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Showing posts with label ereader. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ereader. Show all posts

02 December 2013

Are you looking for an eReader for yourself or someone else this Christmas?

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday-Deals/379003308?r=1&cm_mmc=Facebook-_-NOOK-_-product_page-_-black_Friday_cyber_Monday

I just saw this great deal pop up on my Facebook. It is the NOOK that includes the adjustable reading light. This eReader can, therefore, be used in sunny conditions or in darkness. Sounds like a winner to me though I haven't actually seen this version in person.

$49 is a great deal.

07 February 2012

Kindle Fire deal this week at Walmart

If you're in the market for an ereader check out this deal:  CouponingToDisney

I've read that the NOOK products may have a slight advantage for those with vision issues; other than that, I feel that one can't go wrong with either brand.

Happy reading!

15 December 2011

Travel advice with eReaders

Many people own eReaders now. Many people travel too. That brings up concerns. Books are not expensive. Ereaders can be. If you travel with an eReader, first and foremost, you want to be sure you have it labeled in some manner so that if you lose it and an honest person finds it, it can be returned to you.


After some research I've found some interesting things that I want to pass on to my readers.


A Kindle owner can create and send a Reward document to the device, noting that a reward has been offered to the person who turns it in. That's an interesting ability. If the finder is dishonest though, and a reader of books, a reward may not be sufficient to garner the return of the device. In my opinion, you're still in the hands of fate if your device is lost. Amazon has a protocol in place to assist with the return of lost Kindle products.


If you lose your eReader you should deregister it to prevent people from having access to your account.


You can use a service such as www.rewardtag.com to print a tag with a reward offer on it. Anyone finding your device (any type of device) can refer to that tag to return it to you.


If you've lost or misplaced an iPad or an iPhone you can find it using the Find my iPhone app if you've installed it on your device. If you own one and haven't downloaded that app, do it now. I've used it twice to find my iPhone in our house. It's a wonderful app.


click here for >BestBookReadersAdviceOnFindingALostEReader

14 December 2011

EReader recommendations for those with vision problems...

A friend asked me if I had any thoughts on which eReader might be more suitable for a person who has vision problems.


Truthfully, any eReader will likely be good for such a situation. With books, they are either in a format with large type or they aren't. With an eReader it is easy to adjust the font size and style to one that you are comfortable with. It was a good question though and it merited some research. I wanted to advise her well and with more than a generic suggestion.


In my search I found this site which I think substantiates the user's explanation thoughtfully. And so, Barnes and Noble's NOOK products come out just ahead of Kindle.


http://tinyurl.com/PCWorldOnEReaderResolution (Click at the top right of the  page to skip the ad)


"Trade books, mass-market books, textbooks, magazines, newspapers, and children's books all look and function better on the Nook Tablet than on the Kindle Fire.
The Nook Tablet's viewing options; click for full-size image.The Nook Tablet's viewing options in a book.Both tablet's screens have a resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels, which limits how sharp the text they display can be. But the Nook Tablet's screen is less reflective than Kindle Fire's; the LCD is bonded to the glass, which mitigates reflection and increases contrast and sharpness. In comparison, I often encountered glare on the Kindle Fire's display.
I looked at the same magazines and books on each device, and the Nook Tablet was the clear overall winner at rendering text. At comparable font sizes, text on the Nook Tablet looked crisper than on the Kindle Fire.
In presenting standard books, the Nook Tablet offered more meaningful viewing choices. Though both tablets provide eight font-size options, the sizes on the Nook are more useful. It's definitely better for readers who need large type."

09 December 2011

I charged our boys' NOOKs so that they are ready for Christmas morning. (My initial review of NOOK Tablet.)

Boy, oh boy, are these boys going to be excited!
MB just turned 11
ED is about to turn 10

We have a houseful of kids. Along with that comes a houseful of books and technology.


Our 16 year old son has an iTouch. He also has an XBox and all the lovely gadgets that accompany that. He also hopes that we'll be helping him choose and share in the cost of a car soon; just have to find the right one.


Our 15 year old daughter has already received an iPhone 3 as her Christmas present for this year. I gave it to her immediately because I was anxious to get it set up and assure it was working properly. Previously I thought the data plans for phones were too expensive. She agreed to pay for the phone if we would pay for her data plan for a year. We decided that was fair. She uses the phone to record the details of her illness because it affects her daily life. It has been a useful resource in storing information and having it handy when we go to her medical appointments.


Our 5 year old daughter isn't interested in technology this year. She received a vReader last year for Christmas and uses it frequently. She's asking Santa for an American Girl doll for Christmas this year.




Back to the boys. They both really enjoy reading. Right after Christmas 2010 MB started saving his money to purchase a NOOK Color. This year they were both going to put that on the top of their Christmas lists. Then Barnes and Noble came out with the new NOOK Tablet. It didn't take long for their lists to be altered.


I've been researching eReaders for a long time. I was excited to get my hands on a NOOK Tablet to see if it was really all I expected.


Let me tell you...it is!


This week I spent two afternoons getting them set up. I visited our present closet and pulled everything out. I locked myself in my room. I was eventually joined by our five year old who is doing a wonderful job of keeping secrets this year!


I knew that I wanted to at least get both NOOK Tablets charged. I also wanted to charge the NOOK Simple Touch that has been purchased for me as a Christmas gift.


I found the devices very straightforward in functionality.


The anti-glare screen protectors went on smoothly.


I plugged them in, one at a time, and charged them by hiding them behind my husband's night stand.  Charging seemed to take much less time than I expected!


I linked both devices to my existing B&N account. I was happy to find that there is a "Kids" tab that the boys can go to in order to find all of the juvenile book titles! 


I easily found how to set the devices to require my B&N password in order to make a purchase! 


In no time at all I was being sucked in by the NOOK Tablets. I didn't really expect that. I love my eInk. I've mentioned that here time and time again. I really had to do some thinking. Did I want to keep the NOOK Simple Touch for myself or return it at a much greater cost and buy myself a NOOK Tablet also?


I have decided that for now I am going to keep the NST. The boys are in school all day. If I want to borrow one of the NOOK Tablets while they are at school that won't be a problem. This way I still have an eReader that operates with eInk. I find that important mostly because I read a LOT during the summer at the pool, or at the beach if we are fortunate enough to vacation at a beach. EInk screens are as easy to read in sunlight as a printed page, unlike a lighted screen.


I did struggle in making that decision. Ultimately, I already own an iPhone 4 so I have the functionality of a tablet in smart-phone-form at hand. Besides, I only paid $79 for my NST because of the Black Friday price break.


When I bought my original NOOK, Hubs asked me what I thought about it. My reply was that I liked it so much I was confident it wouldn't be my last eReader. I already knew that as the technology marched forward I would want to follow along. And so our family is following. I'm sure I will eventually upgrade again.


For now I can say that I am thrilled with the NOOK Tablets. I know our boys will be too. If any of you are buying eReaders as Christmas gifts I suggest charging them ahead of time, as I did. If you run into any complications or have questions, ask me. If I can't help, we can surely find the answer somewhere.


Happy reading!

25 November 2011

Black Friday sale on NOOK Simple Touch today only for $79.

If you haven't bought a basic eReader yet but want one, this deal should catch your attention.

The NOOK Simple Touch is a basic eReader. It's an update from the previous, original NOOK eReader. It has only one screen; a touchscreen. The extended two-year warranty is only $19.99 for full protection from nearly anything except loss or theft.

I already purchased mine, a week ago. I took my receipt into the store after I figured all of today's crowds had passed. At the register the clerk refunded my original purchase price and re-rang it for the reduced sale price. I saved a nice twenty bucks!


21 November 2011

I made up my mind about eReaders for our kids for Christmas.

My two little guys don't tune into my blog so I'm safe to say that when I visited Barnes and Noble on the 17th to check out the NOOK Tablet I decided it was the right fit for both of them.


Our boys are turning 10 and 11 in the next few weeks. Both really enjoy reading. 


I chose the NOOK Tablet and not the Kindle Fire because:
I have already purchased B&N ebooks.
I love Netflix.
I like Barnes & Noble's business philosophy.


I think the Kindle Fire would be a completely acceptable alternative and it can be had for $50 less. Amazon is a great company; we do a lot of business with them since we have five kids. I could also stream movies for free as part of the pre-paid shipping package (Prime) membership that we purchased. Amazon treats the Kindle products as more of a vending machine of sorts than it appears B&N does.


For one son I purchased this: Tasume in Carbon.
It's a cover and a stand, all in one. The red Tasume looks a bit feminine; that wouldn't do. The white, I think, would become incredibly dirty. I went with carbon.


For the other I purchased this: Travel Stand for NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet.
I purchased this cover for him: Franklin Sleeve.
The Franklin Sleeve is attractive Italian synthetic leather with a nylon interior. The corner tab can be secured through the device's corner slot to prevent the cover from coming off when being transported.


Of course they'll be able to trade if they wish, as the NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet are the same dimensions. 


I purchased anti-glare screen protectors for both, to prevent screen scratches.


I know they are going to be so excited about receiving these!



20 November 2011

Plainfield Library to host an eReader showcase Nov 30 7-8:30 pm.

Representatives from Best Buy and Barnes and Noble will be at the library to answer questions and demonstrate eReaders.


Learn how to borrow eBooks from the library.


They are also holding a raffle.


November 30
7-8:30 PM
15025 S Illinois St
Plainfield, IL 60544
815-436-6639


Plainfield Library eReader Showcase 2011



19 November 2011

NOOK Tablet Available in Stores

The new NOOK Tablet hit stores a day earlier than expected!


Our daughter and I popped into a B&N store today to check it out. The store is busy. I spent some time with one of the managers who told me that they have already received a second shipment. Still, buying early is always a good idea with Christmas around the corner. You wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to get your hands on one of these if it's in the wish list of someone you love.


The Christian Science Monitor feels the NOOK Tablet comes out ahead of the Kindle Fire.


The manager was also telling me about how to change the digital format of films that have already been purchased, so that they can be made viewable on NOOK devices that support video. I'll report back with more on that when I have the information in front of me.


For now, happy shopping.



15 November 2011

Are you shopping for an eReader this Christmas season?

I just came across a great article that compares the differences between the two new tablets on the market that will appeal to people who want something to use as an eReader.


Specs Appeal: NOOK Tablet vs. Kindle Fire


If you are stuck trying to make your decision between the above two models, the article should help.


If you are looking for something more basic, consider the NOOK Simple Touch or the Kindle Touch.


New eBook Reader Reviews


When it comes to the "Touch" eReaders I think the biggest draw is going to be whether the purchaser has already purchased a significant amount of content from Barnes and Noble or from Amazon. If neither, then I think it is probably a draw between those two. 


There is one thing that I think might draw me to Amazon/Kindle if I were new to the eReader scene... 


ZDNet explanation of Kindle library borrowing
"
  • If a book is purchased, its notes and bookmarks will be preserved.
  • Amazon’s Whispersync will enable margin notes and highlights on library books. These notes disappear when another person checks out a book. If you check the book out again your notes reappear.   "
I can't say how eager I am for Barnes and Noble to follow suit with regard to the preservation of notes. I take a lot of notes.


Visiting a store and getting your hands on a demo model, or better yet, borrowing one from a friend, will really give you an idea of the feel and functionality of a particular eReader. It's still the best way to make a decision before purchasing. 


Remember, some libraries loan eReaders to their patrons to allow them to get a real feel about eReaders before making a purchase. Our local library allows patrons to checkout: Sony Reader PRS-350 Pocket Edition or B&N NOOK. 


Plainfield IL Library eReader info


11 November 2011

NOOK Tablet release date

I've been wondering when the actual release date for the NOOK Tablet would be. I stopped into B&N the other day and was told that it was in a matter of days and not weeks as I had expected. In fact, it is a week from today.


"The Nook Tablet release date is November 17th, two days after the launch of the Kindle Fire."
GeekSailor


Our local store is already taking pre-order reservations. I wonder if I should get in on some of that action. I am expecting that the only Black Friday doorbusters for eReaders will be on older models of eReaders and not on these new, nicely-priced tablet/readers being released by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


Our two youngest boys both believe this is the product that will best fit them. I agree.


~~~


Edited to add: 
NOOK Tablet announced, comparisons, specs

07 November 2011

NOOK Tablet announced!

Welcome to the newest Barnes and Noble NOOK product!
NOOK Tablet

This NOOK product will act as a color eReader as well as a tablet. The price is significantly less than most tablets while being a little pricier than Amazon's new Kindle Fire tablet. Kindle Fire weighs in at $199.00. NOOK Tablet lists at $249.00.  More on the price difference in a bit...

This article ZDNet compares Kindle Fire and NOOK Tablet. They seem to believe that people making a purchase of products in this price range are really only going to look at price to determine what they'll purchase.
I guess I'm not part of their demographic... I guess I'm a bit serious about technology and, specifically, eReaders. I want to be sure that the best product is purchased for the buyer's needs.


The article points out some things that I find significant for our needs:
Kindle Fire Ram is 512 MB
NOOK Tablet Ram is 1 GB

Kindle Fire storage is 8 GB
NOOK Tablet storage is 16 GB + up to 32 GB MicroSD

Kindle Fire battery provides 8.5 hrs reading/7.5 hrs video
NOOK Tablet battery provides 11.5 hrs reading/9 hrs video

There's more...NOOK Tablet weighs 10% less than Kindle Fire and the iPad2 weighs a whopping
21.28 oz.

GEEK has some really great side-to-side comparisons here, click on "Geek".

What I feel is some of the biggest news about this new tablet/eReader is that it will support both Hulu and my favorite streaming site, Netflix!!

One of the biggest determiners for purchasers trying to make a decision about the Kindle Fire and the NOOK Color is if they have already purchased electronic content from one or the other of the stores, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. I have already purchased many things from B&N since my purchase of the NOOK original in July of 2010. I am super excited about this. The announcement makes me think that for our family the NOOK Tablet will be the color eReader/tablet of choice for any of our children wishing for one for Christmas.

NOOK Tablet Release Date

04 November 2011

Is a NEW Nook Color in the works for this Christmas 2011?

I really wonder what the announcement on 7 Nov will be. I can't wait to hear. I need to make a decision as to what I am going to purchase for any of our children who want an eReader this Christmas.

I am intrigued by the fact that there is wonder about the possibility of B&N cooperating with NETFLIX! That would be a truly fortuitous relationship as far as I can reckon.

CSMonitor ~ Updated Nook Color for Christmas 2011?

06 October 2011

Have you had any problems with your eReader? (And I'm a good mom.)

I was awoken in the middle of the night.
I'm a good mom. I didn't swat at what I perceived to be the cat in my face.
It was our five year old.


Once I had her settled in her sleeping bag next to our bed I tried so hard to get back to sleep. Realizing that I couldn't, I grabbed my NOOK and LightWedge and headed to the family room couch to get caught up on some reading.


My NOOK wouldn't start up. I tried everything. I plugged it in and retried it. I held the button down for 20 seconds. I removed the battery and replaced it. I plugged it back in and played around on this website for a while instead: 
AwkwardFamilyPhotos
I'm happy to share that link with you because, so far, there are no photos of me there...
(I won't tell you how long I looked at the photos and comments on that site.)


Anyway, upon waking this morning I turned my NOOK on and it is working just fine. While I hated to lose some nice, quiet reading time, I am rather glad that this morning did not find me asking for a replacement under my extended warranty. I'm happy that it came to its senses and is working again! Off to do a little reading...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's afternoon now. When I turned my NOOK on again it wouldn't open the book that I wanted to begin reading but had previously downloaded from B&N.


I visited our local store. The agent phoned online assistance. That particular book just wouldn't open. It supposedly had nothing to do with my problems during the night. A report was filed for the book to be fixed. In the meantime I needed to find a different copy to read. That copy was a free copy. I ended up spending $1.50 to buy it, along with a companion book. 


I hope that's the end of my eReader difficulty for a while. I need to spend some time reading.



05 October 2011

Inventor of ebook, founder of Project Gutenberg dies

Hart died on September 6, 2011 in his Urbana, IL home.
He invented the ebook in 1971 and is best known for that. He also founded Project Gutenberg in an effort to share literature with as many people as possible. 


Hart shares about his invention of the ebook: Click Here.


Read his obituary on Project Gutenberg: Click Here


Project Gutenberg makes available over 36,000 titles to the public. Hart's site present those books to the public in 60 languages with more to come.


Have you used the Project Gutenberg site to read or download a free ebook? I have. Rest in peace, Michael.

29 September 2011

Amazon announces a new color Kindle!

Ok, so I love my NOOK by Barnes and Noble. But I think I really am sold on the functionality of eReaders in general.




Today I saw that Amazon announced the ability to pre-order their new color eReader. The amazing thing is that they've undercut B&N quite solidly at a price of only $199.99.


It's time for me to begin further research, readers. Our 10 year old son has been saving his money all year for the purchase of a NOOK Color. I knew that when the time arrived I would have to learn more about the differences and prices of color eReaders compared to tablets.


Only time will tell what we'll end up purchasing for our son. With the fact that I am guessing it will stream free video as a part of our Amazon Prime membership, I am really, very intrigued. I do believe this Christmas season holds lots of intrigue regarding eReaders and tablets. It's going to be a banner year for sales, in my opinion. I can't wait to see what other products will be unveiled and what price wars may ensue. A recession hand-in-hand with a boon of technological changes could produce a lot of fun for some of us.


I've almost decided that I want to "trade up" to the latest model NOOK. I visited our local
B&N store this week to compare the new model to my NOOK original. I really like the functionality of the new, completely touch-sensitive screen and the quicker method of highlights and notes without needing to also bookmark a page. The highlights and notes are labeled by more than the page number also, which will make them easier to maneuver.


A Google List of sites posting news of Amazon's Kindle Fire eReader

This site will answer a lot of Kindle Fire FAQs. (It won't read NOOKbooks or other epub ebooks.)

PCMag Comparison guide for Fire vs iPad2 vs NOOKColor


29 August 2011

Ereaders for students

If you are considering the purchase of an ereader specifically for a student in your life (or for your own studies) I suggest reading the post on this site:


GoodEReader


The site gives reasons behind each of their recommendations.



09 July 2011

Ereader news...

Some interesting facts gleaned from the link I'll give at the lower part of this page:

Ereader sales have increased 105% over last year.

NOOK Color has ousted the Kindle as the top-selling ereader; this being the first that Amazon has lost that distinction.

Rumor is that Amazon will release its own version of a tablet device in a few months.

http://venturebeat.com/2011/07/08/idc-tablet-sales-slow-nook-color-ousts-kindle-as-lead-ereader/

If Amazon comes out with a tablet and it's priced right I will have to try to determine if our 10 yr old son would be better off with the Amazon product or with the NOOK Color that tops his Christmas wish list...

21 June 2011

I tried out the new NOOK...

I popped into B&N yesterday.

I tried out the new NOOK. Unfortunately, I didn't have my original NOOK with me to compare side by side. It struck me that the new NOOK is smaller and at feels lighter. I haven't found a comparison of the weights yet though.

It looks good. I like it. I still like my original though. If one were to be given the choice between the two I'm not sure how the decision would be made. The original model has the pretty color screen that shows book covers whereas the new model does not. However, the new model utilizes all if its space for reading by not having the pretty color covers.

I am still convinced that eInk technology is the best for serious readers who want to convert to reading ebooks. The new NOOK model us affordable and has a friendly user interface. I think it would be a great place for most people to start.

16 June 2011

How do you read? Pencil in hand taking notes?

I've been thinking about this the last few days. 

I guess I'm a book nerd. There are worse things to be. 

Depending on the book, if I owned it there have been times that I've dog-eared it to death. Pathetic, huh?

When I would come across something unusual I would want go look it up at a convenient moment. There have been times when I would keep a small notepad with the book I was reading. Even so, I'd still have to find time later to look those things up. I've taken notes in my books too. 

I'd pine away "If only I could easily look up the definition of this word right now while I'm reading..."

We've never kept a computer in our bedroom, we've always had a study. I often read in our bedroom or our living room or outdoors. These days our laptop computer may or may not be where I'm reading. If it's with me I can use it to look things up. 


These days I make highlights and take notes as I read, using my ereader. My ereader has a browser if I really want to Google something. My iPhone 4 is more functional for Internet searches though but I usually have it with me!  

For definitions I use my NOOK's inherent dictionary. I take issue with it though. I wish it used a better dictionary. I've actually looked up many words that it has no definition for. I've complained to B&N but they've not made any changes. 

I didn't used to be like this. In school there was little that I hated more than reading. I hated it. Not anymore. These days I want to experience a goodbook to it's fullest. That might really be the issue though. These days I'm in charge  of choosing my reading. 

So...How do you read?
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