Now that I’ve recovered from BookExpo 2007, I’m sifting through the pile of to-do lists, business cards, and other odds-and-ends that accumulated during my shifts at the BookNet Booth-and-Mobile-Command-Centre. One question that a few people asked about during my booth time was, What websites could I check out in order to keep current with what was going on in technology and/or at the intersection between publishing and tech? (or words to that effect). A quick rummaging through my bookmarks and RSS feeds yielded a quick handful:
- MobileRead: http://www.mobileread.com—Every rumour, nascent trend, and pre-release prototype of new eReading devices shows up here first.
- O’Reilly Radar: http://radar.oreilly.com—Tim and his crew seem to enjoy pushing the buttons of the Eastern publishing establishment, and with good reason: Nobody is thinking about, experimenting with, or profiting from the future of publishing more than O’Reilly. Lots here that doesn’t have anything to do with books, and that’s a good thing too.
- Mashable: http://mashable.com—Mashable spends a lot of time charting the development of social networking in all forms and manifestations. While the sheer proliferation of social sites gives a distinct 1999-2000 Bubble-feeling, there are some great ideas in here about harnessing, encouraging, and building community online.
- IT Conversations: http://www.itconversations.com—Sure, you could spend your drive/walk/transit ride into work listening to your complete unabridged audio version of Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! Or you could download recent talks and lectures from some of the truly big brains of technology. Want to learn how Skype works? How about online usage patterns of teens on Web 2.0 sites? Caterina Fake talking about the founding of Flickr? Arrive at work feeling smarter.
- PersonaNonData: http://personanondata.blogspot.com—Michael Cairns, ex-President of R.R. Bowker, has come into his own as a commentator on books and technology. He attends every conference, presentation and analyst webcast so you don’t have to.
There are more, to be sure. Got a list of must-visit sites of your own? Hit that ‘Add Comment’ button. it’s nice to share.
