From
Sreenath Sreenivasan
Columbia University journalism professor
WABC-TV's "Tech
Guru" on Thursday & Saturday
mornings in NYC area [Tech Guru archives at http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/technology/
]
Greetings
- and welcome to the latest issue of the SreeTips newsletter.
As always, I look forward to YOUR tips, feedback and suggestions:
sree@sreetips.com.
This
month's tipsters: Akash Alam, Mervin Block, Tara Calishain, Jon
Dube, Charles Pappas, Bob Romano, Jane Tabachnick, Al Tompkins.
This newsletter is an offshoot of the "Smarter Surfing: Better
Use of Your Web Time" workshops I teach around the U.S. and abroad.
If you are interested in having me do a session for your office,
organization, school or hamlet, please visit http://www.sree.net/web
Why
wait a month for the next newsletter? Visit the constantly updated
"Smarter Surfing" links at http://www.sreetips.com/web.html
Also see new "Web Tips" published every Tuesday &
Friday on Poynter.org (co-written by Jon Dube of CyberJournalist.net):
http://www.poynter.org/web
NEW MEDIA TRAINING WORKSHOP: Learn
how to make Web pages in an intensive hands-on weekend class at
the Columbia Journalism School. Leave with an online resume, life-long
skills and a Columbia certificate. March 8 & March 9, 2003 (Sat
& Sun). Deadline: Monday, Feb. 17, 2003. Only a few seats left
for this discounted workshop: http://www.sree.net/teaching/training/
{Cheers, Sree}
New-ish
USEFUL SITES & TIPS (sites
I find useful in some way)
OnlineHomeBase.com
- online note taker http://www.onlinehomebase.com
Despite seeing so many new Web sites a week, I rarely find anything
to rave about. But when I first started playing with OnlineHomeBase,
I knew this was something truly useful. In just a few days, it
has changed my life, making me better organized and helping me
complete my tasks. So what does it do? It gives you a place on
the Internet to quickly take notes, track projects and set reminders
(wife's birthday, for example). These reminders can come to you
via e-mail, or even be sent to your cellphone. The best part is
the ability to collaborate with others instantly. My Columbia
class has been using it to track its projects and my wife and
I are keeping grocery lists and bigger projects on it. Best of
all, the price is right: free. If you spend even an hour a day
on the Web, it is truly worth a try. Still not convinced to give
it a try? Read my in-depth thoughts on it here: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=32&aid=17816
Better
Googling
- things you didn't know Google does http://www.sreetips.com/google.html
Sure, you use Google.com to do all your searching. But how well
do you really know this terrific site? Learn about several new
and ususual features of Google all in one place. They are guaranteed
to improve your Googling. And for fun, check out elgoog - Google
backwards.
Comparing
Countries - get data on various nations Your-Nation.com: http://www.your-nation.com UN CyberSchoolBus InfoNation: http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation/index.asp
Here are two sites that help you compare different countries on
a variety of items. Your-Nation allows you to compare countries
across 75 categories and also provides rankings. The United Nations
students site shows you an overview and other major categories
for two countries at a time. Also check out the rest of the UN
CyberSchoolBus: http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/
SeatGuru.com
- info on U.S. airline seats http://www.seatguru.com
Since I have written in past issues about BoxOfficeGuru.com
and RepairGuru.com - and
because there's a movie out there now called "The
Guru" - I thought I'd alert you to SeatGuru.com.
It's tells you about the seating charts and the seats themselves
on several major U.S. airlines. Before you fly, check out the
color-coded seats to learn why seats are rated "very good
seat," "be aware" and "bad seat."
New-ish
FUN SITES & TIPS
(proof "fun" is a subjective word)
FamousLocations.com
- guides to movie locations http://www.famouslocations.com
If you are a movie buff, you will enjoy this site. Just as the
name says, thousands of famous locations from around the world
- with photos and explanations about how they were used. You can
vist by title - "The Sound of Music" for instance; or
by director - "Alfred Hitchcock; or city - "New York."
World
RPS Society - All about that childhood "game," Rock
Paper Scissors
http://www.worldrps.com Hilarious satire or are they out of their minds? Here's what
the site says about itself: "The World RPS Society is dedicated
to the promotion of Rock Paper Scissors as a fun and safe way
to resolve disputes. We feel that conserving the roots of RPS
is essential for the growth and development of the game and the
players." 'Nuff said.
MY
DEFAULT ITEMS...
(my starting points for various things; may change monthly)
Search
Engine:
Google http://www.google.com/
The best search engine out there. Here's Walt Mossberg of The
Wall Street Journal on Google: "...simply the best search site
I've ever used." If you know Walt's work -- and you should be
following it religiously at http://ptech.wsj.com/
-- you know that he doesn't hand out such praise often. Be sure
to download the free Google toolbar; it will change the way you
search: http://toolbar.google.com/
(no Mac version right now)
Reference
Site:
Refdesk http://www.refdesk.com/
Excellent reference site. Don't just take my word for it. The
New York Times quoted U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell saying
this is his favorite Web site. Run by Bob Drudge, Matt's dad (though
Refdesk doesn't run rumors).
Encyclopedia:
Britannica.com http://www.britannica.com/
The Encyclopedia Britannica on the Web -- basic info free of charge
(the full-access version, which used to be free, now costs $9.95
a month, or $59.95 a year). Read about a FREE offer for journalists:
http://poynter.org/column.asp?id=32&aid=3011
Dictionary:
Merriam-Webster http://www.webster.com/
In offices, dictionaries grow legs and walk. Hence an online dictionary
is a must. This one addresses a major problem I have had with
traditional dictionaries: You need to know how to spell a word
before you look it up. Not here. Just punch in an approximation,
and it will give you a suggested list. And nice etymology. Also
see the new button for your browser; once you download it, you
don't need to go to the site itself in order to lookup a word.
You can do it right from whatever site you are in.
Atlas:
National Geographic's Map Machine http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine/
Leave it to National Geographic to make the best online atlas
with these dynamic maps that will take you to any spot you choose
and allow you to change what kind of map you see, on the fly.
I had no idea there are three towns named Santa Claus in the U.S.
or that my grandfather's village in India is an easy find.
Driving
Directions:
MapQuest http://www.mapquest.com/
For U.S. driving directions, MapQuest remains the best
site. But I also like the new "straight-line" maps from
MapBlast <http://www.mapblast.com>
World
Time:
TimeAndDate.com
http://www.timeanddate.com/
The best set of world clocks and calendars. I like the personal
world clock, which allows you to set and track time in up to 16
cities at one glance.
Software
Downloads:
Download.com http://www.download.com
No need to hit the store to buy software. Almost everything you
need is online and has free trials.
Media
Goings-on:
Jim Romenesko's Media News http://www.medianews.org/
Hosted by Poynter.org, this is news-junkie heaven. I read it more
often and more closely than any other site.
-
- - - -
SREE-DOT-NET
Must-Sree TV http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/technology/
My "Tech Guru" segments on WABC-7 in the New York City area on
Thursday mornings at 6:45 and Saturdays at 7:45 (yes, that's the
a.m.). This is a link to archived Web versions of my segments
-- including Real Video versions for the newer segments.
"Smarter
Surfing" Links: Better Use of Your Web Time http://www.sreetips.com/web.html
Links for various categories of sites, annotated for your surfing
pleasure.
SreeTips
-- the new site http://www.sreetips.com
Links to my tips and thoughts on various items, including laptops,
digital cameras, freelance writing, Web production and more.
Poynter
Web Tips
http://www.poynter.org/web/
Every Tuesday, I write a short Web tip for Poynter.org; MSNBC
technology editor Jonathan Dube writes one every Friday.
If you're in the news biz, you may want to subscribe to Jon's
terrific Cyberjournalist.net
(hosted by the American Press Institute) monthly newsletter -
"tips & talk for the wired world." Drop an e-mail
to cyberjournalist-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
