Mitch Resnick: Let's teach kids to code [Recently Watched]

I watched this over my lunch break today. I think Mitch Resnick says a lot of important things in here. People do seem to have the impression (and I fall into it now and then myself) that you only need to learn to code if you're going to be a programmer or a web developer or something along those lines. But Resnick points out that learning to code helps kids (and adults) learn other skills through coding.

Great video. Take the time to watch it.

 

Watch "Mitch Resnick: Let's teach kids to code" on YouTube

As if I didn't love my Gmail enough...

It just saved me from that embarrassing moment when you realize you forgot to attach the document that was the whole point of sending the email.

I think I turned this on when it first showed up in labs years ago (It "graduated" to everyone's Gmail last year), and I don't think I've needed it until now, but I'm glad it was there when I finally did.

Twitter throwing a wrench in my workflow?

logo via TEIA MG

Mashable: Twitter Users Get New Email Notification Options

This might put a hitch in the way I use favorites on Twitter. I tend to favorite things in less of an "I like this" and more of a "I want to read this later" manner. I send an RSS feed of my favorites to Google Reader which lets me look at things later on so I don't "lose" them in my twitter stream. I may have to re-think that practice as I don't want to unnecessarily contribute to full inboxes...

Do you use favorites (or any other Twitter features) in an unusual manner? Please share!

logo via TEIA MG

As a woman, I can say I have absolutely no interest in this phone

via This is my next

"We don’t know much about what version of Android this will be running, but our source did tell us that the mockups had shopping comparison and calorie counting apps — you know, because every woman watches the pounds. We also heard that “calming” adjective used to describe the wallpaper. "

You know, because I couldn't add those myself (if I wanted them), or change the wallpaper.

And that's not all, wait until you read about the "charm indicator" (oh, if only that name was a joke): HTC Bliss: a Verizon Android phone for women? 

From the comments: "with any luck, this'll be the dumbest thing I read today"

I can only hope so.

I don't need a "women's phone" just a phone. KTHXBAI 

Blackberry not working?

My Blackberry Is Not Working!

(Just in case you didn't get the Orange reference, it's a mobile carrier in the UK)

Did you get an e-reader for Christmas?

Whether you got a Kindle, or one of the other e-readers, or even an iPod, iPhone, iPad or an Android device, you probably want to start filling it with books. I don't have an e-reader, but I've put the free e-reader apps on every compatible device I've got, and I found Books on The Knob to be very helpful in finding free and bargain books to (over)fill my virtual TBR pile.

Just pay attention to which format the book is free for - sometimes it's free for one type of reader, but not another (e.g. free at B&N, but not at Amazon) or sometimes it's only free in a certain country. And she usually updates when something she listed is no longer free, but I've missed it & accidentally paid for a book before (Darn 1-click! My husband just nods and goes "Yeah, 'accidentally,' suuuure"), so there's that to look out for.

I love finding free books. I've found some great stories through BoTK I wouldn't have picked up otherwise. I've also grabbed one or two which I didn't care for and then removed from my collection, but since they were free I was only out some time, not cash.

Photo by goXunuReviews

Skype Hits New Usage Record. So glad I could help.

I'm usually an early adopter, but I drug my feet on Skype. The only real reason I hadn't used it was that we didn't have a webcam or working microphone on any computer in the house and I just never got around to addressing that issue. Since our Thanksgiving trip didn't work out, I was pushed into action at last. Sunday night I finally got all the needed equipment together, signed up for a Skype account and made a test call, which worked perfectly the first try. Yay! Now I'm just waiting to actually use it...

Then I came across this story on Mashable today:

Skype Hits New Usage Record:

"With an IPO looming, Skype is touting a major new milestone: 25 million concurrent users. The number was reached on Monday for the first time, and the company says it represents a new all-time high"

Glad I could help. :) On some level, I feel like I've finally joined the 21st century.

photo by gurdonark (Robert Nunnally)

Keeping you from embarrassing yourself? There's not an app for that

From Mashable:

Don't Drink and Facebook: New Plugin Mitigates the Fallout: "The deal is simple, download the plugin [for Firefox] and customize the settings for a variety of social media sites — from Facebook to MySpace toTumblr (for the bloggers among us) to e-mail accounts like Gmail or Hotmail....Set your hours of intoxication, and if you try to sign on to one of those sites during those times, you’ll be asked to pass a test."

Okay, great idea, but...

"This plugin doesn’t work on mobile devices, which means that when one is out and about — Android or iPhone in hand — one’s only protection is one’s own common sense. Good luck with that."

So, it only works if you've made it home before you try to update, or if you stayed home to get drunk in the first place. Um...yeah.

photo by Lethargic Avenger

Tech in 2014?

I want one of each of these, especially the mirror!

Phone or tablet? You may not need to decide. Awesome!




Even though I have no idea of the likelihood of Sweden winning the World Cup in 2014, I thought the note at the very end was cute.

via Unplggd

If All Movies Had Cell Phones

Found via Electrolicious

Hi, my name is Mary and...

I'm posting this video mostly to remind myself that I really need to try an "unplugged" night of my own. I know I've posted about it before...but I'm still such a techno-addict that the idea of a whole EVENING without it makes me break out in a cold sweat.