Is Cord-Cutting Right for You?

Posted on Friday, December 13, 2019 by Brandy

mug of warm beverage posed in front of screen with "Netflix" logo on itAre you considering alternatives to your traditional cable plan, but don’t know where to start? Cord-cutting, as it’s become known, has many potential cost benefits, but it’s important for you to do your research before severing ties with your cable provider. The library has many free tools to help you make a decision based on your household’s enjoyment of movies and TV shows.

High-Speed Internet Connection
Before going the cord-cutter route, you need to check the speed of your home’s internet connection and wireless router. You’ll need an internet speed of at least 8 megabits per second (Mbps) for standard high quality video. Additionally, Consumer Reports recommends investing in a Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) router so that your high-speed internet is efficiently broadcast throughout your home. The most direct method of confirming your internet speed and router model is to call your internet service provider.

Streaming Media Devices
Next, you’ll want to examine the type of device you’ll be using to stream movies and TV shows. Perhaps you already have a television with built-in Wi-Fi, also known as a smart TV. If so, that may be all you need to get started. Continue reading “Is Cord-Cutting Right for You?”

Your Digital Legacy

Posted on Friday, April 12, 2019 by Seth

Several years ago the New York Times published an article about creating your digital legacy, a piece that echoed many of the thoughts that preservation specialists have been expressing since the advent of the internet: what happens to our digital photos, online accounts, and other items stored on remote hard-drives and in the cloud when we are no longer able to maintain them?  What are some of the best strategies for organizing these collections and accounts?  Who has access to our usernames and passwords after we die? What happens after the androids rise up and enslave us all?

Fortunately, archivists, librarians and preservation organizations have taken these questions very seriously. In 2005, Preservation Week was established by the American Library Association in an effort to educate the general public on practical strategies for taking care of their priceless artifacts and digital collections.  In 2014 the Daniel Boone Regional Library began offering a Personal Archiving course that teaches some of the basics behind digital preservation. In the five years this course has been offered we have also assisted patrons with digitization; scanning hundreds of family photos, slides and documents in our Studio digital lab. The library also offers many complimentary classes such as Windows 10, Basic File Management, iCloud and Google Photos to assist patrons with other aspects of file and cloud storage. Continue reading “Your Digital Legacy”

Road Trip! Apps for Your Summer Travel

Posted on Friday, August 5, 2016 by Mike

My original idea for this article was to list some of the best travel apps available. However, as I got into researching apps, I quickly realized how ludicrous that idea was. There are a ton of travel apps to choose from, and most specialize in just a specific part of traveling. So, instead of telling you which travel apps are the best, let me introduce you to a variety of apps that may help you with different aspects of your summer travels.

Navigation:

Cover artWaze
Waze touts itself as a “community-based” traffic and navigation app. One of its most popular features shows road construction and how long it is taking other Waze users to get through it. You can report hazards in the road, cars on the shoulder or accidents so others can be aware of their locations and avoid them. The app can also display gas prices for finding the cheapest price, and users can submit updates if that price has changed.

Cover artRoadTrippers
This app lets you put in start and finish points, then shows you points of interest or businesses along the way. You can filter what you are looking for, like restaurants or historical sites, based on different categories. This app also shows places to visit a little out of your way and helps you navigate to them. Continue reading “Road Trip! Apps for Your Summer Travel”

An Adult’s Guide to the Pokémon Go Craze

Posted on Friday, July 29, 2016 by Mike

Pokémon Go is the latest app craze taking over the country. And while the game is gluing kids (of all ages) to their phones, this app has added a twist; it is used outside.

(For reference, outside is a magical place with a giant ball of energy in the sky and other life forms. It’s cool.)

Before we get into what the app does and how it works, let’s start by asking a question: what is a Pokémon?

Pokémon began as a video game back in the 1990s for the Nintendo Game Boy. From there it grew into a collectible card game, cartoons, toys and more. Pokémon are creatures in the wild that can be caught, trained and evolved. Trainers can also battle with their Pokémon against other trainers.

Now, here is how the app works:

You walk around a map of your area and use your device (typically a smartphone) to look for Pokémon. They appear, and your device vibrates to let you know.
Pokemon Go screenshot Continue reading “An Adult’s Guide to the Pokémon Go Craze”