As human beings, we get used to “the way things are” really fast. But for designers, the way things are is an opportunity … Could things be better? How? In this funny, breezy talk, the man behind the iPod and the Nest thermostat shares some of his tips for noticing — and driving — change.
via Tony Fadell: The first secret of design is … noticing | Talk Video | TED.com.
5 critical ways to determine reliably and effectively if you should change careers, and once you get hip to these signs, you’ll be able to answer for yourself in a heartbeat, “Should I stay or should I go?”
via 5 Ways To Tell If You Need A Career Change | Forbes.
A few years ago, I made the decision to leave a great career that paid very well and go back to school. It was a great decision for my personal growth, although it was hard to leave the people I worked with – they were the best part of the job. Reading this article I can say I met 4 out of the 5 critical signs that it was time to leave. I found that just because you are really great at doing something doesn’t equate to actual enjoyment and satisfaction.
I’ve been following the news for months about the Google Reader shutdown…and Digg has being counting down the days. I suppose I have been in the mindset of “ignore it and it will go away.” Unfortunately not. Google Reader meets all my needs and I’m reluctant to change. Google Reader being shutdown in the first place is incomprehensible to me. I saw this post from MIT Technology Review about the usefulness of Google Reader in countering censorship in Iran. The service will leave somewhat of a vacuum and have consequences we may have not yet realized. I’m not sure the promotion of of social and moving users to Google+ will see significant dividends long-term and it certainly has not engendered good will towards the company. Personally, Google’s moves that past few years have been very off-putting.
I have also been waiting…and waiting…for the Digg replacement, which is now in beta. One of my issues with the switch is that I’m an organizing fiend. I have many folders and tags and hundreds of subscriptions. I don’t want to lose that data. I don’t care about colour or fancy social sharing features. Functionality and a clean, simple interface, is of utmost importance. So RSS readers like Pulse and Flipboard are too image intensive for my needs as a RSS power user.
Occasionally I like to read posts on my iPad, so I use the mobile app Byline but there are synching issues (I dislike having to “Mark as Read” posts in both services for all new posts). Although there are many RSS iOS apps out there (and I have tried most), this one handles all those folders and tags the best and you can easily and quickly swipe through posts.
I will be choosing either Feedly or the Digg Reader as my new RSS reader. I’m leaning toward the Digg replacement, as it would be useful to combine my need for power RSS with Digg’s social bookmarking features. Those who need to still need to switch you may want to use Google Takeout to export your data for backup.
Here’s some news Google Reader alternatives that are worth reading if, like me, you still haven’t switched and are waiting to the bitter end:
I’m always scanning for what the up and coming future trends are and new innovations in technology. If you are responsible for managing technology in an organization, this activity is essential. You will be better able to manage and even drive change, sound intelligent when speaking to senior management and communicate to peers, patrons and fellow employees the importance and relevance of technology-related topics.
5 Exciting Innovations That Will Change Computing in 2012 from Mashable
Managing Electronic Resources from iLibrarian
The Home 3-D Printer Is More Real Than Ever–And Costs As Much As An iPad from FastCompany
10 Changes to Expect from the Library of the Future from OnlineUniversities.com
onlineuniversities.com /blog/2012/04/10-changes-to-expect-from-the-library-of-the-future
