Disconnected

Living on an island brings many challenges, one of which is being disconnected from the rest of the world. Thanks to new Information Technologies today we have the opportunity to connect to others’ thoughts and ideas and hopefully these virtual connections will shape ideas that will bring about change and eventual progress, though we are physically disconnected.

Feeling isolated I began to think about the many ways we are connected to each other via traditional methods of communication, such as listening to the radio, television, phones, computers, snail mail, email, and the Internet. We have been told that the Information Superhighway, the Internet, has changed the way in which we can communicate. So what are the new information technologies available over the ‘net to share the knowledge and ideas of smart minds of the smart mobs? The free movement of the Web2.0 has brought us many.

Here’s my list I frequent:
(in no particular order, and by no means inclusive or an endorsement of the product)

:: LinkedIN
:: Blogging- Blogger :: Yahoo 360 :: Technorati
:: Instant Messenging- AIM :: MSN Messenger :: Yahoo :: Adium
:: Discussion Forums
:: Photo Sharing - Flickr :: Picasa
:: Social Networking Software- MySpace :: Facebook :: Friendster :: SecondLife :: Thoos :: Orkut
:: Podcasts
:: Videoblogging
:: Moblogging
:: iTunes
:: Peer-to-Peer Networking
:: Video Sharing- YouTube :: Veoh
:: Social Bookmarking- Del.icio.us :: Furl
:: Wikis
:: RSS Feeds- Bloglines :: NetNewsWire
:: VOIP- Skype
:: YackPack
:: NetMeeting

I’ve listed ones that are free- because being a teacher I know we have little to no money to spare. Fortunately, the Web2.0 has now put at our disposal a myriad of social networking tools that allow us to connect with others without physically being next-door neighbors.