This article was contributed by Lauren L. C. Marotta

As the holiday season approaches, you may be starting to consider gifts for family or friends. A good choice this year might be a product that incorporates the clever technology called “electronic paper,” known best for its use in Amazon’s Kindle, one of several electronic book readers that have recently become popular. Introduced in the U.S. in 2007 and worldwide this October, the Kindle is lighter than a typical paperback novel, but it can store 1,500 books, newspapers, or magazines at once. Its screen displays pages one at a time, and pages can be “turned” with the click of a button. Importantly, devices with electronic paper screens have much longer battery lives than those with conventional screens, and electronic paper can be viewed in bright sunlight without glare and from almost any angle, just like normal paper and unlike other types of screens. These amazing properties are fueling the development and adoptance of the technology, and they are a result of the science underlying it.

How does electronic paper work?

The basis of most electronic paper is a substance called “electronic ink” developed at M.I.T. about 12 years ago by scientists Barrett Comiskey, J. D. Albert, Hidekazu Yoshizawa, and Joseph Jacobson, now made by a company called E-Ink based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The ink is electrophoretic, meaning that it contains charged particles that can be moved around by electricity. These are microparticles made of polyethylene and either titanium dioxide, which is white, or an inorganic black pigment. Each microparticle is about 5 microns (millionths of a meter) in diameter, the size of the nucleus of a human cell. The white ones are negatively charged, while the black ones are positively charged. They are suspended in a liquid and “printed” onto a transparent, conductive film to make paper-thin sheets called “Vizplex.” A sheet of Vizplex with the particles facing down forms the top of an electronic paper display. A layer of conductive material is then added to form the base of the display. When a pattern of electric current is applied between the top and bottom display layers, these become negatively- and positively-charged in particular regions. Then, the black and white microparticles move towards the negative and positive regions, respectively, and an image is formed by the particles at the top of the display.

 Notably, the microparticles in electronic ink are grouped by the hundreds into small capsules about 40 microns across (approximately the width of a human hair). The capsules are made of a strong, clear material containing urea and formaldehyde. Within each capsule, black and white particles are prevented from binding to each other by individual coatings of a polymer that provides strong inter-particle repulsive forces. The use of discrete capsules makes electronic ink printable, allowing for its mass production and thereby helping to gradually reduce the costs associated with this technology.  Also, the properties of the capsules are such that the microparticles remain in their last configuration at the top or bottom once an electric field is no longer present.

 What makes electronic paper better for reading than other types of displays?

The most common type of screen found in televisions, cell phones, and other electronic devices today is liquid-crystal display (LCD). An LCD screen is composed of molecules called liquid crystals that must usually be illuminated by a hidden light source, either fluorescent tubes or light-emitting diodes (LEDs), to be seen. Because of this backlighting, LCD screens cannot be viewed in bright light, such as that encountered outdoors on a sunny day, electricity must be constantly consumed to power them, and they cannot be viewed well from many angles. Other types of displays, such as cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors and plasma screens, which emit light themselves, have the same shortcomings. In electronic paper, the pigmented microparticles in electronic ink reflect ambient light just like pen on paper, so the images they form can be observed in dim or bright light, without use of electricity (which is only needed to change the displayed images), and from almost any angle.

 The future of electronic paper

 More than 5 million electronic book readers are expected to be sold this year, and these may be used for more than just recreational reading. A few schools have begun providing textbooks to children in electronic form so that they do not have to lug so much to school, and one school has replaced its library with 18 Kindles. Electronic ink may become common in cell phones: it is already used in the screen of the Motorola F3 and in the keypad of the Samsung Alias 2. Clocks, watches, and USB memory sticks with electronic paper displays are beginning to appear on the market, and electronic ink (coupled with wireless internet capabilities) may soon be used in household appliances to automatically show the latest headlines, weather, or other data. Similarly, electronic paper may soon be used to make schedules for posting at bus stops, community bulletin boards, and price labels for the shelves of supermarkets that may be changed remotely.

Sheets of electronic ink can be made flexible by enclosing them in thin, durable plastic rather than in glass, as is customary in today’s electronic paper products. Electronic book readers with screens that roll up when not in use are expected to be available soon. Flexible electronic ink is likely to also appear on credit cards (where it could display travel information using electricity obtained when cards are swiped), in ads on the curved surfaces of subway trains, and eventually even on clothing. Electronic paper featuring color is also being developed. This may employ tinted filters incorporated into electronic ink displays or a novel form of LCD screen with properties similar to those of electronic ink. Digital photo frames may one day utilize such technology. Finally, image refresh rates of electronic paper are currently too low to support video, but refinements with that goal in mind are in the works. For now, the major benefits of electronic paper, its low power consumption and readability in all lighting, will continue to attract and intrigue consumers, encourage more scientific research, and maybe even save a tree or two.

For more information, please see:

An article entitled “Electric dreams” from The Boston Globe (November 1, 2009) by Michael Fitzgerald: http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/11/01/electric_dreams

 The Wikipedia entry on electronic paper: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_paper

Primary literature referenced in this article:

“An electrophoretic ink for all-printed reflective electronic displays,” Barrett Comiskey, J. D. Albert, Hidekazu Yoshizawa, and Joseph Jacobson, Nature, Volume 394, pages 253-255, 16 July 1998.

 “Electronic paper rewrites the rulebook for displays,” Duncan Graham-Rowe, Nature Photonics, Volume 1, pages 248-251, May 2007.

I found Toe Popper, by Jonny Tangerine, during one of my random surfing trips.

Bombs are being placed on public beaches in California. Is this the work of a terrorist, a mad man, or both.

4 1/2 Star

Plot/Storyline: 3 3/4 Stars

With an extremely original plot, the reader is taken on a trip with many twists and turns. This is not your typical terrorist or serial killer book. Instead, it is a combination of both.

Told mainly from the viewpoints of Major Lane, FBI Agent Catherine, and the ‘bomb planter,’ the reader gets a panoramic view of the events. There are several other portions told from the viewpoints of some of the victims with some background thrown in for empathy with even the smallest of character parts.

The only downfall was all of the extraneous scenes. I had to wade through an entire chapter of Catherine going home and getting into her hot tub, alone. I had to sift through another chapter of Lane visiting a mall; I tried to find some relevance, but failed. There was even an entire thread that followed a college student, who was only on the peripheral of the investigation.

A good thirty percent of this novel should have been left in the “Recycling Bin” on the author’s computer. Yes, it would have been much shorter, but the result would be a tightly written thriller.

I understood the motive of the bad guy. However, I do feel it would have been made more clear if a certain event in his daughter’s life had happened elsewhere. If this sounds cryptic, then I have done my job of not including spoilers.

It was very obvious that some detailed research went into the writing of this novel. That made for some interesting, and even somewhat educational reading. Yes, I accidentally learned some things.

Character Development: 4 1/4 Stars

Major Lane was a strong character. To depict him with a drug addiction was terrific, but to have it also entertwine so well with the plot was a stroke of genius. I would love to see a new thriller with Lane as an ongoing character.

Catherine was also a well-developed character. She was a terrific foil for Lane, providing for not only an interesting love interest, but also how difficult being a female FBI agent must be.

Although much of the book was told from the bad guy’s viewpoint, his character development was still weak. As I mentioned above, a change in location of an event in his daughter’s life would definitely have made his motive more believable, and even could have evoked more sympathy with the reader. As it stood, I just couldn’t empathize with him.

Writing Style: 4 3/4 Stars

The writing style only suffered on one point. For some reason, in several places, the author chose to use words in all caps for emphasis. I would be reading along, when all of the sudden, there would be a BIG BOOM. This was just distracting to the reading process.

Otherwise, the writing was outstanding. The descriptions, though verbose at times, were vivid. The dialogue was realistic with good voice. The sentence structuring was complex, yet easy to read.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

Both were of professional quality.

Rating: PG-13 for Violence and Drug Use

—————————————-

I do grade a bit harshly when I feel that I had to ‘waste time’ on a lot of extraneous material. This is especially true when it comes to thrillers or suspense novels. All of the ‘extras’ detract from the tension needed for a book to succeed in those genres.

With a good content editor, this novel had the potential of a 5 Star book. With the excellent writing, detailed research, and terrific plot execution, it held my attention throughout.

After reading this book and writing my review, I read the comments submitted by Mr. Tangerine for this blog. I had to laugh at the irony of the scarcity of words in his submission.

—————————————

Here are some comments from the author, Jonny Tangerine:

How did you come up with the title?

Toe Popper is an interesting, visceral term for a landmine.

How long have you been writing?

Many years.

Where did you get the idea for the novel?

Hard to say exactly. I remember being fascinated by seeing a man at
Venice Beach who was clearly making a living using his metal detector.
Also, when I was a kid I recall seeing a vivid landmine scene in this old
Korean War movie called “Target Zero”. Most of the rest is from personal experiences in Asia and Southern California.

Do you have a sequel published or on the way?

Yes, there is a sequel mapped out that is hinted at in the final chapter.

Biography:

I grew up in the Midwest and now live in California.

Toe Popper, by Jonny Tangerine

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Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, U.S. Wireless) Review

I like reading on planes. I like to have multiple books in case any of them turns out to be stinker. I like to travel with carry-on luggage only. I find it very cool that a small thin device can hold a thousand books and receive the daily newspaper all over the world. You can download a book in seconds!

These are all reasons I love my new Kindle. (I have experience only with the K2.) Yes, it is possible to push the wrong button. This is a small minus. The varying screensaver drawings (chiefly of famous authors) are a small plus.

Not everything is on Kindle, and there is no particular logic I can discern as to why things are or are not available.

My spies tell me that if you really like to write in the margins of your books, you may not love or even like this device.

FYI the Kindle keeps your place for you.

In contrast to many of the other comments here, and in keeping with the way I pack for a trip, I am trying to write a very short review, with only what you need. If you’re in doubt, buy one. I was a little nervous about the set-up, but it’s a piece of cake.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, U.S. Wireless) Overview

At 10.2 ounces, Kindle is lighter than a typical paperback and as thin as most magazines. Barely a third of an inch in profile, you’ll find Kindle fits perfectly in your hands. Kindle is as easy to hold and use as a book. We designed it with long-form reading in mind. When reading for long periods of time, people naturally shift positions and often like to read with one hand. Kindle’s page-turning buttons are located on both sides, allowing you to read and turn pages comfortably with one hand from any position. The page-turn buttons now flex inward to prevent any accidental page turns when picking up or handling Kindle. Kindle has a new easy-to-use 5-way controller, enabling precise on-screen navigation for selecting text to highlight or looking up words. Kindle is completely wireless and ready to use right out of the box–no setup, no cables, no computer required. With Kindle’s 25% longer battery life, you can read on a single charge for up to 4 days with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to 2 weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content. In low coverage areas or in 1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage will consume battery power more quickly. Whispernet utilizes Amazon’s optimized technology plus Sprint’s national high-speed (3G) data network to enable you to wirelessly search, discover, and download content on the go. Your books and periodicals are delivered via Whispernet in less than 60 seconds. And unlike WiFi, you never have to hunt for a hotspot.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

Related Products

• Amazon Kindle Leather Cover (Fits 6″ Display, Latest Generation Kindle)
• 2-Year Extended Warranty for Kindle (6″ Display, U.S. Wireless, Latest Generation)
• Belkin Neoprene Kindle Case (Fits 6″ Display, Latest Generation Kindle)
• Amazon Kindle Replacement Power Adapter (Fits Latest Generation Kindle and Kindle DX) [For shipment in the U.S only]
• Patagonia Kindle Case (Fits 6″ Display, Latest Generation Kindle)

Customer Reviews

Quick, Easy, Light, and Packable – A Must Have for Travellers – A. James – Bozeman, MT
The kindle is one of the most helpful, easy to use, clutter reducing, easy on the eyes, simple to travel with, downloads books with ease, navigates periodicals with simplicity, and takes up a small amount of space when traveling. If you enjoy reading multiple books, have a penchant for periodicals, or are just looking to reduce your CO2 impact, the Kindle is a must have. This a durable list of “pro’s” and the only “con” is that you need to include a light in dark places, should put the KINDLE at the top of your wishlist. Read more, you’ll get smarter.

Kindle Kindle Wireless Reading Device (6″ Display, U.S. Wireless)

and add the

kindle cover Amazon Kindle Leather Cover (Fits 6″ Display, Latest Generation Kindle)

to protect your investment.

Very nice, lots of books available – Michael R. Simonton –
The Kindle is a very well rounded reading device. You basically get access to as many books as they can legally convert to the format, with a built in audio book option. It ships with the wirelees on, so you can add books to it while it’s on it’s way to you. I found the user’s guide easy to read and understand. An unexpected bonus is the grayscale classic author portraits, and diagrams they use as screensavers while it’s asleep.

kindle review – ivana pacillo – australia
hi have my kindle now for a month as soon as it was avilable for australia i order it only took about a week to get here, and cant say enough about it. I have rave about it to every body that i know a few of my freinds and family are going to purchased them as christmas gifts . The kindle is so easy to use. I read a lot and it was costing alot now i get them a lot cheaper and within 1 min i can start reading without going to a book store . Thanks Amazon it was a great buy ivana Australia
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 27, 2009 18:10:04

Hot trends Search

What matters more to you: content or the way you get it?

I ask this question because Alan Kaufman at the Evergreen Review seems to believe the delivery method is the most important. So important that he even invokes Godwin’s Law on himself when talking about the current trend of books moving from paper to devices like the Kindle.

All physical books must go up the chimney stack. Such was the methodology of the SS who forced their prisoners to run naked races round and round the barracks yard in the Polish winter, a race that no one was meant to win.

The book is fast becoming the despised Jew of our culture. Der Jude is now Der Book. Hi-tech propogandists tell us that the book is a tree-murdering, space-devouring, inferior form of technology; that society would simply be better-off altogether if we euthanized it even as we begin to carry around, like good little Aryans, whole libraries in our pockets, downloaded on the Uber-Kindle.

What an ass.

He seems to believe that e-books are responsible for bookstores closing. They aren’t. The vast majority of the population that reads doesn’t have e-readers, but they do often buy their books online, and that’s what’s killing bookstores.

He also seems to believe that e-readers hearld a new age where only the biggest, most important authors get published. This is nonsense. If that was the case, I won’t have a short story for sale in the Kindle store (for those who don’t have a Kindle, download the free Kindle ap for the PC and then you can read my story if you like).

The writer of the article is simply wrong, and comparing the transition from paper to e-readers to the Holocaust is just insulting on many, many levels.

Further, everything is starting to digital. Does it really matter if the movie you are watching is on cable, on a DVD, on a DVR or some sort of streaming video format? Does it matter if music comes to you as an MP3, a CD, or on a record? The content is basically the same across the various delivery systems. The content is what matters.

For fun, here’s a poll:

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This way, you can get $100 off on the Global Kindle, on the Kindle DX or on other devices. See all qualifying Kindle and Kindle accessories, qualifying MP3 players, qualifying GPS devices and qualifying accessories.

Now that I’m actually ready to own of these technological babies, the brain is starting to go into overload on the available options.  There’s the iPhone, the Kindle, the Nook, the Sony Reader, and even more it seems.  Options of wireless capability.  500K free digital downloads, touchscreens, color capability, size, weight, available books for purchase, ability to work with multiple platforms, and more = fizzled brain. 

Being I have friends and co-horts who own a Blackberry, an iPhone, and a Kindle (vs. the option of ONE device to meet all of these needs), how does one overcome that challenge? Really, who wants to carry those 3 devices AND possibly a laptop onto an airplane, public tranpsortation,or possibly to one’s car (on a daily basis)?  Honestly 1-2 devices should be enough. . . especially if the same person(s) are also toting an iPod too.  At least I would be in that figurative bind.

After spending a good two hours trying to compare the various items, my ability to make a final decision still feels very fuzzy right now.  If someone forced me to make a decision now, it would probably be the Nook….even though I REALLY like the Kindle.

If any of my tech savvy readers have a better argument for a different reader, please, please, please give a girl some help here.  The goal?  To only buy ONE e-book reader.

iPhone book reader – Stanza

Kindle Reader

Sony Reader

The Nook – B&N Reader 

Pocketnow.com reviews the Amazon Kindle

Non avrei potuto resistere. Chi mi conosce lo sa. Così, appena sbarcato in Italia, l’ho comprato. Da allora mi accompagna nel continuo girovagare e ci gioco con discreta soddisfazione.

Il mio Kindle è un gadget affascinante. E’ piccolo. Sottile. Ed è leggero. Il giocattolino consente di scaricare in pochi secondi e senza costi di connessione i libri del catalogo Amazon e i prezzi sono buoni, inferiori ovviamente alla versione cartacea. Comodo per chi, come me, legge abitualmente testi in lingua orginale, senza attendere le versioni italiane. Si legge benissimo: ti ci trovi bene da subito, con qualunque luce.

Ma. Ma non è un telefono. Non ci leggo le mail. Non accedo al google reader.
Ed è così che mi trovo spesso a passare dall’iPhone al Kindle, dalle varie fonti di notizia ai testi. Attendo dunque con impazienza l’applicazione per iPhone, al momento non disponibile in Italia.

Ancora una volta mi trovo a pensare al sempre più variegato utilizzo degli smartphones e al loro enorme potenziale nell’aggregare contenuti e renderli disponibili comodamente, rapidamente e ovunque.

Recently, Warehouse Deals, an Amazon company, has been selling Refurbished Kindle 1 for $149. Actually there are no more units available, but if you want save some bucks, you can still find Refurbished Kindles for only $219 ($40 less than new ones) and Refurbished Kindle DX for $399.99 (89 bucks less). This devices come all with 1-year full warranty.

It seemed like this was going to be the holiday shopping season of the e-reader.

But that was before Barnes & Noble told customers it had run short on pre-orders of its new electronic book reader, the Nook. That device was poised to be a big holiday competitor to the more-established Amazon Kindle.

Barnes & Noble says customers who pre-order the Nook now won’t get the device until the week of January 4 — after the holiday shopping season. A limited number of the devices will be available for sale in some of the “highest volume” Barnes & Noble stores.

In an e-mail, spokeswoman Mary Ellen Keating said early sales of the Nook beat the bookseller’s expectations.

“We had expected strong interest in Nook and pre-orders have exceeded those expectations. We’re excited to have such a wonderful response from customers,” she wrote. Keating did not specify how many Nook readers have been sold.

Customers can pre-order a Nook gift certificate in time for the holidays, according to a B&N blog post.

The Sony Reader, another e-book competitor, also is not guaranteed to ship by the holidays, according to Sony’s Web site. “Pre-orders will ship Dec. 18 thru Jan. 8. Actual delivery date cannot be guaranteed,” the site says.

Steve Haber, president of Sony’s digital reading division, tells the NYTimes that the company is being cautious. “We may be able to hit it [the Christmas delivery date],” he told the Times’ Bits blog. “I just don’t want to promise someone a gift that arrives after Christmas. We may be giving up sales by saying that, but we are in it for the long haul.”

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment, but the company’s Web site says its Kindle device can ship to customers as soon as the day after it’s ordered.

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble Nook

Sony Reader

Happy Black Friday! If you’re like me you’re probably… still in bed on this lovely morning the day after Thanksgiving. If you’re like millions of other Americans, though, you’ve been out in the trenches for hours, shopping for a great deal. (Bonus points if you’re reading this very post on your cell phone, in line to check out at a store.)

In honor of the official start day of the holiday shopping season, we want to know: Will you be buying an e-reader this year? Which one? A Nook? Kindle? Sony Reader?

According to a report from iReaderReview.com, e-book sales have risen in a big way. Random House sold $22.6 million worth of e-books in September 2009 – up from $2.9 million a year ago. The website also reported that by the end of 2010, e-book sales should represent 10-20% of total book sales.

And if you’re not interested in e-readers, you’re you alone. Just listen to bookseller Patty Donovan from The Book Nook, who told us:

Before e-books, book ownership was a thing to be prized, a goal to be lauded and a visible symbol of success and intelligence. E-books have tarnished that gilded image, turning people who used to look for integrity in the printed word into those who think that Wikipedia is a far more accurate and dignified source than anything in print.

Since I don’t own an e-reader, I’m going to stay neutral on this one — although I wouldn’t mind having one on trips. I’m toting around The Lacuna, Steve Yarbrough’s forthcoming Safe from the Neighbors, and Isabel Allende’s Daughter of Fortune during my Thanksgiving vacation (couldn’t decide which one to read first) — anyone else have this problem while traveling?

The Kindle is finally coming to Canada, just in time for the Holiday shopping season. Amazon.com announced its popular electronic reading device is available for shipment immediately.

“We know that Canadians are passionate about books and reading, and we’re excited to make Kindle available to our customers there,” said Ian Freed, vice-president of Kindle.

In October, more than 200,000 English titles went up for grabs for Amazon customers in 100 other countries.

The gadget, which retails for $259 US, can wirelessly download books in under a minute.

“Kindle enables customers around the world, including Canada, to think of a book and start reading it in under 60 seconds“, Freed said.

Kindle utilizes the same 3G wireless technology as advanced cellphones such as the iPhone, so users can download new titles on demand without searching for a Wi-Fi zone. Roughly 300,000 book titles are available to Canadian literature enthusiasts through Amazon’s Kindle store, most selling for $11.99 US or less.

Lighter than the average paperback, the Kindle can store up to 1,500 books at a time.

Users can also get magazines and daily Canadian newspapers.

The dilemma facing journalists today, especially those who are not yet fully fledged, is where are we going?

The conversation about paid content is hotting up. Good journalism costs, that’s a no-brainer, but when it’s free at the point of consumption who really pays?

The aggregators can clean up on advertising revenues as they have the statistics and unique user data to impress the money men, while traditional print can only call on circulation figures and subscriber information.

Okay, so now the traditional media is reaching out to its audiences (some too little, too late) and can track traffic through their online presence, but it’s still not enough to impress the advertisers and online advertising is fiercely competitive and therefore cheaper.

I don’t of course, come to these insightful words by myself. This is the accumulation of a series of lectures, culminating in a really interesting and very fast-paced talk by Rob Andrew  from PaidContent.

PaidContent, which is now 4 sites (PaidContent, PaidContentUK, moconews and contentSutra), was set up by Rafat Ali . A man who could smell the Zeitgeist and knew how to act on the first whiffs of a digital content revolution.

It’s blindingly obvious that the print and broadcast media are going to have to get their act together and come up with a business model, or series of models, that will sustain the kind of journalism that underpins the principles of open and accountable democracy, free speech and freedom of expression.

That’s easier said than done.

Rupert Murdoch’s  solution is to tuck his content behind a pay wall. But will it be special enough to entice readers over the wall, parting with cash as they scramble over the barricades to find…what? How much can he offer that won’t be free elsewhere?

The specialists have always had an advantage. They have the information that their readers/markets need and are happy to pay for (or to charge it to the company account), but the ordinary punter? I doubt that The Sun will do it, nor will most of the broadsheets.

There was an interesting question from the floor: If papers are relying on brand loyalty but there readership is now paying for content online, how do they expect to attract the next generation of loyal readers?

A good point. I grew up with The Guardian’s ink smeared across my face, long before I picked it up to read it, but pick it up I did and still do. It’s engrained in the complicated make-up of my very being. I’m allowed to criticise but non-Guardian readers are not.

My kids have seen me read it and even picked it up and had a look themselves. If I was getting my Guardian fix on an e-reader or online that’s hardly likely to happen. I could go on about parents being seen to read anything by their children and links to the increasingly illiteracy of the up-coming generation, but this is the wrong soap box.

So what are the alternatives? Pay walls won’t save the day, advertising revenues are crashing through the floor in the current recession and it’s a buyers’ market for them. Subscriptions are money in the bank, but will people subscribe if they think their paper’s going to go under, highlighted by this summer’s shock revelation that The Observer be wound up?

Local papers are struggling for even more complex reasons. In small communities the loss of the little corner newsagent might just tip the balance in sales, while the short sighted cost cutting exercises of slashing editorial staff to balance the books means that the content quality goes down and they lose readers, so need to lose more jobs and round it goes to oblivion.

The Guardian is relatively safe – backed by the Scott Trust to safeguard liberal journalism, although they’ll still need to bring home the revenue bacon.

Before the rot sets in there must be some kind of wake up call to the media to sort this out. Not knee jerk wall building or staff cutting, but an understanding of what makes people engage with the media in the first place. That would be good, ie accurate, informed, specialist journalism that offers multiple views or, at the very least, a rigorous analysis of a particular standpoint.

Specialists don’t need to be experts. Local papers used to be the hubs for all things local – births, deaths, missing budgies, court reports, council meetings, scandal, outcry and outraged letters that took the temperature of the community and fed it back to itself. They are fading fast. Attempts to address this by beat blogging or hyper local sites will necessarily leave gaps. Citizen journalism might give an immediate way into a story, but surely it’s the journalists who can go that bit further, ask the difficult questions, follow through.

Lightspeed’s analysis of the paywall question  doesn’t bode well for Mr Murdoch – 91% won’t pay for content. The much-heralded arrival of the Kindle and other e-readers doesn’t seem to be changing the way that people read their news.  KPMG found that only 4% of people had read an ebook in the past month  and me, I’m off to the park with my paper and a coffee.

Amazon ha actualizado los modelos de libros electrónicos que comercializa, con el fin de hacerlos más compatibles con las necesidades que actualmente demandan los usuarios. Así, las novedades más interesantes vienen dadas por la posibilidad de visualizar documentos en formato PDF nativo, como lo vemos en cualquiera de nuestros equipos, así como un incremento significativo de la duración de la batería. Se trata de una serie de mejoras que pueden obtenerse con el simple hecho de actualizar el firmware de los dispositivos.

Hasta ahora, cualquier lector de libros electrónicos que necesitase leer ficheros PDF, necesitaba acceder a la cuenta de correo electrónico, de modo que se proporcionaba cuando el dispositivo era registrado. Amazon lo convirtió en su formato AZW propietario, siendo necesario cargar los documentos mediante correo electrónico, mediante la conexión por cable USB, o a través de la conectividad inalámbrica, previo pago de unos 99 centavos por megabyte descargado.

Con la actualización llevada a cabo, Amazon ha suprimido estos procedimientos que resultaban desagradables para los usuarios, con lo que en adelante, tanto el Kindle 2, como el DX con pantalla de 9,7 pulgadas, así como los modelos internacionales, podrán visualizar documentos PDF.

Ahora bien, hay que tener en cuenta que según las primeras pruebas realizadas se detectan algunas limitaciones. Por ejemplo, el lector de PDFs no soporta añadir anotaciones, reconocimiento de texto, o el simple hecho de aplicar zoom en los documentos. Este último factor resulta de gran preocupación, ya que en algunos documentos la imposibilidad de ampliarlos hará que apenas puedan ser legibles.

La parte positiva viene dada por el incremento de autonomía que ofrece la batería, fruto según destacan desde Amazon, de un trabajo realizado durante los últimos seis meses. La actualización puede aplicarse directamente sobre la conexión inalámbrica del Kindle.

I knew that 2012 was bad but I didn’t realize the full depth of its awfulness until I went to see it. I just figured that the poor were reviews were genre related rather than being a more than accurate representation of the steaming pile of horse poo that that this film is. Before I lay into it I feel that I need to hold up my hands and admit that I love disaster movies in all their CGI loving glory. Armageddon is one of my all time favorites. But, this film is so bad on so many levels that it makes a really disappointing disaster flick.

Where to start?The plot is like plastic wrap. In fact it is like the crust of the Earth – super thin and prone to cracking.  In a nut shell:

• Scientists in India discover that the earth’s core is heating up so much that it will cause the crust to destabilize, and the White House it alerted
• Super secret plan is launched to save the super rich & powerful as well as all the art & other trinkets that make humanity civilized
• Everyone else dies bar a smattering of Mandarin speaking Tibetans who were building the arks & John Cusack

All the way through the film I was waiting for the other shoe to drop that there would be a solution in the data models The Geologists kept running or a clue in the book The Failed Novelist (John Cusack) had written. But, there was nothing.  We the people, the huddling masses, were buggered. Also, I have never seen continental drift happen so quickly which as a geology major (in another life time) I found annoying.  There is a review by a real geologist here and another good one by the folks at the Slate Magazine.    My hope from the movie is that when the arks rock up to the African continent (which is apparently not flooded & actually got more land mass now so there could have been an evacuation to the cradle of life) the African nations come together & tell them to bugger off because they didn’t give them a heads up!

Oh and best product placement opportunity missed was when one of The Geologist revealed all he brought was a bag full of books because you must save books if you can’t save people. Surely a bag full of Kindles and e-readers would have made more sense & contained more books!

I purchased Favorite, by Karen McQuestion, because I enjoyed her previous book, Lies I Told My Children.

Angel Favorite’s mother disappeared five years ago. Today, Angel is the victim of a brutal attack. Are the two events linked?

4 Stars

Plot/Storyline: 3 Stars
Firmly entrenched in the Young Adult genre, this book does not deviate from that style, catering mainly to the very young teen. However, it is an interesting story that held my attention throughout, if for no other reason than to learn the outcome.

As an adult, I found the plot to be simplistic without much meat to it. We are given some background, but the information is sparse and delivered without much emotion.

There is also not enough background or justification for the villains’ actions. There is perhaps a thin thread signifying insanity, but to me, just implying someone is crazy is not good enough in fiction.

I found it extremely odd that everyone made such a big deal about leaving a sixteen and seventeen year old home alone for a few days. Sure, Angel had been attacked, but the culprit was behind bars. For the most part, though, that wasn’t even brought up. The general concern was simply that two ‘minors’ were left home alone.

The initial attack on Angel was very well presented. The suspense was excellent, and the details were just right, not overwhelming or confusing.

The entire ‘feel-good’ ending left me pretty much cold. There wasn’t enough emotional investment in the story to really enjoy it.

Character Development: 3 Stars

Angel Favorite much too often appears younger than her sixteen years. Her initial animosity toward her attacker’s mother was somewhat understandable; however, it continued far too long with no real provocation, giving Angel an even more immature attitude. Oddly, no adult ever had a conversation with her to explain that it was not necessarily the mother’s fault.

Angel’s brother does come across with a maturity commisserate with his age. The father seemed oblivious to everything but himself and his music which made me wonder what Angel’s mother was like and how she managed to stay with such a self-centered person.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

The writing style was pretty good for a Young Adult novel. I assumed the author was aiming at the thirteen to sixteen year old crowd, and, if so, the sentence structure and vocabulary used were right on target. The descriptions were pretty sparse, but they did get the job done. Excellent voices were heard in the dialogue.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

Both were of professional quality.

Rating: PG-13 due to Violence.

————————————–

I have to admit that while I enjoy some Young Adult novels, I do have to review them from an adult perspective, which may cause some ‘downgrading’ when it comes to rating. However, I also feel that a teenaged discerning reader might feel the same way about these issues that I do. Teenagers are simply more mature in this day and age. Books have to compete with movies and television. I’m not saying that books need to be more violent or graphic, simply that it could take a little more maturity in the storyline these days to hold a teen’s attention.

———————————–

Here are some comments from the author, Karen McQuestion:

I’m a freelance writer who lives in Hartland, Wisconsin. I’ve been writing since grade school but didn’t start writing novels until the youngest of my three children was in preschool. Favorite was an early project that was completely rewritten and revised countless times. The title changed along with the manuscript from Angel Favorite to Finding Angie and Saving Angie. In the original version, the main character, Angie Favorite, was an adult woman and single mother to Jason. At that time, I had an agent who submitted it on my behalf, but although it made it through a few publishing hoops, no one offered to publish it. Even after I broke ties with that agent (he left the business) I still couldn’t get this story out of my head.

Periodically I’d work on it, making myself crazy by taking things out and adding things in. Eventually I had a eureka moment—the flaw in the story was the main character’s age. Once I changed the plot so that Angie was a teenager, the whole thing came together. Of course, that required a complete rewrite. Her son became her brother, her ex-husband became her father etc. Angie’s missing parent was now her mother, not her father, and the ending changed as well. The new version seemed just right to me and the title, Favorite, obvious for its double meaning both as a last name and also for the definition of the word.

When I learned authors could self-publish on Kindle that seemed the surest avenue to getting a book out in the world. Favorite is actually my fourth title to be released on Kindle. I’d been gratified by the sales and feedback I’ve gotten for my previous three books. I hope readers enjoy Favorite.

Favorite, by Karen McQuestion

消費性電子商品每年總是一代換過一代。第一代的商品總是有許多小問題，價格也通常不便宜。以下由Venture Beat網站選出來的十大電子商品，在耐用度、價錢以及性能上，已經獲得了消費者的肯定

1. iPhone 3GS智慧型手機

source: http://venturebeat.com/2009/11/26/recycled-gift-list-old-or-not-these-are-ten-cool-and-practical-gift-ideas-for-this-holiday-season/

2. PlayStation 3 Slim電視遊樂器

3. Amazon Kindle電子閱讀器

4. Livescribe Pulse smartpen智慧筆

5. Logitech Harmony 700羅技多功能遙控器

6. HP TouchSmart PC觸碰型智慧電腦

7. Nanovor線上對戰遊戲

8. Seagate FreeAgent Theater+ HD Media Player 多媒體播放器

9. EasyBloom Plant Sensor 植物電子感應器

10. Shutterfly photo books 電子相簿

改編自Our top 10 gift ideas: Last year’s gadgets are now worth the price by  Dean Takahashi

http://venturebeat.com/2009/11/26/recycled-gift-list-old-or-not-these-are-ten-cool-and-practical-gift-ideas-for-this-holiday-season/

Starting Midnight Friday 27th Nov, 2009 – the first 10,000 customers that get a Square Trade Warranty will get 40% off.

Coupon Code: HOLIDAYMAIL.

After the first 10K customers, you can still get 20% off until January 10th, 2010.

Note: This seems to be applicable to any Square Trade warranty.

You can also get the official Kindle Warranty. Check my post reviewing the two main Kindle Warranty options.

Quick Thoughts

The Square Trade warranty is a good option.

A few things to keep in mind -

1. SquareTrade cover Kindles bought at Amazon or eBay.  
2. Accident Coverage is available as an add-on – It must be bought within 30 days of buying your Kindle. 
3. Option to get a 3 year warranty.

You could be safer and get the official Kindle warranty at Amazon. However, Square Trade is a decent option if you want to save money.

Please do read the terms before you use the Kindle Warranty Coupon.

亞馬遜最近把Kindle推向加拿大市場，對有閱讀障礙的讀者來說，無疑是非常好的契機。

來源：http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9vFqWKIFLGw/RhP4lcGYi0I/AAAAAAAAAHE/SewJo0_-drE/s320/dyslexia+can+affect.jpg

亞馬遜在成功推廣Kindle到超過一百個國家之後，也成功打入了加拿大的市場。雖然一般的加拿大人在電子書的選擇上仍然有所限制，但是對於閱讀障礙者來說（大約每十個加拿大人就有這種困擾），Kindle的語音轉換功能，對於其有效的閱讀非常具有幫助。

年輕患有閱讀障礙的讀者，其實是可以理解難度比較高的書的，但是他們無法獨自的去閱讀。國際閱讀障礙協會安大略分會(ONBIDA)會長Sally Shearman認為，閱讀障礙患者在閱讀上，所需花費的時間精力，遠遠超過我們的想像。但透過Kindle，患者可以更省力的閱讀。Kindle就如同iPod一樣，是流行的共同語言，對於閱讀障礙者打入社交圈有很大的幫助。

Kindle不只可以幫助閱讀障礙者，它所提供的數位內容，包括影片等，也可以幫助有學習障礙的人。雪曼博士(Dr. Sherman)認為，閱讀障礙學習者的家長，應該要大力去爭取在教室中使用Kindle。他認為閱讀是人類的基本權力，就像是盲人可以使用布萊葉盲文閱讀一樣，閱讀障礙者同樣可以利用Kindle來享受閱讀。
 改編自KINDLE’S TECHNOLOGY AS SIGNIFICANT FOR DYSLEXIA　

http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1849

電子書真能取代一般的實體書。至少部落客凱文霍夫曼(Kevin Hoffman)不是那麼想的。

圖片來源：　http://www.kshmusings.com/2009/10/20/kindle-2-vs-nook/

凱文是個電子產品愛好者，但是他對於有”觸感和氣味”的實體書情有獨鍾。凱文喜歡閱讀二三個小時之後，指頭上沾染書墨的感覺。”那才是跟真實世界的聯結！”透過書上的文字，紙張特有的古典氣息，凱文感覺到自已似乎在跟作者對話。一杯咖啡、一本好書、一張溫暖的沙發，對凱文來說，人生如此，夫復何求！

不過凱文也承認電子書的確可以省了許多書本的搬運費以及時間。

Kindle二代可以讓讀者從網站上下載高達三十五萬本的藏書，雜誌、報紙、甚至維基百科都可以在電子閱讀器上看到。電子書的價格合理，選擇也多。

另外，電子墨水和一般的電腦螢幕是不一樣的。我們可以在陽光下，輕鬆的閱讀電子墨水的文章內容。邦諾的Nook也有其特別的地方。像是我們可把電子書”借給”別人看，而且可以看十四天。這個好處，對痛恨DRM(Digital Rights Management)的凱文來說，是個非常棒的事。凱文認為DRM不只不能完全改善盜版，更帶來了許多不便之處。

另外，就是只要連上邦諾網站，我們可以用Nook的WiFi裝置來試看所有的電子書。這對凱文來說也是一件不錯的好處，因為他可以利用這項功能事先找到想要的書，然後又可以去他最喜歡的書店，享受實體書所帶來的真實觸感！

Kindle和Nook是有一些差別的。Nook有一個全彩的觸碰式小螢幕，使用者可以利用瀏覽書的封面，找到想要的書。但Kindle就沒有這種功能了。但Nook比較重，而且電池壽命也比較短。Kindle目前的售價是２７９美元， Nook為２５９美元。

凱文甚至想到了更多電子閱讀器的可能。像是大幅縮短作者完稿和正式印刷出版的時間。一個研究電腦程式的網站Safari已經成功示範了。凱文也希望，有一天他可以帶著他的電子閱讀器到圖書館去”借書”，把書下載到閱讀器上面。

改編自Kindle 2 vs. Nook　by Kevin Hoffman

http://www.kshmusings.com/2009/10/20/kindle-2-vs-nook/

來源：　http://theunquietlibrary.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/kindle.jpg

亞馬遜的電子閱讀器把”隨時隨地閱讀”的這個觀念，發揚光大。現在，你也可以在你的個人電腦上享受Kindle所帶來的魔力！

Kindle的電腦版本提供Windows使用者免費使用，讓讀者可以在電腦上閱讀超過三十六萬本的電子書，包括紐約時報、全彩的兒童書、食譜、圖像小說。看到什麼不一樣的地方嗎？沒錯！電腦螢幕可以讓我們享受Kindle所沒有的彩色畫面。

Kindle電腦版提供了智慧但簡明的使用界面。畫面上方左邊的按鍵可以讓我們快速連到電子書的購買清單，也可以看到一些書的短評，就像是iTunes所提供的服務一樣。從首頁同樣可搜尋和更新新上市的電子書，甚至呢，你也可以買新的Kindle。

在Kindle電腦版上操作也非常的順暢，只要簡單的鍵盤操作和一個滑鼠，就可以輕易的調整字體的格式和大小，直到讀者覺得適合為止。

Kindle電腦版很棒，但是如果你有其他Kindle的裝置，那更是相得益彰。如果你已經有一台Kindle或是iPhone app了，你可以透過Whispersync這個連線裝置，將Kindle電腦版和裝置連線，可以把注釋、書籤、或是讀到的進度，在機器間轉換。

Kindle電腦版只可以讓我們閱讀從Kindle傳輸來的的註記和標示重點。亞馬遜希望日後閱讀者也可在電腦版註記和畫重點。亞馬遜目前正在研發字句搜尋、放大縮小和旋轉的功能，日後功能將會愈來愈多。

有些人沒有Kindle，但透過這個電腦版本，讓更多喜歡閱讀的人也可以享受到Kindle所帶來的好處。

雖然，電腦不像電子閱讀器那樣的方便，但是透過愈形普及的Wi-Fi，我們也可以很快速地在有無線上網的地方，更新最快的電子書消息。

所以說我們真的有需要去花大錢買一台Kindle嗎？這是個見人見智的問題。

Kindle電腦版在amazon.com/KindleforPC提供免費使用！

改編自Amazon has Kindle on PC for free　By René A. Guzman

http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/books/75248612.html

This is not a straight $100 Kindle Discount. You only get $100 off Kindle 2 or Kindle DX if you FIRST get an Audible.com membership and then USE the kindle discount code you get from them.

Basically -

Audible.com will give you an Amazon.com promotional code good for $100 off the purchase of select AudibleReady® devices and accessories when you join the AudibleListener® Gold plan for 12 months at $14.95 per month.

You can get $100 off the Kindle 2 or the Kindle DX with this offer (or other devices like iPods).

1. You do have to sign up for a 12 month membership with Audible that costs $14.95 per month. 
2. That’s $179 for a year. The discount is $100.
3. The membership gets you one free Audible book a month and 30% off other titles.
4. You cannot cancel before a year ends.

How it works -

1. Read the details and see qualifying devices at Amazon.
2. Go to Audible.com’s Device Offer Page (link on the Amazon page) and sign up for the AudibleListener Gold program. 
3. They will give you a kindle discount code.
4. Go to Amazon and use the kindle discount code to buy either the Kindle 2 or the Kindle DX. Be sure to use the coupon code at checkout.

Leave a comment if you have questions.

Is this $100 Kindle discount from Audible.com worth it?

If you listen to one or more audible books a month then definitely. You get -

1. A free book a month.
2. 30% off other books.
3. $100 off a Kindle 2 or Kindle DX. Both of which work with Audible books and have lots of other benefits.

What if you don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks?

$14.95 a month is $179 – You end up getting 12 audiobooks a year for $79. Does that interest you?

Things to Keep in Mind

1. Offer is valid until January 31st, 2010. 
2. Promotional code is only valid 90 days. Use it as soon as you can to be on the safe side. 
3. Only valid for new AudibleListener members. 
4. Can only be redeemed at Amazon.com – no other Amazon site.
5. Offer cannot be applied to orders that are already placed => You MUST sign up for Audible first.
6. If you buy something that costs less than $100 you do NOT get the balance.

Lots of other details you should check up on.

Other Devices you can use $100 discount on

1. iPod.
2. iPod Nano.
3. Garmin GPS.
4. See all devices that qualify at Amazon.

The $100 Kindle discount from Audible also applies to Kindle accessories. Don’t buy anything less than $100 though.