two webware programs to create a new webware program) of a worldwide map and data from your website. It maps where all the visitors to your website are coming from! Isn't that cool? It requires a javascript plugin on your page, but then, voila! You've instantly got a satellite view of all your visitors!
- One of the cool new freebies is AjaxWrite. It advertises itself by listing the price of MS Office 2007, then showing that AjaxWrite does the same thing for free and online from wherever you are.
- LogMeIn is a free website that allows you to connect by Remote Desktop to another person's computer and provide instructional assistance.
- EveryStockPhoto.com is a repository of free photographs.
- Wink allows people to take video-like screen captures.
- LibraryThing for Libraries: You know and love LibraryThing.com. Well, now Tim Spalding is working on LibraryThing for Libraries. This service (still in beta, but he's looking for libraries to help test!) will allow your patrons to add recommendations, tags, and comments to the content in your catalog. Patrons love and expect this sort of interactivity, and we love and respect LibraryThing. It's the perfect match!
And those are the winners! If you would like more information, or would just like to discuss some of these technologies, please feel free to comment or write me. :)
Thanks, PLAN!
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