I have one of the original kindles. It really isn’t that old, but it seems almost prehistoric with its awkward way to turn pages and navigate menus. I actually packed it all up in it’s original box, thinking someday it would be a museum piece.
I got a nook over a year ago. I tend to forget where I put it and the battery always seems to have run down when I want to use it. The pages are easier to turn than on the kindle and it is a lot less awkward to hold, but reading on still isn’t comfortable.
But the times they are changing and more and more people are reading e- versions. So, I noticed there were apps for nook and kindle on my smart phone.
Suddenly it occurred to me that if I had an e-reader app on my phone, I would probably use it far more than the old kindle or the newer nook. I always have my phone with me, so I’d always have reading material.
The rest of my family tends to be fidgeting with their smart phones all of the time. The first thing they do is put their smart phones on the table if we go out to eat. Since there was no conversation going on the other day because they were both immersed in their emails, I decided to join the trend and took out mine. Why not do something useful, I thought. I looked through the apps and when I saw the one for nook, I clicked on it. In no time I’d downloaded it and signed in to my account and as if by magic all the books I’d purchased as nooks appeared on the screen ready to read. I tried reading on it and it was even better than the real nook I had at home.
With my confidence buoyed by my success, I thought about the kindle app. I have more books on my kindle account and due to the awkwardness of my kindle, have stopped using it, but thought it would be great to have those books available on my phone. So, I tried to repeat just what I’d done with the nook app. It seemed to download fine and prompted me to sign into my account. Only it would never let me do it. I ended up going in circles, getting nowhere.
Now what? I looked at my kindle account on my home computer and it showed no phone device connected to it. I considered calling someone at kindle, but I wasn’t even sure what to say. It seems like it has more to do with my phone than kindle and the last time I tried calling somebody about my kindle, I got some a very unpleasant and unhelpful woman in India who was impatient and kept yelling at me. Is that supposed to be customer service?
Who is responsible for the apps on my phone? By now I’d figured there was some defect in it. I considered uninstalling it and trying again, but there was no uninstall button on the downloaded app. At times like that it just seems to much easier just to open a paper book. No battery to die or app to not work.
What I’d like to know is how all these impatient kids who are supposed to be so tied to their electronics deal with the frustration when their devices and apps don’t work right.
Showing posts with label e-readers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label e-readers. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Pardon Me, But Is That an Autopsy Table in Your Kitchen? And Buy a Book for 99 Cents!
Last week I flew to the metro-DC area so we could move. Again. (Can you tell I'm sick of this?)
We moved from a lovely 4,000 square foot house in Vienna, VA, to an 1800 square foot loft apartment in McLean. The house in Vienna had a full basement. Full as in full of boxes. Stuff. Stuff I didn't know I had. Stuff I'd forgotten I owned. Stuff that has followed me around for years.
My husband had been winnowing this STUFF down. He claimed, "There isn't much to do." He lies like a cheap rug. Especially when it comes to moving. Eventually--somewhere around Day 3 of unpacking boxes in the basement--he said, "Let's just ship all this to Florida. You can put it in the garage."
Wrong.
I started to cry. I cried for quite a while. Then I got back to going through boxes. Eventually we came to a mutally agreeable decision. We're getting a storage unit here in Florida so I can go through the boxes and pitch/sort/give away stuff. On Day 7 of my visit, we moved into the loft apartment. It's really a neat place, very industrial, and very different for us. When the property manager took us around, I pointed to the stainless steel rolling table in the center of the kitchen and said, "Um, is that an autopsy table?"
She looked a little sick. "We can store that for you. Several of our tenants asked us to do that with theirs."
I just bet they did. I mean, I'm all for form following function, but geez... In my mind, that table is the ultimate in STUFF, and I really don't want to have it anywhere near me when I'm eating my meals.
**
Paper, Scissors, Death is now available for downloading on your e-reader for only 99 cents. Yep, Midnight Ink is running a special summer promotion. You can download (or upload? I never can decide.) a copy of Paper, Scissors, Death, my Agatha Award Finalist novel, for less than a buck. Other books are available for similar savings--all are the first in a series so you can get started on a new fiction series today! Simply go to Midnight Ink's blog for details.
We moved from a lovely 4,000 square foot house in Vienna, VA, to an 1800 square foot loft apartment in McLean. The house in Vienna had a full basement. Full as in full of boxes. Stuff. Stuff I didn't know I had. Stuff I'd forgotten I owned. Stuff that has followed me around for years.
My husband had been winnowing this STUFF down. He claimed, "There isn't much to do." He lies like a cheap rug. Especially when it comes to moving. Eventually--somewhere around Day 3 of unpacking boxes in the basement--he said, "Let's just ship all this to Florida. You can put it in the garage."
Wrong.
I started to cry. I cried for quite a while. Then I got back to going through boxes. Eventually we came to a mutally agreeable decision. We're getting a storage unit here in Florida so I can go through the boxes and pitch/sort/give away stuff. On Day 7 of my visit, we moved into the loft apartment. It's really a neat place, very industrial, and very different for us. When the property manager took us around, I pointed to the stainless steel rolling table in the center of the kitchen and said, "Um, is that an autopsy table?"
She looked a little sick. "We can store that for you. Several of our tenants asked us to do that with theirs."
I just bet they did. I mean, I'm all for form following function, but geez... In my mind, that table is the ultimate in STUFF, and I really don't want to have it anywhere near me when I'm eating my meals.
**
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Holidays and Technology
Last week I blogged about the holidays and social networking.
This week, let’s consider how changing technology affects the holidays--and it definitely does... or it can!
I recently mailed out a bunch of Christmas cards, including a letter in most of them about what my family and I did this past year. I’ve been doing that forever. But I have to say that, as I stuck the snail-mail stamps on, I wondered whether it wouldn’t be better to just send e-cards and include the same newsy stuff there. I’d save the cost of the stamps, for one thing. Plus, over the course of time, I’m sure a lot of trees have been cut down to handle the paper in the cards I’ve sent and their envelopes.
On the other hand, if I send only e-cards--and especially if everyone else does the same--just think of all the negative effects on the incomes of the people who design and sell cards, the retailers, and the post office staff. Besides, isn’t it fun to check the mail and see whose cards have arrived at your house each day?
Then there are presents. I admit to being woefully behind in knowing the differences between brands of smart phones, e-readers and electronic games, as well as other technological things that can be given as gifts. But still, those kinds of items are definitely fun to give--and receive--as presents. Practical gifts include things like memory sticks and removable drives to make sure things on computers are backed up and less likely to be lost. Some of the memory sticks are even pretty, with bright colors or patterns. Others are cute, in shapes of little characters. The types of memory gadgetry seem to change and substantially grow in capacity from one holiday season to the next. I still have floppy disks of various sizes that I can no longer use but fortunately have at least all my recent work saved in formats that I can still access!
Computers themselves can make good gifts. They seem to grow smaller all the time--or at least you can choose smaller ones. Some also have features that seem to be interchangeable with newer e-readers. Have I figured them all out? Hardly. But as I decide I need some new type of gadget, I study what’s available and the different features I can get. And then I rely on my sons, who know what they’re doing, to advise me.
So--what techie gadgets are you giving this holiday season? What kinds do you hope to receive? Do you already know how to work with them? If not, how do you intend to learn? And how are they all different from those you considered last year? Five years ago?
Happy Holidays, everyone!
This week, let’s consider how changing technology affects the holidays--and it definitely does... or it can!
I recently mailed out a bunch of Christmas cards, including a letter in most of them about what my family and I did this past year. I’ve been doing that forever. But I have to say that, as I stuck the snail-mail stamps on, I wondered whether it wouldn’t be better to just send e-cards and include the same newsy stuff there. I’d save the cost of the stamps, for one thing. Plus, over the course of time, I’m sure a lot of trees have been cut down to handle the paper in the cards I’ve sent and their envelopes.
On the other hand, if I send only e-cards--and especially if everyone else does the same--just think of all the negative effects on the incomes of the people who design and sell cards, the retailers, and the post office staff. Besides, isn’t it fun to check the mail and see whose cards have arrived at your house each day?
Then there are presents. I admit to being woefully behind in knowing the differences between brands of smart phones, e-readers and electronic games, as well as other technological things that can be given as gifts. But still, those kinds of items are definitely fun to give--and receive--as presents. Practical gifts include things like memory sticks and removable drives to make sure things on computers are backed up and less likely to be lost. Some of the memory sticks are even pretty, with bright colors or patterns. Others are cute, in shapes of little characters. The types of memory gadgetry seem to change and substantially grow in capacity from one holiday season to the next. I still have floppy disks of various sizes that I can no longer use but fortunately have at least all my recent work saved in formats that I can still access!
Computers themselves can make good gifts. They seem to grow smaller all the time--or at least you can choose smaller ones. Some also have features that seem to be interchangeable with newer e-readers. Have I figured them all out? Hardly. But as I decide I need some new type of gadget, I study what’s available and the different features I can get. And then I rely on my sons, who know what they’re doing, to advise me.
So--what techie gadgets are you giving this holiday season? What kinds do you hope to receive? Do you already know how to work with them? If not, how do you intend to learn? And how are they all different from those you considered last year? Five years ago?
Happy Holidays, everyone!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
E-Readers
Last week, I was in Orlando at the Romance Writers of America conference. E-readers were everywhere!
Barnes & Noble had a large room dedicated to selling physical books--but there were also people selling the Nook e-reader outside it.
I arrived on Wednesday morning too late to attend a morning program given by Harlequin for its authors on social networking, darn it. I need as much instruction as I can get, to learn everything I’m not doing. The afternoon Harlequin program was dedicated to teaching us about the different kinds of e-readers and what their differentiating features are. I unfortunately also arrived too late to see the demonstration, but the room was packed. Afterward, a few techy folks from Harlequin hung around to give individual instruction, but I hadn’t learned enough to know what to ask. Sigh. But it did intrigue me.
Other programs discussed the future of the publishing industry, and where new forms of publishing, and reading, may fit in.
But did all this convince me to run right out and buy an e-reader? No. Maybe I’d have been so inclined if I’d seen the demos and figured out which one was best for me. But I haven’t heard of any yet that would survive a good dunking in the bathtub--which is where I do a lot of my reading.
So, for now, I’ll wait. Although if anyone reading this happens to know of waterproof e-readers, let me know. I might jump in earlier than I’m currently anticipating.
Barnes & Noble had a large room dedicated to selling physical books--but there were also people selling the Nook e-reader outside it.
I arrived on Wednesday morning too late to attend a morning program given by Harlequin for its authors on social networking, darn it. I need as much instruction as I can get, to learn everything I’m not doing. The afternoon Harlequin program was dedicated to teaching us about the different kinds of e-readers and what their differentiating features are. I unfortunately also arrived too late to see the demonstration, but the room was packed. Afterward, a few techy folks from Harlequin hung around to give individual instruction, but I hadn’t learned enough to know what to ask. Sigh. But it did intrigue me.
Other programs discussed the future of the publishing industry, and where new forms of publishing, and reading, may fit in.
But did all this convince me to run right out and buy an e-reader? No. Maybe I’d have been so inclined if I’d seen the demos and figured out which one was best for me. But I haven’t heard of any yet that would survive a good dunking in the bathtub--which is where I do a lot of my reading.
So, for now, I’ll wait. Although if anyone reading this happens to know of waterproof e-readers, let me know. I might jump in earlier than I’m currently anticipating.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Literacy
I usually describe myself as semi-literate when it comes to computers. For example, I was writing this blog directly on the New Post screen when my computer announced it was shutting down, and I had no idea why or how to prevent what I had already written from disappearing. I have a very computer-literate husband who cannot make me understand how to do many things on my laptop. I took a course for beginners but it taught me how to do a few things I never want to do and none of the things I do want to do. Some day I will take another course or two -- or I will wait until a good friend finishes learning to be a computer tech, and let her show me.
On the other hand, I don't remember learning to read. I do remember first grade and Dick, Jane and Sally -- but I already knew most of the words. I remember mastering t-h-o-u-g-h, a "big" word whose pronunciation did not match the spelling. English is a peculiar language.
I remember my mother taking me to the library and the thrill I felt when I saw all those books. And they were FREE!! I couldn't get over how wonderful a library was. I still think it's a wonderful bargain.
I have been a life-long bibliophile. There have always been books wherever I lived. My husband is one, too. The first change we made to our co-op after moving in was to have floor-to-ceiling bookshelves installed. The shelves are filled and there are supplementary bookshelves now.
But now comes this new electronic way of reading. Hundreds of books can be put into a device smaller, thinner, and lighter than a hardcover. I don't own one, but I probably will someday.
The idea is not as new as you might think. At a science-fiction convention I went to more than twenty years ago, a speaker told of the possibility of an electronic reader, starting a very big discussion of the ramifications, and whether or not it would overtake books like books had overtaken scrolls. Sci-fi people are at least as much bibliophiles as mystery fans, but they are by and large young and very open to advances in science and technology. Yet most of them were against the idea, because they love not only reading, but the books themselves, the feel, the ease of handling them, the lack of need for electricity. But one person stood up and said one word: Moving. The young often change residences after they first leave home. And bibliophiles quickly learn that books are heavy, and they don't fold up small. Suddenly an electronic reader seemed like a marvelous idea.
I wonder if the device is going to make it harder for the countries that prefer their women uneducated, even illiterate. Surely there will be programs for the e-book device that teach the owner to read. And one slim device is much easier to hide than even one thick, heavy book. And with more and more of the world's books available, it will be harder than ever to keep women -- and men, for that matter, ignorant.
I have seen the future and it is e-readers.
On the other hand, I don't remember learning to read. I do remember first grade and Dick, Jane and Sally -- but I already knew most of the words. I remember mastering t-h-o-u-g-h, a "big" word whose pronunciation did not match the spelling. English is a peculiar language.
I remember my mother taking me to the library and the thrill I felt when I saw all those books. And they were FREE!! I couldn't get over how wonderful a library was. I still think it's a wonderful bargain.
I have been a life-long bibliophile. There have always been books wherever I lived. My husband is one, too. The first change we made to our co-op after moving in was to have floor-to-ceiling bookshelves installed. The shelves are filled and there are supplementary bookshelves now.
But now comes this new electronic way of reading. Hundreds of books can be put into a device smaller, thinner, and lighter than a hardcover. I don't own one, but I probably will someday.
The idea is not as new as you might think. At a science-fiction convention I went to more than twenty years ago, a speaker told of the possibility of an electronic reader, starting a very big discussion of the ramifications, and whether or not it would overtake books like books had overtaken scrolls. Sci-fi people are at least as much bibliophiles as mystery fans, but they are by and large young and very open to advances in science and technology. Yet most of them were against the idea, because they love not only reading, but the books themselves, the feel, the ease of handling them, the lack of need for electricity. But one person stood up and said one word: Moving. The young often change residences after they first leave home. And bibliophiles quickly learn that books are heavy, and they don't fold up small. Suddenly an electronic reader seemed like a marvelous idea.
I wonder if the device is going to make it harder for the countries that prefer their women uneducated, even illiterate. Surely there will be programs for the e-book device that teach the owner to read. And one slim device is much easier to hide than even one thick, heavy book. And with more and more of the world's books available, it will be harder than ever to keep women -- and men, for that matter, ignorant.
I have seen the future and it is e-readers.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
How I Carry 168 Books in My Purse
Last year a moving company estimated our move from St. Louis to outside of Washington, DC, would cost us $13,000.
Yes, you read that right. Thirteen THOUSAND dollars.
After we picked ourselves up off the floor, we asked what we could do to lighten the load. The guy with the calculator scratched his head and sighed. "As far as I can tell most of this is because of your books. Ma'am, you have a lot of books. A lot!"
I had at least eight bookcases, filled with double rows of books, plus other books in boxes. That doesn't count the books stashed in my armoir, or in closets, or beside my bed. Not only did the dollar amount for moving all those books astonish me, I also started worrying about space. My husband had selected our new home, and I hadn't seen it. Where would I put all those books?
In the end, I weeded through them. I gave away boxes and boxes. The library and the Goodwill shop both benefited from my move.
My husband said, "I know this is hard for you. Maybe the time has come to get an e-reader."
I'm not going to tell you what brand we purchased, but I'll tell you this: I love my e-reader. When I was snowed in this winter, I practiced single finger aerobics. I hit the "buy" button over and over and bought new titles. I love the convenience of being able to make a purchase anytime, anywhere. When I discovered I had three days to read my online bookclub selection, I uploaded the book in less time than it took me to type in the title. I was ready for the discussion with time to spare.
Then I discovered how many classics are available for free or next to nothing. Recently, I uploaded the entire collection of Virginia Woolf books for $1.99. I have all the works of Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, and many others. I can even sample some books before I buy! I love that option!
Do I miss turning pages? Sometimes. But I'm a very fast reader and I can set down the e-reader and "turn the pages" while I brush my teeth or whatever. Used to be, I couldn't keep the book flat while my hands were occupied.
Do I worry about the battery going out? That's only happened once. The last thing I do at night is plug in my e-reader.
I love having the ability to look up words as I read, plus the ability to highlight and mark passages I admire, or make notes to myself about them.
Most of all, I adore having a variety of books at my fingertips. I've read more books than ever lately, because I always have a book in my purse. If I don't fancy whatever I'm reading at the time, I just hit the magic button and read something else. If I see a book I know I'll want to read, I order it pronto. I pay nothing for shipping or handling.
Do I think that e-publishing will hurt the world of publishing?
Quite the contrary. Now that I have an e-reader, I'm buying more books than ever before. It's easy to buy them, easy to pre-order them, and easy to keep track of what I have.
After all, I'll never run out of shelf space!
Yes, you read that right. Thirteen THOUSAND dollars.
After we picked ourselves up off the floor, we asked what we could do to lighten the load. The guy with the calculator scratched his head and sighed. "As far as I can tell most of this is because of your books. Ma'am, you have a lot of books. A lot!"
I had at least eight bookcases, filled with double rows of books, plus other books in boxes. That doesn't count the books stashed in my armoir, or in closets, or beside my bed. Not only did the dollar amount for moving all those books astonish me, I also started worrying about space. My husband had selected our new home, and I hadn't seen it. Where would I put all those books?
In the end, I weeded through them. I gave away boxes and boxes. The library and the Goodwill shop both benefited from my move.
My husband said, "I know this is hard for you. Maybe the time has come to get an e-reader."
I'm not going to tell you what brand we purchased, but I'll tell you this: I love my e-reader. When I was snowed in this winter, I practiced single finger aerobics. I hit the "buy" button over and over and bought new titles. I love the convenience of being able to make a purchase anytime, anywhere. When I discovered I had three days to read my online bookclub selection, I uploaded the book in less time than it took me to type in the title. I was ready for the discussion with time to spare.
Then I discovered how many classics are available for free or next to nothing. Recently, I uploaded the entire collection of Virginia Woolf books for $1.99. I have all the works of Shakespeare, Jonathan Swift, and many others. I can even sample some books before I buy! I love that option!
Do I miss turning pages? Sometimes. But I'm a very fast reader and I can set down the e-reader and "turn the pages" while I brush my teeth or whatever. Used to be, I couldn't keep the book flat while my hands were occupied.
Do I worry about the battery going out? That's only happened once. The last thing I do at night is plug in my e-reader.
I love having the ability to look up words as I read, plus the ability to highlight and mark passages I admire, or make notes to myself about them.
Most of all, I adore having a variety of books at my fingertips. I've read more books than ever lately, because I always have a book in my purse. If I don't fancy whatever I'm reading at the time, I just hit the magic button and read something else. If I see a book I know I'll want to read, I order it pronto. I pay nothing for shipping or handling.
Do I think that e-publishing will hurt the world of publishing?
Quite the contrary. Now that I have an e-reader, I'm buying more books than ever before. It's easy to buy them, easy to pre-order them, and easy to keep track of what I have.
After all, I'll never run out of shelf space!
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