Skype

Skype has made calling particularly from overseas really cheap.

Our family in Poland is now able to call us via their computer to our landline. Before it was just not possible because the cost was so high.

The other option is calling computer to computer and you talk through a speaker. For a more personal feel to the conversation you can instal a camera at either end, allowing you to see each other. This is greater when you have friends and family living interstate or overseas, it still enable you to keep connected.

Socialising

The popularity of social network sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Second Life intrigues me. I see why people have fun using MySpace and Facebook, they can connect with family and friends, establish new relationships or promote themselves.

Personally I have reservation about setting up a profile with MySpace and Facebook, too much of an invasion into one's privacy and I'd rather socialise with people face-to-face. I prefer just to browse and see what people have posted.

I was introduced to the world of Second Life at the Libraries, Web 2.0 and other internet stuff professional development seminar we hosted in July 2007. Kathryn Greenhill, Reference Librarian at Murdoch University was the caretaker of the Australian Libraries Building on Cybrary City in Second Life. It was great watching her navigate her Avatar around Cybrary City and interacting with other Avatars, especially when displayed on the big screen in the Village Roadshow Theatrette. I got to understand that there are definite protocols in Second Life (i.e. how you interact with other Avatar, purchase clothes, etc.) and how public libraries could use it to engage with youth.

RSS newsfeeds

Could say I have a general understanding of RSS and newsfeeds.

When creating my iGoogle page, I set-up a newsfeed to CNN and added the Google Reader gadget, to pick-up entertainment news.

Visited the Bloglines website, and found setting-up the account and subscribing to feeds was really easy. What I have done is added Bloglines to my favourite links on my blog.

Life's but just a flowchart or mindmap away...

I chose to sign-up to Glify and Mind Meister.

Glifly definitely offers a wide range of flowchart styles, which are really easy to use and can be applied at work and home. I was drawn to the floorplan option, given that I am currently doing up my place. Had fun with it, laying out the floorplan of my place and choosing the furniture and fixtures.

Mind Meister is very user-friendly, the online tutorial demonstrates how easy it is to set-up your own mind-map and the applciations are various.

Design by LetterPop

Finally finished creating an invitation using the newsletter template from LetterPop. Called it HighTea Anyone? and think it looks great. My intention is to email the invitation to my girlfriends.

However, I did find the application frustrating to use, for example:

• Limited flexibility - unable to adjust the size of the text boxes or the photographs.
• Linking LetterPop to linked to your Flickr account allows it to access your private photographs. Instead I choose to save images from Flickr to MyPicture and then downloaded them through the browser.

Shall we Wiki

Found the Future Melbourne and Whirlpool wikis really interesting and useful. My first impression of the Future Melbourne wiki was in terms of layout, easy on the eye and to navigate. Also thought Melbourne City Council was smart in its approach to communicating and collaborating with its constituents, and the broader public regarding their vision and strategies. Similar to Wiki Northia with its aim of community engagement and capturing the local histories. I'm a bit bias given my invovlement in Libraries Building Communities Demonstration Project grants, which funded this wiki.

Sometime this year I will be connecting to broadband at home. Whirlpool is a one-stop shop and information centre - nothing like customer feedback to help inform your decision and also the various consideration (i.e bundling, wifi options, ADSL or ADSL2+, etc.)

The other wikis (i.e. Radiograph and Zombie) were a bit weird and definitely not my cup of tea; however, it's someones!

The world of Google

Earlier this week I put my creative flair into action again, designing my iGoogle. I love looking at all the selections of wallpapers and gadgets. I seem to favour Japanese designs, as I went with Akira Isogawa wallpaper design. Also you need to check our this adorable gadget called Maukie. It is an animated black cat that follows your mouse, and meows and purrs at you - love it.

I am familar with Google map, as I relied on it when I was touring regional Victoria for the Memory Victoria Roadshow. More recently, when Melanie and I went to visit potential venues for the Shared Leadership program, we used directions from Google Map. We had an interesting drive to one of the venues, for a while there thought we were the Leyland Brothers, as somehow we ended up on a 'No Road' with the kangaroos.

I remember my family in Poland using Google Earth to see where we live, just amazing and a bit 'Big Brotherish'.

Had a quick look at Google Doc and thought it useful if you are using Gmail to forward document attachment. Otherwise, I can't see what use I might have for it - probably need to play around a bit more to identify its benefits.

As for Google Book, I have included it as a gadget in my iGoogle. I do like the fact you can read sections of the book.