Curses technolust!

Based on my current VISA bill, I guess I’ve been suffering from a case of technolust.  The first thing I bought was a Wacom Graphire pen tablet. My options for learning how to use it include:

• An online knowledge base
• An online and offline user manual (multiple languages) (.pdf)
• Online developer FAQs
• Tips and tricks (online)
• Contact information
• Software support (Photoshop, Corel, Flash)

It’s interesting using a pen vs. a mouse. I wanted a new way to edit photos and mark up documents ‘by hand.’ I think this might be a good tool for creating marked up graphics and photos for online learning courses.

I also bought a Canon PowerShot SD600 because I wanted a tiny camera to fit in my pocket. It is about the size of a cell phone. It came with:

• 24-page basic guide (pocket size) (English and Spanish versions, color coded)
• 128-page advanced guide (English and Spanish versions, color coded)
• Software guide (English and Spanish versions, color coded)
• Small chart “system map”
• Direct print guide (English and Spanish together)
• Contact information

The camera is easy enough to use without much reference to the manuals. I mean, the button to snap a photo is in the same place on all cameras, right? I call this usage phase 1. Phase 2 usage will lead me to the manuals or online when I either can’t figure out how to use a feature or need to ‘troubleshoot.’ How much time is wasted making binders full of instructional information no one looks at until something goes wrong or they want to know what that little thingy does (or how to shut it off)? But that’s me. The color coding for different languages and pocket and advanced guides are good for different learning styles.

Speaking of pocket-size cameras, I also bought the Flip video camera. Based on its popularity on our vacation last week, I’d have to say many of our ‘everyday’ events will now be memorialized. It does not need ANY instructions. I believe my dog  could videotape himself doing dog stuff or even my cat (if the mood struck) posting his own stuff to I Can Has Cheezburger? I can immediately see the potential of this little beauty.

Finally, I bought a SONY slim design speaker system for a workshop I was doing in Toronto at the end of June. I was showing a bunch of example of e-learning for a ’101′ session and needed something louder than my PC speakers. It’s OK but I think I’ll trade it in for something else instead. There was no volume control and it’s really not that loud. If anyone has any input on a travel size speaker, let me know.

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Tagged as: tools