Tech From an E-booker’s Viewpoint

OS2008 has been available now for a while.  I initially tried to update mine just before Christmas, but I had trouble being able to download and install the update.  I figured that the servers were busy with everyone else trying to do the same thing.  This week I read over at Internet Tablet Talk that there were server problems as well.   All should be fine now.  This week I have been busy installing the new operating system.  This is the same OS that comes installed on the N810.  So far, I like the update.  My only observation so far is that my N800 seems to move a little slower.  I also miss my Valentine’s theme that came packaged with OS2007.   I wish there was a way that I could have kept that theme.  All the other themes seem so masculine. I downloaded and installed Gutenbrowse.  This utility works in conjunction with FBreader.  You also have to have Python Runtime 2.5 installed.   Gutenbrowse allows the user to search, find, download, and read e-books from Project Gutenberg.  All I can say is that this is one fantastic little program.  All I had to do is input either the author or title and seconds later I got the results.  I then clicked the one I wanted, it downloaded and asked me if I wanted to read it.  I clicked yes and Voila! FBreader opens and I am reading.  This has certainly made obtaining books from Gutenberg not just faster and more convenient, but actually fun.  

This could be a lifesaver for students.  I hope that someone out there will port this over to the Eee PC.  The application also works on OS2007.  I did not see a version for OS2006.  I may have to hack my husband’s N770 so that he can take advantage of the application’s features. 

And now that I mentioned the Eee PC, I wanted to give a heads up for those looking for a case for their small wonder.  Some users have reported that the Case Logic Hard Drive case makes a great carrier for their Eee and its accessories. Overstock has it on sale for $21.99.

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.