I must have been really busy in the fall because I missed the report released by the Pew Internet folks called, Technology & Media Use: When Technology Fails. I found this report today while preparing my talk on Building Learning Communities for the Ontario Library Association Superconference on Friday at 2.10pm. Of course, the report on technology failure especially intrigued me today because Facebook is down (at least for me???). I use FB for a lot of things and it is almost as bad as when the electrical power goes down — feels like an appendage has been lost!
|
|||||
|
Another great Google doodle makes me think about how fast everything in this world goes, especially our time. This is a representation of the Large Hadron Collider, the world largest and highest-energy particle accelerator, built by the European Organization Nuclear Researh, CERN, in Geneva. Scientists are watching the “world’s grandest experiment in particle physics” there today. I wish I had a little part of it’s energy to help me accomplish all the things I’d like to achieve but can’t find the time! From KMWorld.com’s e-letter NewsLinks: Most IT managers are stumped when it comes to capturing the right IT metrics and then effectively conveying their relevance to management. Decision makers tend to focus on the one metric they understand: The cost of IT and how to reduce it. This new Forrester White Paper reveals the five essential metrics for effectively managing IT. Download this White Paper to learn: How to align IT investments to business goals Strategies for capturing the right metrics Tips for translating the value of IT contributions Some cools stuff in this article but my favorites are: Print Shop to Go, Printstik PS910 Forget about waiting at a Kinkos to print out that hard-copy report. Planon’s Printstik PS910 is a go-anywhere print shop. At 1.5 pounds and powered by a lithium ion battery, the PS910 easily fits into a notebook bag, yet it can print from a smart phone, handheld or notebook, either through a USB cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth. The US$300 printer uses thermal technology; a package of three rolls of thermal paper costs US$25. It means that you only get monochrome documents, but if you need a quick sales letter, a map or a proposal, this could be just the thing. Power Central, Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger So much work, so few power outlets — it’s the nomad’s nightmare. Belkin’s Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger turns a single AC outlet into three, delivering electricity to you and those around you (sharing that outlet may get you good karma, or even a free latte). It also provides a pair of USB ports for charging phones, handhelds or media players. At 6 ounces, the Mini Surge Protector is worth its weight in batteries, and it rotates so that it won’t block the second outlet on the wall. The device costs US$25, but is well worth it — not the least because it carries a $75,000 warranty against damage from a power spike. So the Special Libraries Association annual conference is being held this year in Seattle and the Seattle chapter of SLA has created a great wiki for attendees and those who want to see what’s going on at the event. Lots of great stuff there and Daniel Lee, President of the Toronto Chaper, has created a great piece on using Twitter at the conference. It is part of the Innovation Lab that current preseident, Stephen Abram, is pushing to get our members our try new technologies and techniques for communicating. Good going guys! Love Dave Snowden’s post today, Open Source is not the same as Freeware. Certainly in this day and age transparency is very important, just as Don Tappscott said in his 2003 book, The Naked Corporation: How the Age of Transparency Will Revolutionize Business. With some of the intersting discussions that took place at Computers in Libraries 2008 last month, this post really hit the nail on the head for me. Thanks, Dave. From ITWorld Canada: “Often, even great new technology needs a partner to really change the world. Here are 10 marriages of technologies that have shaken the digital world over the last 25 years.” 10. DVD’s + Entertainment on Demand: ” The whatever/wherever/whenever model of media consumption is turning both Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry on their heads, and forcing advertisers to rethink ways to capture our attention.” 9. YouTube + Cheap Digital Cameras & Camcorders: “Digital video has made mini-Hitchcocks of everyone. YouTube and its many cousins give the masses a place to put their masterworks. Journalism, politics, and entertainment will never be the same.” 8. Open Source + Web Tools: “The idea that media should be portable is disruptive. The notion that it should be free–and that some artists can survive, or even thrive, despite a lack of sales revenue–is even more so.” 7. MP3 + Napster: “The idea that media should be portable is disruptive. The notion that it should be free–and that some artists can survive, or even thrive, despite a lack of sales revenue–is even more so.” 6. Blogs + Google Ads: “Blogs give everyone a public voice, while Google gives bloggers a way to fund and market themselves–and the economy of the 21st century is born.” 5. Cheap Storage + Portable Memory: “Where would we be today without cheap, capacious, portable storage? No iPods. No YouTube. No Gmail. No cloud computing.” 4. Cloud Computing + Always-on Devices: “For enterprises, cloud computing provides the benefits Continue reading 10 Most Disruptive Technology Combinations This article on IT skills just crossed my desk and the following quote refers to technology pros but I think it could be true for information and knowledge pros too! “Technology pros looking to find new work or secure their current jobs should get schooled on wireless, Web 2.0, and virtualization while also boning up on business basics.” So true. Other skills include database management, business intelligence/data mining, application delivery, security and networking. |
|||||
|
Copyright © 2012 Dysart & Jones - All Rights Reserved |
|||||