With smartphones becoming our go-to device for taking pictures, videos, and listening to music many of us aren’t backing-up that data like we should. PC Magazine recently had a post about how to back up your Apple iOS products to iCloud that can help get you started. Don’t let a lost, broken, or stolen phone lose your precious files. By backing them up, you won’t miss a beat if the unfortunate happens to you.
Not only is backing up data important for Apple products but for Android devices as well. Here’s an article to get you started backing up your Android device.
In a previous post, we talked about the Heartbleed bug and its danger to users of many popular websites. Besides these websites, it turns out we also need to be concerned about our mobile devices. “Of the smartphones in use, only Android devices are vulnerable to this form of attack” The Guardian reported. “Apple does not use the vulnerable version of OpenSSL on the iPhone or iPad, while Microsoft said that neither Windows Phone nor Windows is affected.”
So what can you do if you have an Android device?
First, check the list of 80 Android phones/tablets that might be vulnerable. Second, download the Heartbleed Detector, a free app developed by Lookout and scan your device. If you do have a vulnerable version of Android, users should look for an update to protect themselves. “If … there’s no fix available for you, I would be very cautious about using that device for sensitive data,” Lookout’s Marc Rogers told Ars Technica.
According to an overview of the E-Reading Rises as Device Ownership Jumps report from Pew Internet on January 16th…
The proportion of Americans who read e-books is growing, but few have completely replaced print books for electronic versions.
The percentage of adults who read an e-book in the past year has risen to 28%, up from 23% at the end of 2012. At the same time, about seven in ten Americans reported reading a book in print, up four percentage points after a slight dip in 2012, and 14% of adults listened to an audiobook.
Though e-books are rising in popularity, print remains the foundation of Americans’ reading habits. Most people who read e-books also read print books, and just 4% of readers are “e-book only.” Audiobook listeners have the most diverse reading habits overall, while fewer print readers consume books in other formats.
Image by lukew. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
Over five years ago, the seven regional Minnesota multitype library systems brought you 23 Things on a Stick, a self-paced learning program about Web 2.0 tools. Over 300 people in our Central Minnesota region engaged in the self-paced online learning fun, and we had a large group of people who finished the program too!
When it comes to technology, five years is a long time and there have been a lot of changes. A big change is the shift to mobile devices. We know that PCs are on the decline and mobile devices are skyrocketing. Therefore, we think it only makes sense to continue the learning with a focus on “mobile.” This version of the program will also be a self-paced learning program that will identify 23 types of apps for you to explore or take to a whole new level. As we did in the original program, we will be asking participants to blog about their progress through the program. As noted by a participant from the past program, “the blog posts are where the real sharing happens. By reading the blogs of others in the program, I can easily see how others in the field are using the tools in their work setting, and sometimes in their personal lives too. This application piece is what creates the ‘stickiness’ I need to retain new information”
The program will be open to all staff in any Minnesota library – public, academic, school, or special – as well as members of their Governing Boards, their Friends groups, or Advisory Groups. Experienced users as well as novices and everyone in between are invited to join. Although this is a self-paced and self-directed program, CMLE staffers and additional coaches will be monitoring, coaching, and encouraging bloggers from Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties in Minnesota.
CMLE may offer some workshops to support this program, but not for every Thing. This is a self-paced program, and participants are encouraged to work together in their libraries or region and share their discoveries and techniques. Sharing can happen in person or through participant blogs. Registration happens as part of Thing 1 (projected for January), so be thinking about which mobile device you might use, and stay tuned for future updates!
Image by Mosi. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
This coming month, American Libraries Live is talking about how to incorporate various devices into library services AND internal staff activity. Register to attend Tablets and Mobile Applications on Thursday, November 14th at 1 pmCentral Time. Click here to register for this free broadcast.
Tip: Missed a past broadcast? Click here to view archived episodes.
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