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March 28, 2006
Mag Geektastic: Bits that might be interesting to librarians
Wandering around my library this evening looking for magazines for a patron, a few magazine covers caught my eye, and my brain thought, "Hey, these bits might be interesting to librarians. Maybe." Some are very techy, some are not but were found in typically techy pubs. So I thought I'd share.
I've done this a few times with the "Why librarians should read Wired" posts, since keeping up with technology, society, technology in society, etc., is a good thing for librarians to be doing (and, well, I find it entertaining). So I might make this some sort of semi-regular thing here on the blog. Lemme know if this is interesting to you, too.
Enough preface. On to the niftiness.
Popular Science - April 2006
- Dynamic Displays, pg. 24: The predicted evolution of laptop displays, from todays tablets to tomorrow's roll-ups.
- It's About Time, pg. 24: Belkin finally released a wireless USB hub. Great for crazy, cable-ridden workrooms or points of service.
- 2019 - Open Doors Telepathically, pg. 40: Forget RFID and library cards.
- How It Works, pg. 43: The first annual feature on the guts of so many gadgets. Most interesting: see the intimate innards of a cell phone, find out just out a cell phone call happens, and get the quick lowdown on the different between GSM (global system mobile) and CDMA (code division multiple access) phones.
- Resurrect a Dead Laptop, pg. 80: And on the cheap, for that matter. Good for libraries that own laptops without service contracts (or perhaps just for troubleshooting), and for patrons who ask about such things (I know our library is getting more tech supportish inquiries lately).
- How 2.0: 5 Things to know before doing your own taxes digitally (pg. 85), plus the bottle cap digital camera tripod, how to surf the web anonymously, and how to RFID-proof your wallet (all pg. 86).
PC World - February 2006
- 25 New Products that are Anything but Ordinary, pg. 18: superfast wi-fi, long life batteries, 10.3 megapixel camera, and portable Tivo, to name a few.
- A Smart New Office, pg. 22: Sneak preview of the next version of MS Office.
- Hanging Up on Tech Support, pg. 37: Troubleshooting on your own is a bit easier these days. Not *perfect*, but easier. My favorite tip: do an online search for an error message to find help with how to fix it. I do that a lot, myself.
- Better Budget Wi-Fi, pg. 49: Is your library "exploring the options" on wi-fi? If you're a small (or maybe not-so-small) library, and you've already got broadband, but you just want to slap a sensibly-priced router on that bad boy, check this out.
- Instant Messengers Grow Up and Go to Work, pg. 66: IM isn't just a tool of the teen scene, it has been a tool of company workers everywhere. Check out this little round up of IM clients, and how they're being used.
- New, Improved Web, pg. 80: It's Web 2.0, in plain English, with screenshots. Many current favorites mentioned, like Flickr, Technorati, Google Earth, plus a bunch of new, interesting stuff.
- 23 Things to Do with a Thumb Drive, pg. 113: Also known as jump drives, flash drives, and USB drives, you can now keep 2 GB of stuff on a thing the size of a stick of gum. A few reviews of different models, plus a plethora of tasks your pocket file sherpa can perform for you.
- Here's How, pg. 118: This section full of tips and advice for hardware, software, and the web changes every month. You should read it every month, it will make your brain happy with technology know-how. This issue the niftiness includes backups, making several Windows folders at once, an essential networking acronym glossary, and more.
PC World - April 2006
- Spammer: It's no longer easy money, pg. 20: Interesting interview with a spammer, sidebar to a longer article on the State of Spam.
- Battery Boosters, pg. 109: "[S]queeze every last drop out of your gadgets' batteries and charge them up quick and conveniently." Also includes some reviews.
- Here's How, pg. 140: This month's gems include taking charge of what web sites know about you, securing your laptop on the go, and putting your PC on a power diet.
Discover - April 2006
- Blinded by Science: When First We Clicked, pg. 30: Very interesting cultural/philosophical conmmentary of the Internet vs. the telegraph. I'm not really sure where this fits, or what to say, but I think it's worth reading.
Newsweek - April 3, 2006
- The New Wisdom of The Web, pg. 47: Web 2.0 and the kids making it happen. Please ignore the Geek Chic quiz at the end, it's totally lame and so not the true measure of a geek, even a chic one.
March 28, 2006 8:35 PM