After months of heightened anticipation and rampant speculation, Apple’s seemingly mythic iPad has finally made its debut. Hardly a media outlet has been able to escape the ensuing debate over whether Steve Job’s latest creation lives up to the hype. Now that the iBraryGuy team has managed to get their hands on one and taken for a serious test-drive, we are ready to weigh in. The iBraryGuy verdict? Apple’s iPad is powerful, sleek, and worth the price. Yes Virginia, it IS a game changer!

They say that a thing if beauty is a joy forever. The iPad may not last forever, but it is truly a gorgeous little piece of machinery. In the capable hands of Apple’s design and tech wizards, this beauty is also a thing of power, form, and function. The iPad is light and easy to hold with one hand while manipulating the touchscreen with the other. The screen is highly sensitive and quickly moves from portrait to landscape modes. The screen is crystal clear and easy on the eyes. All in all, the design is solid. Does it look like an oversized iPhone? You bet. Then again, why not build on one of the most successful and revolutionary devices of our time?

We really enjoyed the speed of the iPad in navigating applications and switching between them. Sure, you cannot multitask right now. But let’s be real. Is it really necessary to always be doing many things at once? That’s what a full-fledged computer or laptop is for. These new tablets are not meant to be replacements for their bigger, more powerful cousins. The iPad and the wave of competitors that are sure to follow ushers in a new level of convenience computing technology. To approach them with the same standards to which we hold actual desktops and laptops is to do these tablets and ourselves a huge disservice.

Some of the apps we have tested have been awe inspiring, to say the least. From the tactile page turning and full-color display of iBooks to the sweet video-streaming of Netflix and ABC to the interactive, pushpin format of the Associated Press, app developers have pulled out all the stops to create some really amazing offerings. We have also been impressed with the usability and functionality of Apple’s own iWork suite of productivity tools. If someone had told us we’d be walking around the house using a word processor and typing with only three fingers, we would have never believed it. Yet that was exactly how we typed this blog entry. It was a true “Jetsons” moment!

Yes, there are some drawbacks to the iPad. A camera for videoconferencing would be nice. A USB port would also come in handy. But the lack of these was no deal breaker given the convenience the iPad offers. The onscreen keyboard will take some getting used to for some folks as well. Our biggest complaint so far is that when the unit is turned off, tou can see all the fingerprints. At least they show just how much we are already using it. We also have not experienced either the WiFi connectivity issue or the overheating that some folks have reported. We’ve even found a workaround for the fact we did not buy a 3G model. But we will save that for a future posting.

The iBraryGuy team is happy with its new iPad and we expect to get a lot of “on the go” use out of it. That is what these new tablet computers are about after all. The iPad lightens our load while providing all of the computing power we need to be productive and have some fun. And yes, we certainly did have some fun with it. Pac-Man anyone? The iPad was worth the wait and the price. Apple has thrown down the gauntlet and changed the game.

BookCrossing aims to be the world’s largest free book club. With a membership of almost 800,000 people in over 130 countries, if it already has not met that goal, it has got to be pretty darned close! BookCrossing’s idea of sharing the printed wealth is both novel and fun. If you love your books (but you are done reading them), set them free!

We all have books we’d like to just give away. We often have a list of books we’d also like to read and find on the cheap. The folks behind BookCrossing want to help us do both … for FREE. Register for a free membership and the world of BookCrossing becomes your literary oyster. Register the books you want to give away and then just leave them somewhere. Use the site to tell folks where you left them. Book seekers will find your books (which you mark with a BookCrossing statement), go back to the site, and register them as taken. Every time your books are subsequently released and picked up, you can follow along! If you are looking for a book, you can search on the site to see if anyone has released it into the wild and where you might find it. It’s like a huge treasure hunt for free books!

This site also features discussion groups and a store where you can get things such as stamps and sticky notes that can make “marking” your books even easier. Our favorite BookCrossing innovation is the BCZ or “Book Crossing Zone”. These are coffee shops and other public places that have signed on as actual host-sites for the leaving and retrieval of BookCrossing books. Tres cool, if we dare say so!

We librarians are giving types and we love to share our books. We are also fans of a great deal on books we want to read. For us, BookCrossing can become the ultimate enabler. We are already hooked!

With so much partisanship in the United States these days, finding an unbiased voice is almost as difficult as finding a Libertarian at a pro-healthcare rally (Well, ok, one that is rallying in support of the administration’s plans).  Regardless of part affiliation, or lack thereof, sometimes you just want to get the straight skinny on what is happening in American politics these days.  Thanks to Stateline, you need look no further than their website.

Using a professional staff of writers, Stateline provides the latest political news from across the 50 states.  The writing is original and, thankfully, independent.  Stateline is a project of the venerable, non-profit Pew Charitable Trusts.  The stated goal of the site is to “enlighten public debate on topics of importance at the state level, including health care, taxes, immigration, social policy, education, energy, environment, criminal justice, homeland security, transportation and elections.”

Stateline is updated daily and is very easy to use.  The site is VERY visually pleasing and the quality of the content is top-notch.  So much of the news we see and read is national / federal in focus.  Stateline provides a wonderful alternative for anyone seeking to keep up with what is going on closer to home.

Tech news sites are literally a dime a dozen these days.  So many seem to look and feel the same.  When we first discovered Ars Technica, we were pleasantly surprised with its refreshing interface and interactivity.  It was an even bigger surprise to learn that AT is a Conde Nast site.  That’s right, it comes from the same folks behind so many of the popular travel and lifestyle magazines.  These folks know media and they certainly know how to make AT stand apart in a crowded field of tech news services!

Ars Technica is not your run-of-the-mill technical news and reviews site.  It’s contributors write with wit and honesty and with an eye on the arts as well as the technical sciences. In addition to the expected news and reviews, users will also find how-to tutorials and buying guides, as well as special features. The site is deftly organized into practical chunks, with sections dedicated to business, hardware, gadgets, media, and policy.  There is even something for devotees of Apple, Microsoft, and gaming.  The user forums round out the site’s offerings very nicely. We particularly enjoy their live feeds from major industry events, like the Apple unveilings.  They’re the next best thing to being there!

If you are looking for a fresh approach to getting your tech news fix, look no further than Ars Technica.  It breaks the proverbial online mold!

Do you hate those automated menus you get when you call a business for support or information? I know I often do. Sometimes, let’s face it, you just want to talk to a real, living, breathing, human being. Is that really so much to ask?  The folks at GetHuman have created a site designed to help you bypass those automated phone systems to get to the people on the other side.

Their site is simple, as it well should be. Almost 1000 businesses and organizations are listed and the number is growing. GetHuman is easy to navigate, just start typing the name of the company or organization in the searchbox and GetHuman will start showing your possible listings. For each entity listed, the site provides the contact number and instructions on bypassing its automated phone system. You can also get and post ratings on customer service experiences with that business. A great and simple model for getting things done!

As e-mail systems crack down on the size of files that users are allowed to receive, it is becoming increasingly difficult to share large documents, media clips, and other big files with distant friends and colleagues.  Don’t fight the system.  Get wise and drop your files with Drop.io – a real time sharing site that makes it as easy as two clicks. 

With Drop.io, you can share files in real time by web, email, mobile, social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and even iTunes.  You simply upload a file, set any security and privacy requirements you may have, and then let your contacts know that the file is there for their access.  It is REALLY quite easy.  Best of all, it is FREE!  A premium version is available for those who need even more functionality.

The iBraryGuy team used Drop.io, with great success, to share a PowerPoint and its accompanying handout with hundreds of attendees at the 2009 Special Libraries Association annual meeting and conference.  Want to see how it works?  Check out http://drop.io/60sites.

Twine is a hot concept that is making the news these days.  Imagine being able to discover, organize, and share information in a way that mimics social networking without all the fluff.  That is what Twine is all about!  With Twine, you can collect bookmarks and other information, organize it in ways that make sense to you, share it with others having the same interests, and even get recommendations for additional information that matches your interests.  It sounds like Twine has a lot going on right?  It sure does, but it is all happening in the background and is presented to you in a way that is both user-friendly and attractive.  It is also kind of fun!

Twine is a free service.  You sign up, create a profile, and then enter your interests.  Twine will learn from you as you view various “Twines” on the site and begin making recommendations for items that may be of interest to you.  You can join different Twines that may appeal to you and/or even start your own.  Great fun!  In fact, check out the “iBrarians of Tomorrow” Twine!

Thanks to its recent acquisition by real-time, web search and discovery engine EVRI, Twine’s future is looking pretty bright.  Both companies have promised to revolutionize the semantic web and their timely combination creates the “industry’s most comprehensive consumer semantic search & discovery company”.  Exciting stuff!  Stay tuned!

With tight schedules, commutes, and family and social obligations, it is little wonder that time is such a premium these days.  It’s a wonder that they don’t teach time management in kindergarten!  For many of us, having some spare time to read is more of a luxury than the norm!  Given that so many of us are librarians, that is sad and almost ironic.  Enter DailyLit and a unique solution to the time crunch!

Thanks to the people at DailyLit, it may be tough to ever again claim that you have no time to read.  Their site’s concept is simple, novel, and may even be revolutionary.  With DailyLit, you can have a book delivered to you in bite-sized (or shall I say “byte-sized) installments via either e-mail or RSS.  You even have control over the number of installments into which the book is broken down and when the snippets are sent to you.  It is easy AND convenient!

Currently, DailyLit makes hundreds of public domain books available for free.  If you want one of the more current bestsellers, they are available at a fee.  Sure beats reading just the headlines on your smartphone as you ride the bus or train!

We all have them … old gadgets that were great at the time, but which we have since replaced with something newer and/or different.  The problem is what we do with these old tech toys when we no longer want them.  Please do not throw those old tech toys away!  Why put them in landfills where they will only pollute and maybe even poison the planet, when you can get paid for giving them up?  Gazelle can help you be a greener tech-addict and put a little of the other green in your pocket at the same time.  Simply list your old cellphones, MP3 players, cameras, etc. on their site and let Gazelle do the rest.  They guarantee that every unwanted gadget gets an offer.  If you take that offer, Gazelle will even send you a free box in which to ship it … AND … ready for this? … PAY THE SHIPPING!  Now HOW COOL is that?

We gave Gazelle a try with a well-used, but outmoded netbook we were looking to be rid of.  We had not had much luck with eBay or Craigslist, so we had nothing to lose.  We were actually pleasantly surprised with what Gazelle offered us.  We filled out the online form with all the details of our item and had a really great offer in no time.  Within days, we received our shipping materials and sent the netbook off.  We received a notice when the netbook made it to Gazelle and were able to track the whole evaluation process online.  It did not take long for us to get the money for our computer.  The whole transaction was easy and we could not have been happier!

With Gazelle, you can be earth-friendly and be a friend to your bank account at the same time!

Why use a boring old map, when you can use Schmap?  I know . . . “What’s a Schmap?” you are thinking.  Well, these are not the same old (albeit VERY helpful) maps you find on the other popular sites.  No sir!  SCHMAP takes interactive mapping to new heights, integrating maps, photos, and place reviews.  Schmap is actually a publisher of digital travel guides that now cover over 200 destinations worldwide.

Schmap Guides actually allow you, the end user, to publish your own “schmaps” and thus share your itinerary, as well as reviews of places you have visited.  Use the Schmap widgets to put these on your blogs and other sites!  By using the “Schmap.Me” feature, you can even publish mobile-friendly maps to help friends and folks find you or your events.  Pretty cool!  Schmap also has versions optimized for the iPhone and Nokia smartphones.

The next time you need to know where you are going or want to share your travel with others, don’t map it, Schmap it!