August 2014

New in the Library/Museum World -

• A Bookless Library:
  Imagine a library without books. That’s exactly what the new Florida Polytechnic University (FPU) opened this past month. Their library, called “The Commons,” provides access to a variety of online databases in addition to 125,000 ebooks, and there is also a PDA program with a budget of $60,000. For a more complete picture of this new library check out the article from Library Journal by Sharon Riley.

• Crowdsourcing at the Smithsonian:
  Organizations have been using crowdsourcing (the idea of getting the public to contribute their services, usually via the internet) to complete projects for some time. For example the University of Iowa Libraries launched DIY History to transcribe handwritten items such as letters and recipes from their collections. The Smithsonian has also created a way for the public to help them transcribe their collections through the Transcription Center. You can find out more about how to help and what they’re transcribing in their new release.

Social Networks -

• Nextdoor.com
  There’s a new social network in town and it’s specifically for your neighborhood. One of the effects of staying in contact with friends and family far away can be a disconnect from those around you. This social network is a private network specifically based on where you live so that you can connect with and get to know your neighbors. The Verge sums up the social network in an article by Ben Popper.

• Twitter Analytics
  Have you ever wondered how many people actually see your tweets? Twitter has just released new analytics tools to the public that lets you find that out. Now you can log in (analytics.twitter.com) and view the reach that your tweets have had going back to mid July. Greg Kumparak from Tech Crunch gives an overview.

• Pinterest Analytics
  Analytics are big news in the social media world. Pinterest also released a new analytics dashboard for business users to show the reach of different boards, how people are interacting with the content - favorite, repinning, etc. along with basic demographic information.  An overview from Ryan Lawler at Tech Crunch can be found here.

Other Items of Interest -

• Ignore No More
  A mom who was tired of her teen not replying to her messages created an app that prevents them from using their phone until they return her call. Right now it is only available for Android devices, but an iOS app is in development. Chris Velazco at Engadget has the details or you can check out this quick news clip from CBS New York.

• The Smartwatch:
  It would seem that the smartwatch will be the tech item to look out for in September. While they are currently available from companies like Sony and Samsung, rumors are flying that Apple might enter the game with their September 9th launch event. Get an overview of what to expect from Josh Ong on The Next Web.

July 2014

Trendy Tech:

• Kinect for Windows - Many of you have probably seen (or used) Microsoft's Kinect for XBox which essentially allows the player to control the game using his or her body. The Kinect has now however been unbundled from XBox for use with Windows. It will be interesting to see how software develops that utilizes this motion-control. Perhaps we're moving closer to gesture control computers found in the movie Iron Man. Tech Crunch gives a brief overview.  
  
  Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA has already started using this tool in the creation of a “media wall” in the lobby of their library. It displays a variety of content, some of it shared by students via social media, and is controlled by multiple Kinect devices. Check it out in the video below:

• Kindle Unlimited - The Netflix for eBooks
  I'm sure that many of you have seen this already, but it's worth mentioning just in case you missed it. In mid-July Amazon launched a service that is essentially Netflix for ebooks.You pay $9.99 a month for access to as much content as you can read, both ebooks and audiobooks from a selection of about 600,000 titles. A lot of folks in the library world have been talking about what effect this might have on libraries. However, there are limitations to the service, like the fact that several of the larger publishers have not jumped on board yet according to a New York Times article about the launch. For a more complete picture of the service Matt Enis gathers the facts in his post to The Digital Shift.

• 7 Gadgets You absolutely Should Not Buy Right Now - Thinking of purchasing a new piece of technology? Here’s a list from Daniel Howley at Yahoo of a few things you might want to wait a little bit longer for before purchasing.

• Amazon 3D Printing Store - Amazon recently launch a part of their site where you can purchase customizable 3D products. Like a bobble-head that looks like you.  This might seem a little bit silly, but there are also other applications for it. The Next Web summarizes the new virtual storefront.  

For Fun:

• Smarty Pins - Google is at it again. They've added a trivia layer to maps both on the web and in it's mobile apps. Answer the questions by dropping a pin on the correct location. A summary of the new product can be found at the Verge.

• Far Out Google Projects - This is a quick video (about 4 minutes long) from Donald Bell of C|Net that looks at some of Google's more interesting projects such as Google Fiber. Bell also does a variety of other top 5 videos.