I love to read but run into what is undoubtedly a common problem, time. I have always filled a great deal of my free time reading but by the end of the workday I am also ready to rest my eyes. Audiobooks, podcasts and another wonderful discovery, iTunes University, have all been a godsend because I can listen to them anywhere. I find that I am consuming and retaining more by listening than I ever did looking at the page.

Audiobooks

The Web service Audible is devoted to not only selling but also producing a massive library of audiobooks. The titles are playable on a wide range of devices including computers, iPods, iPhones, blackberrys, cell phones, CD’s and GPS devices making books widely available on the go!

There are over 75,000 titles available in every book genre. Also available are magazines, newspapers, podcasts and exclusive content produced for the service.  A collection of talented readers make the quality of content produced directly by Audible itself amazing and resulting in many of the books sounding more like plays than books.

Note: Audible was purchased  in 2008 by Amazon.com.

Free Audiobooks
Many libraries, including my own Monroe County library system, offers audiobooks as free downloads. You basically “borrow” the books for a specific period of time just as you would anything else from the library, after which the content expires and is not playable. While this is a great way to download free content, the selections are usually more limited than you can find on Audible or iTunes. Also the books are heavily locked down with Digital Rights Management and because Windows Media Player plays well with DRM, much of the content has to go through that program first. This can sometimes make it difficult to actually get on a device like the iPod or to play well with a MAC or something new that is not readily supported.

Still I would recommend you visit your library’s Web page to see what is available.

iTunes University

Another amazing source of free educational content, both audio and visual, is iTunes University. The content here is lecture and course based. The appeal is that you can take a course from a college like Stanford or MIT for free, from home! A lover of technology, media and history, I have found a great deal of content on these subjects on iTunes U.

Currently I am “taking” a course on iPhone/iPad OS development taught through Stanford University that comes complete with downloadable course material. It is amazing the level of detail and insight you can gain on a subject, all for free.

Content Freedom
The best part about all of this content is that you can easily take it with you to fill the free moments of your day. I listen while driving to work, on my lunch hour, before bed and most important of all while cleaning my house or mowing my lawn. Audiobooks take the chore out of reading and it also helps pass the time when doing real chores.

Juggling multiple social networking sites can be a challenge for anyone. For me, between being a full-time student at SUNY Brockport and an intern at Tipping Point Media, my time management skills are constantly being put to the test. Managing all the messages, requests and other interactions on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Delicious, my personal e-mail, work e-mail, and school e-mail, not to mention the SUNY Learning Network (for my online courses), is a lot to keep track of.

Those listed above are only a small portion of the online tools in existence. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few months it’s how to gradually take on and manage these networks. The key word there is “gradual”. Social networking sites do require time and they can be slightly overwhelming. Hence, I’ve watched many of my friends jump into a social networking site simply because a friend, teacher, or co-worker told them they should. It always ends in disaster or, worse yet, they log on once and never again! One thing I have found helpful is taking a gradual approach to getting involved in social networking. Although these platforms can be extremely beneficial in keeping up with the latest news while remaining in contact with others, they may have an opposite effect if not prioritized.

Over the past year, I have been steadily expanding my presence on several of these sites but before joining I ask myself, “Why should I join this network and how can a presence on it benefit me?” There are different answers for different networks. For example, I joined LinkedIn about two years ago in an effort to help establish a more “professional” profile and network with people that share common interests. I decided that the “Job Search” function on LinkedIn could play a potential role in the development of my career.

It wasn’t until last summer that I decided to enter the Twitter world, which at the time I really didn’t have the hours to put an effort into. I was one of those people who joined, posted a couple of Tweets, and almost never went on again. To be honest, I didn’t have much of a desire to tell anyone willing to listen exactly what I was doing every minute of my day, I thought the whole idea behind it was a little creepy.

I reexamined the site this past fall and decided there was a benefit in being a part of this network. Information sharing didn’t have to mean posting my shower and sleeping status, it could mean sharing information relevant to my own interests. Once I got past my initial impression of Twitter, I realized it was really cool. By following the right people or media sites, I had instant access to the information most relevant to my own interests. Although I try to check each site on a daily basis, I don’t let them consume my life. I have found linking my Twitter account directly to my LinkedIn account to be a great time saving mechanism.

Being discriminating and figuring out ahead of time how a social network can benefit my life has turned my interaction from a chore to a daily habit that comes with untold benefits. To get there, I just had to focus in on a few and dedicate myself to using them.

From solar-power to less toxicity, here are some of the best eco-friendly mobiles.

Very few of us can live without a mobile device that keeps us connected while on the go, but our cell phones and PDAs contribute to toxic waste and lost resources, especially at the rate with which we upgrade. You can do your part by choosing a greener cell phone the next time you’re looking to trade-up.

Social Media Seminars

I LOVE talking and learning about social media and I am not alone at Tipping Point Media! One of my favorite parts of my job is when I get to join our team in showing off just what sites like Twitter and Facebook can do for their organization.

January 19th and 20th Tipping Point is holding social media seminars and they are open to the public. There are several to choose from and there are options for all skill levels. If you are interested, check out our Web site.

Google Promotes Nexus One on Google.com

Google’s Nexus One strategy: It’s the advertising. Google’s Nexus One is being promoted on a piece of prime online search real estate that no advertiser normally has access to. U.S. users going to Google.com yesterday saw a promotion for Nexus One right underneath the search box. Preparing for the mobile future, Google is pushing devices that will ensure easy access to their sites.

US Seeks to Give All Americans High Speed Internet Access

The U.S. government is spending more than $7 billion to bring high speed Internet access to all Americans. It is a huge infrastructure project and its goal is to make sure every American – including those who live in impoverished urban and rural areas – can take advantage of the World Wide Web.

OK…OK… Where Old Gadgets Go to Die

Quick Hits

• 2020 Vision: Why you won’t recognize the ‘Net in 10 years
• The 35 Most Useful Twitter Blog Posts
• Foursquare Goes Global
• What’s Working for Social Media Marketers?
• 5 Essential Resources for the NFL Playoffs

Tile Wholesalers

One of my first assignments at Tipping Point was to attend a photo shoot at Tile Wholesalers. The company was working on major changes to their Web site at the time and a photographer came in with a special lens to capture images for a 360* Virtual walk tour of the stores beautiful new showroom.

Before I became a homeowner, tile wasn’t something I knew much about. Life really changes when you buy a house and I admit, during most of the photo shoot I was imagining how different tile would look in my bathroom and kitchen.

I snapped a few photos of the camera and the showroom. You can view the finished product from the shoot on Tile Wholesalers site.

Did You Notice?

Twitter dropped “What are you doing” and the site now asks “What’s Happening.”

Thoughts?

Windows 7

I have been using Windows 7 for some time now, playing with the early “release candidate” and a few of the beta versions that were out months ago. I have watched the sales version of the operating system run successfully on both a desktop and netbook over the last few weeks. The verdict? I have to say, I like it.

Windows 7 retains what little I liked of Microsoft Vista and most of the stability of Windows Xp. I still won’t be giving up my Mac anytime soon but a few weeks since install and I have yet to receive an “I need help” call from my parents. On my scale, that makes it a favorite!

Linkable

• Time Spent Viewing Video on Social Networking Sites Up 98% Year-Over-Year In October
• How NOT to network in LinkedIn
• ‘Augmented reality’ fuses your world and the Web