Technology Thoughts

Do you know where I can buy/download any of The Blue Pages albums?

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:10:16 -0500

You can google “The Blue Pages bandcamp” and get their album for free!

courtenaybird: Twitter’s real-time response to the women’s...

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:25:44 -0400

Twitter’s real-time response to the women’s Olympic soccer gold medal game

711,646 tweets were posted during the 2-hour soccer game from 433,797 different Twitter accounts. The most exciting moment during the game was at 19:55 UTC when Carli Lloyd scored the second US goal, which hit a peak of nearly 12K tweets per minute. At the end of the game, celebratory tweets about USA’s win skyrocketed up to around 22K tweets per minute.

Girls in IT Are Here to Stay

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:57:00 -0400

Go ahead and Google Image search “Girls in IT” or “tech girls” and look at what pops up. You have to scroll down a bit before you find pictures of women working with computers (if you find them at all).

Why is this true? Even though women are working in and with technology, why is it so hard for some people to believe that women are working in the field and are here to stay?

Women in tech are known for things like Pinterest, which is stereotypically a female-dominated site. But people fail to think about the women who are leaving a mark in our everyday lives. Take Arianna Huffington, the founder of Huffington Post or Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook. People think of Facebook and think of Zuckerberg, or Foursquare with Dennis Crowley, but why not eBay with Meg Whitman?

This summer, I’ve been working in the Syracuse Student Sandbox as a manger for the developers who are working with our startup teams. In a recent email to a friend discussing my position this summer, he said , ” it’s very rare to find someone I can geek out about IT to. And to a GIRL!? That is just crazy talk.” But why is it crazy? Is it absurd that I hold a position of power within a startup incubator or ludicrous that a girl can actually manage technical projects?

While some men are very accepting of women in the workplace, others are immature and refuse to acknowledge talent over looks. While working in corporate last summer, I traveled to different companies to make the most out of my experience. While in an elevator with two older males, I overheard them chatting about the new interns in the office. “Did you see the rack on the blonde intern? Damn!” They both laughed and continued talking about women in the office.Further discussing the issue, he wrote back saying “It definitely still feels like a man’s profession with the numbers I’ve seen at firms in the city (New York City). That being said, I’m always happy to see people breaking the mold…its a much more fun environment when its not just a bunch of dudes hanging out.” Although the atmosphere is more fun with women working, he failed to mention any increase in productivity, an introduction of new ideas, and different perspectives on problems within an IT firm.

As a peer advisor for the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, I’m often asked what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. Parents and female prospective students are often surprised to here my candid response of “I don’t notice it.” I’m just like the guys, but I add value by bringing new ideas to the table with my feminine thought processes. I’m president of an organization and people tell me they’re so impressed by a woman holding a position of power. But why? I’m a person who studies and works hard; it doesn’t matter what my gender is.

So hey, boys. Women are here, they’re working, they’re making big changes, doing big things, and they’re here to stay. We’re more than a set of boobs in pencil skirts. Pay attention: there’s only more of us coming your way to rock the IT world.

A Tale of Two Tragedies: With and Without Social Media

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:11:03 -0400

Waking up on 9/11 was just like any other day for an elementary school student living in New York City. My mom woke me up, made me breakfast, got me dressed and I was out to door walking to school with my father. It wasn’t until I was sitting in my first-ever computer class that my teacher burst through the door, screamed that a plane hit the World Trade Center, and then started to sob. Not knowing what to say or do, we sat at our desks quietly as we listened to people screaming outside. As we saw smoke creep up the sidewalks and up to our windows, we panicked. Teachers who had access to a radio were talking about the rumors that were quickly spreading about other possible attacks. We heard about the possibility of bombs being placed in schools and I prayed for my mother and brother who were in academic buildings. My dad soon burst into my classroom and grabbed my hand, telling me we had to leave. We then sat around his office with his employees listening to the radio, watching people scurry around outside, and trying to put the pieces together.

But the radio was all we had. I didn’t have a cell phone to call my parents, nor did they have cell phones to contact my school. Twitter and Facebook had yet to be created, and there was certainly no TV nearby to listen to the news. We waited around our landline phones for calls from family members. At night, we watched one news station to try to figure out what was happening.

Waking up on July 20th, 2012 was just like any other day for a college student living in the digital world. I woke up, browsed through my Instagram feed on my iPhone, and then started to check out the tweets I missed while I was asleep. I anticipated seeing word of how the most recent Batman movie was, expecting to hear about how amazing it was mixed in with a negative review.

My Twitter feed was quickly filled with talk of movie theaters, children, and the horrific news of what happened the night before. Tweets of sadness, disbelief, and links to articles about the event were all that anyone was talking about. I read articles directly from my phone, retweeted links to spread the word, and continued to read reactions from people I followed. I then decided to run a general search on Twitter for Aurora to see what others were saying.Thinking that this may have been something personal that happened in her life, I dismissed the tweet and made a mental note to check back in with her later. Tweets posted shortly before this one included discussion of guns control laws, how people were in disbelief, and how sorry people were for victims in Aurora, CO. Feverishly scrolling through my Twitter feed, I quickly found the one tweet that summed up the events of the night.

It was only a matter of a few minutes before I knew the whole story. Facebook allowed us to keep track of what people were saying, along withReddit, Twitter’s search, and a Storify. I didn’t event get out of bed and yet, the news was sitting in various forms in the palms of my hands.

I then turned on my compter to watch the news about the horrible incident. (Mind you I do have a TV, but why would I watch it when I had a computer within arms reach?) My other roommate walked in, said that she checked Twitter and heard what happened, and then watched the news with me.

Checking Facebook later while at work, I stumbled across this status update. Developments, as well as continued condolences and reactions were overflowing the Internet.

News stations and Twitter accounts are still curating data and aggregating responses to best show the reaction to the news.Syracuse University is especially grateful to have Class of 2012 Class Marshall Stephen Barton (mentioned above) alive and well. News will continue to pour in today as more people share their personal accounts of the story and updates on the alleged shooter are further investigated.

And yet, I can access it all from something I can carry in my pocket. I have yet to turn on the tv, sit around a television with my family, or look outside to try and get the news.

Social media has given us the ability to discover information faster than ever, discuss thoughts, send condolences, and share reactions. Keeping up with the latest news or the ability to share your opinion with the world has never been easier, or more convenient. What a difference eleven years makes.

Note: I do not think the events of 9/11 are comparable to the events of the shooting early this morning, the stories were compared merely for a comparison of the spread of news. My heart goes out to the victims of this awful tragedy as well as family, friends, and those injured.

The Importance of Being A Well Rounded Technologist

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:06:00 -0400

Everyone working in IT has heard it before: “You’re in the right field.” or “You’re in the right place at the right time, IT is booming.” There’s no doubt that IT is in fact the place to be in today’s world. School of Information Studies Professor Anthony Rotolo recently tweeted: #NewRule: It is no longer acceptable to say, “I’m not a technology person.”

The truth is, you’re a technologist if you know how to use your iPhone, if you can’t live without your laptop, and if you check social media more than you’d like to admit, you’re a technology person.

While it’s important to find your niche in the vast field of IT, it’s also important to be well-rounded. Not only do well-rounded technologists stand out in a pile of resumes, but you’ll be able to do, make, code, and organize projects that weren’t even thought of five years ago. Part of IT is always thinking of the next best thing. Being knowledgeable about code, design, organization, development, and testing are all key parts of being a knockout in the tech world.

Talk The Talk

IT is filled with protocols and acronyms that are constantly thrown around. “Did you set up the FTP client? Make sure there’s an SSL certificate on the site and don’t let the DNS server fail under any circumstances.” For people outside of IT, these letters are alphabet soup among other mind-boggling concepts. For an average person, going on the Internet is just opening a web browser. But for technologists, it’s about using DCHP to retrieve an IP address, connecting to an AP, etc., etc. Even if you don’t know how to set up an FTP client or a DNS server, it’s important to talk the talk and to actually know what you’re talking about. Nothing is more frustrating than someone who thinks they know what’s going on and ends up creating a technological mess. As a technologist, it’s important to know what’s going on and articulate it in a way that’s easy to understand, but also accurate.

Know The Code

Knowing how to code is one thing, but knowing about code is something completely different. Learning different programming languages and utilizing them is an undoubtedly great asset to have as a technologist. However, it’s not for everyone. Personally, I know a bit of a few coding languages. I can make a basic website and database and can recognize differences between languages. I know which languages serve which purposes but I don’t know enough (yet) to build my own product or service. The beauty of IT is that I don’t need to know this. While it’d be a great help if I did, I know enough to talk to developers about their style, the way they code, why they chose the languages they did, and how to read through code and understand it. Understanding can allow me to work more closely with developers than the average person but also understand the processes behind building a product. That in itself is incredibly valuable.

Know Project Management

You may know how about IT acronyms and how to code, but it may not go anywhere if you don’t know how to manage it all. Information is all around us, and it’s quite overwhelming to think of the information you can get with a few clicks and a couple of keystrokes. People are building all the time, and it requires a lot of managing and cycles before something is done right. Managing technological projects can be tough; it requires working with technologists and business folk alike to get something done. It’s important to know how to work with both parties and talk to them in a language each of them understands. Knowing both sides and connecting them can be difficult, but it pays off if it’s done correctly.

IT’s cross between management and technology, which used to be two completely different worlds, is now more ubiquitous than ever. Enthusiasts are bridging the gap between these two fields and creating innovative products and services that were previously unheard of. Even though some people gravitate towards the more technological side while others are interested in project management, knowing what’s on the other side and how to manage these two types of people can make you an incredibly valuable asset to any project team or company. It doesn’t hurt to have a strong area of interest or talent, but make sure you can back it up on the other side of IT too.

laughingsquid: 10 Internet Drinking Games

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 20:00:01 -0400

laughingsquid:

10 Internet Drinking Games

laughingsquid: Photos of the New Twitter Headquarters in San...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:30:21 -0400

laughingsquid:

Photos of the New Twitter Headquarters in San Francisco (Twoffice 4.0)

We’re The (Digital) Kids Our Parents Warned Us About

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 10:22:43 -0400

“Get off the computer! It’s bad for your eyes. ”

“I don’t know how you can sit on that thing all day.”

“Why don’t you go outside rather than stare at that screen?”

“Who are you texting? Put that thing away while you’re at the dinner table.”

Gosh, kids these days.

Admit it, you’re guilty of being told to stop using technology. Whether it’s being glued to reality tv shows, browsing through too much Reddit, or texting your friends throughout the day, you’re dependent, if not addicted, to technology. It is no longer a personal choice to be dependent on technology, it’s now a societal pressure. Homework assignments with deadlines and sent through email, your friends rely on you to check your phone when you’re making plans for later that night, and who knows when that cute guy is going to post new pictures on Facebook!

I’m guilty of it all. I’ve sleep texted before, checked the weather online rather than look out the window, texted at the table, and sat on my laptop all day rather than going outside. I’m guilty of checking the weather on the Internet rather than just looking outside my window or opening the door. I also often experience phantom vibration syndrome, in which I think my phone is buzzing when it actually isn’t. I’ve also played the phone stacking game while at dinner with my friends and have been the first to lose. My phone is always in my pocket and I bring my laptop to work and class. I always have technology right at my fingertips and feel naked without some sort of connection to the Internet on me.

I’m afraid to admit I’m addicted to technology. I’ve contemplated books about digital dieting to learn more about the phenomenon of Internet addiction. Even WebMD posted an article about web addiction. Doctors and other technologists are researching this fascinating field and publishing more and more stories about the pros and cons of having technology as such an ubiquitous factor in our lives.

Although I love being able to check my email, tweets, and Facebook timeline virtually anytime I want, I wish I wasn’t expected to. It’s truly a vicious cycle: not wanting to check on your Internet life, being scolded that you didn’t respond quickly enough, and then checking more often than you should so you don’t miss anything. Whenever I feel like I’m catching a break, I end up spending more time on the Internet catching up with all the things I think I missed.

Your parents may be annoying when they tell you to put down your phone or turn off your computer, but they’re right. Is it really necessary for you to take a break and enjoy your nondigital life. The webpages you want to visit will always be there, your texts will stay on your phone, and your parents will appreciate your undivided attention at the dinner table. Taking a digital vacation for technology is healthy. You’re guaranteed to feel less stressed after the initial shock of not being able to Google your burning questions.

kateoplis: 32 Innovations That Will Change Your Tomorrow: The...

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:21:53 -0400

kateoplis:

32 Innovations That Will Change Your Tomorro w: The Rolling Arcade

The industrial designer Jiang Qian has conceived of a subway strap that’s also a video game. It has a button on each side that you push with your thumb as you hang on; instead of a joystick, you control movement by twisting the handle from side to side. Jiang imagines that new types of games could be created, where keeping your balance while the train is in motion is part of the challenge. And unlike Angry Birds on your phone, Strap Game (that’s the official name) will alert you when your stop is approaching. [2 years away]

Good or bad idea: Implanted magnets under skin for strapless iPod Nano

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:55:31 -0400

bitshare:

Body piercer Dave Hurban thought it would be an interesting idea to mesh body modification and technology. He decided to use an iPod Nano, with the idea of not having a wrist strap as used on a more conventional wrist-watch version of the iPod.

Read More

ryanselvy: #151 “Family Photo Album”

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:56:01 -0400

ryanselvy:

#151 “Family Photo Album”

Internships Aren’t Everything: Alternative Ways To Spend Your Summer

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:01:03 -0400

For college students, summer is simply a break from lecture halls and overpriced textbooks. It’s not a break from working hard, adding sections to your resume, and building on skills learned in the classroom. However, deciding on the best way to spend your summer can be overwhelming and challenging. The location, skill set, dates of a job, and pay rate all contribute to a decision that can take months. Students often worry about getting a reputable internship that’ll make them stand out on in a pile of job applications in the future. However, there are several other ways to have a productive summer besides nailing that elusive internship.

Job In Your Hometown

Whether it’s a local coffee shop, Barnes & Noble, or your Mom’s office, a job in your hometown is always a viable option. You’ll make some pocket cash along the way and most certainly pick up soft skills. Often overlooked, soft skills are the foundation to being successful everywhere, not just on the job. The things you learn by just having a job will translate into your personal life, academic projects, and personal relationships. These skills will undeniably look great on a resume and serve as a solid foundation for more (and better!) opportunities in the future. Company websites as well as personal relationships with people at home are great ways to start looking for these local opportunities.

Stay In School

School isn’t always out for the summer. Your college, university, or local community college will offer summer classes that may count towards your degree. Students will often take summer classes to either graduate early or save money on their tuition bill. But don’t just take classes, look into research opportunities with a professor or on campus organization. Many organizations use the summer to prepare for the upcoming school year and do so in a more relaxed atmosphere due to the absence of (most) students. Syracuse University has a site specifically for job opportunities. To connect with a professor, look at a staff/faculty directory and contact them based upon your interests and skill set. At the very least, you’ll make a professional connection that can only benefit you in the longrun.

Teach Yourself Something

Use the time off from school to learn things that aren’t taught in a classroom. Whether it’s learning a new coding language or playing around with your computer settings to learn about functionality, go for it. There are online learning resources that can guide you as you learn new things. Recruiters love someone who shows initiative by teaching themselves outside of the classroom. That motivation will not only teach you, but will show others your drive. Nothing is more valuable than someone who can create their own learning path and stick to it.

Work On Your Own Project

Who says you need a boss? It’s acceptable to set your own goals for the summer and work towards them. Summer is the perfect time to polish up your resume, rewrite your cover letter, make a website, and create your own personal brand. Perhaps you’ve always had a cool idea but have never had the time to flesh it out. The summer is a great opportunity to work on the idea without the distraction of classes and extracurriculars. The summer months are also a great time to try new things, advance current skills, and experiment with the combination of the two. With you as your own boss, you’re in control of your work load and schedule. Take advantage of the control and work at your own pace to develop something worth showing off to friends.

Although internships are a great way to spend the summer, there are certainly other opportunities that can help you along your career path. Whether it’s a local job, taking more classes, or being your own project manager, there are several ways to propel the work and learning ethic of the school year into the summer months.

sareva: Intelligent, irreverent upcycling of outdated...

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:09:46 -0400

sareva:

Intelligent, irreverent upcycling of outdated technology.

laughingsquid: Tumblr Tumblers in the sink at Tumblr Saw these...

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:46:41 -0400

laughingsquid:

Tumblr Tumblers in the sink at Tumblr

Saw these at the Tumblr headquarters. They’re awesome!

parislemon: futurejournalismproject: Made in New York City A...

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:45:51 -0400

parislemon:

futurejournalismproject:

Made in New York City

A map of NYC start-ups, incubators and investors. Also includes information about companies that are hiring if you’re in the market.

A pretty awesome way to visualize just how much startup activity is happening in NYC.

Is Your Social Media Presence An Accurate Portrayal of Who You Are?

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:41:41 -0400

It’s no secret that people are willing to say more digitally than in person. People are much more willing to text someone rather than call them, look up something on the internet rather than ask someone for an answer, or comment on something rather than tell a person their thoughts directly. The Information Age has put all aspects of our lives into the world of social media. We no longer need to send pictures out in the mail – we have Facebook for that. Twitter is used to share our ideas and talk to others, and we have Foursquare to tell our friends where we are, who we’re with, and when we’re there.

The Disinhibition Effect

People are much more willing to share things on the internet than in person, which begs the question: Is the person we present ourselves to be on the internet who we really are? Read Write Web published an article on just that. In the article, Rider University professor Jon Suler states, “When people have the opportunity to separate their actions from their real world and identity, they feel less vulnerable about opening up. Whatever they say or do can’t be directly linked to the rest of their lives.”

Such a phenomenon is called the disinhibition effect. People are willing to share information due to the lack of physical contact or emotion that an online environment creates. In Professor Anthony Rotolo’s social media class, he recently said, “Everyone can have something nasty said about them, especially on social media.” It is much easier to type something than to say it out loud.

Social Media and the Professional

Some companies are beginning to look the other way when it comes to hiring based on social media presence. People can be professional when it comes to the workplace but may show their more social side when it comes to Facebook. We all have several ways in which we present ourselves, so there is no reason why Facebook or Twitter should reveal who we are while we’re at our 9-5 jobs rather than who we are after work and on the weekends.

Undoubtedly, some people choose to make their Twitter and Facebook accounts an accurate reflection of their life at work. LinkedIn aims for just that; to market yourself based on your professional and academic achievements. However, with several social media sites out there all with a different purpose, how can you really seem like just one type of person on the web? It is difficult to find consistency between the tone and material one uses to present themselves on various social media platforms.

Although it’s possible to “be yourself” on social media, it is very easy to say things that you wouldn’t normally say aloud and portray yourself as someone you’re not. I mean, come on…can you really say that your 17-year-old Facebook self is an accurate portrayal of who you are?

Hanging out at the Tumblr HQ!

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:39:13 -0400

Hanging out at the Tumblr HQ!

smarterplanet: Laser System Paints Information on the Road...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:52:26 -0400

smarterplanet:

Laser System Paints Information on the Road Ahead | Technology Review

Ever wondered if you could control your house’s climate, security, and appliances — along with your PCs and peripherals — using Microsoft software? That day may soon dawn, as its Research arm has started testing its home automation software, called HomeOS, in twelve domiciles over the past few months. The budding system views smartphones, printers and air conditioners as network peripherals, controlled by a dedicated gateway computer. The project even has a handful of apps in play, which perform functions like energy monitoring, remote surveillance and face-recognition. This growing list of applications, available through a portal called “HomeStore”, will allow users to easily expand their system’s capabilities. So how does it all work out in the real world? Head past the break, and let Redmond’s research team give you the skinny.

Sorority squatting with the founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:46:02 -0400

Sorority squatting with the founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian.

Sparrow for iPhone

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:07:05 -0400

Sparrow for iPhone:

parislemon:

A wonderfully exhaustive review of the just-released Sparrow for iPhone by Federico Viticci.

I’ve been testing out the app for a while now, and it’s pure gold. As you’re all well aware, I despise email, but Sparrow at least makes it look good and behave well. If you want a good laugh, look at Sparrow side-by-side with Google’s native Gmail app.

The only real downside of the app is the lack of Push Notifications. But they’re honest about why: it’s hard to do it in a secure way. Really hard. Meanwhile, Apple hasn’t yet dished out APIs for the type of background sniffing that would be needed to get this to work without routing every email through Sparrow’s own servers.

But the team is hopeful that this will change eventually. For now, you’ll just have to settle for a great-looking email app.