Tech From an E-booker’s Viewpoint

You can now get the newest OS for your Nokia N800.   I just finished updating mine and I feel as though I have a brand new toy.  The only thing I dread is reinstalling all my applications.  Hopefully most if not all of them are still compatible with the new OS.  To get the latest update head over to this link.  The download is really large (134mb) and I timed out on my first attempt.  I tried a few more times with no luck.  I then came across Random Weirdness via Maemo.org.  The site belongs to a blogger who has graciously volunteered his bandwidth to host the file download.  Thanks!  Usually my updates are painless, but I was in a rush and didn’t pay close attention to what I was doing.  So that you don’t repeat my errors I have listed the correct  steps to take:

1.  Go to Nokia and download the update wizard. 

2.  Uninstall your current update wizard.

3.  Install the new update wizard.

4.  Install the new update per the wizard’s instructions.  It won’t do an automatic update.  I had to do a manual install by pointing to the bin file I downloaded.

I don’t know the differences or changes made yet.  I will report back later. 

On other fronts, I had really hoped to have the next installment on the Kindle written up and posted by now.  It’s still not done yet, but hopefully it will be up by the weekend.

This weekend I finally got around to using the Kindle.  The packaging it comes in is really nice.  It looks like a book.  I could have lived without all that though. Maybe if Amazon had used a plainer package it could have knocked a few bucks off the Kindle’s price tag.  Yes the Kindle is still homely looking, but softer on the eyes in person.  I like the way the device feels in my hand.  I have rather large hands with long fingers.  I also have nails, but I try to keep them short.  I was concerned about finger placement on the reader, but my fingers naturally fell in the right place.  The Kindle is also quite light and I had no problems using it with one hand.  I am not a fan of rubber grips and it has been one of my few dislikes reference the EBW1150.  That said, the one on the kindle is not too thick, and not too much of a rubbery feeling.I purposely did not read any user guides.  I wanted to see just how user friendly the Kindle is straight out of the box.  It took me a few hours to figure out how to get to the SD card slot underneath the gray rubberize back.  Then, when I wasn’t trying to remove the cover, it just popped off. Go figure.  I was surprised to see what looks like a user replaceable battery.  I hope that Amazon will start selling these separately.  It would be a real plus if they come out with a battery charger.  The reset button is also located under the rubber backing.  I don’t like having to remove the backing just to do a reset. It shouts potential hassle.  I hated the location of the reset button on the Sony reader.  I was so afraid I was going to break the reader snapping that cover on and off. I can also see the little slot inserts getting broken too. 

The case looks like a moleskin notebook.  It is leather, but it feels bulky and is cumbersome when trying to use the Kindle.  The power switch for the Kindle is on the back and it is hard to get to it with the case on.  I have gotten to the point where I store the reader in its case and then remove it when I am using it.  I was at M-edge and they are coming out with a case for the Kindle in January 2008.  So I won’t have too long to wait.  The site says that the case will be available in a variety of colors.  No word on pricing though. 

The screen is no better or worse than any other e-ink device I have.  I like the keyboard and the scroll wheel.  The keys feel solid, but I won’t be speed typing on it.  It took me more than a minute to realize that the scroll wheel has a window.  The window is directly above it and runs the length of the screen.  The position indicator is hard to see.  It’s a light silver color and blends in.  At first I had to hold the device a certain way to see it, but that could just be me.  It’s not so bad now, so I must be getting use to it.  I am just glad the scroll wheel is there.  It makes it so much easier to navigate.    Hopefully tomorrow, I will cover my Kindle set up and book purchase experience.

It’s always disappointing and frustrating to receive a gift to find out that it needs something else to get it to work.  Double the feeling is the gift is for a child and the occasion is Christmas.  When I give a gift I always buy batteries or whatever is needed to avoid any immediate problems.  I have extended this process to include memory cards especially if I know the person is not familiar with gadgets.  So, if I give a digital camera I also include the correct batteries and a memory card to get things going. I figure the easier I make it, the better the chances are that the person will enjoy and continue to use the gift.  Right now there are some great deals on memory.  Meritline is selling a Kingston 8gb SDHC card for $54.99 shipped.  After the mail in rebate the final cost is $39.99.  This sale is good through the end of this month.  This is ideal for the Eee PC users out there. A real steal is a 1gb SD card for only $7.95 shipped.  They also have a Sandisk 2gb MicroSD Card for $26.96 shipped.  The card includes both miniSD and SD adapters.  For those needing CF Cards, you can get a 2gb A-Data one for $17.00 shipped.  You may find many deals better than this in brick and mortar stores this time of year.  While you are at it, don’t forget to buy yourself a few memory cards.  For those of us that are still using Smart Media Cards, Geeks is selling Delkin eFilm 128mb  cards for $40.50!  Yes, that is expensive, but considering how hard it is to come by these, it may be worth the price.  While Ebookwise sells cards with the EBW1150, I don’t believe they sell these cards separately.  Geeks is also selling Hitachi 4gb CF+ type II microdrives for $15.50.  I bought one of these and have had no problems.  You can also get a 23 in 1 card read for only $3.99.  As always you should check to make sure the cards are compatible with your device.

Well the semester will end for me tomorrow after the final exam.  I am really disappointed that I couldn’t do my informal e-book study.  I did find out just how much I really don’t like early American literature.  Reading the material was like having my teeth pulled without anesthesia.  The course took up much too much of my time, mainly because it was so boring and hard to plow through the readings.  Now that is over I can finally get back to this blog.  I apologize for the lack of posts, especially recently.  I know things are bad when I get a new gadget and days go by before I even open it.  I received my Kindle over a week ago and I just got around to taking it out of the box!  So look forward to my review coming as soon as possible.