In all honesty, I actually never got into RSS. Back in the day, I gave Google Reader a go but never really stuck with it. Now that I'm actively logging into Blogger for this program, I've added other 23 Mobile Things MN blogs to Blogger's "My Reading List" to follow.
Other than that, for the most part, I've been using Twitter to keep up since...what 2009? The MN and national library community seem to do a pretty good job of sharing related content there. And if all of you are culling this great info from your RSS feeds for me to mooch off of...sorry and thank you.
I downloaded and tried both Zite and Flipboard. Both were fine. Flipboard was better. Neither were great. I don't see either of them contributing crucial news I'm missing out on, but rather just another form of time-wasting! I ended up deleting both of them. Though it would be interesting to see how/if the information became more relevant as the apps got smarter or learned more about me. Maybe when I get a new phone
If you like to consolidate all of your social networking in one place, (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook), for streamlining purposes, Flipboard is probably more for you. As I mentioned in Thing #2, I prefer to keep my social media activities separate. I log in to Twitter for interest-based news (libraries and MMA mostly), Facebook for personal news, Instagram for bored browsing of images (personal and celebrity). As my audience is different for each of these social media platforms in the content I share, so are the sources different for the information I am seeking. For this reason, if pressed, I would choose Zite over Flipboard...
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Thing #3- Utility apps for Android
QR Code Reader
I usually use the app QR Code Reader on my phone, because it was the first result when I searched "QR Code" in Google Play so long ago! Still, it often takes a long time for the content to load and I get frustrated, so I decided to check out the RedLaser Barcode & QR Scanner to see if it was any different.
I have an awesome staff member who creates great displays with QR codes, such as this "readbox." Yes, she's really creative; play on words with redbox, ha ha!
She puts a cover image of a forthcoming/popular books along with a QR code she created using a QR code generator, which RedLaser also offers. The QR code takes you to a YouTube video of the book trailer.
I don't see myself using the search function on RedLaser to shop for local deals, and actually see it as an annoying distraction, but I was impressed by its lack of lag time when scanning a barcode/QR code. It will be nice to have a reliable app to recommend to patrons so they can reap the benefits of these displays as well!
RedLaser also has a "loyalty card" function, where you can store cards you use frequently, from a predetermined list of national merchants or by adding your own card info such as from a library card. I've only seen patrons come in and want to use them a handful of times. One library system I worked for decided not to allow apps in place of library cards, the other decided to allow it, with the plans of creating a policy/procedure if it became a bigger issue than one solitary patron. Does your library allow patrons to use apps with stored card info in place of their physical library card? SHOULD we allow patrons to use stored card info?
Google Goggles
In terms of utility, I don't see how Goggles is all that different from a QR code/barcode reader. Sure, it eliminates the need for someone to actually create the QR code. But it also eliminates the control over where the QR code takes you. Taking an image of a book cover will take you to the Google results for that book, not to the specific book trailer we wanted you to see.
From a user's end, Goggles doesn't save much more time than a voice search. And I don't often find myself somewhere where I have don't have the basic info I need, and only an image will save me!
However, I sure did have fun scanning pictures of my honeymoon on Kauai to see how many pictures Goggles recognized from around the island! I'll be interested to see what ideas others have for how to use Goggles.
StandApp
Though most days, I am on the desk, and standing, StandApp is a great option for days/periods of time where I am sitting at the desk or even when I am at home nights and weekends, watching tv, paying bills, writing my 23 Mobile Things blog...
I like that the reminder alarm is the same as your text message allert, and thus, not very intrusive. It actually makes it possible to use in the workplace. Rather than the videos of the exercises though, I would prefer a quick written explanation only. That way, you can also use the break as a break from screen time, something we all need once in a while! The exercises are simple enough that if you use the app regularly, you should memorize them pretty quickly.
iHome Sleep
The only positive thing I can see about this app is that my husband may be better able to realize how little sleep he functions on! Other than that, I like to stay away from any screen time for at least 1/2 hour (preferably longer) before bedtime. Screen time before bed keeps you awake longer and interferes with the sleep you do get when you get it. And I know I don't have the self-discipline to just bring the app to the forefront, without checking text. email, Facebook, Insta, or Twitter one last time before bed....
I also did not get the warning that the app had to be running in the forefront to work. If I was actually using the app rather than testing it out, I would have been in trouble!
Wi-Fi Finder:
Great concept if you are traveling or looking for a free wi-fi in an unfamiliar city to connect your laptop/tablet without a data plan or a smartphone without an unlimited data plan to. However I downloaded the app yesterday, and there was no option to download the database offline.
Ultimately, the only two apps I will be keeping on my phone are the QR Code Reader and StandApp! Ready to move on to Keeping Up!
I usually use the app QR Code Reader on my phone, because it was the first result when I searched "QR Code" in Google Play so long ago! Still, it often takes a long time for the content to load and I get frustrated, so I decided to check out the RedLaser Barcode & QR Scanner to see if it was any different.
I have an awesome staff member who creates great displays with QR codes, such as this "readbox." Yes, she's really creative; play on words with redbox, ha ha!
She puts a cover image of a forthcoming/popular books along with a QR code she created using a QR code generator, which RedLaser also offers. The QR code takes you to a YouTube video of the book trailer.
I don't see myself using the search function on RedLaser to shop for local deals, and actually see it as an annoying distraction, but I was impressed by its lack of lag time when scanning a barcode/QR code. It will be nice to have a reliable app to recommend to patrons so they can reap the benefits of these displays as well!
Google Goggles
In terms of utility, I don't see how Goggles is all that different from a QR code/barcode reader. Sure, it eliminates the need for someone to actually create the QR code. But it also eliminates the control over where the QR code takes you. Taking an image of a book cover will take you to the Google results for that book, not to the specific book trailer we wanted you to see.
From a user's end, Goggles doesn't save much more time than a voice search. And I don't often find myself somewhere where I have don't have the basic info I need, and only an image will save me!
However, I sure did have fun scanning pictures of my honeymoon on Kauai to see how many pictures Goggles recognized from around the island! I'll be interested to see what ideas others have for how to use Goggles.
StandApp
Though most days, I am on the desk, and standing, StandApp is a great option for days/periods of time where I am sitting at the desk or even when I am at home nights and weekends, watching tv, paying bills, writing my 23 Mobile Things blog...
I like that the reminder alarm is the same as your text message allert, and thus, not very intrusive. It actually makes it possible to use in the workplace. Rather than the videos of the exercises though, I would prefer a quick written explanation only. That way, you can also use the break as a break from screen time, something we all need once in a while! The exercises are simple enough that if you use the app regularly, you should memorize them pretty quickly.
iHome Sleep
The only positive thing I can see about this app is that my husband may be better able to realize how little sleep he functions on! Other than that, I like to stay away from any screen time for at least 1/2 hour (preferably longer) before bedtime. Screen time before bed keeps you awake longer and interferes with the sleep you do get when you get it. And I know I don't have the self-discipline to just bring the app to the forefront, without checking text. email, Facebook, Insta, or Twitter one last time before bed....
I also did not get the warning that the app had to be running in the forefront to work. If I was actually using the app rather than testing it out, I would have been in trouble!
Wi-Fi Finder:
Great concept if you are traveling or looking for a free wi-fi in an unfamiliar city to connect your laptop/tablet without a data plan or a smartphone without an unlimited data plan to. However I downloaded the app yesterday, and there was no option to download the database offline.
Ultimately, the only two apps I will be keeping on my phone are the QR Code Reader and StandApp! Ready to move on to Keeping Up!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
23 Mobile Things MN: Thing #2 (Mobile Device Tips)
The primary device I will be using for 23 Mobile Things MN is my HTC Sensation.
By no means a new device, by now, I should be pretty familiar with the device. Wow, was I shocked. Regardless of how functional my device use is, there are plenty of cool features I didn't know about. It's interesting to see what tips and tricks I was able to discover via websites/videos that I didn't discover in my own 2+ yrs of use.
My favorite video was "Nifty Tricks with HTC Sense"
Tip 1. Navigate between the 7 home screens on the phone. You can scroll among the 7 home screens on the phone, but if you don't want to keep scrolling, you can pinch and all 7 home screens will show up in mini-form. Cool, but not that different than what I was doing before. Rather than pinching, if I didn't want to scroll through the home screens, I would double tap the home button. 1x will take you to the true home screen, the 2nd tap will take you to the same mini-view. Personally, tapping is easier than pinching in my book!
Tip 2. Silencing a call. To silence a call that you don't want to declince, you can simply turn the phone over on its screen. LOVE IT.
Tip 3. Contacts book. Viewing a contacts email, social updates, pictures, call history, and message threads all in one place. I "knew" this was there, theoretically, but never really paid attention to it. Again, I think that's because personally, it's not my favorite feature. I am not a fan of social media "hubs" but prefer to go to Facebook for Facebook news, email for email, etc. Also, it didn't tell me why the Facebook updates don't always sync. Sometimes I will scroll through and see updates from days, weeks, months ago, when I know those contacts have posted an update on Facebook itself since then.
In the past, to take a screenshot on my Android, I've had to download a third party app, such as Screenshot Ultimate, which can be a pain, because the app takes up precious memory on my phone. So, I searched for "HTC Sensation Screenshots" on Youtube and found this video "HTC Sensation Screen Shots-Unrooted." In an update that rolled out after I had purchased my device, the ability to take a screen shot by holding down the Power button and the Home button. Pretty easy!
As I was writing my blogpost tonight, I told my husband that I had been exploring tips for my device. His immediate response, "find out how to take a screenshot!" Well, the nifty Power/Home button at the same time also works for his Galaxy Note II! He also didn't know about silencing the phone by flipping it over, and was equally impressed with that trick.
Learned some pretty cool new tricks about my device after all, with the added bonus of helping my husband out too! Probably, just in time to finally update to a new phone, but I'll take it. Who knew?
By no means a new device, by now, I should be pretty familiar with the device. Wow, was I shocked. Regardless of how functional my device use is, there are plenty of cool features I didn't know about. It's interesting to see what tips and tricks I was able to discover via websites/videos that I didn't discover in my own 2+ yrs of use.
My favorite video was "Nifty Tricks with HTC Sense"
Tip 1. Navigate between the 7 home screens on the phone. You can scroll among the 7 home screens on the phone, but if you don't want to keep scrolling, you can pinch and all 7 home screens will show up in mini-form. Cool, but not that different than what I was doing before. Rather than pinching, if I didn't want to scroll through the home screens, I would double tap the home button. 1x will take you to the true home screen, the 2nd tap will take you to the same mini-view. Personally, tapping is easier than pinching in my book!
Tip 2. Silencing a call. To silence a call that you don't want to declince, you can simply turn the phone over on its screen. LOVE IT.
Tip 3. Contacts book. Viewing a contacts email, social updates, pictures, call history, and message threads all in one place. I "knew" this was there, theoretically, but never really paid attention to it. Again, I think that's because personally, it's not my favorite feature. I am not a fan of social media "hubs" but prefer to go to Facebook for Facebook news, email for email, etc. Also, it didn't tell me why the Facebook updates don't always sync. Sometimes I will scroll through and see updates from days, weeks, months ago, when I know those contacts have posted an update on Facebook itself since then.
In the past, to take a screenshot on my Android, I've had to download a third party app, such as Screenshot Ultimate, which can be a pain, because the app takes up precious memory on my phone. So, I searched for "HTC Sensation Screenshots" on Youtube and found this video "HTC Sensation Screen Shots-Unrooted." In an update that rolled out after I had purchased my device, the ability to take a screen shot by holding down the Power button and the Home button. Pretty easy!
As I was writing my blogpost tonight, I told my husband that I had been exploring tips for my device. His immediate response, "find out how to take a screenshot!" Well, the nifty Power/Home button at the same time also works for his Galaxy Note II! He also didn't know about silencing the phone by flipping it over, and was equally impressed with that trick.
Learned some pretty cool new tricks about my device after all, with the added bonus of helping my husband out too! Probably, just in time to finally update to a new phone, but I'll take it. Who knew?
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
23 Mobile Things MN - Thing #1
Why
am I doing this? What do I hope to get out of the 23 Mobile
Things MN program?
Libraries, they are a-changin'. Constantly. As a relatively young librarian, I have already seen countless changes in the profession, yet can't even fathom the amount of changes I will see in the years to come. Librarians need to be vigilant to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies. We need to take advantage of every opportunity to keep on our toes, to evolve, to use the tools available to us.
At its core, libraries are about making connections. Connections with information, connections with patrons, connections with each other.
I can't wait to explore new mobile tools to utilize in connecting with our patrons (going where they already are), and to share and connect with other MN librarians as we learn 23 Mobile Things together!
Also, bonus. From a complete library nerd standpoint, I love learning. I miss school and directed-learning and homework. A self-paced and self-directed program such as 23 Mobile Things MN provides a balance between "homework" and being tailored to my personal and professional life...and prevents me from deciding I need to go back to school this very second!
Ready, set, mobile!
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