Check back each week for a new list of interesting and informative Web sites selected by the Charleston County Public Library.

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Web sites for the week of April 22, 2012

Recent reports from Pew Internet &  American Life
 
The Future of Money: Smartphone Swiping in the Mobile Age  - "Within the next decade, smart-device swiping will have gained mainstream acceptance as a method of payment and could largely replace cash and credit cards for most online and in-store purchases by smartphone and tablet owners, according to a new survey of technology experts and stakeholders."

Digital Differences - "Neither race nor gender are themselves part of the story of digital differences in its current form. Instead, age (being 65 or older), a lack of a high school education, and having a low household income (less than $20,000 per year) are the strongest negative predictors for internet use…"

72% of Americans follow local news closely - "Nearly three quarters (72%) of adults are quite attached to following local news and information, and local newspapers are by far the source they rely on for much of the local information they need…"

The Rise of E-Reading  - "One-fifth of American adults (21%) report that they have read an e-book in the past year, and this number increased following a gift-giving season that saw a spike in the ownership of both tablet computers and e-book reading devices such as the original Kindles and Nooks…"

The Future of Apps and the Web - "The Web Is Dead? No. Experts expect apps and the Web to converge in the cloud; but many worry that simplicity for users will come at a price.Tech experts generally believe the mobile revolution, the popularity of targeted apps, the monetization of online products and services, and innovations in cloud computing will drive Web evolution."

Search Engine Use 2012 - “Search engines remain popular - and users are more satisfied than ever with the quality of search results - but many are anxious about the collection of personal information by search engines and other websites and say they do not like the idea of personalized search results or targeted advertising."

Source: Pew Internet & American Life - The Pew Internet & American Life Project is one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.