Options for finding storage space in the cloud

We always stress the importance of having students save their work to an external device, since it won't be saved on the computer once it is restarted. We have a couple of options that we've recommended to students over the semesters: checking out an external hard drive and having them send the document to themselves using UD's Dropbox service. Something else you might want to consider is referring them to cloud storage, where people can save their data to a remote server. The NYTimes has a good article that goes over several free and paid options for saving information to the cloud. Here are some options, in a nutshell:

Google Drive

SkyDrive from Microsoft

Dropbox.com

SugarSync

Google Changes The Way It Does Search

Today Google announced a big change in its approach to searching. Google has declared this as the first step in transitioning from an "information agent" to a "knowledge agent".

Google is going to implement the changes slowly, but some users will begin seeing the feature this week. The major change will be that you'll see a separate "knowledge panel" to the right of your regular search results that provides information about whatever you are searching for.

Read more about these changes on the Google blog.

Video Editing...in Photoshop?

With Adobe CS6 getting a lot of attention as of late, I looked over the updated feature set that Sara posted about earlier this month. When I learned that Photoshop Extended would include more video editing features than previous versions, I was stunned--you mean to tell me that Photoshop has had a full-featured video editor built in since CS3? For students who have video projects at the end of the semester, we can suggest several programs: iMovie, Movie Maker, Final Cut, Premiere, and now, Photoshop Extended! Especially for those users more at home in Photoshop than a program like Final Cut (and want more filters, text options, and level adjustments that the basic editors offer), this is a "hidden gem." Check out this tutorial from Pro Video Coalition to see how PS (CS4) handles video surprisingly well.

Trabant Copy Center services

I was in the Trabant University Center the other day and stopped by the Copy Center to check out services there. (They don't have a handout or web site with price info.) So as of now:

Color printing and copying:
8.5x11 up to 12x18: $.70 per copy, over 50 copies a discount (doesn't say how much)

Black and white printing and copying:
8.5x11 up to 12x18: $.10 (may also have discount for over 50pp)

Posters/banners, black ink on color or white paper only, no color ink posters:
18x24: $5.00
18x48: $10.00

Fax:
US: 1st page, $2.00, each additional page, $1.00
International: 1st page, $5.00, each additional page, $3.00.

They also have a station to print out photos (Kodak kiosk), didn't get a price on that.

Rich

Touchè

More and more technology is becoming capable of sensing motion and touch. What happens when we are able to utilize this tech outside of metallic surfaces and touch screens?

UD Thesis Styles

You may have helped students in printing their UD Thesis in the past, but what you may not know is that there is updated Styleguides that students can use in MS Word and LaTeX. Info from the site: The UDThesis Styles are designed to provide standard formatting for dissertations, executive position papers, and theses according to the University of Delaware Office of Graduate and Professional Education's Thesis and Dissertation Manual. They also provide standard formatting for Honors Senior Thesis with Distinction and Senior Thesis with Distinction according to the Board of Senior Thesis Readers and Undergraduate Research Program's Senior Thesis Handbook.

Google Doc Drawing Feature

You may or may not know of a really great feature within Google Apps that you are able to access with your UDel email. It is the Google Doc Drawing creator. If you go into Google Documents on the top of your email screen you will see a tab that says "Create." After you click create there is a drop down menu that has a couple options. One of the options on the drop down menu is "Drawing." You can open the drawing feature and then go at it. There are options to insert pictures, shapes, text, word art, lines, and arrows. This is a great tool to use if you want to make a flow charts or concept charts. You also get all the great perks to working within Google Docs as well. No need to worry about the computer crashing and losing all your work because it saves automatically to Docs every few seconds while working on it. You can also utilize the collaborating feature which allows for whoever you want to work on the same drawing at the same time without having to email things back and forth. A great tool that I would definitely recommend!

Adobe CS6 is here!

There's been a lot of buzz about Adobe's latest version of its Creative Suite software package and what changes and improvements it will bring. Here's a quick rundown of the major new features in each program and what they mean for users.

For now, the SMDC is running CS5 on all its Windows and Mac computers. Do you think it's worth it to update to the latest CS6?

Student film festival May 10 (deadline May 7)

OK I know some of you have made great videos, here's your chance to submit it to Reel Productions' Campus Filmfest. Andrew Czudak who works here won a prize in 2010 for his video "Transfer the Package", take a look if you haven't seen it. You could be next!
Rich

Looking for a job? Watch what you post....

This is for our graduating seniors..... Looking for a job? Your potential employer may be looking at your Facebook or searching the web for other info. about you! Read this article from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Bottom line -- on Facebook, keep your settings on private!

Need a Part Time Job? Apply to be a Multimedia Student Assistant!

Do you love helping people? Do you have experience making movies, creating soundtracks, or working with computers? Do you want to make money while having fun and gaining valuable experience at the same time? Then apply to be a Multimedia Student Assistant at the Student Multimedia Design Center! We're looking for proactive, tech-savvy students who would like to work in a dynamic, public service driven environment. We have quite a few positions available (eight, to be exact!), so if this sounds like the job for you, what are you waiting for? Fill out the Library Student Employment Application Form (.pdf or .docx) and send it, along with your resume, to Eve Ellis at eellis@udel.edu. For more information about the position, check out the official job description.