GoogleNews
The Science/Technology subdivision of GoogleNews, carried an article on Kindle (from Amazon) which has been endorsed by Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah Endorses Amazon.com's Kindle. The gadget was "life changing" for her!
I found a Kindle at the Loans desk this morning. I used the Illiad e-book some time ago as it was being passed among library staff. The above article ties in nicely with the presentation from the IT specialist at Wesley college last Thursday.
ListAfterList
From ListAfterList I extracted this Top 10 Saddest Songs Ever . All these lists are very subjective.
On the more objective side of things I did a search for accounting reading list and the first link, although not immediately relevant, deals with the Academic disciplines in Law. The list appears lifted from Wikipedia as is the following Library and Information Science disciplines lists.
If prepared to search one can find interesting lists that can be the starting point for more targetted searches.
PollDaddy
Testimonials indicate that some very reputable organisations (American Chemical Society, Techcrunch, aFrench recruiting agency) use this application. It appears very similar to Survey Monkey, at least in its survey part.
EyeJot
Without a webcam there is no possibility of using this programme.
43Things
http://www.43things.com/person/egaro
I listed the wish to meditate as one of my goal which I share with 2,066 at 7 pm on October 2008. The heading MEDITATE was suggested by 43 Things. The entry reads: Meditation first thing in the morning helps focus the mind and re-establish some balance in an hectic life. It is also time off for oneself. To still the mind is hard work that comes with practice. Time to start again. I set myself a challenge about finishing 21 lunges by a certain date.
I did not find "Today's Tags" on the site nor the rate at which I want to be reminded.
43 Places
Entry posted on 43 Places: My entry: Bomarzo is located in the province of Viterbo, between Rome and Florence. It is a medieval village perched on a hill and has become quite famous since the restoration of the Parco dei Mostri. Even Readers’s Feast in Melbourne had a book on the park/garden of Bomarzo. I spent many a summer in that village before comming to Australia.
My list of books
43 Things on Del_icio_us. That's it for this section. Now about the semantic web....
Monday, 27 October 2008
Friday, 24 October 2008
18 IM, Skype and chat
Skype has been installed on my home computer. However various attempts have failed to record my message after installation. I will need to investigate the audiorecording settings as instructed.
I have a friend who is travelling in Argentina for a year. We were originally very keen to use this system to keep in touch. However due to her constant moving around and the lack of wireless in some locations this has not eventuated yet. The convenience of being free from computer to computer is offset by the, sometime considerable, time difference when calling overseas.
In the coming days I'll try to contact relatives abroad, by going to their computer account rather than the land or mobile lines. I read in Julia's blog that she uses the system for her overseas contact.
According to Paul Budde's article this kind of applications are not a real challenge to the big telcos. However he forecast increasing use by business for videoconferencing purposes.
I have a friend who is travelling in Argentina for a year. We were originally very keen to use this system to keep in touch. However due to her constant moving around and the lack of wireless in some locations this has not eventuated yet. The convenience of being free from computer to computer is offset by the, sometime considerable, time difference when calling overseas.
In the coming days I'll try to contact relatives abroad, by going to their computer account rather than the land or mobile lines. I read in Julia's blog that she uses the system for her overseas contact.
According to Paul Budde's article this kind of applications are not a real challenge to the big telcos. However he forecast increasing use by business for videoconferencing purposes.
Sunday, 19 October 2008
17 Forums, groups marketing & professional networking
Without the need to register to LinkedIn I was able to read "free" information to get a feel for what this service offers. From the Learning Centre at the bottom of the homepage, the New User guide provides all the information needed before deciding to join.
The LinkedIn Answers tabs is free to view even without a login. Questions are quickly pushed down the page as new ones are posted. It took me a little while to find the Two companies with the same name? query as it had been displaced from the front screen in the space of a few minutes. Although answers can be read by anyone, a login is required to post a query or an answer. The added functionality of searching by categories makes this application a useful tool for professionals.
Spoke: in the JOBS tab I searched for university librarian in Denver, Colorado. The result provides job description, selecting criteria and much more. The right hand column offers links to similar jobs. (Head of Collection Management)
Searches for librarian, chemical engineer and science lecturer in Australia did not bring results. Perhaps the system is currently limited to the US and England.
From the Google Groups site I accessed the alt.usage.english
and read some threads of conversation. I'm considering joining the group to ask questions about usage and grammar that I find baffling and to which native speakers cannot provide a satisfactory answer nor explanation. However I need to read the conditons and implications of joining, specifically the danger of spam emailing once my address is made available.
The LinkedIn Answers tabs is free to view even without a login. Questions are quickly pushed down the page as new ones are posted. It took me a little while to find the Two companies with the same name? query as it had been displaced from the front screen in the space of a few minutes. Although answers can be read by anyone, a login is required to post a query or an answer. The added functionality of searching by categories makes this application a useful tool for professionals.
Spoke: in the JOBS tab I searched for university librarian in Denver, Colorado. The result provides job description, selecting criteria and much more. The right hand column offers links to similar jobs. (Head of Collection Management)
Searches for librarian, chemical engineer and science lecturer in Australia did not bring results. Perhaps the system is currently limited to the US and England.
From the Google Groups site I accessed the alt.usage.english
and read some threads of conversation. I'm considering joining the group to ask questions about usage and grammar that I find baffling and to which native speakers cannot provide a satisfactory answer nor explanation. However I need to read the conditons and implications of joining, specifically the danger of spam emailing once my address is made available.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
16 Online image generators, tools & widgets
First impression of Sclipo: rather clunky, repetitive and tedious.
On October 15 the category Finances and Business I found a number of clips being repeated, either side by side, or a page or two apart. What is the rationale for this over exposure? The application does not provide for searching within the category let alone advanced searching. Other searches also had a fair number of repetitions. I consider this "spam" and I think it should be regulated better.
Photos uploaded to Picasa Web
I am acquainted with Survey Monkey as I had to create a short survey of library staff attendance to ISTs in the last calendar year.
In Bubbl.us I created a "Chart use". I entered text, changed the colours and directions of the bubbles. To view click on Chart use on the right hand side then on Load. A copy was sent to Petrina.
With picnik I had fun playing around with the demonstrations photos provided.
The video link provided by Paul in the section Yahoo pipes, did not work. I'm not the only one unable to open it, there is a list of postings to this effect. Even when going to the site proper the link does not open. My efforts stopped with Yahoo pipes and the faulty video..
On October 15 the category Finances and Business I found a number of clips being repeated, either side by side, or a page or two apart. What is the rationale for this over exposure? The application does not provide for searching within the category let alone advanced searching. Other searches also had a fair number of repetitions. I consider this "spam" and I think it should be regulated better.
Photos uploaded to Picasa Web
I am acquainted with Survey Monkey as I had to create a short survey of library staff attendance to ISTs in the last calendar year.
In Bubbl.us I created a "Chart use". I entered text, changed the colours and directions of the bubbles. To view click on Chart use on the right hand side then on Load. A copy was sent to Petrina.
With picnik I had fun playing around with the demonstrations photos provided.
The video link provided by Paul in the section Yahoo pipes, did not work. I'm not the only one unable to open it, there is a list of postings to this effect. Even when going to the site proper the link does not open. My efforts stopped with Yahoo pipes and the faulty video..
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
15 Photos
From Flickr
Cloud formation
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=cloud+formation
Amazonian butterfly:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%22amazonian+butterfly%22&m=text
From Picassa Web:
Aurora borealis phenomenon
http://picasaweb.google.com/xueke.wang/YellowKnife#
There is no possibility of advanced search within this application. In order to retrieve aurora borealis photos only, I added the term phenomenon, but irrelevant photos are still displaying.
My photos in PicassaWeb
Cloud formation
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=cloud+formation
Amazonian butterfly:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%22amazonian+butterfly%22&m=text
From Picassa Web:
Aurora borealis phenomenon
http://picasaweb.google.com/xueke.wang/YellowKnife#
There is no possibility of advanced search within this application. In order to retrieve aurora borealis photos only, I added the term phenomenon, but irrelevant photos are still displaying.
My photos in PicassaWeb
Monday, 13 October 2008
13 Mapping and Mashups
One application within the RMIT context would be to combine maps (perhaps street view provided by Google) whith a link showing RMIT pdf campus maps together with Blackboard applications showing the location of a particular lecture. As a student I had to travelled between campuses and buildings so the idea of a lecture timetable being linked to a visual location could help students find their lecture theatre or other location around RMIT more easily. It would work on the principle of the dance classes in the US: http://dancemaps.googlemashups.com/
http://www.programmableweb.com/mashup/360-tuscany
Information and panoramic photos of places to visit in Tuscany, including Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Elba and San Gimignano. Interactive maps of areas of Tuscany with preset zoom levels and tourist information.
http://www.programmableweb.com/mashup/ask-500-people
Real-time polling mashup. People can ask questions and watch the answers come in real-time, with geographic locations.
Do people really have time to ask this kind of questions?
http://www.programmableweb.com/api/google-maps/mashups
From there I chose Paris:
http://paris.360cities.net/fs.html?loc=Autumn-sun-in-Jardin-du-Luxembourg-Paris.p36
I used to cross le jardin du Luxembourg on my way to school. For an instant I'm back in Paris....
http://www.programmableweb.com/mashup/360-tuscany
Information and panoramic photos of places to visit in Tuscany, including Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Elba and San Gimignano. Interactive maps of areas of Tuscany with preset zoom levels and tourist information.
http://www.programmableweb.com/mashup/ask-500-people
Real-time polling mashup. People can ask questions and watch the answers come in real-time, with geographic locations.
Do people really have time to ask this kind of questions?
http://www.programmableweb.com/api/google-maps/mashups
From there I chose Paris:
http://paris.360cities.net/fs.html?loc=Autumn-sun-in-Jardin-du-Luxembourg-Paris.p36
I used to cross le jardin du Luxembourg on my way to school. For an instant I'm back in Paris....
14 What I think
I'll get back to the mashup and maps in a little while. In the meantime I have answered the survey. If you do not have access to it here are my comments in a nutshell:
So far the programme has proven very useful, in fact an eye opener. Some applications will definitely be part of my repertoire (kiwis, blog, social bookmarking...). Others I have found of no interest (these include the Facebook section and social news). Mash up is interesting but requires technical expertise and will stay out of my reach. But at least I can look clever next time I hear about it.
My main point is that the programme should be extended, don't just drop it at the end of November. Surely technology is not going to stay still, so it would be a pity not to have this as an ongoing staff development.
A big thank you to our champion, Petrina.
Petrina, regarding your comment on section 10 Blog guides and catchers I followed your advice and pasted the URL of the Better EFL teacher in Add a subscription. It worked.
So far the programme has proven very useful, in fact an eye opener. Some applications will definitely be part of my repertoire (kiwis, blog, social bookmarking...). Others I have found of no interest (these include the Facebook section and social news). Mash up is interesting but requires technical expertise and will stay out of my reach. But at least I can look clever next time I hear about it.
My main point is that the programme should be extended, don't just drop it at the end of November. Surely technology is not going to stay still, so it would be a pity not to have this as an ongoing staff development.
A big thank you to our champion, Petrina.
Petrina, regarding your comment on section 10 Blog guides and catchers I followed your advice and pasted the URL of the Better EFL teacher in Add a subscription. It worked.
Friday, 10 October 2008
12 Article sites
From the category Food & Drink in Buzzle I found the article Loose Leaf Tea and 5 Star Restaurants.
The author's link provides a list of articles if one is interested in pursuing the topic (The World of Green Tea ) and a website when appropriate.
The World News tab does include world news but every article included on Friday October 10 are taken from the Guardian neswpaper yet nowhere could I find reference to this news source on the website. Are readers aware that the same source applies to all these articles?
The category Breaking News and Reports contains pieces (from the Guardian) which in my opinion hardly qualify as breaking news such as Jim Shelley on How to make ... Little Britain USA
The title of this article shows the old rivalry between France and England: Nobel Award Restores French Literary Pride, in case the French had lost it.
Buzzle can be useful to someone who wants to be up to the hour with what is being reported although the common source for the 3 categories: What's the Buzz, National and World News and Breaking News & Reports is The Guardian!
As a matter of interest from the category Education & higher learning, this article
Sure Ways to Get Online Dissertation Help provides a link to a website that promesses:
When you order a dissertation with our service, you have a Ph.D. writer in your area of study working on it. Your writer creates an original, attention grabbing dissertation for you. We complete the dissertation including abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology chapter. We also include the discussion, conclusion, acknowledgments and references. Nothing is left out and all work is 100% original. We encourage one on one contact with your writer and absolutely guarantee your confidentiality. You can order with confidence and know that you will receive the best possible dissertation in your area of study. Confidentiality is assured!
To conclude the tour of Buzzle I sent a Free ecard.
The author's link provides a list of articles if one is interested in pursuing the topic (The World of Green Tea ) and a website when appropriate.
The World News tab does include world news but every article included on Friday October 10 are taken from the Guardian neswpaper yet nowhere could I find reference to this news source on the website. Are readers aware that the same source applies to all these articles?
The category Breaking News and Reports contains pieces (from the Guardian) which in my opinion hardly qualify as breaking news such as Jim Shelley on How to make ... Little Britain USA
The title of this article shows the old rivalry between France and England: Nobel Award Restores French Literary Pride, in case the French had lost it.
Buzzle can be useful to someone who wants to be up to the hour with what is being reported although the common source for the 3 categories: What's the Buzz, National and World News and Breaking News & Reports is The Guardian!
As a matter of interest from the category Education & higher learning, this article
Sure Ways to Get Online Dissertation Help provides a link to a website that promesses:
When you order a dissertation with our service, you have a Ph.D. writer in your area of study working on it. Your writer creates an original, attention grabbing dissertation for you. We complete the dissertation including abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology chapter. We also include the discussion, conclusion, acknowledgments and references. Nothing is left out and all work is 100% original. We encourage one on one contact with your writer and absolutely guarantee your confidentiality. You can order with confidence and know that you will receive the best possible dissertation in your area of study. Confidentiality is assured!
To conclude the tour of Buzzle I sent a Free ecard.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
11 Social video and entertainment
This video is from TeacherTube:
Polar bears and dogs playing
The Squidoo site is replete with adds and ebay announcements.
This one is from YouTube:
Paris, France
Polar bears and dogs playing
The Squidoo site is replete with adds and ebay announcements.
This one is from YouTube:
Paris, France
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
10 Blog guides and catchers
Within Technorati I found and subscribed to this blog:
http://www.bloglines.com/sub/http://feeds.feedburner.com/LibrariansMatter
From Google Blog Search I found and suscribed to the Chronicler of Higher Education blog as listed in my RSS subscription in Google Reader.
Unless mistaken a number of blogs do not permit/allow to subscribe to them. I could not find the RSS feed for the following:
http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com/2008/04/common-english-as-foreign-language.html
This blog has since disappeared:
http://philosophy-of-educationridhcuwzk.blogspot.com/
These 2 examples are a tiny sample of links that don't seem to go anywhere but I'm ready to be corrected.
However I came across a blog directory: http://www.getblogs.com/
The Blog Directory is a comprehensive human edited directory of over 11,000 Weblogs in 190+ categories. Search for blogs, or submit your blog to our blog directory for free.
Following the path: Directory > Education & Learning Blogs > Library Science Blogs I found this strangely titled blog:
http://www.bookslut.com/blog/
Bookslut's editor-in-chief, Jessa Crispin, provides links and commentary for those who love to read.
These blog finders can be useful if kept up to date. I'd rather use the getblogs directory as my first port of call in the hope of not finding dead wood.
http://www.bloglines.com/sub/http://feeds.feedburner.com/LibrariansMatter
From Google Blog Search I found and suscribed to the Chronicler of Higher Education blog as listed in my RSS subscription in Google Reader.
Unless mistaken a number of blogs do not permit/allow to subscribe to them. I could not find the RSS feed for the following:
http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com/2008/04/common-english-as-foreign-language.html
This blog has since disappeared:
http://philosophy-of-educationridhcuwzk.blogspot.com/
These 2 examples are a tiny sample of links that don't seem to go anywhere but I'm ready to be corrected.
However I came across a blog directory: http://www.getblogs.com/
The Blog Directory is a comprehensive human edited directory of over 11,000 Weblogs in 190+ categories. Search for blogs, or submit your blog to our blog directory for free.
Following the path: Directory > Education & Learning Blogs > Library Science Blogs I found this strangely titled blog:
http://www.bookslut.com/blog/
Bookslut's editor-in-chief, Jessa Crispin, provides links and commentary for those who love to read.
These blog finders can be useful if kept up to date. I'd rather use the getblogs directory as my first port of call in the hope of not finding dead wood.
Monday, 6 October 2008
9 Social bookmarking and tagging
Below is my account, created before the start of 21 lunges:
http://delicious.com/egaro
Having read the post and visited Flickr and Technocrati I feel I can go straight to the next section.
I have added a link from the RSS feed about Internet tips and tricks from the RSS feed.
http://delicious.com/egaro
Having read the post and visited Flickr and Technocrati I feel I can go straight to the next section.
I have added a link from the RSS feed about Internet tips and tricks from the RSS feed.
8 Social News
"This is an interesting diversion for some and slightly confusing to many”. 21 lunges 8) Social news.
I did not enjoy this section.
The various applications and functionalities leave me bewildered. The article on What does it take to get to the front page of Digg? mentions among other things the need for a captivating title to draw out curiosity and if that doesn’t work why not employ superlatives. The problem with superlatives is that by their very nature they should be rare, so as to make a point, a statement that should reflect the truth. The advertising industry has accustomed us to the use of blockbusters, bestsellers, bigger, better, masterpiece…..
There is an awful lot of competition out there to grab people’s attention and although the Business blog and del_icio_us are pertinent to my professional life, I have yet to understand the need for this particular application. With the plethora of information, what we need is evaluation skills to avoid drowning. It seems that being tech savvy, in the know, up there or modern is to dabble in everything that’s available. The complexity and multitude of platforms seem to defeat the purpose. How many programmes or applications can we reasonably be expected to master in our professional life, on a day to day basis. I’ll content myself with a passing acquaintance with Social News.
I did not enjoy this section.
The various applications and functionalities leave me bewildered. The article on What does it take to get to the front page of Digg? mentions among other things the need for a captivating title to draw out curiosity and if that doesn’t work why not employ superlatives. The problem with superlatives is that by their very nature they should be rare, so as to make a point, a statement that should reflect the truth. The advertising industry has accustomed us to the use of blockbusters, bestsellers, bigger, better, masterpiece…..
There is an awful lot of competition out there to grab people’s attention and although the Business blog and del_icio_us are pertinent to my professional life, I have yet to understand the need for this particular application. With the plethora of information, what we need is evaluation skills to avoid drowning. It seems that being tech savvy, in the know, up there or modern is to dabble in everything that’s available. The complexity and multitude of platforms seem to defeat the purpose. How many programmes or applications can we reasonably be expected to master in our professional life, on a day to day basis. I’ll content myself with a passing acquaintance with Social News.
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