The Buzz
By Staff -- School Library Journal, 3/1/2006
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Also in this article: Xrefer Signs Britannica Weed Those Discs Let’s Play Tag Gaming for World Hunger Facelift for FirstGov Club Kids Grolier Online Nabs Award Knit, Purl, Play |
Got Blackberry Thumb?
Those busy clicking away on the tiny keys of their handhelds may want to consider another option: the ElekTex Smart Fabric wireless keyboard. A standout at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the new lightweight and flexible keyboard from Eleksen is designed for use with smart phones, PDAs, and other handheld devices, using wireless Bluetooth technology. Made completely of water-repellent fabric, the full laptop-sized keyboard weighs just 2.4 ounces and can be rolled up and stored in a pocket or handbag. $149. www.eleksen.com.
The Xreferplus ready reference collection will now feature content from the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Xrefer, provider of online reference collections for libraries, recently signed an agreement with Encyclopedia Britannica to make the material—including 26,000 articles, maps, and other illustrations—available exclusively to Xreferplus subscribers in North America. For more information, visit www.xrefer.com.
Disc-Go-Check, a new line of disc-checking devices, may help collection managers decide whether scratched CDs or DVDs should be recirculated or tossed. The new Disc-Go-Check and Disc-Go-Check MAX machines use scanning technology to compare scratch patterns with media player capabilities to determine whether a disc is playable, using a simple pass or fail rating system. Intended for home video, game, and music retailers, as well as libraries, Disc-Go-Check provides the user with an accurate evaluation regarding playability within 30 seconds, according to Disc-Go-Tech, the manufacturer. Prices start at $1,995. For more information, e-mail info@discgotech.com.
Tagging, the process of assigning searchable keywords to online material, has become the latest rage among Webbies. Who knew indexing could be so cool? Now there’s a game in which you can test your familiarity with tags attached to images on Flickr, the popular photo-sharing program that allows members to post their pics to the world. The game, called Fastr, loads 10 images that share a common tag, one by one, and you guess what the tag is. You accrue more points based on how fast you correctly guess the tags. Ready to play? Log on to randomchaos.com/games/fastr/about.
Food Force, a free video game created by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to teach children about global hunger, is generating a huge fan base—without featuring sex or violence. Take that, Grand Theft Auto. WFP’s game—a nonviolent scenario in which children and aid workers race against time to feed thousands of starving inhabitants of a fictitious island—has logged three million downloads since its April 2005 launch. It has since been translated into Japanese and Italian, and WFP has plans to produce Chinese and French versions. Educators, already among the game’s many fans, according to WFP, will find useful information on the Food Force Web site (www.food-force.com), including news about current hunger hot spots, lesson plans, and tips for fund-raising. This game is designed for children eight to 13 years old, according to the site.
A retooling of the U.S. government’s Web portal will give online researchers more complete and relevant results, according to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Thanks to a new search engine created by Microsoft, the GSA’s FirstGov.gov portal will connect users to more than 40 million federal documents and Web pages, up from eight million under the old site. And while some commercial search engines troll government sites, FirstGov searches only government information, which is good for targeted queries, says M. J. Pizzella, a GSA spokesperson. “When you come to us, you’re getting only FirstGov.gov.”
Chicago youth looking for something to do after school have a high-tech alternative. Chip maker Intel has opened four Computer Clubhouses around the city, where kids ages 10 to 18 can use cutting-edge tools to create digital artwork, produce their own music CDs and short movies, and design Web sites. The Clubhouses are located in existing community centers—the ABJ Community Services, Austin YMCA, Howard Area Community Center, and WYTEC—that serve poor neighborhoods. Rosalind Hudnell, Intel’s director of diversity, says, “These new Intel Computer Clubhouses will give Chicago youth access to the latest technology, connecting them with the world and exposing them to a whole new spectrum of opportunities.”
Grolier Online has received the 2006 Notable Online Subscription Services award from the Association for Library Service to Children. A $2 million upgrade to the product features age-appropriate home pages, enhanced graphics, and expanded content, as well as the classic resources Lands and Peoples, The New Book of Popular Science, La Nueva Enciclopedia Cumbre, and America the Beautiful, along with the three standard Grolier encyclopedias. Two interfaces for Grolier Online—Kids (grades 3–5) and Passport (grades 6 and up)—each offer online links, fact boxes, and homework help, as well as photos, videos, maps, and timelines. Visit librarypublishing.scholastic.com.
Okay, so spring is upon us. But it’s never too early to get started on your holiday gift list, especially if you plan to make your own. For a present that integrates technology, old and new, consider crafting these handknit mittens that feature a pocket for storing your iPod. Don’t worry, the device tucks away completely inside the pocket—it’s just poking out for the sake of the photo. The PDF pattern is available at sprboston.com/seanssoapbox.html/?p=69. Complete the ensemble with a pair of Redwire DLX Levis outfitted with an iPod docking station sewn into the pocket (available this fall).
