Techafina » Travel http://www.techafina.com technology distilled Sat, 06 Mar 2010 02:09:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Read Any Good eBooks Lately? http://www.techafina.com/posts/read-any-good-ebooks-lately/ http://www.techafina.com/posts/read-any-good-ebooks-lately/#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:05:00 +0000 Sharon Rosen http://www.techafina.com/posts/read-any-good-ebooks-lately/ I did it. I finally bit the bullet and bought an Amazon Kindle. The Kindle caught my interest when rumors first broke about it’s upcoming debut, and now that it has been available for several months I decided it was time to take another look.

If you are not familiar with the Kindle, it is an electronic reading device, but it has a special e-ink screen that make your eyes feel like they are reading from paper, not a lit screen. My BlackBerry makes a decent reading platform, but not a GREAT one. I enjoy reading in short spurts on it (as mentioned previously, I am seriously addicted to Viigo) – but the backlit screen is just not comfortable for extended periods of reading.

Moving toward a digital library is becoming easier as time goes by, as every day more and more books are being released in the digital format. Most Classics are free, and there is a large selection of ebooks available in a variety of formats. Although Kindle Books (purchased through Amazon) are tied to a single Amazon account, more than one device can be managed by an account to allow content sharing. This isn’t a perfect situation, as sharing only applies to books, not subscriptions such as blogs, magazines, or newspapers – and “Amazon Recommendations” will no longer be geared toward YOUR reading preferences. The slight problems aside, I am absolutely adoring my new Kindle, and I can say in earnest it really is as cool as everyone says it is. Reading on the Kindle feels equivalent to reading newsprint but ink smudges are a thing of the past.
If you are looking to add ebooks to your digital collection, here are a few links to get you started:

Happy Reading!
Image credits: Kindle by John Pastor, Books by Manu M

]]> http://www.techafina.com/posts/read-any-good-ebooks-lately/feed/ 2 Power on the Go http://www.techafina.com/posts/power-on-the-go/ http://www.techafina.com/posts/power-on-the-go/#comments Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:20:00 +0000 Sharon Rosen http://www.techafina.com/posts/power-on-the-go/ Now more than ever, we don’t want to be caught on the go without power. Addictions run high with our phones and iPods given all that we can do with them, and the APC UPB10 Mobile Power Pack comes to the rescue. This is not a new product, but somehow, many people still don’t know about this jewel. If you travel, this is a must have item. If you don’t travel, it’s just very handy to have around.

The actual power pack is very similar in size to my BlackBerry Curve, just a bit shorter and a tad slimmer. It weighs 3.4 ounces (again, less than my Curve) and is with me everywhere I go. Originally, it came with a Power Only USB cord (no data) and an AC Power Adapter (the wall plug). The Power Only USB is worthless to me because it doesn’t make sense to carry TWO USB cords when you’re on the go, and the point of this device is to be mobile. Instead, I carry a regular USB mini-retractable cord – and the power pack. The power pack can charge my phone for more than two cycles without needing to be recharged (perfect for a 2-3 day trip), AND, it can even charge my device, WHILE being recharged by my laptop. If I am carrying an iPod then I bring along the iPod power/sync cord along with my regular USB.

I originally purchased the power pack about a year and half ago at Sam’s Club for around $50. The price is still hovering at $61 on Amazon, but you may be able to find it at another retailer for less. Either way, after a year and a half, I’m still toting this around and singing it’s praises.
Be Mobile. Be Happy.

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