Welcome to this edition of Inside ITS! Inside ITS keeps users informed about technology services available at Weill Cornell.
In this issue:
- Ask the CIO
- Learn tech in 30 minutes? Tech Tuesdays get the ball rolling
- Need health info? There's an app for that
- Latest customer service improvements
- Be prepared for (almost) anything with new emergency app
Ask the CIO
Have a burning question about tech? Now you can ask our own Dr. Curtis Cole, CIO of Information Technologies & Services, by sending your query to its-communications@med.cornell.edu. Here are the latest answers Dr. Cole has for you!
Can I use Word and PowerPoint on my iPad?
Now that we have upgraded to Office365 we will be able to support the mobile versions of the Microsoft Office apps, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. We have a few more backend upgrades to complete before we can turn on this feature, but you should see the announcement later this year. We will also support OneDrive – free, secure file sharing that will work across devices as well.
How can I access my PC from home?
Many of our long time employees remember Timbuktu – an app we used to support that let you control your PC from home. There are still ways of doing that, but it is pretty much never necessary. We now have much better options like central file storage. One of the best is our Virtual Desktop. This lets you take your PC home or anywhere you travel. I recommend these for anyone who does a lot of work from different locations. [For more information on these services, please contact support@med.cornell.edu.]
Should I buy an Apple Watch?
I have one. I like it. But if you are asking this question you probably should not buy one...yet. The new Apple Watch is an amazing product with huge potential. But it is very 1.0. It is full of bugs and limitations. For example, the synchronization with the phone is very flaky. You also often have to touch it to get it to show the time. It is reminiscent of the 70s era LED watches which Saturday Night Live famously mocked as being so complicated it was like asking a stranger for the time. For early adopters of the new and the next it is a fun, albeit expensive, toy. For others, wait for the kinks to be ironed out.
Learn tech in 30 minutes? Tech Tuesdays get the ball rolling
Imagine learning the basics of tons of software in 30 minutes. Impossible? Not at Tech Tuesdays.
Launched in late spring, Tech Tuesdays are half-hour demonstrations that take place in the Library Commons area where ITS and Library employees showcase software and services. No experience or reservations are required. If you hear of a demo you're interested in attending, you can just walk right into the library on Tuesday at noon and learn about research, statistical, educational, and administrative tools.
Drew Wright, Assistant Librarian, assists a large crowd with EndNote during a Tech Tuesday demonstration.
So far, we've helped approximately 200 users learn about services like EndNote, ARCH/i2b2, lynda.com, BrowZine, and more. In addition to watching a short demo, you'll also have a chance to ask our presenters any questions you may have about the service.
During the month of July, our Tech Tuesday demo schedule will feature:
- July 14 - EndNote: Join us for a repeat of one of our most popular demonstrations! Search bibliographic databases, organize references, and create bibliographies.
- July 21 - SharePoint: Learn more about this robust document management system and how you can use SharePoint sites to collaborate with your colleagues.
- July 28 - VisualDX mobile app: Beginning with the entry of a single symptom, the VisualDx builder helps you quickly evaluate possibilities, compare variations, and improve diagnostic accuracy at the point of care.
Remember: Tech Tuesdays are every Tuesday starting at noon in the Library Commons at 1300 York Avenue. Feel free to bring your lunch, and a pen and paper to take notes if needed. If you have any questions about our schedule or suggestions for topics you'd like to see, please contact its-communications@med.cornell.edu.
If you can’t make it to one of our Tech Tuesday demos, you have other options:
- ITS Training Library – Visit helpfiles.med.cornell.edu for training documentation on several ITS services
- ITS Coaching Lab – Join us the second Wednesday of every month for our open hours (see schedule). Walk in and get assistance learning about our many applications and tools.
- lynda.com – Log in with your CWID and password to access thousands of online tutorials on software and more!
Plus, you can always contact the ITS Training Team at its-training@med.cornell.edu for help any time!
Need health info? There's an app for that
Did you know that many of the top e-resources in the Samuel J. Wood Library are available as mobile apps? Your iPhone, Android, or iPad can double as a handy research tool. Here are a few of the top featured mobile apps:
A sample of the AccessMedicine app, available to WCMC faculty, staff, and students via the Library's website.
- AccessMedicine - Delivers invaluable point of care solutions for clinical practice. Includes evidence-based outlines of conditions and disorders, and multiple diagnostic tools.
- BrowZine - Delivers thousands of academic journals to your iPad or Android tablet. BrowZine organizes articles found in Open Access and subscription databases, unites them into complete journals, and arranges them on a common newsstand.
- DynaMed Plus - Clinical reference tool for the busy clinician and health care professional. The DynaMedPlus app provides enhanced search and seamless updates, and lets you access content offline, bookmark favorites, and email topics.
- UpToDate - Fast access to original clinical content authored by leading physicians.
Learn more on the Library's website!
Bonus: You don't have to work in a clinical environment to reap health-related benefits from your mobile device. If your job has you at a desk all day, there are apps to help you keep tabs on your day-to-day health and wellness. Here are a few to get you started:
Apple iOS
- Save My Eyes 4.0 - If you stare at a computer all day, this app will prompt you to look away every 20 minutes and rest your eyes.
- Yoga for Office Professionals - Typing all day can take its toll on your wrists and spine. This app offers photos and audio instructions for 20 seated poses and 10 standing poses to help you limber up.
- Squeak! - Plan regular breaks throughout the day with the help of a friendly sloth.
- Hydrate Daily - Any WCMC doctor or med student can tell you: drinking water has tons of health benefits! This app will help track your daily water intake and set some H2O goals.
Android
- Google Fit- Effortlessly track your daily activity just by bringing your phone with you.
- Sleep Better - Track your sleep, monitor your dreams, and improve your bedtime habits.
- Water Your Body - Another app for Androids that reminds you about your daily water intake.
Latest customer service improvements
ITS supports about 10,000 users at both Weill Cornell and NewYork-Presbyterian. With so many users, we are constantly striving to provide the best customer service. Take a look at this short video on recent changes we've made to provide you with a better ITS experience.
Click the video below to play (1m 39s):
Be prepared for (almost) anything with new emergency app
While we're not superstitious, we preface this statement with a knock on wood: for the most part, we manage to go about our work at WCMC without facing major emergencies.
But the truth is that worst-case scenarios can strike anytime - like a natural disaster or a colleague suffering from a medical emergency. In these cases, it's best to already have a plan, which is why ITS has partnered with Environmental Health & Safety to develop the WCMC Emergency App.
This app has been pushed to all ITS-tagged Mac, Windows, iOS and Android devices. It provides a shortcut to our cornellemergency.org website, the place to go for emergency announcements, contact numbers, procedures, and planning. The app makes it easier for faculty, staff, and students to access emergency information quickly from their desktop, laptops, and mobile devices.
Know how to respond
The ideal time to visit the cornellemergency.org site should not be in the middle of an emergency (although you can use it then, too). Whenever you have a spare minute, click on the app or visit the website and review information available. The site lets you keep tabs on any important announcements and review procedures of how to respond to various emergencies, like workplace violence, suspicious packages, and more.
The application should already be on your ITS-tagged device; just look for this icon:
Not seeing the shortcut? Click here for more info.