iTunes U: the Future of "Free" Education

I have never been more grateful for an app. You can now get actual, full-length university courses right on your iPad or iPhone. You can choose from more than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books, and other resources on thousands of subjects from Algebra to Zoology.

This app would be particularly useful for those poor, self-taught students - except that, you know, they'll need to at least own an iTouch. Apple tells it best: No matter how poor you are or how underdeveloped your country may be, Apple is all you need.

Regardless of marketing ploys, tactics or hidden incentives, I am truly grateful for any form of free education and would like to share many thanks to the universities, writers, lecturers, instructors, developers, etc. Keep them coming.

Invasive Social Networking

I have valid concerns about the Internet. It already knows too much about me - and not enough about other things. My only comfort is that no one cares enough to do anything with the information that is already out there. But it takes one. It takes only one psycho maniac to look up everything about me. And do what with that information exactly? I don't know. Perhaps murder a goat and hold me accountable.

Like many people, I had a Myspace in my preteen years. When I reached high school, a friend made me a Facebook account and filled in the deets. Everything just took off from there. I attempted tweeting for fun, but had no fun to tweet. I signed up to Foursquare, but upon realizing what it was, ran away without updating my location. I turned to Google+ to get ahead of the curve, but Google+ flopped as did all of Google's social networking attempts. (That's a good thing, people. Google failing is good.)

As a blogger, website developer and online marketing manager, I am expected to love social media. And I do - for marketing. I dislike the personal use of online networks. I dislike the expectation that I should love social media or that I should at least be a willing participant.

I once told someone I couldn't provide a phone number because I didn't own a cell phone. Granted it was an obvious lie, I was annoyed when questioned. Why should I have a cellular phone? Why should I own anything that I don't need? That I don't want at all?

I currently hold social media accounts only for business marketing and SEO purposes - with the exception of a personal Facebook and private Twitter used to talk to people who won't respond to me. I've since privatized all my Facebook photos and restricted all but my closest friends. Some friends think I am overdoing it - but maybe they're underdoing it?

Flash Drives for Scientists

A good flash drive is all about functionality and usability - but why not take the creative route and go for something that speaks to your personality? There are so many unique drives on the market nowadays that you can most certainly find one that represents you.  Some of my favorite science flash drives for the lab include:

Einstein USB Flash Drive MIMOBOT from Mimico

My personal piece is this Einstein Flash Drive from Mimico. Pop off the Einstein MIMOBOT cap and reveal a playful, lighter side of the Nobel Prize winning scientist - the "Albert" side.

IMM Ruler USB 2GB Flash Drive from AudioCubes.com

This ruler flash drive can store 2GB of data and measure up to 5 inches of anything. What more could anyone ask for?

Leather Thermometer USB Flash Drive

The leather isn't real, but the thermometer might be. You won't be able to dunk this thermometer into solution, but it's always nice to know the temperature.

Spinacz Wooden Clamp Drive

What can I say? It clips. Stick it on your shirt or use it to clamp some wires.

Bargain Shopping: Facebook Acquires Instagram for $1 Billion

Although Instagram has been struggling to monetize its popular service, selling out to Facebook for $1 billion is a colossal waste. (This is coming from someone who will probably never see $1 billion in her lifetime.) Twitter has been struggling to monetize itself since its very existence, but for what it lacks in revenue it makes up in influence. And influence can go a long way (with big money lying along that way). I believe that with the right developers, marketers and amount of time, Instagram can easily come to rival Twitter. I can't give Instagram and Twitter concrete plans on how to rack up money for their popular services, but I know that they're worth a lot more than one billion. Twitter knew that when Facebook initially offered to buy it out. Instagram by Facebook will soon learn of its true value as well.

Zuckerberg made the right decision here: He took out a major competitor that will surely threaten Facebook's future prospects. At its heart, Facebook is a photo sharing social network. Instagram is just that - but for mobile devices. In the age of rising mobile users, Facebook is falling behind. Mobile users have been turning to Twitpic and Instagram to share photos. With Facebook's acquisition of Instagram, all photo sharing, desktop and mobile, can be conveniently made on Instabook (or whatever we're calling it now).

I say Instagram should have at least waited on Google's offer. Give Google some time to ponder and they'll probably think it through. As desperate as Google+ has been to beat out Facebook, I'm sure Google will be willing to shill out big bucks for any attempt to level the social networking arena. A struggle between the two would have been fun to watch while Instagram investors would come out with much more than the spare change that Facebook decided to throw their way.

The same story from the words of:
  Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram

P.S.& I've been really disliking Google. Their whole "being big without being evil" slogan isn't really working out for them anymore. Their search results are no longer organic. Google used to provide good, relevant search results that no other search engine could rival. Now I am bombarded with "personalized" results (shown in attempt to coerce people into using their Google+) or irrelevant Adwords. This rant will be continued in the future when it finds a post of its own.

Best Sources for Free Quality eBooks

There are many sources of free books on the web. As an advocate of free knowledge (but mostly as a thrifty reader), I love to share this with everyone. Many people don't seem to realize that copyrights expire and books become free to read, to distribute, and to inspire (as many should). There is always something available to read and to learn from as long as you are willing. Below are some of my recommended websites to visit when in search of a good read:

Girlebooks is no doubt my favorite eBook source. I'm a sucker for the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen, Victorian romance novels and the likes. Girlebooks offers classic and contemporary eBooks by female writers. Girlebooks eBooks are formatted into multiple eBook formats to accommodate most readers. I've had difficulties reading pdf on my Barnes and Noble Nook, but one of the formats offered by Girlebooks is perfect for my Nook! The founders and volunteers here produce great quality formatted works I truly admire and profit from daily.

Emily Bronte courtesy of Girlebooks

When speaking of free quality eBooks, who could omit Project Gutenberg? Probably the largest of its kind, Project Gutenberg offers over 38,000 free ebooks: epub books, kindle books, pdf, html, etc. Completely free of charge, Project Gutenberg books are formatted and edited by thousands of volunteers. Their mission is, as it always has been, to encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks.

Lastly, if you choose to read books on your phone (I do not), BooksInMyPhone provides thousands of free books you can read from the convenience of your cell phone. I prefer not to spend hours peering over small LCD screens, but I love the initiative to bring great reads and knowledge to any platform available.