Posted 8:27 AM by George Siemens
If all that you have is a hammer, everything looks like a browser.
Quotes: "The concept [digital dashboards] is compelling: We all feel, intuitively, as though we're overwhelmed by an inflow of information, notifications, requests, solicitations. We're involved in online conversations, transactions, and workflows. We need to stay on top of things: if only it could all be aggregated in one place, life would be better.
Only one problem, with all due respect: Unless you do very little work online, the concept of weaving all of your activity into a single web page couldn't be more misguided - from an efficiency and effectiveness standpoint...history has shown that most every attempt to combine different modes of interaction into a single interface has failed."
Comment: Ray Ozzie continues his not-so-subtle promotion of Groove-like technologies as the future of interaction. He does make a very valid point: "In an era where we do more and more and more of our communications and work with others online, we need tools that help us to get that work done faster and more effectively. That means creative, innovative software, hardware, and systems. That means leveraging the power of technology with effective human and inter-human interface as the #1 goal."

Posted 8:11 AM by George Siemens
Stamp out technology virginity via Kairosnews
Quote: "You find technology virgins everywhere: Teachers who insist on getting detailed training for every new piece of technology that shows up; librarians who refuse to figure out the Internet text searching tools; doctors who won't use computer technology because it is beneath them; managers who deny their employees access to the Internet. Common to them all is that they are severely middle-aged -- in soul, if not necessarily in body -- and still think of PCs and the Internet as something new and extraneous to their jobs and lives, something they can choose not to be involved with."
Comment: Great article exploring some of the concerns with lack of understanding (and lack of willingness to understand) technology. The author makes the point that true comprehension of technology comes from experience...and reflection. Many people have only a theoretical understanding - and what is needed is hands-on experience. Educationally, this is a significant concern. How does an organization make technology use a part of the daily activities of faculty, administration, support staff?...or for that matter - should they? In many cases, there is a strong disconnect between "instruction" and "technology"...and this is evident organizationally. For example - each new elearning project is specially funded... technology is treated as a add-on activity to regular work.

Posted 7:56 AM by George Siemens
Invisible keyboard
Quote: San Jose-based Canesta claimed on Wednesday that it had developed the world's first fully integrated projection keyboard for mobile and wireless devices. The technology enables a keyboard to be projected onto a flat surface using a beam of light, which can then be typed on."

We Don't Need CyberLaws
Quote: "But when it comes to legislating our way to Internet nirvana, Sorkin remains a skeptic. In fact, he says the law governing the offline world is equipped to handle most online disputes, and cautions that attempts to address Internet problems such as spam are only going to make matters worse."