January 2018

Net Neutrality:

In case you missed it, Net Neutrality was repealed in December by the FCC’s 3-2 vote. The New York Times gives a good overview of why and how it may affect you.  If you’re unsure what Net Neutrality is, Burger King put together an interesting ad that was reported on by The Verge and worth a watch. This is also a topic being discussed in the Senate, as reported by the Washington Post and some states have sued to keep it as reported by Reuters. This topic is constantly changing so keep your eye out for it when you’re reading the news.

Libraries and Small Town News:

As the news landscape continues to shift, some communities are finding themselves without a source of local news. Cue the public library. One librarian in New Hampshire is now also producing a weekly newspaper for their community. Read all about it from The Atlantic.

AI in the Library:

The University of Rhode Island is creating an Artificial Intelligence Lab in the Robert L. Carothers Library and Learning Commons located on their main campus with the goal of increasing access to this technology. The lab is set to open in the fall and you can read more about it from Inside Higher Ed.

Strava Heat Map:

Do you know what data your fitness app is gathering and sharing? Reports of military base locations being revealed by Strava (essentially a social network for athletes) in the heat maps they create with user data has sparked concern. Read more about it from Wired. If you use Strava and want to opt out of these maps The Verge has a guide for you.

Facebook and Local News:

Have you noticed more local info on Facebook? That’s not an accident. Facebook is adjusting how it prioritizes information in your news feed. Read more about it from TechCrunch.

CES Overview:

What do huge TVs, smart homes, super thin laptops, and robots have in common? Those are some of the themes from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in January. You can get a more detailed overview of the tech presented with links to additional information from CNet.

July 2017

Net Neutrality:

Net Neutrality was last mentioned here all the way back in September 2014. While it seemed like the rules had been decided (CNET breaks down the rules passed in 2015 here), it is once again up for debate. Many companies, including Google, and Amazon, have come together today for a day of action (today!) in support of net neutrality. If this is still a new topic for you Corynne McSherry explains “why you should worry about losing net neutrality.”  

3D Printed Buildings:

3D printers have printed some cool things and now you can add buildings to that list. MIT has developed a robotic system that can print a building structure with expandable foam. Eventually they hope that this system will be autonomous and use additional types of materials so that it can be sent to build in places where traditional construction would be difficult (like Mars).

Facebook Live and VR:

Earlier this year Facebook released an app called Spaces which allows users with an Oculus Rift to hang out in Virtual Reality (VR).  Now they want everyone to join in on the fun and have released a feature on the app that allows users to live stream on Facebook.

Yik Yak is no more:

In case you missed it, Yik Yak, the app that allowed people to post anonymously based on their location, has shut down. You can read about it from TechCrunch.    

Snap Maps:

Snapchat, the app that allows users to take a photo that will remain on the screen for only a few seconds when sent to others, recently released a feature that allows users to share their location and view friends locations within the app. This feature is called Snap Maps also allows you to see snaps posted in different locations that people have added to "Our Story". If you'd rather not share you can also chose to hide your location by turning on ghost mode.  

September 2014

Humanoid Robots:

Have you always dreamed of having a Rosie the Robot of your own? Well, we’re not quite there yet, but the public library in Westport, CT will soon have a pair of humanoid robots tasked with helping children learn computer programing. The robots are NAO Evolution from the company Aldebaran. More details about the robots and the public library programming, set to begin on October 11th, can be found in this Wall Street Journal Article.

Net Neutrality:

Some of you have probably heard about the concept of “Net Neutrality” which in essence means that all data shared through the internet is treated equally. A more detailed explanation of the concept can be found in this video:  

Additionally, this article by Anne Flaherty of the associated press gives a good overview of why Net Neutrality is now being discussed:  5 Questions, Answers on ‘Net Neutrality’

Apple:

Apple had their annual iPhone event earlier this month where they revealed the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus, along with iOS8 and their new product Apple Watch which should be released early next year. You can watch the recording of the release and explore all of the new products on Apple’s website.

The launch of some of these products however has met with some issues. Since the release of the iPhone 6 Plus there have been numerous reports that it bends when placed in a back pocket. According to Apple, however, there have only been nine official complaints. This incident is now being referred to as “bendgate” and a quick Google search for the term will yield a myriad of results. After the release of iOS8.0.1 many users were unable to make or receive calls and thus Apple pulled the software update, posting instructions on how to revert back to iOS8. An overview of these issues can be found in this article from Reuters.

Windows 10:

Product releases this month also included Windows 10 (and you didn’t miss anything, they skipped over the number 9). An overview of the new system, including features, can be found in this article from c|net which also includes a gallery of Windows 10 images.

Ello Social Media Network:

Ello is the new social media site that has been buzzing in the last few weeks. It’s being advertised as an ad-free Facebook and to use it you have to sign up for an invitation (my invitation has yet to arrive). MIT Technology Review gives an overview of this new social network here.  

New Kindle:

For those of you who attended the Tech Petting Zoo, or who might be interested in purchasing a stand-alone e-reader, Amazon has released an updated version of its basic Kindle which now includes a touch screen. This seems very similar to the 2011 Kindle Touch which was on display at at the Petting Zoo. A review of the new device from Tech Crunch can be found here.