Tech Shortcuts

I found this great video with a short TED talk by David Pogue sharing 10 great little Tech Shortcuts that everyone should know about. You may know about some or all of these, but there will be some out there who don't. I've listed a couple of my favourite tips, but it's worth watching the video below to see what the others are (it's only about 6 minutes after all!)
My Favourite tips:
1. Don't use the mouse to scroll down a page! Pressing the space bar in any internet browser will allow you to scroll down. Alternatively pressing the shift key and spacebar at the same time will scroll up.
2. When the text on your page is too small press the CTRL and + keys at the same time to enlarge the text - keep pressing these keys and the text will get bigger each time. Alternatively pressing the CTRL and - keys together will cause the text to grow smaller.
3. Google is not only a tool that allows you to look up webpages but it is also a dictionary, a calculator, a flight tracker and much more.
Dictionary: type define and the word you want to look up (eg. define doppelganger) and your definition will appear
Calculator: type your equation into the search bar and your answer will appear
Flight Tracker: Type the flight you wish to find in the search bar
Have a look at this article for more great Google Shortcuts

DVD Recommendation : Catfish

I got the chance to watch Catfish a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely loved it. I went into it not knowing much about the movie/documentary and I thought that was the best thing I could have done, so I'll try not to give too much away here. I got it for the school as I thought it would be a great DVD to show the students about Facebook and how not everyone on it, and online, are not always what they seem or what they tell you. A great lesson in cyber safety to be learnt here and overall a very interesting, entertaining and thrilling DVD to watch.

Blurb: 'Film makers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sense a story unfolding as they begin to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They have no idea that their project will lead to the most exhilerating and unsettling months of their lives as they unravel an intriguing Facebook mystery. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.

How to Choose a Search Tool

Using the internet is a convenient way to quickly source information. Most of us understand the basics we need to find what we are looking for. However, there are times when you are frustrated by results not meeting your requirements. What can you do? You could access Internet Tutorials – How to Choose a Search Tool to determine which are the best search engines for your query. For example, if you are after podcasts or videos try: Academic Earth, Big think, Blogginghead.tv, Fancast, FORA.tv, iTunesU, Podcast Search Service, TED, Youtube.
This site has documented a comprehensive list of search specific options including speciality searches, search logic, fields & file types and search results. Good luck and happy searching!