Task # 4 Really?

I just read a very fun article from the Dec. 2000 issue of "Consumer Reports" entitled "the new e-books." It's very entertaining reading--for instance, one model has a built-in modem so you can download reading material over the phone--no PC needed. Awesome!!! And both eReaders reviewed can hold at least 10 books at a time--Incredible! How do they do it?! Not to mention, they were crazy expensive. I think the basic rule of technology is never buy the first of anything--it will only get better and less expensive. . .

. . . Which is basically what the article "E-book readers," published exactly one decade later (also by CR) says: "They've never been better or cheaper." I just want to take a moment to say that I don't think Master File premier is very intuitive. I had so much trouble finding articles on eReaders. Typing in eReader or e-reader didn't bring up any CR articles. Typing in "e-Book Reader" was the key. Really, Master File Premier? Really?

Anyway, it seems like Kindle continues to be the best of the eReaders--unless of course you take in to account Amazon's insatiable greed which prevents library rentals. Really, Amazon? Really?

Now it's time for a fun story. A lady who was at the check out desk with a friend a couple of months back (she was not checking anything out herself) told me that she now owns a Kindle and no longer needs the library: "I can just buy popular books right from my Kindle and I don't have to wait like I did with library books." I don't think this lady realized what she was saying--if she likes to pay for books, then she never really needed the library to begin with--her acquisition of a Kindle really has nothing to do with it. There's this thing called a bookstore--it's been around for a while--and it, not unlike the Kindle, allows you to pay for new books rather than borrowing them at no charge. Really, Lady? Really?

Now, back to the CR article from December of 2010: First off, I feel like that's a little old for a review on anything electronic, but I'll go with it. Like I said, Kindle came out on top, but I wouldn't get a Kindle because of the lending issue. Nook is in second place, but Sony isn't even reviewed in this article. But then again, this is from an article that's a half a year old--and I've seen resent news suggesting that CR is now rating the Nook higher than the Kindle. Hmm. Then, of course, there are alternative options--for instance, you could use an iPad as an eReader. I think if I was really in the market for an eReader, I would get a dedicated eReader--the ideas of a long battery life and "e-ink" (not to mention a more reasonable price tag) are appealing. Of course, I would enjoy an iPad, but I don't think I'd be that happy using if for an eReader if I were into that sort of thing. Back to dedicated eReaders--since Sony was not reviewed, I peeked at their website to get an idea of the pricing--a little too pricey for my taste. And even a stylus is not going to get me to pay more (as much as I'd love to pretend like I'm going back in time--re: Palm Pilot). A stylus? Really, Sony? Really?

My decision, if I were hypothetically in the market for an eReader, which I'm not (see previous blog entries, most notably "Free eBooks and the Destruction of the Future"), would be to go with the WiFi-only Nook (I don't require 3G because I am not addicted to instant gratification). It's reasonably priced, it allows you to check out e-Books from the library, and it's got a way cool name--unlike, for instance, the Kobo--probably the reason we no longer have a Borders in this town (you can't just give your products stupid names and expect to stay in business). Kobo? Really, Borders? Really?

If I have sold you on the Nook, I just want to let you know some of the beginning steps to downloading an eBook to it from Overdrive. It would seem that the very first thing you will need to do is download Adobe Digital Editions. This is a one time deal, so once you have downloaded it, you should be able to check-out eBooks with ease. Choose which eBook you would like to check
out. Once you have done that, add it to the book bag, and proceed to check-out. Then you will need to type in your library card number and choose a check-out period. I hope this helps!

In the end, I have to say that I am still partial to book-books (the paper ones with ink-ink). The guy who did the presentation on the Sony eReaders sold me on real books. He talked about all the things people like about real books, and then failed to prove to me that an eReader could capture those attributes--I would like to see them make an eReader smell like a book.

Task # 3 Intelligent Telephones

In Jan. 2011, Consumer Reports published an article entitled "Best Phones & Plans." This article isn't necessarily about smartphones specifically, but it is about cell phones in general, and cell phones in general are becoming increasingly smart. That is why I think this is the answer to your query. Also, there is an article in the same issue entitled "Find the Best Fit"--also about cell phones, also has the word "Best" in it. Hmm . . .

Something I did notice is that I didn't get these results when I typed smartphones as two separate words. So that was kind of tricky. Hmm . . .

Extra Credit: This one was even more tricky than making smart phones into one word. How about "Izzy Quits Guns 'n Roses" for an article title from the first page of results for the 1/9/92 edition of "Rolling Stone"? That's right. Yay!!!!!

I would like another entry into the downtown gift card drawing. By now, you should already know my reasons.

Oh, and in other news, they really are making "The Hobbit" into a movie!!!!!!!!!!! (I wrote my high school senior thesis on Tolkien--I guess I'm kind of a nerd.)