Question: Robert writes: I would like to better understand computers and would like the recommendation of a beginner's book. I am a user in the workplace, but just a plain user...that's it. Just want to gain a better understanding.
Answer: In general, for absolute beginners and folks who consider themselves a bit more, I like Microsoft's "Step by Step" series and their "Plain & Simple" series. The Step by Step series is a bit more complete, topic-wise, than the Plain & Simple series, but the Plain & Simple series is wonderfully illustrated, making it good for folks who respond to a more visual learning style. After all, a picture is worth... you know. I bought one of the "Plain & Simple" series' predecessor's books and enjoyed it. I'm considering such a book for Vista because I don't use it, but since I sell it, I should be able to support it and I don't have the screens memorized yet. Along those visual-learner lines is a series of books called "Teach Yourself Visually" but I don't know who the publisher is. I've checked this series out before in the bookstores but I've actually never bought one.
Cool Site: http://www.flightwaware.com: Flightaware is one of many websites that lets you track airline flights in real time. My brother is traveling right now and told me about this site. You can track planes in flight by their tail number, or by the airline and flight number, or by airport code. In addition to this, the site offers resources for pilots like flight planning assistance for instrument pilots; plane photos that are keyed to the tail number; commercial services; aviation news; discussions; and what they call squawks where “members submit the links and then vote to decide which stories are important, interesting, or amusing.” As an aviation buff, this is pretty great.
Cool Gadget: From a Japanese company called Thanko comes the All-In-One Media Player Sunglasses. I read about this one on Gearlog.com. You can use these glasses to play sound or music files, and you can watch videos in several formats. When you watch a video in the glasses, the optics make the image appear to be 50 diagonal inches in size. I’m thankful that things like this get cheaper as time goes by, because this particular gadget costs around $324, but it comes with the glasses, remote control, AC adapter, earphones, a USB cable to charge the glasses and transfer files, and a carrying case.
It's All “Geek” To Me: Blog: Most technological advances carry with them whether directly or as a side effect a different or more efficient way to communicate. The Web is no exception. The word Blog is a contraction of the two words Web Log and it refers to a web site where its owner writes on whatever topics he feels like writing about. Visitors to the blog can add their own comments to each entry and discuss the topics among themselves and the site’s owner.
