Month: November 2013

Tech Programs @ The Library November 7 – 30:

Digital Literacy*: This informal program offers patrons a chance to try out a variety of tablets (including the iPad and Google Nexus 7), e-readers, Windows 8 touch screen laptops and Macs  in a relaxed setting and either ask questions about how to use those tech device or simply sit down and try one more of them out! Program Date/Time: November 13, 2013; 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Teen Programming: Inkscape: Teens will be learning how to create imagery and text with this program using tools and techniques including layers, nodes, gradients and filters. Program Date/Time: November 15, 2013; 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Pinterest: Join hostess Jenn for a program based upon recipes and DIY projects found on the fun social networking/personal interest website – Pinterest! Each program offers a delicious recipe which we then use to create the delicious dish of the day and a home decorating craft. Program Date/Time: Tuesday, November 19, 2013; 5:30 – 7:30 p. m.

American Dream Program*: This program  features a fun presentation spotlighting historical and popular culture events that occurred during the month of the program. This program is intended for Adult Learners of English and anyone else who likes American history & pop culture history. Program Date/Time: November 20, 2013; 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Try It Before You Buy It!: This program offers holiday shoppers the opportunity to come to the library and compare a variety of e-readers, tablets, Windows and Mac laptops and see how they work and thus determine which device they prefer to purchase as a holiday gift before purchasing a tech gift! Members of the library’s tech team will be on hand to answer any questions! Program Date/Time: November 21, 2013; 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Free One-On-One Appointments: On a tech program related note, if you can’t make one of our tech workshops you can always make an appointment to meet with a member of our tech team to go over the personal technology subject of the workshop – or any other personal technology (aka Digital Literacy subject! We’ll assist you in learning how to use a new computer, e-reader, tablet or other tech device you own (this includes learning how to use new software and create resumes)! It is free! Just call the Reference & Technology Desk at 607-936-3713 extension 502 to make an appointment.

* This program is made possible by a grant awarded to the library by the American Library Association and the Dollar General Foundation.

Target Offers $200 Credit For iPad Trade Ins: Target is offering older iPad owners who’d like to upgrade a really great deal. Now through Saturday you can take in your old scratch free iPad – no matter the model – and receive a $200 gift card from Target which you can then use to buy a new iPad if you wish.

So if you’ve got a 1^st generation iPad you could get a $200 gift card for turning it in and the new iPad Air (16 GB version) would cost you $299 instead of $499 – and right now Target is offering the new iPad Air for sale for $479 so it would actually only cost you $279.

Now if you’ve got a 3^rd or 4^th generation iPad you might be able to sell it for more  if you try and sell it yourself but if you’ve got a 1^st or second generation iPad then this might be a good deal for you.

Target is offering this deal in its store through November 9^th.

Here’s a link to a Mashable article on the Target deal which is aptly titled “Trade In Any iPad, Get $200 at Target:”

http://mashable.com/2013/11/05/ipad-air-target-trade-in/

Smart Home Technology Update:  On the smart home front there is news from Apple and Viper.Tech giant Apple has just patented a home automation system that would allow your home to become “smart” by having your Apple devices talk to each other. The patent seems to indicate the system would work something like Apple’s reminders app in that it would note your geographic location within your home and could be programmed to do things like turn off the lights in your study when you leave it for more than 5 minutes or turn the appliances off in your kitchen if you leave if for more than half an hour or you could set your lights to come on in your entryway when you enter your house and the TV and/or stereo to come on when you enter your living room – all automatically.

I came across a Tech Crunch article today that offers more information on Apple’s new home automation system patent. And the article offered a really neat summary of what a smart home is supposed to be and how Apple is in a good position to offers its device owners a smart home system in the near future; the article states that “A smart connected home is one thing, but the really desirable goal of all home automation is a system that anticipates your needs and responds without any user input, operating at maximum efficiency. That’s exactly what Apple describes in this system, and it’s done using devices that Apple is already actively selling to users, with the very same capabilities already built-in.”

Cool stuff!

Here’s the link to the Tech Crunch article on Apple’s new home automation patent:

http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/05/apple-patents-home-automation-technology/

Viper is a tech brand, part of the Directed Electronics Company, known for their car accessories and security systems which they’ve been making for 30 years. And today they launched a new home security system called “Viper Home.” The Viper Home system allows you to keep track of what is going on at your home when you’re not there!

The Viper Home starter kit, which costs $229, comes with a door and window sensor, a motion detector and a hub. You can add a camera for $49  and correspondingly for $9.99 a month the Viper Watch service that allows you to see what is going on in your house in remotely, from your smart phone or tablet (via the Viper Connect app), in real time.

And you can add more bells and whistles to the system so if you want your home to be really, really, really safe you can add up to 64 home security devices including extra cameras, indoor sirens, motion detectors and more door & window sensors. And if anyone trips one of those motion detectors or door or window detectors while you are away from home you’ll immediately receive notification through the Viper Connect app that works with both Apple and Android smart phones and tablets.

Here’s a link to a CNET article titled “Secure your house with Viper Home” on the new Viper Home security system:

http://reviews.cnet.com/smart-home/viper-home/4505-9788_7-35831276.html

Have a great day!

Linda

References

Etherington, Darrell. (2013, November 6). Apple Patents Home Automation Technology That Adjusts Settings Based On Device Location. http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/05/apple-patents-home-automation-technology/

Schroeder, Stan. (2013, November 6). Trade In Any iPad, Get $200 at Target. Mashable. Online. Accessed November 5, 2013. http://mashable.com/2013/11/05/ipad-air-target-trade-in/

Secure your house with Viper Home. (2103, November 4). Online. Accessed November 6, 2013, http://reviews.cnet.com/smart-home/viper-home/4505-9788_7-35831276.html