grabe @grabe@twit.social
Retired academic still interested in educational technology and all things tech.
Joined Jan 2021
Very impressed with the capabilities of the Echo Show 10. Audio quality is great for music and video is impressive. We bought two to receive $100 rebate.
AARP for tech news? Why not? Good source explaining subsidy for Internet access.
Google recently provided an hour and a half review of its educational offerings and new developments - Learning with Google 2021. The session is obviously a marketing effort, but the information seems useful.
I can’t vouch for the accuracy of these data or this source, but this post considers the topic of Bitcoin mining and energy consumption.
https://braiins.com/blog/a-summary-of-bitcoins-energy-consumption-debate
My wife has been on chat and the phone with Amazon for more than hour. In November she bought 4 Echo Shows that just arrived today. She learned that as an introductory offer Amazon was giving anyone purchasing 2 Shows a $100 rebate. She wanted the $100, but was told this did not apply to her. She was told to send back the four she received and reorder. She contends this is wasteful to Amazon, but will do it if necessary. It does seem silly.
Interesting observation from grandkids just back face to face after a year online. “We still can’t do group work because of social distancing requirement. The teachers talk a lot.” Social nature of learning still not normal. So near and yet so far.
The pencil is better than laptop for taking notes position challenged by new research. I still think the researchers are asking the wrong question. You take notes for use at a later time.
https://learningaloud.com/blog/2021/02/23/read-the-methods-section/
Finally received my first COVID shot today. We drove to a small pharmacy about 90 miles from Minneapolis because that seems the way many are finding the vaccine in Minnesota.
Ngram allows users to search the digital books stored by Google to track the change in word frequency over time. Putnam used such data to argue for trends in society. Interesting to explore.
Something a little different. The Minnesota DNR eagle cam has spotted the first egg of the season. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/features/webcams/eaglecam/index.html
This is a recording of the Introduction of Senate Bill 2333 in North Dakota opposing Apple's app store practices.
Tomorrow, the North Dakota legislature will take on the policies of Apple and Google. For an ex resident, it is always amusing to read how the state is described. Still, this is a serious consideration.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/14/technology/north-dakota-tech-apps.html
Jigsaw developing tools to fight online toxicity. Experimental tool available as a chrome extension.
https://www.learningaloud.com/curmudgeonspeaks/2021/02/12/take-control-of-online-toxicity/
Tom Friedman warns cyberspace will destroy democracy.
I agree with this post commenting on DuckDuckGo. Sometimes it is a values choice. https://9to5mac.com/2021/02/09/duckduckgo/
Hackers target water treatment plant - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-water-treatment-plant-hack-fbi-investigation/
Trump administration will not challenge California effort to assure net neutrality- https://thehill.com/policy/technology/537874-biden-administration-drops-lawsuit-against-californias-net-neutrality-law?amp
Cookies are just the existing means and not the core problem.
https://techxplore.com/news/2021-02-google-diet-cookies-track-users.amp
except to the extent the provider or user has accepted payment to make the speech available or, in whole or in part, created or funded the creation of the speech.
A little help, this from the proposed Safe Tech Act. Does this mean any social service that includes ads would now be considered the publisher for liability purposes of content posted by any user?
TWIT folks are obviously podcast listeners and podcasters. I have an unusual suggestion for a podcast that offers a culturally different perspective on current events. Breakdancing with Wolves offers a familiar podcast style from a unique perspective. A kind of pirate radio with an Urban Native vibe taking on familiar topics - https://soundcloud.com/breakdanceswithwolves/
Retired academic still interested in educational technology and all things tech.
Joined Jan 2021
