New Technology: Gadgets & Trends

1. New Technology:Gadgets & Trends David Bott Manager, IT & Networks St. Catharines Public Library

2. Gadgets

3. Digital Content • MP3, MP4, WMA, WMV, AAC, FLV, OGG, DivX • What is it & where do I get it?

4. Web 2.0 – The Interactive Web • Blogs, Wikis & RSS • Podcasting • Social Networks • www.facebook.com • www.myspace.com • www.secondlife.com • Cool Applications • Picasa • Google Earth

5. Operating Systems & Security

6. Gadgets: Memory • Memory Storage • Floppy disks are slow, low-capacity (1.44 MB) and unreliable • USB Thumb Drives • Faster, higher capacity & more reliable • Replacing floppy disks and CD-R / DVD-R • New generation of USB drives • U3 and PortableApps.com • Applications run right from the drive • Cameras, MP3 Players, Phones • Require storage for content • Compact Flash • SD Cards • MMC

7. USB Thumb Drive with U3 • Stores data & applications • Office applications & documents • E-mail, browser & bookmarks • Passwords, anti-virus • Free & commercial applications • U3 • Proprietary software pre-installed on certain models • PortableApps.com • Free alternative that you can install on any USB drive

8. Digital Cameras • Point-and-shoot • Digital SLR • Get that perfect shot • Instantly preview every shot • Edit & print your own digital pictures • Make digital movies • Post pictures online • Flickr.com • MyPhotoAlbum.com • Facebook.com • Weblogs (aka “blog”)

9. MP3 Players • iPod, Zune, Zen, Yepp • Purchase & download music from online music stores • iTunes, AOL Radio, Puretracks.com • Rip from your own CDs • Download free content • Podcasts, vidcasts

10. Digital Video Recorders & Players • Not your father’s VCR • Pause & rewind “live” TV • Appliances: • TiVo*, AppleTV • ExpressVu PVR • Cogeco DVR • Sony, Panasonic, Phillips • PC-Based: • MythTV, • Windows MCE • Portable • iPod, Archos • Cell phones • Sony PSP

11. GPS Devices • Global Positioning System • System of 24 GPS satellites • Device uses Trilateration • Various Implementations • Factory-installed devices for cars • After-market installations • Portable Units • Software & USB GPS Receiver • Laptops, Palm Pilots & iPAQs

12. PDA – Personal Digital Assistant • PocketPC, Palm Pilot & even Linux E-mail & Internet • Address Book • Calendar • Task List • Applications • Word processing • Spreadsheets • Media • Audio & Video • Digital Camera

13. Fun & Games • For the serious gamers: • Sony PSP • Nintendo DS • Some devices have: • Built-in web-browsers • Wireless • Media Player for movies and music

14. Cell Phones - Convergence • One device to do it all! • Krzr, Blackberry, iPhone • Phone • Audio & Voice Recording • Video & Pictures • Internet • E-mail • PDA • Camera • Games

15. Wireless Technology • 802.11 a/b/g/n • Computers, PDAs • WLAN - 30m up to 100m • 11 Mbps, 54 Mbps, 108 Mbps+ • Bluetooth • Keyboards, mice, headsets, cell phones • PAN - 10m • CDMA & GSM • Cell phones • PC Cards (for laptops) • Must be in digital coveragearea for enhanced services

16. Digital Content • How do I get it? • Subscribe (RSS - Push) • Requires RSS Reader • RSS Owl, Sage • iTunes (Download – Pull) • Direct from website (twit.tv) • Some content is free • Some is paid

17. Web 2.0 – The Next Generation • Interactive Websites • Slashdot.org • Digg.com • Social Networking • MySpace.com • Facebook.com • SecondLife.com • User-Created Content • YouTube.com • Dynamic & Customizable Content • iGoogle.com • Mash-ups

18. Mash-ups? • Many developers publish their API: • Google Maps, Amazon • Can provide maps for real estate listings, restaurants, etc. • Combining content from different sites or services into a new site: • maps.google.com • MTO camera feed • Mash ‘em up • Up-to-date traffic information with pictures http://toronto.ibegin.com/traffic/

19. Putting Mash-ups to Good Use

20. Putting Mash-ups to Better Use

21. Blogs, Wikis & Podcasting • Blogs • “Web logs”, online journals • Amateurs to professionals (Anderson Cooper, Rick Mercer) • Wikis • Websites that allow visitors to add, edit and delete content • Great for collaborative authoring • Wikipedia.org • Podcasting • User generated audio or video content • Resides at a unique web feed address • Users can subscribe to content

22. Cool Applications • Google Earth • Hi-res sat images • Layers of data • Roads • Parks • Restaurants • Landmarks • Terrain • Etc. • Picasa • Organize photos • Widgets • Floating Desktop Icons • Weather • News • Stocks • Clocks • Photos

23. Operating Systems • Microsoft is Dominant on the Desktop • Security has always been an issue • Viruses, Worms & Spyware • Apple has a small niche market • Very secure • Linux is another alternative • And it’s free!* • Free as in beer and free as in speech • Dell has recently started offering Ubuntu on their systems

24. Windows XP • Dominant desktop OS at present • Most hardware and software support • Security** is an issue • Most users run as “admin” • Can be made secure

25. Mac OSX • Innovative Graphics & Features • Aqua & Quartz • The Dock • Widgets • Exposé • Better Security** • LUA • Few viruses • Built on BSD • Inter-operable with Windows

26. Windows Vista • “Eye Candy” • Aero Glass • Sidebar and Gadgets • Improved Security (LUA)** • Hardware and Software Compatibility Issues

27. Linux • Free* & Open-source • Thousands of free applications • Secure** • Few viruses • Choice • Many differentdistributions • KDE, Gnome, XFCE, Fluxbox • Inter-operable with Windows • “Live” CDs

28. Important Notes • Free*: There’s nothing preventing anyone from charging money for the software. Some do, as they may provide support or regular upgrades.Free-libre open-source software (FLOSS) permits the end-user to modify, upgrade or build-upon existing software, as long as they return the modified code to the community

29. Important Notes Security**: • No computer is really secure • Any time your computer is connected to a network, you are vulnerable • Security vulnerabilities occur in: • Operating Systems • Applications • Programming Languages • Users can be tricked into phishing scams or unknowingly install malware.

30. Security - What You Can Do • All Operating Systems are vulnerable • Security requires a layered approach • Turn on firewall / Get a router • “Least-privileged User Accounts” • Don’t use “root” or “admin” accounts • Keep OS and Applications up-to-date • Turn off unneeded services • Use Firefox • Anti-virus and Anti-spyware • Don’t eat yellow snow on the internet

31. Social Networks www.facebook.com www.myspace.com www.secondlife.com Audio & Video www.youtube.com www.itunes.com www.puretracks.com Google Products GoogleEarth, Picasa, GMail, Blogger www.google.ca/intl/en/options/ User-driven Content www.digg.com www.slashdot.org Mash-ups http://toronto.ibegin.com/traffic/ http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/search/label/Toronto Linux www.distrowatch.com www.ubuntu.com Firefox Web Browser www.getfirefox.com RSS Readers Extensions for Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:1 www.rssowl.org Podcasts www.twit.tv www.itunes.com U3 & PortableApps http://www.u3.com/ http://portableapps.com/ Links

32. Questions? • This presentation can be downloaded from:www.stcatharines.library.on.ca/content/present