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, Anne Beier, Tara Calishain,
Larry Chase, Jon Dube, Kushal Dutt, Ken Leebow, Sarah Milstein,
Julie Moos, Bob Romano, Jane Tabachnick, Al Tompkins, Deborah
Wassertzug. 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
Also see new "Web Tips" published every Tuesday &
Friday on Poynter.org (written with Jon Dube of CyberJournalist.net):
http://www.poynter.org/web
New-ish
USEFUL SITES & TIPS (sites
I find useful in some way)
Sree's
Top Three - weekly technology suggestions http://www.sreetips.com/top3.html
Each Saturday at 7:45 a.m. on WABC in the NYC area, I do a segment
about my top three picks in a particular category. At this site
for my accompanying Web column, you can see my choices for movie,
music, homework and tax sites, among others. Suggestions welcome.
Today's
Front Pages - see front pages from around the world http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages
This site, from Newseum.org, collects front pages from 213 newspapers
in 30 countries and displays them as webpages and PDF files. I
use this to compare how stories get covered in our hyper-newsy
times. Even when I don't know the language, I find it useful to
compare display, photographs, etc.
GuruNet
- beyond searching, to research http://www.gurunet.com
This was first recommended by my tech writing guru, Walt
Mossberg of The
Wall Street Journal. It's a piece of downloadable software that
works as an excellent reference guide. Once it's on your PC, you
can hold down the ALT key and left-click on any word in any program
and it will bring up GuruNet and its vast array of reference materials.
After a free two-week trial, it costs $34.99. I would strongly
recommend downloading it and trying it out. No Macintosh version
yet (Mac users should be using the new Apple Safari browser).
From the folks who brought you Atomica, a software product that
had a lot of fans. See my Poynter column on GuruNet:
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=32&aid=25295
Better
Googling
- things you didn't know Google does http://www.sreetips.com/google.html
Sure, you use Google to do your searches. But there's more to
Google than just basic searching. Learn about the latest features
- some useful, some just plain fun.
Froogle
- getting better online prices made easier http://www.froogle.com
This play on the word "frugal" is by Google and is a
great new way to enhance your online shopping experience. Just
type in the name or the model of a product and you'll get direct
links to thousands of online stores selling what you seek.
New-ish
FUN SITES & TIPS
(proof "fun" is a subjective word)
GE's
Imagination Marker - hi-tech drawing fun http://www.imaginationatwork.com/Imagine
Think of this as a hi-tech magic marker. Just grab it and draw
on the screen using your mouse. You can choose your pen size,
color, sheet color and more. The two best parts: hit "preview"
to see the your handiwork come to life; and hit "send"
to e-mail it to a friend.
Googlism.com
- fun with Google http://www.googlism.com
Type in a word and see what results you get from this site, which
"mines" the Google database. Not always 100 percent
accurate, but fun nevertheless.
ChildrensLit.com - all about children's literature http://www.childrenslit.com Anne Beier writes: "A good website for children's
book writers and teachers/educators is . Great links to many author/illustrator
web sites. This site also offers book reviews and conferences."
-
- - - -
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).
See my piece on Better
Googling
- things you didn't know Google does http://www.sreetips.com/google.html
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.poynter.org/medianews
This is news-junkie heaven. I read it more often and more closely
than any other site.
"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
