As headlines go, another story about Facebook in trouble over their mishandling of user data is “Dog Bites Man,” isn’t it? But when TechCrunch revealed…
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #632: Apple disables Facebook’s spying app
Just two days ago, on January 28th, the U.S. recognized the 22nd annual occurrence of National Privacy Day. Didn’t even know there was such a…
There are two big breaking stories about exploits involving DNS — Domain Name Service, the “phonebook of the internet.” One involves a type of spamming…
OPLIN 4Cast #629: The life-changing magic of tidying our digital selves
Posted in 4cast, and Organization
I am lucky in that I have a wonderful, loving mother-in-law. While she has many wonderful qualities, organization, especially digital, is not one of them.…
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #629: The life-changing magic of tidying our digital selves
OPLIN 4Cast #628: Voice assistants are spreading like a fungus
Posted in 4cast, and Voice-activated assistants
I was a toddler when Star Trek first aired, and I’m told that I was a fan from the beginning. (My sister eventually learned to fake-faint…
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #628: Voice assistants are spreading like a fungus
For a long time, I’ve resisted purchasing a voice assistant for my home. The idea of having something “always listening” seems too intrusive to me (and, yes, I know my phone is already doing that, but I’m good with the cognitive dissonance). However, the latest news from the advertising realm has me realizing that Alexa and her ilk might actually be the least of my worries.
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #627: Think you’re being stalked? You’re not wrong
I was blown away a few years back when I read about the OpenDyslexic font here in the OPLIN 4cast. It fascinated me how making the letters…
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #626: What else can your font do for you?
OPLIN 4Cast #625: 3D printing is heating up
Posted in 3D printing, and 4cast
If your library is lucky enough to have a makerspace with a 3D printer, you may already feel like you’re living in the future. However,…
I used to switch to new web browsers as often as I’d change brands of shampoo. My old browser would start to bog down, and…
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #624: Microsoft replaces Edge with a Chrome clone
It should come as no surprise that the world has become data-driven. Even libraries reflect this new reality; it’s no longer unusual to see CE…
Read MoreOPLIN 4Cast #623: The world is already being changed by real-time data