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Phenomena
Consider this our “random” category – we took a look at searches that revealed a bit of fun, a nod to the odd, some outdoor (and indoor) sports. We barely recall the days before we knew what “Black Friday” was, or “wikipedia,” or a “podcast.” Do you? These queries tell us something about what’s new – even as it becomes all too familiar.
 

A Good Problem to Have
Sources claim this term is almost 20 years old but in 2005 it seemed to appear everywhere. It means the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally a retail bellwether for the upcoming holiday shopping – when stores hope to be “in the black.”
Black Friday
     
     
   
Join the Board
Snowboarding, a newer phenomenon than the other two, shows a distinctly seasonal pattern – after all, it’s most effective when there’s snow. But regardless of geography or season, each adrenaline pumper has its own partisans and plenty of search interest.
Join the Board
     
     
   
Year of the Wiki
As the open source concept has moved from software development to photo-sharing to blogging, wikis – collaborative, editable web-based projects – have come into their own. And Wikipedia, the multi-language, meta-compendium of information has grown immensely this year. Despite a recent controversy about the accuracy of information that is melded by many writers and editors, the popularity of this open source approach is considerable.
Wikipedia
     
     
   
Digitization Continues
Cognoscenti may know that MP3 is the audio file format everyone is using to hear and share music, but the name of a certain company’s device that such files are played on is even easier to remember. Apple’s iPod inspired another new term: podcasting, which signifies producing or listening to digital audio on that very same portable device.

Digitization
     
   

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