Kindle in the pool - reading while swimming

The Kindle ebook format has completely changed how I read.    Instead of carrying a book everywhere with me, I now read my current book on the nearest electronic device.   My sister gave me the first Kindle, because she could see how perfect it was for me.   I took that Kindle on my next three week business trip to China and did not take a half a suitcase filled with books.  (Not many English books in the Shanghai bookstores)

I read my Kindle books almost anywhere - in line at Disneyland, on the plane, while waiting to pick up my daughter, and now - in the pool.    On Amazon

Dear Amazon - a wish list for Kindles and Kindle apps

Don't get me wrong - I love my Kindle ebook.  I use the Kindle app on my iPhone, iPad, Android tablet, and PC.   I also have a Kindle Paperwhite

How Amazon FIre HD is like the Titanic - not putting women and children first

I received my Amazon Fire HD the first day it was available.   Based on the announcement, I was pretty excited about this new version.   The reality is much less exciting.   It's not the features you expect that disappoint you.  It's the surprises.  

Size

Fire HD

Original Fire

The screen is still 7".  But the size of the e-reader is bigger than the original fire.  How much bigger?   Just big enough that I cannot hold it securely in one hand.    The pictures show my fingers grip the original Fire (right)  securely in one hand and the Fire HD barely in my grasp(left) with only the tips of the my fingers on the edges.\The narrower original Fire made it possible to hold in one hand and turn the pages with my thumb.   The Fire HD is just too big.

I checked the official Amazon measurements.  The original Fire is 7.5" x 4.7" x 0.45".  The Fire HD is 7.6" x 5.4" x 0.4".   That difference is major to the portion of the population with smaller hands.  Such as women.  And children.  Unlike the Titanic, the designers did not put women and children first. 

Bezel
What's a bezel?   It's that frame they put around the screen that displays absolutely nothing.   The Fire HD almost doubles the size of the bezel on all sides.   I understand the need to increase on one side to hold the camera, but why the other three also?   I find it distracting when I read.  It also contributes to the ungainly width I mentioned above.

Special Offers
Special offers is a fancy name for ads.  I dislike turning on my Kindle and reading an ad before I can see my book.   Amazon claims that "customers love our special offers and very few people choose to opt out."  After resounding negative feedback from the customers who do NOT love special offers,  Amazon is going to let Kindle owners opt out for a fee.   I will be paying, just as soon as I decide whether I am keeping the device.    I would also pay to remove ads on any device given to a child. 

The New Navigation
One of the things I liked most about the Fire and its interface was the carousel of apps.   The apps or books I touched most recently display as a series of enlarged (2.75" high) icon that I could quickly flip through.   90% of the time I navigate on my Fire from the carousel. 

The carousel is still with us - but now with a matching display of recommendations at the bottom.  Translation: more ads.  The first time I use an app I may be mildly interested in the "recommendations."  After the 3rd time the ads are just annoying, and consume battery to get content and refresh the display. 
 
Positives
The HD screen is nice, but to my eye, not that much better.   I like the camera and Bluetooth connectivity.  

 Bottom line - I am happy to still have the original Fire.   I am still deciding on whether to keep the new Fire HD or not.  I have 30 days to decide. 

The most boring iPhone ever - iPhone 5 has no clothes

Apple announcements are usually a media event, followed by the race to the online store to try to order.  This week's iPhone announcement almost put me to sleep.

The fan boys and girls of TWIT, Engadget, Gizmodo, etc. all tried to whip up the enthusiasm.  The feed was refreshed frequently, and each new feature was greeted with glowing reviews

Frankly, it was a case of the emperor having no clothes. 

Apple says: The screen is a little longer.
Gadget Girl says:  Another row of targets too small to manipulate.  And my case won't fit any more.

Apple says:  Better camera with human driven panorama.
Gadget Girl says:  4S  has an excellent camera.   Until you add zoom, yawn.

Apple says: Twenty percent lighter
Gadget Girl says:  Love losing weight.  But is it worth $500?

Apple says:  Faster processor and improved wireless reception.
Gadget Girl says:   Faster, duh - totally expected.  Wireless?  Got to have a signal first.

Apple says:  New improved connector.
Gadget Girl says:  All my docks and other peripherals will need converters.  Not good.

So unlike some of the other pundits who present the features and "leave it up to you", Gadget Girl gives this a solid no.   If you are due an upgrade, or are still on 3GS, then consider it.  Otherwise, save your money for another gadget this fall.

Fire up, Baby

Today the Apple fan boys are all up in space about the Apple announcement, but the fun for me started last Friday when Amazon announced the new Fire.

Dear Amazon -
You must have read my Letter to Santa last November when I described my ideal tablet.   To re-iterate,

1. 3G - or a case with a pouch for my Mifi -
2. 7-8 in  screen size -  I want it to fit in one hand.   The Kindle Fire and Galaxy Tab both nail this one   
3. Streaming video - that works.  Not like the Fire.   More like the iPad. 
4. Great App Store - like the iPad.  
5. Front camera.  Rear, too would be nice.   
6. Bluetooth - for keyboard and drive mapping -  
7. SD slot - for viewing pictures, and transferring information  
8. Long Battery (over 12 hrs) 
9. Lightweight (less than a pound) 
10. And Santa - make it around $300.   In case it isn't in my stocking   

The new 7" Fire HD hits   6 out of 10 of my wishlist.   Maybe 8 out of 10 if the app store and streaming are good.  The new 8.9" Fire HD hits 4.5 out of 10 of my wishlist, and possibly 6.5 if app store and streaming are good.

Both offer some really neat features for segregating a Kindle library for kid-friendly usage, carrying content, and display via an HDMI port.  I am hoping these new features are designed to be easy to set up.   I also look forward to putting my Kindle content into folders.  My library is much too big to manage with the current interface.

So the 3G/4G version is bigger than I want, and more expensive.   Looks like I am saving some money on the next Kindle.   My new Fire HD arrives September 14.     New toy for Gadget Girl!!

You had me at Dear Muggles

Dear Muggles . . . says Amazon, we now have electronic versions of Harry Potter in the Kindle-verse.   You can even borrow them instead of buying.

I'm in.    Even though I have first editions of the last four books of the series bought as close to midnight on the release day as I could possibly manage wearing self-designed release day t-shirts and read cover-to-cover before dawn, I'm ready to buy again.

To be able to read my favorite books any time I want, from a totally portable medium like the Kindle is a dream come true.   I find I am buying books I already own again for the convenience of having them at my electronic fingertips, or because it is more difficult to carry them around.

Clever, that Amazon is.  It reminds of George Lucas's many editions of Star Wars.  Even though I have seen them in every reincarnation, I can't resist  seeing these beloved old friends again, particularly on the big screen.

Still loving Amazon Fire - 6 months later

Amazon Fire is taking over the Android side of the tablet market, and the Apple fans do not understand why.  I own both, and I totally get it.

Amazon is criticized for customizing the Android layer, but they totally knew what they were doing.   Even though I could use the classic Android/iOS page of icons to get to my apps, I don't.   I love the carousel with the extra-large icons that gives me one-tap access to what I was last doing.  It is easy to read and fast - who wouldn't want it?

Apple fans, obviously.   People with more time to waste than I have.    

Wait til the 3rd generation - my new iPad

It's taken 2 full years of massive self control, but I finally plunked down my hard-earned cash for an iPad.

It's not that I didn't want it before.   I just didn't need it, particularly at the functionality to cash outlay ratio of the original iPad.   This delayed gratification leaves me much less conflicted  when I finally adopt an Apple device.

So this has evolved into my personal rule about Apple - wait for the third generation.  The first generation usually leaves out some critical functionality.   For example, the iPhone took 3 generations, almost 4.   iPod took six.   The iPad had no front-facing camera and was a little on the heavy side

The second generation - basically fixes the problems from the first generation.   The third generation is finally the leap forward that is cost-effective.   By this point I knew that 3G/4G connectivity was a must for me.  I had investigated many apps and tried them on iPhone.    So over the next few posts, I will tell you what I am using the iPad for, and how it could be better.

Dear Santa - My Ideal Tablet

I have been resisting buying an iPad for close to 2 years, and my resolve in beginning to weaken.  I am an ideal candidate for tablet  - I was using tablets 8 years ago.   But none have quite hit my wishlist.   For the ideal tablet I would happily plunk down some iPad level bucks.

I just can't stand doing it for a tablet I know doesn't hit the mark.

So if Santa and elves can make it happen, here is what I want in a tablet.

1. 3G - or a case with a pouch for my Mifi
2. 7-8 in  screen size -  I want it to fit in one hand.   The Kindle Fire and Galaxy Tab both nail this one
3. Streaming video - that works.  Not like the Fire.   More like the iPad.
4. Great App Store - like the iPad.  I am under-whelmed by the crippled app stores on the Android tablets.
5. Front and rear camera
6. Bluetooth - for keyboard and drive mapping
7. SD slot - for viewing pictures, and transferring information
8. Long Battery (over 12 hrs)
9. Lightweight (less than a pound) 

And Santa - make it around $300.   In case it isn't in my stocking.  

We didn't start the Fire

Apologies for the lame Billy Joel reference, but I couldn't resist the pun.

I really, really want to like the Fire.  But even for only $200, I still am not sure it is a must have table

Things I love about the Fire:

• Streaming video from Amazon Prime
• Android Apps - chord bot and Quick office were my first.
• Web browsing - Total Web access
• The size - I LOVE a smaller tablet.   The iPad is too big to hold in one hand

Things I hate about the Fire:

• No 3G - Wifi only is so lame.  No card slot to add it is even lamer.  Using my Mifi defeats the small form factor, because now I need a case to hold both.
• Streaming video - works about a third of the time, and is choppy
• Navigation - If my documents aren't going to be in "Docs" (the logical place), then I need access to the file system.    Maybe I can find  a nice app for this - and Quick office is NOT it. 
• No camera - front OR back.  I want both
• No SD slot - even my Kindle had this
• No Bluetooth - so no external keyboard or wireless document/music transfer

The longer I have it, the more I like it.    I find it handy for quick access to the web instead of hauling a laptop, and struggling with a tiny screen on a phone.    Most people I know with iPads end up using it mainly as a handy  $600 web browser.   Two hundred bucks is still pricey for a handy web browser, but better than six hundred.  

So what I am finding is I definitely want a tablet.    Most of the tablets are too high-priced for my budget.    I may keep the Fire until something better comes along.  

Kindle Touch is better than expected

My Kindle Fire and Touch and both arrived.   Between the two of them, there is one excellent device.  But not all in one package.

Things I love about the Touch:

• 3G connection - Wifi only is for the birds, and I don't mean Angry Birds.   I want 3G in the Fire
• Battery life - a week or more is awesome
• Weight - less than a paperback book,  barely as much as a magazine.  Totally portable as something to throw in your bag as an after thought.  (like extra reading material that doesn't take up space
• Black and white screen - still the greatest for serious reading
• Audible Books!

Things I hate about the Touch

• Finding the menu button(s) - totally non-intuitive to push this grid looking thing on the bottom bezel (Even describing it is confusing!)
• Navigation - I want to look for my books so many more ways than they provide.   I need more search options, and list options.   Also ways to look at summaries of the books.  For example, a list of authors that will expand to show their books so I can skim the list.
• Resetting furthest page read - I re-read my favorite books.   I have had a Kindle for 3 years.   I want a re-start or re-read option that will keep my "new" place in the book.

So, because of what I love, I am seriously considering keeping my Kindle Touch as well as the Fire.   In fact, it may the Fire that goes back.  (See Fire review) 

Start the kindle fire

While browsing the Amazon site this morning I noticed a little blurb at the top of the page about the new Kindle family.  Family?   I clicked the button to be one of the first to see the new color Kindle Fire media tablet.

I ordered mine at 11 AM.   I couldn't order the purple case I wanted until later because the link for purple gave me brown instead.    Turns out I was 2 hours before the official announcement and had caught the webmasters as they were updating the content.

Ordered a Kindle Touch, also, with 3G.

Almost went for the brand new $79 Kindle simplified, but when I saw it did not support Audible books, it was a deal-breaker.   Even after ordering 2 versions of the device I still spent less than iPad 1 16 G Wifi tablet.   (available used on Ebay and Cowboom)

The only bad part is I have to wait til November to see it.  

Scoblelizer don't Know My Momma

Just read a post about Robert Scoble on Google+ that disrepects my Momma.  As you may have noticed in my profile, my love of all things tech and gadget is genetic - from the distaff side.  So, Robert,  maybe your Momma can only spell Facebook, but mine can handle Google+. 

Bet your dad belongs on Facebook, too.

My next tablet

I've been borrowing an iPad to use from time to time, and I love.   I really do.  But I don't know if I need it.  It's great for quick browsing, or portable Internet, but I can use my iPhone for that.  And the iPhone fits in my pocket.

On the other hand, I just bought a Windows 7 tablet called the Acer Iconia W500.  It isn't my first tablet purchase - as you can see from the blog tablets come in and tablets go out.   But this one . . . I find myself reaching for it instead of my laptop and liking it.

It's not as light as the iPad, or Android tablets, but it has a touchscreen interface.   And the touchscreen does not suck.   Instead of trying to find Android or iOS versions of applications to do my normal tasks, I just use the Windows version that I already own.  

If I wanted a cool tablet for play, viewing movies, etc., I would still get an iPad.  But having a touchscreen with the power of my netbook, and an attachable keyboard with USB ports and an Ethernet port . . . I am loving this.   Using the onboard Bluetooth I can hook this to my MiFi and I have Internet anywhere.

Did I mention it was cheaper than an iPad, even before you add in the keyboard?    This might be the tablet that finally stays for the duration. 

Korg Mini-Controller

If you like to use your computer to make music, this seems like a cool idea. And this Korg controller is available many places. A midi controller is essentially a keyboard (as in piano keyboard, not a computer keyboard) that allows you to input to your computer. Many music-writing software programs allow a midi controller to input sounds. I've wanted one for years, and the price has finally gotten low enough.

But it took me all of twenty minutes to know this would not do the the job. The key action is too clumsy to feel like a piano. The time lag between key press and the note playing on the computer was 3-5 seconds. This was a total deal-breaker for me.

Gadget Girl says: It goes. Try the Aiwas LPK instead
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Print your blog into a Book

These days more and more information is moving onto the web. But what happens when you want to save that information in a more permanent form? I saw the movies "Julie and Julia" and the first thing I thought about was how she reformatted that blog into the bigger version of book.

I have experimented with exporting a blog, then writing programs to reformat it. It was possible, but not very entertaining. I kept wanting more features, like text-only, or only certain posts on a topic on certain dates. Essentially I wanted to be able to query my blog for content and then print it.

Writing a book little by little, like a blog is such a great technique for breaking the task into small pieces. For travel blogs, with experiences for each day, the blog is great for creating, but so slow when you want quickly review the whole experience. So I was excited to see Blog2Print

I could see this as a great way to turn an online baby album into something that could be saved in a more permanent form.

Earbuds with bling

Crystal Earbuds - Headphones that sparkle, like Gadget Girl! Seriously, these are cute for girls of all ages who like a little bling. PBteen has a set for $20, and Neiman-Marcus ups the ante with retractable cord for $40. I got my pink pair from Amazon for $20.

I love the sparkle, and the retractable cord keeps me from spending the best year of my life untangling earbuds so that I can listen to music. I'm waiting for phone and portable audio designers to finally come up with a good place to stash the earphones. Until then the wind-up cord gets me part of the way.

Crystal Speakers for portable audio

Once you are rocking the crystal earbuds, the next obvious addition is speakers to match.   Though not the slimmest alternative, these pink sparkly speakers will make a statement.

At $20, they make a nice stocking stuffer for the girly girl on your list.  I may have to get multiples to keep them from fighting over them.

Top Electronic Accessories

Some years I don't add any major technology, but just upgrade or accessorize what I already have. Here are the things I would like Santa to bring in this category. I think this list will keep growing, but here is a start.

1. Crystal Earbuds
2. Crystal Speakers
3. Video and Audio output cord for iPhone and iTouch
4. Portable Projector - Brightbox
5. Network Attached Storage 1 Terabyte

These little electronic add-ons help me back up my computer files, rock my tunes, and share video with a group. I'm planning to hook my iPhone to the TV and share movies when we travel instead of paying hotel prices for movie rental.

Barnes and Noble Color Nook

Last year I was eager to get my hands on the first generation Nook e-reader. It was such a hit that it was sold out til mid-January for those, unlike me, who did not order fast.

This year's edition is significantly improved with it's color screen. In fact B&N and various other retailers are selling the two versions of the Nook, but the color version is only at B&N.

So what do I think? The interface design is much improved. The controls are easier to find, and there is a handy button that takes you immediately to the book you are currently reading. The screen is no longer e-ink, but back-lit. The display is crisp and pleasing to the eye, and the pages turn faster. (I am a fast reader, so I notice)

There is also a full color web browser, that is manipulated from the touch screen. I love the web browser, but the touchscreen not so much. Any screen that only does what I want one out of three times is not for me. The back-lit screen can be read in the dark, but consumes battery faster. The battery lasts 8 hours instead of 5 days.

The connection to the Internet is only on wi-fi, so you can't buy a book from just anywhere. That means when I am sitting on the plane, or somewhere the Internet is ridiculously expensive, I can't buy a book. Or I had to plan ahead to load my books ahead of time. For me accessibility anywhere is a must-have for an ebook reader.

So the bottom line is - great e-book reader plus slow touchscreen minus 3G access and long battery life adds up to a gadget I don't need. If I didn't already have a Kindle, and a significant library there, I would be thinking harder of about keeping it. So if this is your first ebook reader, I would consider this.

But I will be waiting for the next version.

Gadget Girl Says: It goes. Reluctantly.

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