Even if you are not gadgets’ fanatic you must be aware of the wave called e-Book reader cresting the market with potential customers and new device entries every other week.
It isn’t something new, but surprisingly enough it has been on the earth for quite a good number of years. Back in 2007 Amazon Kindle(d) the need for dedicated digital reader to fire the trend today.
If you don’t own it still then this short guide may help you to decide on one pretty soon.
If you are an ardent reader then this device is bound to find a place in your bag. Yes, you guessed it right. The size of an e-Book reader does matter. The lighter and thinner the better it is for you to carry around anywhere.
The most appealing feature of these devices is its crisp, paper-like e-Ink display. If you care for your eyes, and you read for long stretches then stick to an e-Ink display than an LCD one. Head-aches and strenuous eyes will be a history for you. With an LCD screen you can’t even think of reading in bright sunlight, but the electronic ink display reads best in bright day-light. Just remember to carry a small light if you are a nocturnal reader.
The third most appreciated aspect is the battery life of an e-Book reader. The ones using e-Ink display tend to conserve power, thus providing the reader with battery juice lasting for around a month.
Do you think an e-Book reader should have an MP3 player? I think it is foolish to have one when there are dedicated MP3 players to soothe your hearing taste.
The first generation Kindle had 2GB of storage for 1500 books. Can somebody still read more books in a lifetime? Larger storage capacity is unnecessary unless somebody wants to use it as a storage device!
It is necessary for you to check out if the e-Book reader sports text highlighting, notes taking and bookmarking of pages. Such trivial functionalities prove extremely handy while traveling.
Attributes such as address book, calendar, a to-do list, and robotic voice reading out text are superficial for an e-Book reader. Now-a-days with an iPhone or Blackberry by your side you really don’t expect an e-Book reader, of all, to have such characteristics.
Definitely, an e-Book reader must be ambidextrous, having an accelerometer, wireless enabled, and easy to use.
With Amazon, Sony, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Ectaco (thinnest and least priced jetBook Mini), and of course Apple (iPad, which I don’t consider as an e-Book reader) touting their e-Book readers to be the best, it is difficult for you to purchase one from the lot. The best trick is to keep the above list in mind, and decide one which isn’t heavy on your pocket and serves the purpose of only reading. Wishing you happy purchasing an e-Book reader.
What a gem designed by a jeweler! Gems are often found under the earth’s surface, but some have been created by humans from time-to-time to make human living easier.
While iPad has redefined portability, comfort and accessibility, the Canadian jeweler Andrew Goss has raised stylus to a new level. His oStylus is the new capacitive touch-screen stylus.
This stylus has anodized aluminum handle, and a titanium wire holding the tip. The tip is ‘O’ shaped made of stainless steel. The padded surface of the tip which contacts the surface of the capacitive screen is made of vinyl. The vinyl coating enables smooth movement of the tip on any surface. The replaceable vinyl pads will be included with the product.
The “O” is made to swivel on the wire to give the stylus flexibility while drawing on the capacitive surface.
The unique design of oStylus facilitates you to see the “ink” dot in the center while drawing. If you use your fingers or a pen like stylus to draw on the screen, it becomes difficult to see while drawing. Your hand comes in the way of your vision. With Andrew Goss’s version of the stylus the ring shaped tip “allows you to see lines and colors as they are being drawn”.
You need to practice working with itIt may seem awkward in the beginning to use oStylus for sketching and coloring, but with a little practice you can master the art of working with it on your iPad or Magic Trackpad.
It needs to be kept flat on the screen. There has to be a 100% contact of the “O” and the screen surface to attain the desired result. It seems a forced attempt to begin with, but the swiveling tip makes the job easier.
This product is creating a wave of popularity although it is still in the pre-production and pre-order stage. Some people say it is iPad which is reviving the need for a stylus after a long time, and this time more persistently. As the official website says, “specifically designed for drawing and sketching on the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and other touch-screen (capacitive) devices,” oStylus seems to be the best of the styli available.
If you have gone through the last post on Apple Magic Trackpad here then you may have some idea what Apple’s Magic Mouse could be. It has been long since it was launched, but I thought it a good idea to talk about it in relation with the last post.
Apple is an expert at creating aesthetically appealing products, but when it comes to functionality of its mice then it isn’t able to convince too many people! Mighty Mouse has been an example in the case and Magic Mouse too seems to follow the same path.
In saying so I mean that this mouse is all about gestures as it is multi-touch, button-less and wireless like the Apple trackpad. The mouse has no visible buttons and its surface behaves as a single button without even the scroll button. It enables you to:
It has an ambidextrous design that makes it comfortable to work with even by the southpaws. The mouse has left and right button preference which can be changed according to your requirement in the System Preferences.
This pointing device also features momentum scrolling where your gesture speed decides the scrolling speed.
The Magic Mouse connects to your Mac desktop computer through Bluetooth technology even from and up-to a distance of 33 feet.
It detects periods of inactivity and conserves energy of its two AA battery. There is a battery on/off switch too at the back.
The mouse has been designed such that it is difficult to grip it! If you can’t hold and move the mouse properly then the entire idea behind it gets defeated. The rectangular shaped peripheral is too low to adjust in your palm and enable free finger movement.
Apple’s device is difficult to keep stable while swiping with two fingers too!
Moreover, there are fewer options available for customizing the buttons which makes it clumsy to operate, at times.
As it is many people prefer trackpads to mice because, the latter needs more space and it keeps rubbing against other things on the desk.
Did I forget to mention that Apple’s Magic Mouse ships for free with iMac? Well, so the choice is yours. I would rather go for the Magic Trackpad which provides better functionality and ease of use than Apple’s other pointing device.
How do you think can you complement your Mac desktop computer and Apple Wireless Keyboard at the best? Apple has come out with a stylish answer in the form of Magic Trackpad. It not only matches the brushed aluminum finish of the keyboard, and the wireless aspect of it, but also sits firm at the same angle on the desk next to your Mac. Read on to know its exclusivity.
How is this pointing device different?‘Multiple gestures’ is the keyword. Yes, this is a multi-touch trackpad that allows you to control the entire screen with ease on the basis of a full set of gestures.
Moreover, you have the liberty to disable or enable the gestures according to your liking by visiting the System Preferences!
Actions such as inertial scrolling enhance your web experience, and you can swipe through pages as if you were reading a book.
This 13cm.sq trackpad is 80% bigger than a MacBook Pro trackpad. The entire Magic Trackpad is a large button. You can click or double click anywhere. You get more space to exercise scrolling, three-finger swiping, pinching to zoom, and rotating with your fingertips.
Apple’s new pointing device works using Bluetooth technology and connects securely to your Mac even from a distance of 33 feet.
This trackpad is capable of detecting periods of inactivity thus, conserves battery. As it is a wireless device, so it requires two AA batteries to serve your Mac.
This touch-friendly trackpad is a class apart with a wear-resistant glass surface ready to replace that tradition mouse.
Although artists and gamers may not find it really all that helpful, but those who hate working with mouse, especially the lefties, can breathe in easy with the advent of a large sized wireless button-less multi-touch trackpad.
It is yet to be seen if Windows’ users can use Apple Magic Trackpad which has been exclusively designed for Mac desktop. It is also yet to be analyzed if such a device can replace the other pointing device-mouse. Amidst all such speculations, one thing is clear that Apple has come out with a neat piece of artistic design which is equally equipped with admirable functionality. Now you can have some fun with your Mac desktop too when the attached peripherals are the wireless keyboard and trackpad.
Do you think keyboard as an input device is passé, and an object of bygone era? Well, Microsoft’s Arch Touch mouse and Apple’s Magic Trackpad have proved that there is still much scope left for innovation in these computer peripherals too. With touch-screens and virtual keyboards in vogue, products like the Logitech Wireless Illuminated K800 Keyboard piece-in every bit of technology to make this input device still desirable. If you are a late night game player or searching for a comfortable input option then read on to know more about this device.
Logitech’s new keyboard functions very much like an ordinary keyboard, but its functionality is enhanced by implementing some interesting techniques.
Each key emits a soothing blue light as the illuminated keyboard has laser-etched backlit keys.
The illumination can be well controlled as this device features ambient light to adjust to the light in its surroundings.
The proximity sensor senses your fingers proximity to the keyboard and accordingly brightens or dims the keys’ light.
Logitech Wireless Illuminated K800 Keyboard is bundled together with a micro-USB cable to recharge it within 3-6 hours. On a single recharge the battery gives you straight 10 days of juice!
Now, the best part is that the above mentioned controls and sensor help in saving you the battery life immensely. You can even turn off the illumination completely at your own wish.
The rechargeable Logitech keyboard offers PerfectStroke key system for “comfortable, fluid and whisper-quiet” keystrokes.
The keys are shaped for the best of tactile experience with incurve design. You are provided with concave keys having rounded edges enabling your fingers to fit in comfortably. The 3.2mm of distance between each key allows your fingers to smoothly glide from one key to the other for hours together.
The markings on the keys are durable enough to last long without performing a disappearing act after a few months’ usage.
Not just your fingers, but your wrist is also thought about by providing a rubberized wrist pad below the keys to rest your wrist.
With a very professional and thin – 9.3mm – design Logitech Wireless Illuminated K800 Keyboard is an easy and comfortable to use plug-n-play device. It requires no drivers to be installed. You may need Logitech’s SetPoint 4.6KB software in-case you wish to customize the available 12 shortcut keys. Overall this black beauty is an admirable gadget worth using.
