Ever wonder how the Kindle and iPad compare to printed books in terms of how fast you’re able to read?  Well, keep wondering because this study doesn’t exactly provide the answer.  However, it’s an interesting start to what is surely a promising area of inquiry for years to come: e-readers vs. print.

It had to happen sooner or later…so, what sets the new Kindle DX apart from the first edition?  It’s cheaper, with a better screen, and it’s got a graphite-colored case.  That’s about all I can discern from this description.  Well, all that and Twitter/Facebook integration (?) plus a “Built-In PDF Reader” with zoom capability. No offense to Amazon, but how about actually visible folders in the file system?  That would really help when you’re trying to view, say, 100 different…

The National Center for Women & Information Technology has released Women in IT: The Facts, a sobering report on the current state of affairs for women’s participation in technology. The report shows that the number of women in IT has significantly declined since the early 1990s, and that women are more likely to leave jobs in IT than jobs in science or engineering. (click images to enlarge) We really need to be doing better!

This is a follow-on workshop after a very stimulating and productive workshop at CSCW 2010. A lot of attendees said they would be unable to travel to China for CSCW 2011 (although I myself am hoping to go) so we decided on an alternate venue for the follow-on workshop: HICSS, the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences. We hope that you will be able to join us and participate in the ongoing cultivation of our growing research community. Hawaii International…

They say pretty much the same thing everyone else has said/is saying…still, it’s interesting to hear that Barnes & Noble admits their Nook doesn’t currently fit the bill for academic use, either.  Check out this quote: “‘Those things that students really are looking for in an educational experience just are not there yet in the e-reader market,’ said Jade Roth, a vice president in charge of textbook merchandising at Barnes & Noble College Booksellers. ‘It’s going to shift when the…

The Darden School of Business at University of Virginia just released their thoughts and findings on their Kindle DX pilot program participation. Their verdict? Not ready for prime time, if by “prime time” you mean academic reading. Check out the press release here.

Charlotte and her world record rubber duck collection had their TV debut last night in a great piece on King-5’s Evening Magazine. “Dr. Charlotte Lee is an engineering professor at the University of Washington. Super smart, driven, commands attention. But when you arrive at her house, there are not so subtle hints that there’s something unusual going on inside.”link She was also featured in the Fremont Universe blog. Go Charlotte!!!

This post comes from Skip Walter, an affiliate member of HCDE and a major technology geek.  Skip got his new Apple iPad on Saturday the 3rd; what follows is his original report on his experience with the iPad on the 3rd and 4th: When I originally ordered the iPad about a month ago, Apple said it would ship on April 3rd and would arrive probably on April 8th.  In a wonderful example of underpromise and overdeliver, the product shipped on…

This is a lengthy but worthwhile read on what the Google Book Settlement means for authors, readers…well, everyone, I suppose.  I don’t entirely agree with the article, but it’s thought-provoking in ways that may surprise you. It will be interesting to see how Google’s online bookstore competes with Apple’s iBookstore and Amazon.com.  Ahh, the future!

Perhaps the iPad will find an audience with children…seems quite plausible, in fact. I wonder whether the next big thing will be a waterproof sleeve for the entire iPad…hmm. I have to agree with much of what this writer says about the potential of the iPad.  We’re having our first child in June and I’m thinking that I’d rather have 1 iPad instead of a portable DVD player, row after row of bulky, expensive children’s books, and a pacifier.  Well,…