Category: Uncategorized

And here are a handful of personal technology related stories you might have missed this week — courtesy of the SSCL Digital Literacy Services Dept. where we love technology!

1. Article 1 is from The New York Times and relays information about Apple building a solar farm to power all of its California buildings – here’s the link:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/10/apple-to-build-california-solar-farm/?ref=technology&_r=0

Chen, Brian. (2015, February 10). Apple Building Solar Farm to Power California Operations. The New York Times. Online.

2. Article 2 is from USA Today and offers details on F.C.C. Chairman Tom Wheeler’s Net Neutrality plan – here’s the link:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/02/09/fcc-chairman-tom-wheeler-net-neutrality/23130701/

Snider, Mike. (10 February, 2015). FCC chief delivers details on his net neutrality strategy. USA Today. Online.

3. Article 3 is from Rolling Stone’s The Daily Beast and it offers a look at just how the power of the common people was felt and heard during the F.C.C. open comment period – where millions of Americans posted their support of Net Neutrality on the F.C.C’s website — here’s the link:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/09/how-the-little-guys-beat-the-monopolists-on-net-neutrality.html

Shaw, Donny. (9 February, 2015). Net Neutrality: How the Little Guys Beat the Monopolists on Net Neutrality. The Daily Beast. Online.

4.Article 4 offers a story on how Tim Cook and Apple are working to make products that change the way people live for the better — here’s the link:

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/02/10/tim-cook-apple-watch-change-lives/

Clover, Juli. (10 February, 2015). Tim Cook: Our Objective With

Apple Watch Is to Change the Way People Live Their Lives. MacRumors. Online.

5. Article 5 offers a look at the new Phorm tactile keyboard for the iPad – very cool! Here’s the link:

http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/02/12/60-minutes-with-phorm-for-ipad-mini-its-founder-and-the-advent-of-physically-responsive-touchscreens

Jase, Kasper. (12 February, 2015). 60 minutes with Phorm for iPad mini, its founder, and the advent of physically responsive touchscreens. Apple Insider. Online.

6. Article 6 is from tech columnist Bonnie Cha who offers a look at just what an iPhone “Carrie Settings Update” is anyway! Here’s the link:

http://recode.net/2015/02/12/what-is-this-carrier-settings-update-on-my-iphone-ipad/

Cha, Bonnie. (12 February, 2015). What Is This ‘Carrier Settings Update’ on My iPhone, iPad? re/code. Online.

7. And Article 7 is from CNET and relays the fact that Sling TV, the service that offers you a handful of TV channels, like ESPN, that used to only be available via a cable subscription but that now can be purchased for an Internet subscription for $20 a month – is offering a free Amazon Fire or Roku streaming stick if you pay for a six month subscription to Sling TV – here’s the link:

http://www.cnet.com/news/sling-tv-offers-free-amazon-fire-tv-stick-roku-streaming-stick-half-price-boxes/

Katzmaier, David. (12 February, 2015) Sling TV offers free Amazon Fire TV stick, Roku Streaming Stick, half-price boxes. CNET. Online.

Have a great weekend!
Linda, SSCL

Here’s a listing of Tech Stories You Might Have Missed for last week!

The week beginning February 2, 2015

1. Better Battery Life for Mobile Devices: Re/code tech columnist Katherine Boehret offers a cool article that discusses new technologies that allow you to re-charge your smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices sans those obnoxious power cords!

Here’s the link:

http://recode.net/2015/02/04/waiting-for-better-battery-technology/

Boehret, Katherine. (4 February, 2015). Waiting for Better Battery-Charging Technology. Re/code. Online. Accessed February 5, 2015.

2. Amazon Taking Over Radio Shack Stores? PBS offers a report that discusses the proposed Amazon buyout of some of the bankrupt Radio Shack’s brick and mortar stores – it seems Amazon wishes to expand its presence to a store near you so you can buy things from Amazon locally instead of with one click online!

Here’s the article link:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/amazon-coming-radioshack-near-2/

Sillers, Anna. (3 February, 2015). Amazon, (maybe) coming to a RadioShack near you. PBS Newshour. Online. Accessed February 4, 2015.

3. Libraries Offering Kits That Allow Patrons To Make Things: The Non Profit Quarterly site offered a cool article last week that discussed the new facet of collection development in public libraries that offers patrons the option to check out things, usually in kits, that allow them to make other things; i.e. tools to create projects, cameras to take photos, kits that focus on creating certain things from pot holders to basic electronic items and more!

This new trend nicely compliments the trend of incorporating Makerspaces into public libraries – stay tuned to our website for news about the SSCL Makerspace coming sometime this year to your library!

And in the meantime here’s the link to the Non Profit Quarterly article:

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/25556-libraries-of-the-future-will-also-be-libraries-of-things.html

Hasan, Shafaq. (4 February, 2015). Libraries of the Future will also Be “Libraries of Things.” NPQ. Online. Accessed February 6, 2015.

4. Time For Music Copyright Laws To Be Updated: Article 4 focuses offers insight into the reasons why now is a good time for music copyright law to change; and a great deal of the slice of the pie of reasons why is due to the advent & popularity of streaming music services.

Here’s the link:

http://recode.net/2015/02/05/copyright-office-has-thoughts-on-what-streaming-music-services-should-pay-for-music/

Schatz, Amy. (5 February, 2015). Copyright Office Has Thoughts on What Streaming Music Services Should Pay for Music. Accessed February 5, 2015.

5. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler’s Editorial On Net Neutrality: And unless you didn’t read, watch or listen to the news at all last week you’ve probably already heard that F.C.C. Chairman Tom Wheeler came out in favor of the re-classification of Internet service as a utility.

However, as there have been many, many stories & comments made on the subject of Net Neutrality and the plan to reclassify Internet service as a utility by many different public personages and companies in the last week – you might have missed the editorial Wheeler did for the Wired site where he explained in his own words why he believes reclassifying Internet services as a utility is the best way to gain true Net Neutrality for all U.S. citizens – so here’s the link to his editorial:

http://www.wired.com/2015/02/fcc-chairman-wheeler-net-neutrality?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

If you like Science Fiction movies — join us for our monthly Tech Movies!

The monthly Tech Movies are shown at the library, on the big screen in our Community Room, the second Friday of each month.

And this Friday, February 13th we’ll be showing the Science Fiction & Comedy classic Sleeper from 1973.

Here’s summary of the film:Drawing on the great tradition of silent comedy, Sleeper is Woody Allen’s first film to tame his verbal wit and showcase his emerging skill with visual and physical comedy. Starring Diane Keaton (directed by Allen for the first time), Sleeper is “a bizarre mixture of New York neuroses, splendidly lunatic sight gags, Alice-in-Wonderland illogic, and too-funny-to-be-painful satire” (Los Angeles Herald-Examiner) When cryogenically preserved Miles Monroe (Allen) is awakened 200 years after a hospital mishap, he discovers the future’s not so bright: all women are frigid, all men are impotent, and the world is ruled by an evil dictator – a disembodied nose! Pursued by the secret police and recruited by anti-government rebels with a plan to kidnap the dictator’s snout before it can be cloned, Miles falls for the beautiful – but untalented – poet Luna (Keaton). But when Miles is captured and reprogrammed by the government – to believe he’s Miss America! – it’s up to Luna to save Miles, lead the rebels, and cut off the nose  just to spite its face. MPAA Rating:  PG. Run Time: 88 minutes Technology Subject: Advanced Technology/ Criogenesis/Futuristic Society.

The doors open at 6:45 p.m. and the film starts at 7 p.m. sharp.

Join us!

Linda, SSCL

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070707/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Did I mention this film is a comedy in Science Fiction clothing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo2Lo28FNpg

Are you an expert on a specific type of software, hardware or a specific operating system?

Do you have some extra time you would be willing to give to volunteer at the library?

If so let us know! Our tech team is looking for volunteers to assist us with presenting programs and demonstrations that will assist our patrons in honing their higher end digital literacy skills!

And by “higher end” I mean above the basic skill sets that allow computer users to easily surf the web, send & receive email, create documents in Word or Excel or use a smartphone or tablet etc.

So if you’re interested let us know and you can help us plan & implement our upcoming higher end tech programs for 2015.

You can drop by the library, send an email to us at: DIGLIT@STLS.ORG, or give us call at 607-936-3713.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Tech Stories  You Might Have Missed January 23 – 31, 2015:

1. Apple’s Recording Breaking Sales For The Last Quarter: Article 1 is from The Guardian and discusses how Apple broke sales records for the last quarter of 2014 and speculates just what Apple might do now – Apple Watch wise and other-wise – here’s the link:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jan/31/apple-worlds-most-profitable-company-iphone-china

Neate, Rupert. (31 January, 2015). Apple: what do you do after becoming the world’s most profitable company? The Guardian. Online. Accessed January 31, 2015.

2. Modern Science Pioneer & Noble Prize Winner Charles Townes Dies: Charles Townes, who was 99 years old, discovered black holes and was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize for physics for discovering laser technology died this past week – NPR features an article on his life and work – here’s the link:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/28/382178361/charles-townes-laser-inventor-black-hole-discoverer-dies-at-99

Brumfiel, Geoff. (28 January, 2015). Charles Townes, Laser Pioneer, Black Hole Discoverer, Dies At 99. NPR. Online. Accessed January 28, 2015.

3. Maker Space Technology For Kids In Hospitcals: NPR also offered a cool article this past week on Maker Space technology being installed in hospitals so kids can create and learn about this exciting new 3 D Printer based technology while they are in hospitals for treatment – here’s the link:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/01/28/382176898/-maker-space-allows-kids-to-innovate-learn-in-the-hospital

Nelson, Noah. (28 January, 2015). ‘Maker Space’ Allows Kids To Innovate, Learn In The Hospital. NPR. Online. Accessed January 28, 2015.

4. New 12 Channel Streaming Video Package “Sling TV” unveiled by Dish: Anyone who reads the SSCL Tech blog knows I’m a huge fan of watching TV shows and movies via the modern streaming technology, i.e. on an internet connected device instead of through a traditional TV cable package; and this week an exciting new development in this area — Sling TV was unveiled by the Dish company.

This new streaming video service will offer 12 channels that have previously only been available  to cable TV subscribers and they are: CNN, Cartoon Network, , Disney Channel, ESPN and ESPN2, Food Network, TNT and TBS. The package will cost $20 per month and allow you to access those channels through and web browser or internet connecting device including computers, tablets, smartphones & media streaming players.

Consumer Reports even reported on the new Sling TV here’s a link to their review page:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/01/sling-tv-first-look/index.htm

Here’s link to a story on the significance of this new TV streaming service from the Wall Street Cheat Sheet site:

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/technology/5-reasons-why-sling-tv-heralds-the-end-of-traditional-tv.html/?a=viewall

And a final link to a solid NPR story on the same subject:

http://www.npr.org/2015/01/26/379440654/intended-for-millennials-dishs-sling-tv-is-a-cord-cutters-dream

And here are the related citations for those there articles:

Sling TV review: How does Dish Network’s service compare to cable and satellite?: Consumer Reports tries this new over-the-Internet live-TV streaming service. Consumer Reports Online. Accessed January 31, 2015.

Arnold, Nathanael. (30 January, 2015) Reasons Why Sling TV Heralds the End of Traditional TV. Wall Street Cheat Sheet. Online. Accessed January 30, 2015.

Deggans, Eric. Intended For Millenials, Dish’s Sling TV Is A Cord Cutter’s Dream. NPR. Online. Accessed January 26, 2015.

5. Americans Don’t Know Much About Science: The Re/Code site offered an interesting article that illustrates the point that main stream Americans should work on beefing up their knowledge of science – here’s the link:

http://recode.net/2015/01/29/scientists-agree-americans-dont-know-much-about-science/

Schatz, Amy. (29 January, 2015). Scientists Agree: Americans Don’t Know Much About Science. re/code. Online.

6. The Federal Communications Commission is Making Huge Amounts of Money Selling Spectrum Bands: That is fancy technology speak that means Internet Service Providers are selling out large sums of money to purchase access to what PC Magazine describes as “65 megahertz of spectrum in the AWS-3 band” – the total auction amount bid was about 45 billion dollars!

Here’s the link to the article:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2476035,00.asp

Albanesius, Chloe. FCC Spectrum Auction Pulls in Staggering $44.9 Billion. PC Magazine. Online. Accessed January 29, 2015.

7. Cablevision Unveils New Wi-Fi Phone Plan: The Cablevision Company unveiled a new Wi-Fi only mobile phone plan this past week & the New York Times offered an article on the plan — here’s the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/26/business/media/cablevision-to-introduce-wi-fi-based-phone-plan.html?ref=technology&_r=0

Steel, Emily. (26 January, 2015). Cablevision to Introduce Wi-Fi-Based Phone Plan. The New York Times. Online. Accessed January 31, 2015.

8. Broadband Speed Map: The Vox site offered a map that shows Broadband speeds around the world based upon those Broadband Speed tests you can find online – and American isn’t anywhere near the top – which is interesting – here’s the link:

http://www.vox.com/2015/1/31/7952321/world-broadband-speed-map

Lee, Timothy. (31 January, 2015). Broadband speeds around the world, in one map. Vox. Online. Accessed January 31, 2015.

9. FCC Changes Definition of Broadband: And the final tech article you might have missed this past week is from The Verge and it offers a look at how the FCC’s new definition of Broadband means that many people who subscribe to Broadband Internet service in the U.S. are not getting it!

Here’s the link:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/29/7932653/fcc-changed-definition-broadband-25mbps

Singleton, Micah. (29 January, 2015). The FCC has changed the definition of broadband. The Verge. Online. Accessed Jnauary 31, 2015.

Hi everyone, there will be a whole bunch of new titles available in the STLS Digital Catalog, and the OverDrive app. later today!

Here’s a link to a PDF of the list of titles:

New STLS Digital Catalog Titles January 29, 2015

And here’s the list itself:

New STLS Digital Catalog (OverDrive) Titles: January 29, 2015:

Audiobooks:
Car Talk: 25 Years of Lousy Car Advice
Dangerous Creatures: Dangerous Creatures Series, Book 1
Unbreakable: The Legion Series, Book 1

eBooks:
30 Arduino™ Projects for the Evil Genius
Aflame: Apotheosis Series, Book 1
The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad-Boy Brother Proved to Me There’s Life After Death
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Better Than Perfect
The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories
Blood Eternal: The Blessed Series, Book 1
Blood Magick: Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy, Book 3
The Bone Key
Buckingham Palace Blues: Inspector Carlyle Series, Book 3
Build Your Own Electric Vehicle
The Butter Battle Book
Cold Cold Heart
Dark Promise
The Dark Side of the Moon: The Making of the Pink Floyd Masterpiece
Deadly Décor
Death of the Black-Haired Girl
Demon from the Dark: Immortals After Dark Series, Book 10
The Diary of Mary Berg: Growing up in the Warsaw Ghetto
Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel
The Dragon’s Heart
Enticing Miss Eugenie Villaret
Ever Mine: Dragon Lore Series, Book 2
The First Bad Man: A Novel
Full Force and Effect: Jack Ryan Series, Book 17
GI Brides: The Wartime Girls Who Crossed the Atlantic for Love
The Girl on the Train: A Novel
Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health
Guidebook to Murder
Half a King: Half a King Series, Book 1
Heirs and Graces: Royal Spyness Mystery Series, Book 7
Hermosas criaturas
The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star
A Hunger Like No Other: Immortals After Dark Series, Book 2
Ice, Iron, and Gold
In the Dark: The Cities Below Series, Book 1
Kentucky Christmas: Southern Comfort Series, Book 3
The King’s Stilts
Minstrel’s Serenade
No Refuge: Known Universe Series, Book 1
No Rest for the Wicked: Immortals After Dark Series, Book 3
Picture This
Reign of the Vampires: The Society Trilogy Series, Book 1
Reluctant Prince: Kingdom of Cymmera Trilogy Series, Book 1
Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can’t Ignore
Rogue in Red Velvet: Emperors of London Series, Book 1
Satellite of Love
Scrambled Eggs Super!
Secrets of Hallstead House
The Shape of Me and Other Stuff
Share the Moon
The Sneetches and Other Stories
Some Like It Wicked
Somewhere Beneath Those Waves
Stealing Kisses: Southern Comfort Series, Book 2
Sweet Bea: Sir Arthur’s Legancy Series, Book 1
Syphon’s Song: Mayflower Mages Series, Book 1
A Taste of Chardonnay: The Napa Wine Heiress Series, Book 1
Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose
The Troubled Texan: Kasota Springs Series, Book 1
Turn Up the Heat: Pine Mountain Series, Book 1
Walk With Me: Minnesota Series, Book 1
Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night: Immortals After Dark Series, Book 4
You Can’t Make This Up: Miracles, Memories, and the Perfect Marriage of Sports and Television
You Were Mine: Rosemary Beach Series, Book 9

Streaming Videos:
Buff Moms: Cardio Groove and Tone 2
Buff Moms: Cardio Groove and Tone 1
Chance House
The Cisco Kid, Season 1, Episode 1: Boomerang
The Cisco Kid, Season 1, Episode 2: Counterfeit Money
The Cisco Kid, Season 1, Episode 3: Cattle Rustling
Deepak Chopra: Grow Younger, Live Longer
Huggabug Club, Wheels, Wings, and Moving Things
An Islamic History of Europe, Episode 1
An Islamic History of Europe, Episode 2
Jack Hunter and the Lost Treasure of Ugarit
Jack Hunter and the Quest for Akhenattens Tomb
Jack Hunter and the Star of Heaven Tomb
Living With Restrictions
Skeleton Warriors: The Complete Series (Animated)

By request — here is a brochure of our Digital Literacy programs for the period January – April 2015!

Here’s a link to a PDF version:

Tech Programs Brochure Jan – April 2015

And our photo version:

Have a great day!

Linda

Here a bit later than I planed is the list of  for last week — January 5 – 9, 2015

The best of last weeks’ tech news stories can be summed up in four words “The Consumer Electronics Show.” The Consumer Electronics show, otherwise known by the shorter acronym CES is held every January in Las Vegas and most of the tech stories last week related to the new products unveiled at CES –those products ranged from some usual items like new TVs (4 K versions) to drones, to home automatic technologies to 3 D printing, to self-driving cars and more.

Here’s a link to a short USA Today article on CES that hits the high points:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2015/01/12/ces-2015-beauty-tech/21639465/

Molina, Brett. (10 January 2015). A glimpse into the future: 5 top trends at CES. USA Today. Online. Accessed January 12, 2015.

And a link to a CNET article that offers a more in-depth look at the high points of CES 2015:

http://www.cnet.com/news/ces-2015-the-final-word/

Molina, Brett. (10 January 2015). A glimpse into the future: 5 top trends at CES, USA Today. Online. Accessed January 12, 2015.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL