My 10 favorite Websites
In honor of Labor Day I’m giving you my 10 favorite websites. In no particular order:
- Ars Technica – One of my favorite Technology news websites. Their articles are very well written and have good commentary.
- Lifehacker – I’ve been reading this blog for the past couple of years. I love the mix of Tech tips and tricks with general geek topics. They also are a good place to find new software through their High Five feature.
- Bad Astronomy – I’m a big science geek. This blog is a wonderful place to read science and astronomy news.
- GeekDad - I am not a father, but this website combines geek culture and ki9ds. It is always an interesting read and very entertaining an informative.
- TWiT – Ok this one is a cheat because I actually don’t visit the site much, but I still love the content they produce. They make the ride to and from work a lot more tolerable with their podcasts.
- Get Rich Slowly/The Simple Dollar – Not everyone can be a financial ace. Granted the owners of these two blogs aren’t financial experts or certified, they do offer common sense advice that anyone can follow. They also stress do what works for you and use examples from their life.
- Digital Photo School – Digital Photography is a new hobby for me and this site has a wonderfully written tutorial about how to shoot different kinds of pictures. Even if you don’t have the best equipment you can still put into practice what they talk about. Remember it’s the the camera that makes the photograph, it’s the photographer behind it.
- GoNintendo – I’ve been a gamer for my whole life. I just happen to like Nintendo platforms the most. Nothing against Microsoft or Sony.
- Engadget – A blog about gadgets. It’s something I can sooooo get behind. I love my gadgets.
- XKCD – It’s a web comic that’s basic, funny, and geeky. It’s epic win if I do say so myself.
The Lines of Digital Communication
I am not an expert in communication or what is considered standard communication etiquette. What I do know is how I interpret the communications I get. Which in most cases I do it wrong. It’s a gut feeling based on the the information I have at hand.
In this modern digital age we have many forms of communications between texting, facebook, email, and ect. Yet in all these instances I feel they are impersonal. They take out a very important part of the process. That part is hearing and seeing an instant reaction or the infliction of voice. On the digital front no one sounds exactly as they seem. We are allowed to craft a response that is unnatural. There is only so much one can “write” before it becomes meaningless.
Yes I will admit I am guilty of this, but I also know when to call up a friend to talk to get them to come out for a bit. I prefer the phone call to a text message or of facebook message. When I see my friends are having a bad day through facebook or AIM messages I’ll cal them up. I feel that a familiar voice is worth more than a few bytes of a text or other electronic message. In this day and age it also sends a message that you think they are important to reach out to.
I think it more comes down to balance. We have to know when an electronic interaction is good and when to pick up the phone to call. In this digital age it will get more difficult to make that decision as new forms of communication comes out. The younger generation will be growing up with this new technology and this will be standard for them.
It’s weird that I am in the IT field and yet part of me fells like I miss the days when you had to call someone to get in contact with them. I guess I’m old school like that and will probably continue that trend. I’ll embrace new technology and communications, but I’ll always know the value of a phone call or a nice get together with friends. It’s something that I feel is priceless.
Hulu planning on charging for content
Back in mid-January more details leaked out about Hulu’s planned monthly fee, rumors started to circulate around June 2009. The basic details are for $4.99 a month you will get all the episodes of the most popular shows. Now it sounds like from the article at Ars Technica that each show would have to sign on for this. I would imagine NBC shows like 30 Rock and The Office would be some of the first to be on the initial list. FOX shows would be there also since the push for the monthly fee is coming from them.
Most people would start screaming this is a bad idea. I think this is a good idea, instead of cycling the past 5 episodes you would have access to all the content. Think of being turned onto a show that is already a couple of seasons in you could catch up on Hulu if you are a paying member. I think in the beginning it will only be popular shows and it’ll expand from there.
This goes a long way to make traditional cable more obsolete. With rising cable prices imagine getting the majority of your content through the internet. Of course right now only the hobbyists will make the move when it comes, but when Home Theatre PCs become common in the home this will start pushing more content over the net. It will be a very interesting shift to watch and be a part of.
