Here is company that is making computers for children. Kid Computers sells computers geared towards kids. Although geared towards kids the computers are made to order and are pretty full featured desktops.
Check out the official site now HERE
Friday, September 30, 2011
Kid Computers makes kid computers
Here is company that is making computers for children. Kid Computers sells computers geared towards kids. Although geared towards kids the computers are made to order and are pretty full featured desktops.
Check out the official site now HERE
Apple may kill off iPod Classic
AppleInsider discovered that the link to iPod Click Wheel Games no longer appears on the App Store drop-down menu in iTunes. This maybe a sign that Apple will discontinue the Classic. It was long rumored that the iPod Classic would die off so this is not surprising.
via Engadget
Free Kindle Books (9/30) - 60 + Lower-cost discounted ones from forum alerts + Kindle discussions +Amazon deals
Sept. 30: Afternoon - 60 newly-free Kindle books
Today's Kindle Daily Deal
That link will bring up a new book each night at midnight.
Today's is Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, 284 customer reviews, 4.3 stars
Thursday's price: $3.99
Friday's discount: $3.00
Friday's Kindle Daily Deal Price: $0.99
TEMPORARILY-Free Books: Alerts from the Amazon Kindle forums - via the tireless"Happy Reader" Joyce , who is constantly on the lookout on behalf of forum members.
NOTE: The alerts are quoted as they appear in Joyce's collecting of mostly temporarily-free books. They're*not* recommendations by anyone but are a very popular, unfiltered daily set of release-alerts by Joyce. The eBooks can become no longer free within days, sometimes, within hours. Thanks to Joyce for gathering and organizing them for us.
Forum Alerts on Newly Discounted Books the last day or so:
9/29-30
Some of the lower-priced ones: (I'll also include some that people express interest in there):
And that's just for 1-1/2 days...
Today's Kindle Daily Deal
That link will bring up a new book each night at midnight.
Today's is Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, 284 customer reviews, 4.3 stars
Thursday's price: $3.99
Friday's discount: $3.00
Friday's Kindle Daily Deal Price: $0.99
TEMPORARILY-Free Books: Alerts from the Amazon Kindle forums - via the tireless
NOTE: The alerts are quoted as they appear in Joyce's collecting of mostly temporarily-free books. They're
If, on this Home page listing (in orange), you see "MORE" books available, ' Happy Reader "Joyce" says:
* CLICK at the bottom to get the REST of any long listing of free books *
This is my second attempt to post the freebies ... due to a glitch with Amazon, I had to delete my first thread.
Unimagined: A Short Story
Crystals of Consequence
In the Image of Grace
The Girl in the Lighthouse (Arrington)
Common or Garden Dharma. Essays in Contemporary Buddhism, Vol. I
LZR-1143: Perspectives
MORE... ( 54 more books: Click on "MORE" just below.)
*****
Dark That Day, After All (Nights Gone By)
A Terrible Beauty
Gloria
Lost Cargo
The Bellhound - Four Tales of Modern Magic
Conflict: The Callahans Book Two
The Quest for Nobility (A Fantasy Adventure) (The Rule of Otharia series)
Wackier Whisker Wisdom (Wacky Whisker Wisdom)
Anathema (The Causal Enchantment Series)
Snow Falling in Moonlight: Odes in Praise of Dogen's Shobogenzo
Camel Lot: A Misplaced Adventure
Guardian of the Dawn (Short Story)
THE HALLOWEEN COLLECTION FROM THE INDIE ECLECTIVE
The Beckoning Within
Dawn of War (Blood War Trilogy)
The Rebirth: Collected Poetry
The Red Horde: Story I
Red Truck
The Wizard Takes a Holiday
A Husband for Margaret
Ghost Hunting Diary Volume I (Ghost Hunting Diaries)
A Foolish Consistency
JeBouffe Home Canning
Blood Soaked and Contagious
Maddy's Oasis
Twi Hard: A Twin Fang Prequel (Twin Fang Saga)
Fairytale (Fairies of Rush)
The Ylem (The Ylem Trilogy, #1)
Campaign Promises
Bermuda's Triangle (A Misplaced Adventure)
The Perfect Plan
Zed Alley
Playing with Fire
The Zombie's Bride
Strange Connections: A Short Story
Wotcha
20 Diet Myths - Busted. A Manifesto to change how you think about dieting.
A Bride for Tom
Goose
Here Be Monsters - An Anthology of Monster Tales
Melvin the Dry Cleaning Zombie and Vampire Shoe Warehouse
Stray (Touchstone)
The 9th Fortress
Big Data Bibliography
Prairie Sunset - of Love and Magic
The Breath of Heaven and Other Stories
The Light of the Ancient Buddhas - Ballads of Emptiness and Awakening
Bulldog (Vince and Cat Next Generation)
A Continual Farewell
First You Sigh
Eternal Eden (Eden Trilogy, Book One)
Zombies Eat Lawyers
The Princess & the Penis
*** EDIT TO ADD:
The Evolution of Data Products '
[These are from Joyce's free-books alerts Friday morning in the forums, 9/30/11 - morning, 60 books
Forum Alerts on Newly Discounted Books the last day or so:
9/29-30
Some of the lower-priced ones: (I'll also include some that people express interest in there):
Alert by Baj
Read the Beatles: Classic and New Writings on the Beatles, Their Legacy, and Why They Still Matter
Now $7.99 Was $12.99
Alert by M. Ratcheson
There are two pages for John Dean's Conservatives Without Conscience. I'm hoping this link will take you to the one selling for $3.99, the other one is $12.99. Conservatives Without Conscience
Alert by Deborah Akers
Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports
Last Reported Price: $12.99
Current Price: $4.99
Alert by Efiah
Alice Waters and Chez Panisse has dropped from $12.99 to $4.99
Alert by Emily Bronte
Macmillan:
Pre-order (delivery November 4th)
The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas by Madeleine L'Engle for $2.99
Alert by Concerned reader
The books on the Penguin sale that I picked up today were:
Strapless for $3.99
Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone for $3.99
Choosing Brilliant Health: 9 Choices That Redefine What It Takes to Create Lifelong Vitality and Well-Being for $3.99 (loved their happiness book)
Concerned Reader adds
I'd also recommend Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers' Guide from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University for $3.99 which I sadly bought in June for $12.99.
Alert by M. Ratcheson
Not a huge discount, but some might be interested, Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage is now $9.99 down from months at $12.99.
Alert by Emily Bronte
Penguin:
Minor Characters: A Beat Memoir by Joyce Johnson for $3.99
Petropolis by Anya Ulinich for $3.99
The Danish Girl by David Ebershofffor $3.99
Larry's Party by Carol Shields for $3.99
All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki for $3.99
Murder in Amsterdam: Liberal Europe, Islam, and the Limits of Tolerence by Ian Buruma for $3.99
Fighter Boys: The Battle of Britain, 1940 by Patrick Bishop for $3.99
Goldwyn: A Biography by A. Berg for $3.99
A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life by J. Craig Venter for $3.99
Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious by Gerd Gigerenzer for $4.99
Dante: A Life (Penguin Lives) by R. Lewis for $3.99
Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Penguin Lives) by Thomas Keneally for $3.99
Alert by TravelingGal
Boneshaker (Sci Fi Essential Books) by Cherie Priest now at $2.99, down from $9.99.
Alert by RandomizeME
The Affinity Bridge (Newbury & Hobbes Investigations) by George Mann is $2.99
Alert by Emily Bronte
Rosetta Books:
http://rosettabooks.com/news/rosettabooks-announces-galaxy-project
23 Pre-orders @ $1.99 each for Sci-Fi fans (delivery October 1st)
A Little Journey by Ray Bradbury
The Big Trip Up Yonder by Kurt Vonnegut
Unready to Wear by Kurt Vonnegut
Four in One by Damon Knight
The Tunnel Under the World by Frederik Pohl
With These Hands by C.M. Kornbluth
The Flat-Eyed Monster by William Tenn
The Wind Between the Worlds by Lester del Rey
Command Performance by Walter Jr. Miller
Skulking Permit by Robert Sheckley
Alert by C. Stapleton
Lord and Lady Spy dropped another $.10, to $.89. Why didn't I wait?? I bought it at $.99! :)
Alert by Emily Bronnte
Lonely Planet:
Pre-order (delivery September 30th)
Best New England Trips 1 for $2.99
Alert by D. Baker
Tracking Bear: An Ella Clah Novel by Aimee Thurlo Start Price: $6.99 Now $2.99
Never-ending-snake: An Ella Clah Novel Start Price: $11.99 Now: $9.99 '
And that's just for 1-1/2 days...
| Amazon's own ongoing listing of LIMITED-TIME OFFERS - Promos Amazon sorts these by Bestsellers first. I've added a by Low-to-High pricing. Editors' Picks: $1.99-$3.99 thru' September | Free contemporary books: subsets Filters out excerpts, chapters, previews US: by Last 30+ days Sept 2011 Publication Date Late-listed Bestselling High-ratings UK: by PubDate Popular |
New York: Day 1
After checking in at the Hilton Times Square and freshening up after a long flight, I was ready to go out for the night. Abel and Michelle were just on their way back from Liberty Island when I arrived so I had plenty of time to rest a bit and get ready for a fun night ahead.Tonight's agenda was to catch the 8pm Spiderman broadway show. We still had about an hour to spare and the theatre was just across our hotel so we went to Times Square first and enjoyed the night with a cup of Salted Caramel Mocha (it was pretty good!) from Starbucks.
The show was at the Foxwood Theatre which was just across our hotel.
I've heard that Spiderman the musical was quite different from your typical broadway show with all the stunts and special effects. It was even shut down for a time because of the accidents from the stunts.
And I have to admit, it was indeed quite an experience. It's a far cry on the singing front from the classic broadway show but what stood out and brought the show along were the flying stunts where Spidey literally flew across the theatre, all the way to the balcony and back to the stage. It was quite impressive! The stage production was also very modern. Imagine the 1st Spiderman movie and that was it live. Overall, it was pretty good and worth seeing.
It was already 10pm when the show ended. It was raining pretty hard when we got out so we decided to grab dinner at Bella Vita which was just a couple of steps away from the theatre. We had the calamari for starters. It was served with a boat-ful of marinara sauce and I couldn't complain! Sauce galore it is. Yummy!
Then for the pizza, you get to create your own. They just have a basic base of tomato sauce and mozzarella and you get to choose all the toppings you want. We went for the pepperoni, sausages and grilled peppers topped with fresh basil. It was very good (and big)!
Our first dinner in New York was a success! After eating airline food for my past 5 meals, this was indeed a welcome treat.
The rain finally stopped just as we were done. Still jet lagged, I was not sleepy yet so Abel and I worked on our itinerary for the next day, plotting our stops and working our way thru the subway. We'll be meeting up with Normie tomorrow and it will sure be another fun day! :)
caffeine
After flying for almost 16 hours, I'm finally in Detroit. I still have to catch a connecting flight to New York. In the meantime, I'm loading up on caffeine and hopefully Caribou's Mint Condition (I missed this!) will do the trick. No time to get jet lagged as we have a broadway show to catch tonight :)
A look at what the new Kindle Touch 3G offers - some differences
KINDLE TOUCH 3GFree 3G + Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display, 3G Works Globally
Notes about the new Kindle Touch 3G
The product page presentation begins with the feature that differentiates this device from the Kindle Touch (WiFi only):
"Free 3G wireless, no annual contracts or monthly fees."
"Kindle Touch 3G uses the same wireless signals as cell phones, so you don't need to worry about Wi-Fi connections, passwords or internet charges. Unlike cell phones, with Kindle Touch 3G there are no monthly fees or commitments — Amazon pays for Kindle Touch 3G's wireless connectivity."
This model also comes with WiFi, local network access.
As with the older Kindle 3 with 3G (now called the Kindle Keyboard 3G), it has Text-to-speech (TTS) , can read audio books and play mp3's, including podcasts
All Kindles can borrow from public libraries now.
I'll be pointing out only differences between the older and new model offering 3G, as it's easy enough to see what Amazon offers by just going to the Product page for the Kindle Touch 3G. I very much recommend readers take the time to slowly go over that page.
UPDATE - Amazon Kindle Team has made an official response to this question. The Kindle Touch 3G has a more limited use of its 3G connectivity in that the 3G has been enabled for connection only to the Kindle Store, to download books and periodicals, and to access Wikipedia. The experimental web-browsing feature isn't enabled for 3G but can be used via WiFi. The Kindle Keyboard 3G (UK: Kindle Keyboard 3G), will still have its 3G enabled for the experimental web browser.
Click on the link above to read the statement by Kindle Team.
Points to keep in mind, on this touchscreen Kindle:
You can tap ("no need to swipe") to turn pages, so Amazon points out you can hold the Kindle in either hand.
Speed. Even the Kindle Basic ($79 to $109) has been praised (it's already shipping) for its noticeably faster page turns and speedier processes in general, over the older keyboard models.
A new feature named "X-Ray" is available on the new Touch models and Amazon explains it this way:
"Explore the 'bones of a book.' With a single tap, see all the passages across a book that mention ideas, fictional characters, historical figures, places or topics of interest, as well as more detailed descriptions from Wikipedia and Shelfari."
They reiterate that Amazon is providing "free cloud storage for all Amazon content" (meaning content you purchase from them -- music, video, as well as books).
Battery Life: Amazon used to base battery life on a rational 1 hour per day usage, but ever since
Barnes and Noble decided to base theirs on only 1/2 hour per day usage, and columnists picked up BN's results without looking at what daily usage it was based on, Amazon has now changed its basis for
calculations, to match the 1/2 hour per day that Barnes and Noble apparently feels its users spend on books.
So now, 2 months between charges (with Wireless Off) is claimed rather than 1 month.
Also see Kindle Customer Service advisories on best battery maintenance practices.
(I'm a Barnes and Noble card-carrying paid-member and am enjoying a NookColor, but this battery usage thing is for the birds, and I don't mean Angry ones, just BN's idea of disinterested ones.
Content formats supported: This isn't different from before, but it's often been said by people who don't know much about the Kindle, that the Kindle supports only Amazon's one format. Here is the actual list of formats supported (this hasn't changed) :
Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, Audible (Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX)), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, DOCX, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion
I'm really glad that Amazon is keeping the Kindle Keyboard models active, as there are many who still prefer even a clunky physical keyboard to a touchscreen one. The Kindle 3 (Kindle Keyboard) has been known for its beautiful screen contrast, moreover.
Amazon has more to say on the special features in the lower portion of their page, which may receive less views, so I'll add some of it here
New Touch Experience - EasyReach
"Amazon invented a new type of touch experience that eliminates the fatigue caused by continuously swiping to turn the page, and that allows readers to hold Kindle with either hand while still turning pages comfortably
Page turns and other navigation with this model:
Tapping on most of the screen area will page forward,
the most common action done when reading;
tapping in a narrow area near the left edge of the device turns to the previous page; and
tapping on the top part of the screen brings up the toolbars for further options."
Customer Fonts - as with Kindle 3 model:
"... hand-built, custom fonts and font-hinting to make words and letters more crisp, clear, and natural-looking ... improving legibility at small font sizes where few pixels are available..."
Support for Non-Latin Characters
This hasn't changed since Kindle, but it bears repeating here:
... Kindle Touch displays Cyrillic (such as Russian), Japanese, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), and Korean characters, in addition to Latin and Greek scripts.
Full Image Zoom
(I miss this feature in reading normal books on my NookColor and it's said that the Adobe DRM format
for ePub has something to do with the limitation on that unit, which is otherwise very capable.)
"Images and photos display crisply on Kindle Touch 3G and can be zoomed to the full size of the screen."
Real Page Numbers
Again, many still don't know about this newer feature, which is on Kindle 3's as well.
"Easily reference and cite passages or read alongside others in a book club or class with real page numbers. ... we've created algorithms that match specific text in a Kindle book to the corresponding text in a print book, to identify the correct, "real" page number to display.
Available on tens of thousands of our most popular Kindle books, including the top 100 bestselling books in the Kindle Store that have matching print editions.
Page numbers are displayed when you touch the top of the screen. (On the Kindle 3, it's done by pressing the Menu button.)
Carry and Read Your Personal Documents
Few know about this feature, which is getting even more support now.
"You and your approved contacts can e-mail documents – including Word, PDF and more - directly to your Kindle and read them in Kindle format. Delivery via Wi-Fi is free; there is a small fee for delivery via 3G - see details.
NEW TO KINDLE 3 AND NEW E-INK KINDLES
"Your personal documents will be stored in your Kindle library on Amazon and ready to download conveniently anywhere at any time. You can add notes, highlights and bookmarks, which are automatically synchronized across devices along with the last page you read using our Whispersync technology."
(Nate Hoffelder (and Felix Torres) had first noticed this by viewing the ManageYourKindle webpage source code and noting variables for pdocs and archiving.)
ALSO, as has been true for well over a year, "You can read your PDFs in their native format AND convert them to the Kindle format so that it reflows like a regular Kindle book"
Personal Kindle Book Lending
Besides public-library lending, already mentioned, "each eligible book (eligibility determined by the publisher] can be lent once for a period of 14 days." [Publishers have held B&N to the same personal-lending rules]
Special Offers and Sponsored Screensavers
This applies onlly to the "Special Offers" Kindle models, in this particular case the $149 Kindle Touch 3G.
Special offers are received on the unit, which also has sponsored screensavers seen only when not reading.
Examples:
• $10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
• Save up to $500 off Amazon's already low prices on select HDTVs
• $1 for a Kindle book, choose from thousands of books
Audible Audiobooks
As with previous models, you can listen to Audible books with the Kindle Touch 3G (as well as play mp3's).
DECISIONS
For those who are having a difficult time deciding on which of the many Kindles to get, be sure to see the "Compare Kindles" table on that product page, which comes with images of each model. I haven't had time to give the WiFi-Only version of the Kindle Touch a thorough look yet, but the two devices should be the same except for the 3G module
If you have any questions on what you see in that table, please feel free to ask here, and you can also visit the Kindle Community forums where there is always help from other customers 24/7.
For daily free ebooks, check the following links:
| Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by: Publication Date Late-listed Bestselling High-ratings UK: PubDate Popular What is 3G? and "WiFi"? Battery Care Highly-rated under $1, | Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK): Top 100 free UK-Only: Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, currently): 99c Notepad 1.1, 99c Calculator, 99c Calendar, |
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Clarification needed from Amazon re Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi's 3G-experimental web browsing feature or omission - Update
KINDLE TOUCH 3G/WIFI - Is free 3G web browsing now disabled? Or is it just a product page error?That's an important question for many in the Amazon Kindle Forums currently and in comments to this blog, as people are trying to make decisions on which model to purchase and that would be based on features or lack of features.
NOTE: See follow-up posting on this with added update.
In the product page wording for Kindle 3 (Keyboard) 3G/WiFi and for Kindle 4 Touch 3G/WiFi - Amazon's presents the older keyboard Kindle (3rd Generation) as still having free 3G web browsing -- but on the product page for the new Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi (4th Generation), there is wording that indicates that free 3G web browsing is not enabled for the Kindle 3G Touch. That wording is probably inaccurate, but we can't know, and it is Amazon's official presentation of features for the new Kindle.
Since that would be a huge change from what has been true for years 2007 until September 2011, it's unlikely that Amazon would make that kind of change without saying something about it.
Forum members have asked Kindle Customer Support about this and received reassurances that nothing's changed. I'll include Kindle Customer Support's replies as reported by Kindle forum members and show the gist of the conversations there. People just need to know which situation is true.
Wording on free 3G experimental web browsing has been somewhat ambiguous for a year on the product pages for each country for which that is officially enabled. The 3G pages for those countries have said that this feature is available via WiFi. However, it has never said "available ONLY on WiFi" and the feature HAS been available. I've no doubt Amazon would want or need to discourage indiscriminate use of the 3G web browsing, and I think that's why it -has- been ambiguous. Their entire business is based on clear communications, and they usually do well on that.
Below you'll see the stance taken by a few Kindle customer representatives today when customers called them - the gist of it is that 3G experimental web browser is active and is one of two methods.
However, worse wording was found today by "mrb" under the "Battery Life" section of the product page for the Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi
' Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store, downloading content, and web browsing (browsing available only in Wi-Fi mode). 'That is definitely the first time I've seen the word "only" used on a product page in connection with a 3G Kindle model and WiFi and web browsing.
EARLIER, I had responded to a number of forum posts, with the following, having closely watched Amazon wording in the last year (since June 2010):
"I'll point out one thing. I'm sure they ARE de-emphasizing and discouraging [possible overuse of] 3G web browsing, but for the last year, the K3 descriptions for each country where free 3G web browsing IS allowed has always had this sentence without the word "also." It has been just a declaration it's available via WiFi."
And that's what the customer reps have said today in response to many called.
However, that written wording by Amazon on its product page would have had to be approved by someone and it can't be ignored when making a purchase decision. I have asked Amazon about this as well but received no answer at this point. I had explained I'd need to write about this as questions were coming in.
Here is the second page of just one of the Kindle forum threads today, this one showing the pro and con gist of the forum discussions and the alert by 'mrb' about the unusual, more definite, product-page wording that now includes the word "only"
' Posted on Sep 28, 2011 6:49:01 PM PDT
Brian Staff says:
I am wondering about this too, but after studying the language, I think you're reading too much into it.
"Kindle Touch 3G's experimental web browser is based on WebKit. It's easy to find the information you're looking for right from your Kindle Touch 3G. Experimental web browsing is available via Wi-Fi."
I think the intention here, is that if you want to browse the web, then you need to do via WiFi...(or 3G)
Here's hoping a good reviewer can confirm that before I place my order...
-------
Posted on Sep 28, 2011 6:49:36 PM PDT
dorsie says:
Shouldn't someone call Kindle CS first to verify before everyone cancels their orders? 1-866-321-8851
-------
In reply to an earlier post on Sep 28, 2011 6:52:54 PM PDT
Kindle booklover says:
I disagree. If it was available via both methods, they wouldn't have listed only one of them.
-------
Posted on Sep 28, 2011 7:00:23 PM PDT
Last edited by the author 18 hours ago
Kindle booklover says:
Sorry, folks, but I think this clinches it. The webkit description on the current (k3 3G) page is worded differently. In my opinion, the wording change for the new one is very deliberate and does means browsing will only be thru WiFi.
Kindle Keyboard:
WebKit-Based Browser
KindleKeyboard features an experimental web browser based on WebKit to provide a better web browsing experience. Now it's easier than ever to find the information you're looking for right from your Kindle. Experimental web browsing is FREE. (my caps)
WebKit-Based Browser Kindle Touch 3G's experimental web browser is based on WebKit. It's easy to find the information you're looking for right from your Kindle Touch 3G. Experimental web browsing is available via Wi-Fi.
-------
. . .
Posted on Sep 29, 2011 12:18:02 AM PDT
triplesss says:
I want web browsing via 3G! I'll cancel my hasty order for the Kindle Touch.
-------
. . .
Posted on Sep 29, 2011 7:42:47 AM PDT
Bryan L. Wheeler says:
Has anyone called Kindle Customer Support and asked them about this change in wording? Honestly, the free 3G service was never really meant to be used for any kind of serious web browsing, even if "serious web browsing" to some only meant simply checking emails, etc...
. . .
Amazon obviously has had to cut a few corners to bring these newest devices to market as competitively as possible. I appreciate the vast improvements made to these new Kindles, and understand (and appreciate) why certain corners were cut to make them affordable, and appealing to as many customers, new and old, as possible.
So far, Amazon hasn't really made a truly bad decision in its steady march towards eReader domination. I think Amazon knows what it's doing, and I think Amazon knows all too well that, in the long run, "free" 3G service for web browsing is not all that important (or practical) to the vast majority of its Kindle e-ink device customers. :)
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Posted on Sep 29, 2011 7:50:18 AM PDT
triplesss says:
I just called KCS and a lady insisted (as I questioned her familiarity with Kindle Touch) "...we are trained in this...." She says the experimental Web browser is available via 3G and/or wifi. Her explanation was that the descriptor was applicable as well to Kindle Touch without 3G and that was why it cites the wifi capability.
-------
In reply to an earlier post on Sep 29, 2011 7:54:36 AM PDT
Bryan L. Wheeler says:
That's kind of what I figured, but it's nice to have it clarified.
-------
Posted on Sep 29, 2011 10:31:21 AM PDT
T. Roberson says:
I RECEIEVED AN OFFICIAL REPLY FROM AMAZON!
I emailed Amazon support yesterday, concerned about this apparent downgrading, here is the reply:
"Hello,
I'm sorry for any misunderstanding.
On Kindle Touch you can access experimental features including Text-to-Speech, MP3 Player, and the experimental web browser.
Thus, I can assure you that web browsing is available in Kindle Touch 3G like normal 3G kindle key board.
. . .
Sowmya.R"
So there you have it, web browsing is certainly available on the Kindle Touch 3G over 3G, just as on the previous-generation ("Kindle Keyboard 3G"). The OP should close this thread to end further confusion.
-------
In reply to an earlier post on Sep 29, 2011 10:35:33 AM PDT
Kessa says:
Also, I called them today (twice - the 1rst time, I forgot to be specific & ask if it you can use the Experimental Browser through just the 3G & not need to use the wi-fi). They did say that yes, you can use the 3G Experimental Browser on the Kindle Touch 3G. =)
I am glad that we both contacted them, the more the better I feel. LOL!
-------
Posted on Sep 29, 2011 12:42:45 PM PDT
mrb says:
If you read the charging specs for the 3g touch you will find this:
A single charge lasts up to two months with wireless off based upon a half-hour of daily reading time. Keep wireless always on and it lasts for up to 3 weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store, downloading content, and web browsing (browsing available only in Wi-Fi mode).
Apparently you can only use the browser in Wi-Fi mode
-------
In reply to an earlier post on Sep 29, 2011 1:32:11 PM PDT
Kessa says:
I see that - obviously, KCS was wrong. =)
-------
. . .
In reply to an earlier post on Sep 29, 2011 2:08:08 PM PDT
Kindle booklover says:
I'm gonna say it--I told you so! (You everyone, not mrb.) I worked as an editor for a long time and wording changes like those in the webkit description are done very deliberately to subtly indicate a change that they don't want to advertise openly.
-------
Posted on Sep 29, 2011 2:12:50 PM PDT
Last edited by the author 46 minutes ago
Sophia Burns says:
I thought so too... guess I won't switch after all then. Hope they won't take it away from the KK... it's one feature I probably won't ever need... but it's SO good to have! '
So, it would appear that this was possibly or probably an error made on the product page for Kindle Touch-3G/WiFi and if that's so, then the wording should be changed, as it's Amazon's official presentation of the product and features that are the basis for purchases.
Customer support responses can't supersede what Amazon itself writes, as we make buying decisions on those pages, and the transaction acts as a type of Agreement. It just must be an error by the writer(s) for that page.
However, if the error turned out to be in not advising Kindle Customer Support, then customers would need to hear about it before deciding which Kindle to buy. The Kindle Keyboard 3G/Wi clearly allows the feature, while it's not clear by the actual product marketing page what the situation is for the new Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi. Actually, it IS "clear" but I think the official product page wording must be wrong, considering what so many Kindle Support reps are saying in rather firm ways.
I hope that Amazon will do something to clarify this, as buying decisions are being made by everyone.
Update - The Amazon UK table of free 3G web browsing in some countries (61 or so) is now using the words "Kindle Keyboard" rather than the Kindle 3G model.
But they are not slated for the Kindle Touches at the moment (usually true when a new model is released).
Kindle Basic - 4th Generation, the User's Guide is online
KINDLE 4 BASIC USER'S GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLEThe PDF and Kindle versions are both available at the top of the Kindle Documentation page.
This is for the Basic Kindle, 4th generation, without Touchscreen or Keyboard, $79 with Special Offers, and $109 without Special Offers.
Here are a few notes I took:
The Basic Kindle with no touchscreen or keyboard does have Previous and Next page buttons on both sides of the Kindle (as in past models), which makes it possible to hold it with one hand.
My favorite button the 'Back' button, and there's one here, on the left (bottom) and now a "Keyboard' button next to it, which will bring up a keyboard not unlike the diagram that is displayed when you press the "Sym key" on earlier Kindle 3's.
You can select alpha or numerical characters, one by one, for input. Very slowly, of course, but this is a model for those who don't do much typing while reading and who want the smallest, lightest e-reader.
Home and Menu buttons are there as well. The familiar 5-way controller is in the center of the row.
The Kindle "can be charged via connection to a computer."
The Kindle power adapter is sold separately. This is a first. One way to keep the price lower, I guess. But, what was that about Amazon Kindle customers not requiring a computer ?
Dictionary selection will be done with a click of the center of the 5-way controller and selecting "full definition" and ending with another center-click.
To view page numbers when they exist in a book, press the Menu button -- That means they have not made this optional for showing/hiding... a menu press is still needed to see page (and location) numbers.
I like that you can set the current local time, which was new with Kindle 3.
Despite the painful mode of inputting words or even phrases, the social network features such as Twitter and Facebook are available for sharing notes and highlights.
The Basic Kindle CAN highlight and annotate (slowly) PDF files (a newer feature they haven't given the DX Graphite (which costs $379 and was born 2 months before the Kindle 3, which uses the same Pearl screen).
Under Battery Safety the Guide reiterates:
" Your Kindle is not shipped with an AC adaptor. Your Kindle should only be charged using the USB
cable included with the device, or another USB cable approved for use with your Kindle, with
a compatible USB charger or USB port that meets the following requirements: USB-IF Battery
Charging Spec, Rev 1.2."
That's it. It's a very short User's Guide, which points you to Amazon online Help pages for more details.
Product Specifcations
Model Number — D01100
Display — 6" diagonal display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution, 16-level gray scale.
Size — 6.5 inches by 4.5 inches by 0.34 inches (165.75 mm by 114.5 mm by 8.7 mm).
Weight — 6 ounces (170 g)
Storage — 2GB internal storage, with approximately 1GB available to the user.
Power — AC power adapter (sold separately) and rechargeable lithium polymer battery.
Connectivity — USB 2.0 (micro-B connector). 802.11b/g/n wireless modem in Kindle with
international wireless.
Operating temperature — 32°F to 95°F (0°C to 35°C).
Storage temperature — 14°F to 113°F (-10°C to 45°C).
Wi-Fi — 802.11b/g/n
For daily free ebooks, check the following links:
| Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by: Publication Date Late-listed Bestselling High-ratings UK: PubDate Popular What is 3G? and "WiFi"? Battery Care Highly-rated under $1, | Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK): Top 100 free UK-Only: Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, currently): 99c Notepad 1.1, 99c Calculator, 99c Calendar, |
Kindle Basic - 4th Generation, the User's Guide is online
KINDLE 4 BASIC USER'S GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLEThe PDF and Kindle versions are both available at the top of the Kindle Documentation page.
This is for the Basic Kindle, 4th generation, without Touchscreen or Keyboard, $79 with Special Offers, and $109 without Special Offers.
Here are a few notes I took:
The Basic Kindle with no touchscreen or keyboard does have Previous and Next page buttons on both sides of the Kindle (as in past models), which makes it possible to hold it with one hand.
My favorite button the 'Back' button, and there's one here, on the left (bottom) and now a "Keyboard' button next to it, which will bring up a keyboard not unlike the diagram that is displayed when you press the "Sym key" on earlier Kindle 3's.
You can select alpha or numerical characters, one by one, for input. Very slowly, of course, but this is a model for those who don't do much typing while reading and who want the smallest, lightest e-reader.
Home and Menu buttons are there as well. The familiar 5-way controller is in the center of the row.
The Kindle "can be charged via connection to a computer."
The Kindle power adapter is sold separately. This is a first. One way to keep the price lower, I guess. But, what was that about Amazon Kindle customers not requiring a computer ?
Dictionary selection will be done with a click of the center of the 5-way controller and selecting "full definition" and ending with another center-click.
To view page numbers when they exist in a book, press the Menu button -- That means they have not made this optional for showing/hiding... a menu press is still needed to see page (and location) numbers.
I like that you can set the current local time, which was new with Kindle 3.
Despite the painful mode of inputting words or even phrases, the social network features such as Twitter and Facebook are available for sharing notes and highlights.
The Basic Kindle CAN highlight and annotate (slowly) PDF files (a newer feature they haven't given the DX Graphite (which costs $379 and was born 2 months before the Kindle 3, which uses the same Pearl screen).
Under Battery Safety the Guide reiterates:
" Your Kindle is not shipped with an AC adaptor. Your Kindle should only be charged using the USB
cable included with the device, or another USB cable approved for use with your Kindle, with
a compatible USB charger or USB port that meets the following requirements: USB-IF Battery
Charging Spec, Rev 1.2."
That's it. It's a very short User's Guide, which points you to Amazon online Help pages for more details.
Product Specifcations
Model Number — D01100
Display — 6" diagonal display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution, 16-level gray scale.
Size — 6.5 inches by 4.5 inches by 0.34 inches (165.75 mm by 114.5 mm by 8.7 mm).
Weight — 6 ounces (170 g)
Storage — 2GB internal storage, with approximately 1GB available to the user.
Power — AC power adapter (sold separately) and rechargeable lithium polymer battery.
Connectivity — USB 2.0 (micro-B connector). 802.11b/g/n wireless modem in Kindle with
international wireless.
Operating temperature — 32°F to 95°F (0°C to 35°C).
Storage temperature — 14°F to 113°F (-10°C to 45°C).
Wi-Fi — 802.11b/g/n
For daily free ebooks, check the following links:
| Temporarily-free books - Non-classics USA: by: Publication Date Late-listed Bestselling High-ratings UK: PubDate Popular What is 3G? and "WiFi"? Battery Care Highly-rated under $1, | Most Popular Free K-Books U.S. & Int'l (NOT UK): Top 100 free UK-Only: Top 100 free USEFUL for your Kindle (U.S. only, currently): 99c Notepad 1.1, 99c Calculator, 99c Calendar, |
Able Planet SI350 True Fidelity Sport In-Ear/Hook Headphones with Mic/Remote
Able Planet has released a new sporty in ear headphones that hit retail shops. The SI350 provides a compact and lightweight design along with sound isolation. The earphones can also be paired with the iPhone with the built in mic to make/take calls.
Buy this now at BH Photo
Able Planet SP1150 Clear Harmony In-Ear/Hook Headphones with Mic/Remote
Able Planet has release a new high end In-Ear/Hook headphones. The Able Planet SP1150 retails for $149.99 and provides a stylish look. The earphones have award winning LINX audio and ear hooks for active lifestyle. This is a great earphone for the gym when your on the exercise bike, treadmill, or elliptical. The Able Planet SP1150 come with mic so you can pair these with your iPhone or Android phone to make calls.
Buy it now at BH Photo for $149.99 HERE
vacation mode
I'm officially on vacation! My flight is just in a few hours and I'm all set. All what's left to do is charge all my gadgets and go through my things-to-bring checklist (yes, I'm OC like that) one last time to make sure that I didn't leave anything behind. I'm still thinking if I'll get some sleep tonight or just sleep in the plane. I'm still alive and kicking and nowhere near sleepy. I hope my flights are on time and everything goes smoothly. My first stop is New York and I'm so looking forward to our fun weekend ahead. See you in 2 weeks, Manila! :)
Kindle software update v4.01 ready for Kindle 4 No-Touch
The Kindle No-Touch/No Keyboard $79-$109 Model is available right away and here's a software update for it alreadySoftware v4.0.1 update for the Kindle 4 NoTouch/NoKeyboard model is already ready for download as an option. What it does is allow you to have e-Ink refreshes on every page, as the default is to not have it refresh on each page.
Both the Nook and Kobo Touch devices do not have e-Ink refreshes (aka black flash page-turn) on each page. While that can be nice, others have found that the less frequent black flashes are more disconcerting when you're not used to seeing them (you can ignore something regular) and others did not like the dimming of the fonts that occurred with subsequent page turns. So, now there will be an option.
"After your Kindle is updated, it will have a new "Page Refresh" option within Kindle Settings for turning on/off page refresh on every page turn.
I was not here last night and have not done info-pieces for the new e-Ink models, but will have those tomorrow. In the meantime, all are pre-orderable but the other 2 new models are not available until Nov. 21 while this simple Kindle 4 with almost no features except WiFi, reading, lightness, is shipping.
Any searches for words, or any instructions needing typing such as location number or typing the first alpha character for a title look-up, will require use of an on-screen keyboard-diagram via which you can use the front bottom controller to "select" each character one by one. It also has no audio and therefore no speakers :-), which further means no text-to-speech (TTS) but not many seem to use that feature. Me? I'd pay the $20 additional and get the abiility to use other tools if/when I want.
However, it's only 6 oz's, is therefore very light and very small and may be good for those who never plan to do searches or much keyboard input. For some, size is very important, in snug purses, pockets, etc. Truly portable even if not my own preference.
Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
Free & Low Cost Kindle Books (9/29) + Newly Discounted Books Alerts + New-Kindle discussions + Amzn Deals
Sept. 29: Morning - Interim posting, just the Kindle Daily Deal for now and updated pages for discounted-book alerts at the forums + various ways to find the free non-classics without seeing "peeks" or previews or chapters only...
No free books noted yet, and I'm focusing later today on sorting out info on the somewhat confusing assortment of new e-Ink Kindles and new features, since I wasn't here last night. In the meantime, we do have answers to some of the questions that have come up.
Note: There have been quite a few Comments and Questions/Answers between those commenting to the New-Kindles posts the last two days. I've answered with what I know so far, while others have chimed in with interesting information. If you want to read about the things that have been brought up, see:
1. New Kindles - Intro Day (23 comments)
2. Kindle Fire - a bit more (12 comments)
Kindle Daily Deal (Often U.S. only, unfortunately) (The Daily Deal link above changes at MIDNIGHT each day.
Click it to see what the daily deal book is, at any time.)
The Saint, by Oliver Broudy, 45 customer reviews, 4.4 stars
Daily Deal until the end of Thursday 9/29:
Wednesday's Price: $1.99
Thursday's Discount: $1.50
Thursday's Daily Deal Price: $0.49 (75% off)
An Amazon Single (short) "Part profile, part travelogue, The Saint is an 85-page tale of true adventure ... author Oliver Broudy takes on a writing assignment that will change his life, following James Otis--a collector of Gandhi-related memorabilia and wealthy devotee of the great Mahatma--to India and beyond."
LATEST DISCOUNTED Kindle books (some temporarily) forum thread:
Forum-thread starter RandomizeME includes a caution that it's not a book promotion thread for authors or for posts about indies or free books either. "The thread is for discounts and price drops that many readers, especially Emily Bronte], find from publishers."
Sept. 27-29
Other current forum threads that might interest some
Public Library Lending questions at the forums, and Lendle's Kindle borrowing
. How many e-books does your public library have?
. Public librarians: what has been your Kindle/Overdrive experience?
. Changes to lendle (This is Kindle owner-to-Kindle owner lending.)
The changes include incentives for offering loaners.
Ongoing popular discussions
. Discussion of geographic restrictions on digital purchases
. Discount-alert books discussed on separate message thread (Newer)
. What have been your favorite public domain books that are not so well known?
. Best "Free" books you've read (many are no longer free, however).
. Highly recommended Indie authors
. Unique Uses of Kindles
No free books noted yet, and I'm focusing later today on sorting out info on the somewhat confusing assortment of new e-Ink Kindles and new features, since I wasn't here last night. In the meantime, we do have answers to some of the questions that have come up.
Note: There have been quite a few Comments and Questions/Answers between those commenting to the New-Kindles posts the last two days. I've answered with what I know so far, while others have chimed in with interesting information. If you want to read about the things that have been brought up, see:
1. New Kindles - Intro Day (23 comments)
2. Kindle Fire - a bit more (12 comments)
Click it to see what the daily deal book is, at any time.)
The Saint, by Oliver Broudy, 45 customer reviews, 4.4 stars
Daily Deal until the end of Thursday 9/29:
Wednesday's Price: $1.99
Thursday's Discount: $1.50
Thursday's Daily Deal Price: $0.49 (75% off)
An Amazon Single (short) "Part profile, part travelogue, The Saint is an 85-page tale of true adventure ... author Oliver Broudy takes on a writing assignment that will change his life, following James Otis--a collector of Gandhi-related memorabilia and wealthy devotee of the great Mahatma--to India and beyond."
LATEST DISCOUNTED Kindle books (some temporarily) forum thread:
Forum-thread starter RandomizeME includes a caution that it's not a book promotion thread for authors or for posts about indies or free books either. "The thread is for discounts and price drops that many readers, especially Emily Bronte], find from publishers."
Sept. 27-29
Other current forum threads that might interest some
Public Library Lending questions at the forums, and Lendle's Kindle borrowing
. How many e-books does your public library have?
. Public librarians: what has been your Kindle/Overdrive experience?
. Changes to lendle (This is Kindle owner-to-Kindle owner lending.)
The changes include incentives for offering loaners.
Ongoing popular discussions
. Discussion of geographic restrictions on digital purchases
. Discount-alert books discussed on separate message thread (Newer)
. What have been your favorite public domain books that are not so well known?
. Best "Free" books you've read (many are no longer free, however).
. Highly recommended Indie authors
. Unique Uses of Kindles
| Amazon's own ongoing listing of LIMITED-TIME OFFERS - Promos Amazon sorts these by Bestsellers first. I've added a by Low-to-High pricing. Editors' Picks: $1.99-$3.99 thru' September | Free contemporary books: subsets Filters out excerpts, chapters, previews US: by Last 30+ days Sept 2011 Publication Date Late-listed Bestselling High-ratings UK: by PubDate Popular |
Habit or Addict?
I somehow broke my laptop yesterday.... I have half a screen left that I can see and unfortunately, it is the wrong half. So, I'm going to have to get it fixed. Thankfully, it is under warranty, but it will be taking up to 6 weeks. That is a LONG time for me to be without a computer, so instead of driving Brian crazy wanting to use his all the time, I'm going to get another one, then sell the old one when it is fixed. Win, win!! I may be addicted....
I went out shopping for a new one yesterday, but didn't have any luck. I'll be back out there today!
One thing that popped into my mind this morning is that I don't get the coffee drinkers. No offense to anyone, but I don't drink it and therefore don't understand the panic that Brian gets into when he is running low on coffee or his beloved creamer. I honestly think he likes the creamer more than the coffee.....
The funny part about it is that Brian didn't even start drinking coffee until 2003. We were working with the Project Graduation Spookhouse and it was COLD! He was freezing and decided that since coffee was the only hot drink, he'd have some. He loaded it up with creamer (french vanilla is his flavor of choice) and by the end of the night, decided that it wasn't too bad. It's even funnier that when I was pregnant with Chase (a LONG time ago), Brian CRAVED coffee. I think it must have been sympathy cravings. We did have a coffee pot, my Dad drinks it and we had some on hand for when they came to town, so Brian made a pot. Now, I LOVE the smell of coffee, just can't stand the taste, it really smelled so good in our little house.... Brian took one sip and about choked. That was all he could stand. Now it is his drink of choice. Thank goodness he drinks half caff!! I think he'd be up all night if he drank regular. He drinks a full pot of coffee in the morning and then usually has a large cup in the afternoon. Guess that is how he stays going all day!!
I guess drinking coffee is like any other habit or addidction ( like mine to my computer), so please don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it, just not my thing!!!
Do you drink coffee? How do you like yours? Are you addicted to your computer like me?
I went out shopping for a new one yesterday, but didn't have any luck. I'll be back out there today!
One thing that popped into my mind this morning is that I don't get the coffee drinkers. No offense to anyone, but I don't drink it and therefore don't understand the panic that Brian gets into when he is running low on coffee or his beloved creamer. I honestly think he likes the creamer more than the coffee.....
The funny part about it is that Brian didn't even start drinking coffee until 2003. We were working with the Project Graduation Spookhouse and it was COLD! He was freezing and decided that since coffee was the only hot drink, he'd have some. He loaded it up with creamer (french vanilla is his flavor of choice) and by the end of the night, decided that it wasn't too bad. It's even funnier that when I was pregnant with Chase (a LONG time ago), Brian CRAVED coffee. I think it must have been sympathy cravings. We did have a coffee pot, my Dad drinks it and we had some on hand for when they came to town, so Brian made a pot. Now, I LOVE the smell of coffee, just can't stand the taste, it really smelled so good in our little house.... Brian took one sip and about choked. That was all he could stand. Now it is his drink of choice. Thank goodness he drinks half caff!! I think he'd be up all night if he drank regular. He drinks a full pot of coffee in the morning and then usually has a large cup in the afternoon. Guess that is how he stays going all day!!
I guess drinking coffee is like any other habit or addidction ( like mine to my computer), so please don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it, just not my thing!!!
Do you drink coffee? How do you like yours? Are you addicted to your computer like me?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Kindle Fire - a bit more (which means quite a lot of things) - Update2
A QUICK LOOK AT THE KINDLE FIREI'll add to this blog article later.
Now that things have settled down some, here are some additional facts on the Kindle Fire 7" tablet (isn't it odd this is not just another Rumor story and that Amazon actually announced this?)
Except that there's no SD slot nor functional USB port (except for cabled access), what it IS able to do, otherwise, has exceeded my own expectations for a speedy $200 device.
First I was glad to see it was a dual-core processor instead of the almost insane-sounding single-core processor suggested in the earlier hands-on that Tech Crunch had and that the screen resolution is 1024 x 600 resolution at 169 ppi, with IPS (in-plane switching) technology (it should be beautiful on this size screen), AND anti-reflective treatment (which works well for the NookColor I have)
It's not even a pound, at 14.6 ounces.
Unlike the 6 GB storage guessed earier during the Tech Crunch hands-on that was given, it's 8GB internal, enough, Amazon says, for 80 apps, plus either 10 movies or 800 songs or 6,000 books.
As mentioned before, it could be that Amazon was lowering expectations when Tech Crunch received that unit.
Most of us would like 16-64 gigs but the Cloud technology focus along with Amazon's Silk web browser feature that lets the Cloud do half the work in presenting your content promises a Cloud-accelerated experience on the Web.
Adobe FLASH player is directly supported. (Most know that a primary tablet doesn't support it.)Update1 The image at the right is from Engadget's photo gallery yesterday, and I was struck that, taken from the side, the image is very solid, with all the overhead lights. Normally these won't photograph well from that angle. {End Update1]
The Speakers are top-mounted for once, so maybe we can hear the content rather than let the desk absorb it. Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX) is supported, as are DOC, DOCX, the usual image files, and non-DRM AAC, MP3, MIDI, OGG, WAV, MP4, VPB.
The warranty is 1-year Limited (will need to look at what that means). Optional 2-year extended warranty.
*BUILT-IN EMAIL* app "that gets your webmail (Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, AOL etc) into a single inbox." You can import your messages and contact lists from other email accounts. Additional email apps are available in the Amazon Appstore.
FREE PRIME TRIAL for one month. That gets you 10,000+ commercial-free movies and tv shows (not the most current ones) and free 2-day delivery on Amazon orders.
It's $79/year after that, something under $7/month. Students are eligible for Prime, at half that price, currently.
Amazon offers now over 100,000 streaming videos, including NEW releases and current TV shows (for a price of course but it has been less expensive than most places that do single item sales).
Amazon has 800,000 book titles at $9.99 or under as well as there being over 2 million free, out of copyright, pre-1923 books also available to the tablet, as many know.
They now have over 1000 "beautifully-illustrated children's books" (NookColor had the lead on that one).
FREE CLoud Storage for your Amazon digital content. That's for all books, movies, music and apps purchased from Amazon. 5 gigs of cloud storage for each customer, globally, have come free for some time -- it's about $1/mo. more for each gig beyond that. Amazon digital purchases never count against the maximum storage selected. So, of course they're banking on customers buying more from Amazon.
Extra Durable Display
Amazon calls this their "state-of-the-art" Kindle Fire display -- "chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, making it extra durable and resistant to accidental bumps and scrapes.
Amazon's Whispersync technology - "automatically sync your library, last page read, bookmarks, notes, and highlights across your devices."
On Kindle Fire, Whispersync extends to video. Start streaming a movie on Kindle Fire, then pick up right where you left off on your TV - avoid the frustration of having to find your spot. Here is more information on Kindle Whispersync
Update2 - CAVEAT - 3G: Although the iPad did not have a cellular network 3G model for a few months when it was first released, Amazon Kindle users are used to being able to access the Net with free (very slow e-Ink-style) 3G web browsing and that has worked well for me for Net lookups when out and about. I don't do data contracts for my phone as it's not worth it for me.
This first Amazon tablet, like the first iPad, also does NOT have 3G network access. So if you are not near a local WiFi network, you won't be able to access the Net, much less that Cloud and its Amazon Silk browser service.
You saw above how many videos or books will fit on the device locally -- 80 apps plus "10 movies" (that could NOT be at HD size though) "or 800 songs or 6,000 books" -- you would view those without a Net connection
However, you will also be able to store your videos on Amazon's Cloud storage and redownload them as needed for offline viewing. While there is basic storage given for any customer, it's "only" 5 gigs/yr but any movie, music or books bought from Amazon will get free storage that doesn't count against storage limits.
At one point they offered unlimited storage (in a year) for all your music received from anywhere, in addition to storing other files within the max) for $20/yr and I wouldn't be surprised if they make similar offers for the Kindle Fire.
I'll keep a watch on those, as usual though, to make sure people are aware of that type of promo. While Kindle users had little reason to care about music or video storage, that'll be different for the tablet. [End of Update2]
Will look over more carefully the other new devices and update the pages on this site also.
Attached is the usual footer that shows what types of book-buying deals exist at Amazon -- and the Kindle 3 keyboard models and the larger DX Graphite are still for sale and in-stock, for those who don't want touchscreens.
Kindle 3's (UK: Kindle 3's) K3 Special ($114) K3-3G Special ($139) DX Graphite
Check often: Temporarily-free late-listed non-classics or recently published ones
Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources. Top 100 free bestsellers. Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published non-classics, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.
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