XML’s Birthday!

The XML specification became a W3C recommendation February 10, 1998 and just 10 years old! Not even a teenager yet and note how influential it is.
[from World Wide Web Consortium News]

XML Internationalization

The W3C has posted a document to help both developers and authors create XML documents that work across languages and cultures.  Best Practices for XML Internationalization is divided into primarily two sections:  best practices for those designing XML applications and those authoring XML content.
Best practices for authors include:

Specifying the language of content
Specifying text directionality
Overriding information [...]

Google’s First Logos

A very interesting story from Wired on the person who created Google’s well-known logo.  She discusses eight iterations of the logo before they settled on the current one.  Great images and interesting reasoning behind each.

[from Wired]

IM Option in Online Catalog

Jenny Levine at The Shifted Librarian posted about libraries that are starting to use instant messaging within their catalogs.  When the patron is struck, it can provide an option to work with a real person.  The Meebo Me widget seems to be quite popular for use at the end of a “no hits” search.  Check [...]

Personal, Portable Hot Spots

Autonet Mobile is currently working with Avis to start rolling out their wireless service.  Basically, you plug their router into the AC power adapter and it uses existing 3-G and EVDO networks.  Because it is not tied to a specific network, it can readily jump to the cell tower with the best signal.  According to [...]

Sending Large Files

ResourceShelf has posted a set of services which allow you to email large files.  This is a common problem with email services — most have a limit for sending attachments.  Tom Merritt of CNET’s Quick Tips gives us a few more you can try:

YouSendIt.com
DropLoad.com - this was down when I checked it
TransferBigFiles.com
zUpload.com
MegaUpload.com

Google Opens in Austin

Google is opening an engineering center in the middle of Austin — 6th Street and Congress. The Austin-American Statesman provides more details. They’re hiring engineers and software developers . . . no librarians.
[from CNET News.com]

Clothes That Read Your Vital Signs

Smartex is currently marketing the result of one of their research projects. “Wealthy” (wearable health care system):

. . . is a wearable fully integrated system, able to acquire, simultaneously and in a natural environment, a set of physiological parameters like electrocardiogram, respiration, posture, temperature, movement index.
It’s a wearable unitard that has electrodes and [...]

Skinning Ask.com

Ask.com now allows you to decide on your own background for their site. If you don’t like any of theirs — upload your own. Especially great for kids’ computers!
[from ResourceShelf]

MacBook Air

This is now old news, but it definitely has had and will continue to have an effect on future computing.  In January, Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air at MacWorld:

Although I haven’t yet had an opportunity to use a Mac, I love the look of it.  Beautiful to look at, quick to boot, and light!  [...]