The Buzz

Flickr, the popular photo-sharing site, has added geotagging functionality. So in addition to tagging photos by photographer, time, text, and group, users can now note the locations of all their shots. Simply drag and drop pictures onto a map using Flickr’s organizer, and presto, you’ve added geographical metadata to your photos. Over on the site’s blog, Flickrites can’t heap enough praise on the new tool. Their only gripe: an overwhelming compulsion to go back and geotag their entire catalog of pix. Flickr.com.

Those seeking out-of-print books, from the classic to the obscure, might check out Google Book Search, where you can download complete copies of a diverse collection of public domain titles. Aesop’s Fables, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Dante’s Inferno, and Abbott’s Flatland are among the tomes available. To search for downloadable works, click the “Full view” radio button on the Google Book Search page. Of course, the service does not permit downloading of any book currently under copyright. Books.google.com.

Don’t be so sure that your e-mail recipient comprehends your intended message, especially when it comes to sarcasm and humor. A recent study led by Justin Kruger of New York University has found that readers commonly misinterpret sarcastic content in e-mail and find funny messages, well, unfunny. And that’s with or without the help of a winking smiley face, or other emoticons. The problem’s cause is egocentrism on the part of the sender, who tends to underestimate the recipient’s perspective. School Library Journal’s production editor, Josephine Marc-Anthony (right), is looking rather puzzled upon receiving my e-mail. Guess I’d better give her a call.

Epson’s new high-definition printers promise to make professional-quality photo printing a snap. The Ultra Hi-Definition RX580 All-in-One, released this month, features a high-speed print head and automatic photo correction to produce quality prints, using Epson’s new Claria ink, for brilliant, high-definition photos that are smudge, scratch, and fade resistant. Beyond scanning, printing, and copying, the RX580 allows you to restore faded photos, create customized greeting cards and print directly onto CDs and DVDs, with or without a computer. $199.99. www.epson.com/ultrahd.

Sweaty gamers needn’t stop play to dry off their clammy palms. Thanks to the folks at Logitech, intense game players (is there any other kind?) can opt instead for the new Chillstream controller for PC. The plug-and-play USB device features a patented fan-based cooling system designed to keep gamers’ hands cool and dry. Three narrow vents on each side of the standard-sized controller push air directly onto the four fingers, base of the thumb, and your palm—the most slippery areas on your mitts, according to the company. $39.99. www.logitech.com.

Eighties band Duran Duran will take the stage in Second Life, the 3-D, Web-based virtual world. The five original band members—Simon LeBon, John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, and Nick Rhodes—announced that their own custom-designed avatars will live—typically, for a rock star—on a fantasy luxury island, playing occasional concerts and making media appearances. Meanwhile the band plans to go on tour in the real world. Currently in the middle of recording their next album, keyboardist Nick Rhodes says, “Second Life has brought a third dimension to the Internet; it is the new frontier where dreams have become reality.” Secondlife.com.

Shiny, slick accessories are all well and good, but where’s the personality? I’d happily toss my black neoprene laptop sleeve that all but screams “salaryman” for a Monster Bag. The cute, bound-to-put-a-smile-on-your-face laptop cover is a bit reminiscent of Cookie Monster and comes in four bright colors: blue, green, red, and purple. Each huggable bag is made one at a time, so allow seven to 10 business days to ship. $65. www.barrysfarm.com.

E-mail users can now have their messages read aloud to them. Potentially a nightmare or a godsend, the new Audio Webmail option is being offered on mail.com Beta and is available to all users. Using sophisticated speech synthesis, the service reads e-mail messages out loud in a choice of 11 languages. Users can also generate a “podmail” with one click of a button, converting an e-mail message to an audio file. The Audio Webmail feature was developed by Outblaze, a global hosted e-mail provider, and ReadSpeaker, a leader in speech-enabled Web sites. www.mail.com.

BrainPOP, the popular Web-based line of animated movies, now has a version just for little ones. Geared for students in grades K–3, BrainPop Jr. features age-appropriate animated content, plus audio-assisted navigation so young children can easily find their way through various topics, including science, health, reading, writing, social studies, and math. Inevitably, there are quizzes, which are read aloud, as well as games and innovative features for teachers and parents. BrainPOP Jr. is currently offering free subscriptions, which include sample movies and a content-related notebook feature. www.brainpopjr.com.