"The Kindle" - A State of the Art Reader

At first glance, my thoughts were, why would I need this or use it.. I have adobe reader on my laptop and in my Blackberry. Then I decided to do a little due diligence, and was amazed at what I found, taking this product from cute but don't need it, to a must have...

Not only for me, mind you, but I am going to have to get multiples, one for my 74 year old mother, one for my 80 year old father. Both, vivacious readers, whose eyes aren't what they use to be, me included in that statement.. So many functions on The Kindle to enhance your reading experience...

Lets go over some of the reasons and cool features that really lends itself to a, have to buy, for this 50 something guy...


* Aging. I'm 52, middle age and over computer use have made my eye sight, well it aint what it use to be, lets leave it at that! So being able to select larger print to avoid having to use my reading glasses and having a device that's easier on my hands for holding to read is a plus.

* Environmental. This is a really cool aspect because my kids are really getting me to think more and more Eco friendly. The majority of books I buy and read, I'll only read once. I feel guilty about the trees needed to make the paper to satisfy my reading regime. It also holds true with the newspapers I get, I read the USA Today religiously, getting it on my "Kindle", once again nullifies the need for cutting trees down, minimizes space, no type ink on your hands and saves you money off the news stand price. All and all this keeps the kids happy with dad and sets a good example of alternative ways we can help the environment. I love win-win scenarios.

* Convenience. Utilizing the Whispernet is great when trying to keep continuity in your reading the next book in a series.or getting set up for a trip, downloading 4-5 books, into the Kindle, instead of another carry on the Airlines will charge you for, just to carry your reading material on a relaxing vacation. Another great feature that speaks, literally, volumes for convenience, is the voice text reading. You have to go but are in a great part of the book, put it on the passengers seat, hit the voice text reading command and listen while you drive... Cool Beans, huh...

Here are some more great tidbits on "The Kindle 2", two screen sizes;

* 6" screen on the regular Kindle 2.




* 9.7" screen on the Kindle DX.




My Kindle of choice, the DX... As far as I am concerned, larger is better, screen size wise, a little more pricey, but for my wants and needs, fits the bill.

Another cool feature, that you rarely laud, usually complain about, is Battery life;

* Offline, fully charged "The Kindle" can go for 2 weeks, yes I said 2 weeks.

* Online use, it still has a very lengthy 1 week usage, on full charge.

These are 2 great selling points to me, with the larger screen size and extraordinary battery life.

The Kindle is awesome, click on a link and go over all the features and enhancements it has. You can also accessorize your Kindle, giving it more style, more of your personality, with tons of covers and add-ons, to take your "Kindle" experience even farther...




The NAFTA Refugee, Gives a definite thumbs up, to this fantastic reader.. Amazon, you have done great with the first Kindle, and now have really stepped it up to a new level, with "The Kindle 2".

The NAFTA Refugee says buy American, and thanks for visiting.. I appreciate the chance to earn your business..


Bill Ong
"The NAFTA Refugee"

High Definition TV Democracy

Just what I need, to many choices, Plasma, High def, Projection, TV's, Flat screens... Size, I guess matters too...

Well once again, I did it, got the cart before the horse, bought the new DVD, Blu-Ray player and have only, according to my significant other, out dated TV's to use it with.

A complete social mis-step, in most circles. Amy Vanderbilt never covered this in her book on etiquette, what is a guy to do...

Well there is plenty of help from the family, my son says we need a 60 inch plasma, great for football games and of course X-box360, what else would a 13 year old want?




My wife on the other hand is thinking High Definition, 42" is more to her liking and she wants it mounted on the wall. Now this comes from the lady that wants to re-arrange the furniture every month or so. So hey, this will work, I can move it from wall to wall, as the furniture shifts. Not....




Then there is my 11 year old daughter, she really isn't as interested in what kind of new TV we get for the living room, as she is laying claim on the old TV, just your run of the mill 36" TV for her bedroom. I really like this girl, works all the angles, she tells me she wants whatever I want. Playing daddy to improve her position on getting the old TV.

Mom has now interjected, that our son will not be moving his X-box360 any where near the living room and that there will not be a 60" in the living room and forget about football, 24/7. She wants the upgrade to watch her soaps, which is only fair because she gave birth to my children.

It's funny, the times they become my children...

Well democracy in action, isn't cutting it, a command decision has to be made. So being the ordained King of the Castle, I make a royal decree and decide to go with a 42" that my wife wants, but not a wall mount, but one that sits on a stand. After making this grand proclamation, I look at my son and say I am sorry. Your mother has to have her way or it will be Hell to pay. I have no other choice, he gets to move out at 18, I have to deal with and live with her the rest of my life.




Daughter realizing the choice has been made, starts yelling she gets the old TV, she called it first... I kinda wanted it for my office/den, my sanctuary.. Then the true pants in the family states, your father needs a TV in his work room and dear God I win. Over joy ed yet skeptical, wary of more to this than see the eye, gleefully state YES, like I had just won the lottery.




Then reality sets in, when at the store, my wife accompanying me, kids were dropped off at grandma's. The hammer comes down, $1,100.00 for the TV and it is beautiful, the clarity of the picture is truly amazing, I can't wait to get it home. Then I hear, Well Honey, we will need a new stand, $250.00 and of course it would be silly not to have surround sound with a TV this sweet, $490.00, then the maintenance agreements $198.00. I go to cash out, $2,038.00 plus tax.




All this, because I bought a Blu-Ray player... I am really starting to get the economic hard times facing fathers today in the real world... Please say a prayer for me...

Quatro

To Blu-Ray or not to Blu-Ray;

Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed... When my wife and I got married, I thought and she led me to believe, I Was the King of My Castle... Somehow through the years or seconds after I said "I do", I became a mere puppet to the true regime, my love, my soul mate, my significant other, yes the true dictator, more cunning than Noriega, my wife.

The worst thing that can happen to a man, a husband, well actually the second worse thing, first would be the President of the United States, with a important message to the country, cutting into the regularly scheduled programs on TV, yes men, during the soap opera's, that is first. Second is without a doubt when your wife needs a little romance, no we aren't going where you think with this... I am talking about when she wants to watch a movie, not a movie, but the most romantic movie of our time, No not "The Dirty Dozen", but the Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan Classic, "Sleepless in Seattle". She gets her popcorn ready, grabs a box of tissues, gets the DVD and puts it into the DVD player and nothing happens..

Next thing I hear is a blood curdling shrill, "What is wrong with the DVD player"??? Normally, since I have been married nearly 14 years, I would ignore her call, because of my hearing problem, selective hearing, a common affliction among spouses of both genders. But the decibel level spawned by this loving, nurturing woman, meant respond immediately for fear of death or dismemberment.




Upon arriving at the scene, I find that the DVD player is no more, somewhere during the night after my sons and my favorite, "The Hills Have Eyes", our beloved Electronic Apparatus, had given up the ghost. She, my wife was looking at me with hatred in her eyes, declaring "You used it Last what did you do. My son who came running with me, immediately throws dear dad under the bus by proclaiming, "Dad is the one who played the movie last night". That was when her laser beam eyes, went on a search and destroy mission, with me as the target. Quickly surveying the player, taps had to be played...

Knowing, that disturbing the true course of playing, "The Movie", could dramatically shorten my life expectancy, I had to think quick, so I blurted out I am going to run and get a new player... Smart move on my part, further stating " as old as it was, it was just a matter of time, before this happened". Grabbing my keys, I moved quickly to the door, trying to hasten my escape from the snipers scope.

Safely within the confines of my car, speeding out of the driveway, I finally felt safe, at least for the moment. Arriving at our local Electronic's store, I grab a salesman and ask to be shown DVD players. This should be a simple buy, then home to calm to beast. Oh no..... The salesman takes me to a section of the store that seemed as large as a football field, with tons and I mean tons of choices... Panic sets in again, because the wrong choice will increase the retribution I was surely going to get for this bad case of timing, having played the last movie on the player.




So I ask the salesman, "what is your best unit" and he shows me the Blu-Ray players, I say great, I choose one and I am back on my way to the 38th parallel.

Getting home I quickly install the player, of course under the watchful eye of the loving one, grab her DVD and pray I hooked it up right, as I insert it into the player and hit play... Thank God, there is a God, because it worked. As I turn to face her, with my success, I notice a smile slowly crossing her face. I let out a deep sigh because once again there was peace in the jungle.

Or so I thought, because this action, would only be the start, of the Domino Affect. But that is another story, for another time.

Quatro

ALL THINGS ELECTRONIC, COMPUTERS TO I PHONES, WHAT IS NEXT...

Dad, I have to have this LG Lotus, cuz all my friends cells are more advanced than mine...




Daddy, Princess needs a slider for texting, Daddy all my girlfriends have them, I am the only one that doesn't...

Honey, It has been over a year and I need to get GPS, web browsing, capabilities, in Purple, my significant other has spoken, Birthday and Valentines is here at once..



I still have a basic cell, it of all things, calls people, I can text with some effort and take pictures if I choose, can't do anything with them, but I can take them. For $80.00 more I can get the adapter to interface with my computer, so I can upload them into my computer, WEEEEEE..

Okay, a decision is made, we partially upgrade, son gets his, as does the wife, daughter and I will have to wait till January of next year to get what we want without paying out the nose.



Son is dancing, wife is calling her friends and my daughter tells me she hates me and that I am the worst father in the world. Dad of course has the most antiquated cell in the house. What is wrong with this picture.

These are the tough decisions facing fathers around the country, money is tight, so not everyone can be happy. Sprint had a deal on LG lotus cell phones, colors were what was needed by all concerned and the functions fit the wants and desires.




After trying to get them at the local sprint store I went online and got them for free, where the Sprint store was going to charge me $60.00 a piece, cuz according to them they couldn't match the online offers. Sprint, way to stick it to your, local rep's. Feel the love... Phones arrived overnight, free delivery, a real bargain, an extended 2 yr agreement, all is cool.

Accept for the daughter, I am still hated and the worst father on earth, and she will never be able to look her friends in the face, cuz of her cell status. But I know next January when she gets the updated, state of the art phone, all will be well and I will be loved once again.

The trials and tribulations of Fatherhood in this day and age...

With Todays Electronic Technology: For the 50 Somethings, Are they caught in an 8-track Abyss

Electronic gadgets, the new technology, I can take it or leave it. I usually am at least a year behind on the latest trends. You will never catch me waiting for hours on end for the latest this or that, on their release date. A must have for me, is a, I think not.. Hard sell here, which isn't based on ambivalence, but that of calculated fear. The fear of ignorance, this occurs when the only thing you know for sure about the product is, how to open the box, even then that task can be daunting. Whether the instructions are in English or not is, immaterial, all looks Russian to me. So, with ignorance, brand all, to total silliness, to mask the shame.



How to run these advanced marvels, definitely shows my age, I never conquered my VCR, let alone my DVD player, now laser-disc Blu-Ray. But never fear, I have a 11 year old and a 13 year old. This is why I had the kids, or should I say my wife had them, I had the important job, I coached at birth, naw really, its on my resume.

Hey, quit it, I am getting side tracked.

You know all the good birthing Doctors and Psychologists will tell you, you need to read to the baby. So, that is what I did, I read them all things techie... I figured I don't understand this stuff, they couldn't be any worse off than I.




But low and behold a miracle happened, it wasn't about a star in the east, no wise men or wise guys. But these children of mine, as time past, showed an aptitude for the new fangled, high tech, electronic gadgets, the same gadgets that made their father feel like a moron. Which according to their mother, doesn't take much...




A celestial star shown brightly as this revelation came to pass. Dear Lord, the clock on the DVD will quit blinking and of that on the Microwave, I need a moment of silence please in reverence to the event, definitely life changing, life altering experience... lol

Now when people ask, why did you have kids, my response shall will be without hesitation, the ability to vault my family into 21st century Electronic gadgetry... Now I have someone who can show me how to run the remote on the flat panel TV... Yea Me!!!!




For us Fifty somethings, the limitations of our age and generation, can become a bonding moment with our progeny. The family nucleus brought together, by an unlikely source, advanced Modern Electronic Technology.

You Fifty somethings out there, buy electronics, here of course... Buy it for America, for our economy and the restoration of the family unit...


Quatro

Cell Phone Car Chargers, What about the cord length?

Truly I am not trying to pick on the Cell Phone industry, just a few little items, that they really need to address for us 50 somethings. Things that would add convenience and not irritate, those not truly techno challenged, yet love to recall real music on vinyl.

This post will ask more questions, than have answers.. Why, well I tried getting answers on the questions posed below, from the manufacturers of these products and the first tuffy was getting a live person to talk to. I punched 1 for English, 4 for technical support, 1 again for English, not bi-lingual, 5 for product help, then was put on hold for 30 minutes till a representative was available. A representative answered, I guess hit the wrong button and hung up on me.



Soooo.... I called back, went through the same rigamaroll, this time though, after only a 23 minute wait, there is a voice on the other end. Now remember I pressed 1 for English, not once but twice. A very sweet sounding young lady gets on and in a heavy Hindu, middle eastern accent, with which I can barely understand any of her English, she is saying, "Can I help you?" I think...

I start telling her my problem and she asks me to slow down and tells me my English isn't very good. I am thinking to myself, ain't that the pot calling the kettle Black. I am trying not to be rude, so I calmly ask where she is from to try and get some re pore with her, she says something like New Delhi, India. She then asks me nicely where I am calling from and I say Napoleon, Michigan, USA, she then says as a matter of fact, "That area isn't English speaking?" Now I realize at times I might have a thicker than some, country southern accent, but darnit, I am speaking English.



My tone starts to rise and she cuts me off at the pass and says I should really call back and request someone that speaks my language, she only knows English.

Before I can say another word, I am on hold, then back to press 1 for English.

Needless to say, I didn't have a clue now what to push and gave up and decided to blog for help..

Soooooo....



Who designed, Car Cell Phone charger cords? It really isn't radical Engineering. My Cell Phone starts to run low on battery, I want to plug it in, so it can recharge. I no sooner do that, then the phone rings. Go to answer, the darn cord only comes 3/4 of the way to me, I scrunch up to the edge of my seat, still trying to concentrate on driving while attempting, which is a keyword here, to answer the darn phone. The cell phone charger cord do hickey end in the phone pulls out, for some unknown reason I try to grab it with my phone hand. Which can be either right or left, for those of you wondering... I had cradled the phone on my shoulder, it slips off, hits the console and shuts, hanging up on the person calling.

It really wasn't all that important a call, just some darn telemarketer, I forgot to register my cell phone again on the no call national hotline number. But it is the principle of the matter...



Now I am not overly tall, 6"3", I would think, someone testing this product in the car, might notice when they try and bring it to their ear, it DOESN'T REACH.....

Hellooooo!!!!

God, knows I am not a rocket scientist or anything... Quit snickering... But even I would wonder, if testing and the cell phone charger cord didn't reach the drivers and or the front passengers seat in the full back position, with the seat belt on. (Remember if you don't click it, they ticket.) That this might be a problem, once again...



Hellooooo!!!!

Maybe someday, the cell phone keypads will be bigger and the cell phone car charger cords will be longer. Hopefully before they take my license away....


Quatro