Top Five on Twitter - Tech News and Updates

Part 2 of TOP FIVE Twitter accounts to follow. This one is on technology blogs and stories. These are the best resources for updates on new technology- gadgets, websites, reviews, social networks, and other tech matters that will help you catch up with technology without having to do a whole lot of boring reading. These recommendations are based on my actual use and the value I have got out of these.

To recap - one of the recommendations I posted (especially for new users of Twitter) was to keep accounts you follow between 50-75 so that your Twitter page is not cluttered. Another recommendation was to experiment with follows and un-follows until you find the tweeters that fit YOUR needs and not just based on others' recommendations.
So here goes:

Top Five - Technology News and Updates

Account	What	My Comments
# 5 Harry McCracken	Founder of Technologizer (tech site). Also a columnist for TIME.com. Updates on all kinds of technology equipment.	One of the most followed tech writer/blogger. Lots of great updates on 'personal' tech like mobile phones, computers, etc.
# 4 Campus Tech	News and additional tech resources on Education technology.	Tweets are not as often as I would like. Also quite specific to Education. Maybe not for everyone. But great resource if you are an EdTech.
# 3 Gizmodo	Lots of great updates on gadgets and other 'fun' technology. From the makers of the Gizmodo site.	Only recently started following, but have looked at the website for a while. Tweets are interesting and the content and links keep you entertained. Lots of 'cool' links.
# 2 Mashable	Web related news and updates - social media, tech and digital news and analysis from Mashable com.	One of the bext resources and news on web related, web2.0, and social networking sites updates.
# 1 Tech Crunch	Breaking technology news and opinions from the TechCruch blog site.	The BEST news and review of technology, gadgets, web sites, and all things tech that you can use in a neat and consistently updated package.

Technologies discussed: Twitter, Short Messaging Service, SMS, Search Strategies

Contact me:
Sujan Manandhar
Technology Integration Specialist,
Foreign Language Center
Ohio State University

Follow me on Twitter - aarkae

Top Five on Twitter - Columbus Events

People from all walks of life ask me why and how I use Twitter. Why I use Twitter is because it is my primary source of information from people and organizations that I think are the best in the business. I get my news, tech information, local events, and even humor and daily inspiration from Twitter. They all pop-up in my Twitter page and I glance at it a few times a day and sometimes look at the links that are mentioned. These few minutes give me a wealth of information on things that I need and care about the most.

How I use Twitter is still a work in progress since it has evolved from following a bunch of random people to now (more) knowing what and whom I follow (and un-follow). I look at lists for the best tweeters in the various fields I am most interested (example - education, technology, sports, entertainment, local events, etc) and pick the top few (on my own terms) and follow them for a while and then keep or un-follow them, if need be. I also try and keep the tweeters between 50-75 so that my Twitter page is not cluttered.

In the next few posts, I will provide a Top Five list of accounts that I follow and recommend – according to categories like Technology, Education, Entertainment, Local events, etc. For those of you are who are new to Twitter, or are considering Twitter, or even looking for a strategy, these TOP FIVE lists will be a good launching pad for your own Twitter account.

I start with local events (in Columbus) since technology and education will surely scare off some people, and I want you to get a feel of how Twitter can get you information that can be useful in your personal life (besides your professional).

Top Five - Columbus Events and News

Account	What	My Comments
# 5 614 Magazine	Information on local events and discounts on food and entertainment	Quite Random. Needs better organization. Feels like spam at times. But still very useful!
# 4 Sandbox Columbus	Coworking community in Columbus – good place to network and learn about shared resources	Not enough Tweets and quite specific. Maybe not for everyone. And too many 'join us' tweets.
# 3 Experience Columbus	Things to do in Columbus from the former Greater Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau	Sometimes too many tweets and links on things that are general and covered by other tweeters.
# 2 Fake Dispatch	Humorous look at news (mostly) from the Columbus region	Funny and informative at the same time. Can you handle it?
# 1 Columbus Underground	Complete look at local events and entertainment from the ColumbusUnderground folks.	The best view and review of not just local events and entertainment, but city development and planning in a very organized Twitter account.

Technologies discussed: Twitter, Short Messaging Service, SMS, Search Strategies

Contact me:
Sujan Manandhar
Technology Integration Specialist,
Foreign Language Center
Ohio State University

Follow me on Twitter - aarkae

Effective YouTube Search Strategies

Many of us who use YouTube do not do use any search strategies besides typing your keywords in the search box and scrolling through the hundreds (or hundred thousand) videos that are listed. But there are better ways!

YouTube has changed over time and has modified its interface as recent as March 30, 2010. Over the years it has given users additional tools for searching, many of which get little or no use. In this 2 part post I will show you how to use effective search strategies within YouTube so you get to what you want quicker and have lots of time for music and kitty videos (No, not that kind!)

Lets look at 1. Search Options and 2. Customize

1. SEARCH OPTIONS
Just below the YouTube SEARCH BOX (at the very top) there is a Search Option.
After typing for a video, you can limit your search by using search options

Click on Search Options (see image below)
You can now change your search options by TYPE, DATE, CATEGORIES. LENGTH, FEATURES, etc


For example - You can search for videos that were uploaded just in the last month, or videos that are short (less than 4 minutes) or videos that are High Definition (HD). This will greatly reduce the number of videos that you have to scroll through.

NOTE – Remember to click RESET OPTION (TOP RIGHT) once you are done with your current search; else it will keep your search options for the next search as well.

2. CUSTOMIZE

Scroll all the way to the very bottom of the page. (see image below)
Look for the LANGUAGE/ LOCATION/ SAFETY MODE options


Click Language: English
Choose your language. This will change the interface to the language of your choice. OK, this does not narrow down the number if videos, but it can be very useful for people comfortable in other languages (hence saving time!)

Now click Location: Worldwide
Choose the country from that you would like to view content (videos and channels). This will help when you are searching for videos specifically from another country (e.g. - Mexico, Spain, etc).

There is also a Safety Mode. By Default it is Safety Mode: Off
Clicking ON in the safety mode helps to negate listing videos that contain potentially objectionable material on YouTube. This can be useful if you are showing videos for your kids or in a classroom setting. (YouTube has a disclaimer that this is not 100% accurate, but it is quite useful) .

So there you go - 2 easy and effective ways to narrow down your searches.

Technologies discussed: YouTube, Search Strategies

Contact me:
Sujan Manandhar
Technology Integration Specialist,
Foreign Language Center
Ohio State University

Tech Tools 2010

One of my busiest weeks as Technology Integration Specialist at OSU wrapped up on June 18. This was THE week for ‘Tech Tools: Technology Tools for the Foreign Language Classroom’ - an intensive workshop for language instructors. During this eventful week, the learners explored a range of technology to create activities for foreign languages. Learners included PhD candidates, schoolteachers, and administrators who were all involved with language teaching/curriculum.

These inquisitive learners were immersed in a variety of online tools and popular classroom technology from Day 1 Hour 1. Technologies included Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, Skype, Audacity, YouTube, Windows Movie Maker, Google Earth, PowerPoint, and more. Pedagogy related to the use of such technology was an essential component of the workshop. They started Day 1 by creating a teaching philosophy that they expanded by the end of the week and also added a technology component to these teaching philosophies. All this new technology brought out some good questions from the learners:

How will our teaching change as we participate in the "Read/Write" web and how do we better prepare our students to be collaborators?

What will become relevant and irrelevant in this new age? Will cyberspace replace bricks-and-mortar buildings with digital libraries? Will teachers be passé?

My other reaction is that I feel disappointed in some of these technological changes. I was horrified when I read that the fastest growing user group is the age group 2-5!

The principal technology behind the participants’ interaction was a wiki (created using Google Sites). Learners also learned how to create, use, and interact within a wiki environment. One leaner said, “I was amazed by the idea of a Wiki.... to be able to check facts about an article and to change it...like a real verbal interaction. Wiki is a very useful tool in a language class where the goal is interaction.”

Learners also experimented with the use of blogs and how it can be utilized in a language classroom environment. Multimedia editing was a big part of the curriculum. Visual literacy was a big component of multimedia creation. Learners were able to edit and use audio and video files with Audacity and MS Movie Maker, and incorporate these into Podcasts, YouTube, and Skype to make lessons interactive and fun for their students.

On the final day, the participants seemingly ready with the new set of technology tools presented their lesson plans. The anticipation was heavier than the release of the newest ‘Twilight’ movie (or close enough!). The learners presented lesson plans with a range of video and audio, interactive PowerPoint, use of YouTube videos, use of Wikis, Google Earth components, all successfully incorporated. It was quite an accomplishment for the learners and for the workshop instructors as well, since we had invested months in planning, designing, and presenting. The grueling week had finally come to a satisfying end!

Some of the quotes from the learners (after the week):

A lot of students tend to be very creative when using technology and it helps putting what they have learned into practice.

I will keep these possibilities in mind while incorporating these types of ideas into my own teaching style.

I love all of this technology but it is all complicated. Fantastic when it works!

It's a jumping-off point to get me headed in the right direction. And with Tech Tools 2 next summer (hint, hint), I could return more prepared and tech-savvy to my classroom.

Ok then - Cya'll next year (hopefully!)

Technologies discussed: Windows Movie Maker, Web 2.0, Video, Audio, Editing, Skype, YouTube, PowerPoint, Audacity, Blog, Wiki, Podcast, Picasa, Google Earth

Contact me:
Sujan Manandhar
Technology Integration Specialist,
Foreign Language Center
Ohio State University

Pandora VS Last.Fm

Streaming radio/music stations have been around for over two decades now. However in the last 8 years or so, streaming web stations where you can customize your music choice have been popular. Pandora and Last.Fm are the leaders of this pack.

The concept behind both these services is that you stream music based on your listening preferences. Listeners create ‘stations’ based on artists and/or genres and the database behind these services send you music on your computer or mobile device. The streams themselves are generated by each service’s (quite) complex formula of similarity of music based on artist, genre, style, mood, year, etc.

Pandora is very popular in America and is the leader of the industry. Last.Fm is also popular, but is more popular in the UK and Germany (2 other countries where it is free!). They both have similar features – use on mobile devices, ability to buy music, social networking, artist information and more. But they are different as you peel off the skin-layers.

Here is a comparison of the 2 services (Winner in RED) :

Cost	Free for 40 hrs per month. US only	Free in US, UK and Germany; Unlimited radio play. $3.00 in most other countries
Language	English only	English and 10 languages
Cell phone application	Yes – all major phones	Yes – some major phones
Upgrade	Yes $36 annually, Pandora One	$3/month, Subscriber
Stream generated by (Database)	Music Genome Project 400 distinct music characteristics	Audioscrobbler – based on users listening habits
Videos	Video series and ‘inside looks’. But NO artist search	Yes – search of artist generates videos (from YouTube) as well
Buy Music	Yes (ITunes and Amazon)	Yes (Amazon)
Shows/Events/ Calendars	NO	Yes detailed shows and venues information, including recommendations for user
Social networking	Yes – can see friends and their stations and bookmarked songs/artists. Can leave comment	Yes - Very advanced Facebook and MySpace like features
Desktop Client Player	Yes (with Upgraded version)	Yes FREE– ITunes, Windows Media Player, etc
Label and Artist uploads	No	Yes: For Free (Great for aspiring artists/bands)

My verdict - If you want to listen to your type of music and are less interested in social networking and additional features, (no-frills) then Pandora is for you.
If you are interested in learning more about music, getting your own band recognized, are interested in live music, and want to connect with other people with like tastes, then Last.Fm is for you.

Winner: Last.FM
(Look for Part 2 - More feature comparisons - including searching, groups, charts, tags and more!!)

Contact me:
Sujan Manandhar
Technology Integration Specialist,
Foreign Language Center
Ohio State University

Best Films on Technology

If you know me, you know I love movies.
I also dig technology. Technology is also my job and it pays me.

Movies + Technology = Sci-Fi Movies

Presented here for your viewing pleasure is a list of Sci-Fi movies that needs attention and some others you need not bother. This list has gone through rigorous discussions with other avid movie people and tech geeks.....and as expected, there is no real consensus. But its still a big list and can be used at least for reference.

(Note - If something is not on the list, it means I didn't care about it or I have I not had the opportunity.)

ABOUT THE CATEGORIES
Favorites - Does not need explaining
Close to the Top - Some of the very best; Probably on others' favorites.
Also Very Good - Well made and worth the time.
Didn't Like em as Much- People thought it was good, but it was missing something for me
Duds - Wasted my money, time, and brain cells
Have Not Seen - but might see it soon

(Click on Categories below for more details)

Favorites (RANKED)	Close to the top (Alphabetical)	Also very good (Alphabetical)
1) 2001: A Space Odyssey 2) Terminator 2 3) Gattaca 4) The Matrix (ONLY the first one) 5) Mad Max - Road Warrior 6) Back To The Future (I) 7) Akira	Aliens (I, II) Avatar Blade Runner Brazil Children of Men Close Encounters of the Third Kind District 9 Escape from New York Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Ironman (2008) Jurassic Park Planet of the Apes (1968) Predator (1987) Star Trek (2009) Star Wars (IV, V, VI) Young Frankenstein	Clockwork Orange Dark City Fifth Element Iron Giant Repo Man RoboCop Scanner Darkly Serenity Stargate Starship Troopers Strange Days Terminator (1984) Tetsuo: Iron Man (1989) The City of Lost Children The Fly (1986) THX 1138 Total Recall Transformers (the first one only) Twelve Monkeys

Didn't like em as much as others did	Duds	Have not seen
Contact Donnie Darko ET Fahrenheit 457 (read the book, instead) Ghostbusters I am Legend Metropolis Minority Report Pleasantville The Abyss Truman show V for Vendetta	1984 (Read the Book) Aeon Flux Alien III Armageddon A.I. Alien vs. Predator Dune The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) Independence Day Matrix (II, III) Star Wars (I, II, III)	Moon (2009) Rollerball (1975) Ghost in the Shell The Road (2009) Solaris (1972) Sleeper (1973) Stalker (1979) Logans Run (1976)

Contact me:
Sujan Manandhar
Technology Integration Specialist,
Foreign Language Center
Ohio State University

Favorite Technology Movies

This is a part of a multi-post on: Best Films On Technology

Here's more about the best of the best, and movies that you should not miss.These are the films that have not just a great story, but a theme that carry over time and generation. These have been very well directed and have been ahead of its time and have spawned countless other films and even genres.

Please feel to free to comment on what you think about this list and why something in this list should or should not be there!

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey The more I watch the movie, the more I marvel at it. Its not-so-subtle themes of evolution, AI, and extra-terrestrial life though covered by countless other films, have never been more thought provoking (with literally little to say). The ending is spectacular and probably why all of it made so much sense (or no sense to many). It is Kubrick's masterpiece, although he has done many other excellent films.
2. Terminator 2 If you were not afraid of cops, you certainly were after Terminator 2. James Cameron's highly successful film was a non-stop thriller ride and had cutting edge special effects that was dynamite in the movie and all the way to the bank making it one of the most successful films even today. Arnold's best movie to date and probably the one that won him the California governorship.
3. Gattaca Gattaca went unnoticed for a lot of people, but this quiet movie hit me like a perfect storm. The underlying identity theme, the 'you are not good enough' story line, and the post-modern futuristic world was powerful to keep me thinking for months and years. The film also had excellent acting that is rare in so many sci-fi movies and did not rely on action and explosions to make its mark.
4. The Matrix The horrendous sequels to the Matrix could not extract it from this list. The coolness factor in the film was not just the leather and vinyl, or the special effects, or the kungfu, or the action sequences, or even the badass sentient agents, but the fact that the Wachowski brothers gave themselves the license to do whatever they wanted with the inherent 'matrix' idea.
5. Mad Max - Road Warrior Despite the fact that Mel Gibson has lost all dignity, I still remember that as a kid no movie was as kick-ass as the Road Warrior. The crashing, burning, flying, boomeranging action in the film are some of the best ever. The strange characters, the Australian desert, and that crazy accent gives it an out-of-this-world feel. It still holds up against the big budget action and sci-fi films and hence walks into this list.
6. Back To The Future (I) Name me any other sci-fi movie that is also funny, has a great story, great music, eccentric characters taken from your own town, and a (literally) high-wired climax that's memorable and still does not need any geek status to enjoy. Back to The Future made sci-fi accessible for all and also made it fun. It opened up the doors for everyone else to enjoy a sci-fi and be able to relate to the experience.
7. Akira This powerful Anime based on the extremely popular manga series is not a 'cartoon' and not really for kids either. With overt tones of ESP, gang wars, anti-government, and terrorism, this film was ahead of the curve in many ways. Its detail to production, art, sound, and complexities in the storyline makes it a forerunner for not just animation films, but films in general. (Please watch it in Japanese to appreciate the details in voice and facial expression.)

Back to: Best Films On Technology