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Tech Times November 2011
We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
~Thornton Wilder
Being Thankful for Technology
Happy ThankgivingAs we settle into November, we can't help but find ourselves thinking about what we have to be thankful for.  We are all lucky to have our loved ones close.  Most of us can say that we are also thankful for how technology has made our lives easier.  Whether it is using the Internet to get a phone number or an address to just storing our music on our iPods, we have quick and easy access to all sorts of things ... and we can carry that access around in our pockets.
Mobile Apps

While we know that thanksgiving is really about being thankful, food also plays a big role in holiday celebrations.  If you are one of those folks who could use a bit of help with the food preparation department, check out some of these great phone app suggestions to help you create that masterpiece of a feast:

Allrecipes.com: Tired of the same boxed stuffing or limp veggies? This free app will let you choose by dish type (appetizers, drinks, side dish), ingredients, or how long it takes to prep. For those with dietary restrictions, there are options like low carb, high fiber, low sodium, or no dairy. Have absolutely no clue what you want? Shake your phone or hit "spin" and AllRecipes.com will spit out a random suggestion. Epicurious has a similar setup; the full-screen cook book view looks particular good on the iPad.

Chow Thanksgiving Dinner Coach: If this is your first time preparing Thanksgiving dinner, the Chow app will walk you through dishes like roasted turkey, apple and sage stuffing, sauteed green beans, and more. It will also help you set up a shopping list.

Grocery iQ: If you're hesitant to send someone out to buy those last-minute ingredients for fear that they'll pick up the wrong brand, size, or flavor, Grocery iQ will let you scan specific grocery items with your iPhone's camera and share those items via the "List Sharing" feature. You can assign certain items to certain stores, sort by aisle, and integrate coupons. Phones will need iOS 4.0 or higher for the barcode scanning to work.

Vintage Chart+: Maybe you're not a whiz in the kitchen, and have opted to bring a bottle of wine for your guest. But which bottle to choose? Vintage Chart+ was developed by the staff of Wine Spectator magazine and includes charts to help you decide which wine is best. Hello Vino is a similar app, which lets you choose a wine for a meal or particular food, for a special occasion, taste preference, or from a specific region. If you already have a wine, Hello Vino will tell you which food pairings are best.

Thanksgiving Prayers Free: "Does someone want to say grace?" Usually, that request is met with blank looks in my family until someone can stop staring down the food long enough to recall a blessing from years past. If prayers are your thing, this app will give you a variety of options. You can even "shake for a random prayer" and give thanks before the turkey coma sets in.

OpenTable: If all else fails, you can always make reservations. OpenTable has a plethora of top-rated restaurants in its database for a variety of cities around the country. Search by specific restaurant, type of food, or price, and book right within the app – if everything's not all booked up, that is.

Tech Tales from the Cumberland Public Library
Are you looking for an opportunity to try out an e-reader to see if you would like one?  Would you like a chance to jump ahead on the waiting list for some of today's bestselling books?  Stop at the Circulation or Reference Desks to ask about our Nook Loaning Program, which will allow you to check out a Nook ebook reader loaded with a number of today's most popular titles for a week.
 
The library is offering weekly computer workshops for adults called Tech Tuesday.  The next series of Tech Tuesday will start on Tuesday, November 29. Each 90-minute session starts at 10:00 am and will focus on a different application.

The goal of the series is to provide basic computer skills for amateur computer users. The schedule of sessions is as follows:

  • November 29 — Microsoft Word
  • December 6 — Microsoft Excel
  • December 13 — The Internet
Sessions will include a presentation as well as hands-on experience with the highlighted application. Participants are welcome to use the library’s computers or they can bring their own laptop from home as long as their machine has Microsoft Office and WiFi capable. Those interested in registering for Tech Tuesday sessions or to ask questions about the series can call the library at 333-2552 or can email Aaron at acoutu@cumberlandlibrary.org.  You can also feel free to contact him about setting up one-on-one computer training sessions if that is your preference.
 
If you have suggestions for other computer-related workshops Aaron could offer, please feel free to contact him.
 
Check Out Some of Our New Tech-Related Titles

Teach yourself visually Office 2010 - Kate Shoup
Publisher: Wiley Pub., Inc.
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/26/2010
ISBN-13: 9780470571934
ISBN-10: 0470571934
Each illustrated resource offers visual learners a great beginner's guide to a particular topic, augmenting step-by-step instructions with full-color screen shots.
Word 2010 for dummies - Dan Gookin
Publisher: Wiley Pub., Inc.
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/03/2010
ISBN-13: 9780470487723
ISBN-10: 0470487720
An introduction to the latest version of Microsoft's word processing software reviews Word 2010 fundamentals while demonstrating updated features and explaining how to integrate documents with other Microsoft Office applications, customize the program, and post documents to the Web.
Office home and student 2010 all-in-one for dummies - Peter Weverka
Publisher: Wiley
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 10/26/2010
ISBN-13: 9780470879511
ISBN-10: 0470879513
Each book covers all the necessary information a beginner needs to know about a particular topic, providing an index for easy reference and using the series' signature set of symbols to clue the reader in to key topics, categorized under such titles as Tip, Remember, Warning!, Technical Stuff and True Story.
Teach yourself visually Excel 2010 - Paul McFedries
Publisher: Wiley
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/26/2010
ISBN-13: 9780470577646
ISBN-10: 0470577649
Each illustrated resource offers visual learners a great beginner's guide to a particular topic, augmenting step-by-step instructions with full-color screen shots.
Facebook & Twitter for seniors for dummies - Marsha Collier
Publisher: Thorndike Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/15/2011
ISBN-13: 9781410434074
ISBN-10: 1410434079
Each book covers all the necessary information a beginner needs to know about a particular topic, providing an index for easy reference and using the series' signature set of symbols to clue the reader in to key topics, categorized under such titles as Tip, Remember, Warning!, Technical Stuff and True Story. Original.
Likeable social media : how to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (& other social networks) - Dave Kerpen
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/17/2011
ISBN-13: 9780071762342
ISBN-10: 0071762345
Explains how to use social media such as Facebook and Twitter as marketing tools, describing how to communicate effectively with customers and incorporate a marketing strategy into a mix of new and old media.
Websites
Holiday Cooking
 
Now if you are looking to just browse through some websites for recipe ideas, check out some of these suggestions:
  • AllRecipes - This site has great suggestions for cooking just about anything.
  • Betty Crocker - You can't go wrong with new and classic recipes from one of our favorite cooking resources.
  • Cooking Light - If you are looking to add healthy choices to your holiday table, try some of these options from the editors from Cooking Light.
  • Epicurious -
    Savor 100,000 recipes from Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Self, cookbooks, chefs, and home cooks.
  • Food Network Recipes & Easy Cooking - You can check out some great recipes pooled here or go to the main page for the network for access to those designed by your favorite chefs.
First Thanksgiving
 Are you looking to learn a little bit more about the history of Thanksgiving?  Check out these sites:
Cumberland Public Library
 
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