Kendall Giles

UPDATE [25 November 2009]: The Kindle 2 now has support for viewing PDF documents with the 2.3 software update! This update also allows for screen rotation, so you can read your books in portrait mode or landscape mode.

UPDATE: I've posted my review of the Kindle DX ebook reader, here. You might say it's the new Kendall book reader, since my wife swiped my Kindle 2 (review below of the Kindle 2).

So I just received the new Kindle 2 book reader, available from Amazon, and reading has never been as much fun --- especially with the recent price drop!

The design and build quality of the new kindle book reader (now called the kendall book reader by my wife) is much improved over the original kindle. The next-page buttons are better-placed, the case is sturdier, it holds a lot more books (about 1500), and the 5-way direction stick allows for easier navigation and selection.

Buying any of the over 240,000 available books (with more being added daily) is very easy, as is subscribing to magazines, newspapers, and blogs. Reading text with the e-ink display and turn-page buttons makes the device "disappear" --- you aren't constantly reminded that you are using an electronic device to read a book, as perhaps with other book readers or devices (like your cell phone ?!).

Battery life is great, since the e-ink displays do not drain the battery to refresh the screen --- only on the turn of the page (which may confuse some flight attendants).

The cellular, free connectivity is very handy, especially since I am often on travel and without an Internet connection --- you can download new books, surf, and access your content even if you are not near a wifi network using Amazon's Whispernet service. Again, for free. This means you can access Amazon and even the WWW via the built-in web browser without having to be tethered to your computer or be near a wifi access point. (Note that some websites are creating mobile versions --- webpages that look good when rendered on a small mobile device screen.)

In addition to reading commercial content, you can view your own documents or documents sent to you from other people. Amazon charges a small fee to convert these documents for wireless download to your kindle (which some people gripe about), but I figured out that this conversion service is actually free if you send the converted pdf/document first to your computer, then to your kindle, rather than directly to your kindle over the cellular network from Amazon.

The kindle also plays audio books from Audible.com (review) as well as mp3 files --- you can even have your favorite song playing in the background while you read your book.

The graphics are much improved over the original kindle, as can be seen in the images on this page.

In case you want to travel with your kindle --- which is one of the main benefits of the kindle, since you can carry a truck load of books with you in the palm of your hand --- you may want to purchase a travel case in which to carry your kindle, such as the Belkin Neoprene Sleeve Case, shown below.

I should point out that this device is not an iPhone --- you can't interact with the device by touching the screen, for example, and other user-interface decisions are different from the iPhone experience. But this device provides a reading environment better than any other electronic device. In addition, it provides other advanced features (such as text-to-speech, and taking notes within the book) that are way-beyond the capabilities of other devices.

In all, the Kindle 2 is what it was meant to be --- a great book reader.

Amazon just released a kindle reader application (Kindle for iPhone link in iTunes) for the iPhone and iPod touch.

If you were hesitant to buy a kindle 2 book reader (review), but still wanted access to Amazon's huge selection of electronic books, then this free application might be just what you were looking for.

As an example, here is the title page of the book Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School:

With this application you can download books you have already purchased from Amazon for free, read the first chapter of any book before you buy it, and add bookmarks and annotations to your text.

One really neat feature is that your reading location in a book is automatically synchronized between your iPhone and your kindle book reader. Say you stopped reading on page 59 of your book on the kindle, then left your kindle at home to go run some errands. If you have a moment to read whilst out and about, you can pull out your iPhone and your reading location in your book will automatically be in the right spot.

And, of course, to turn the page of a book on your iPhone, you just swipe your finger across the screen, like turning a page on a physical book.

Here's how the screen looks when the application is showing you options for saving a bookmark, changing font size, synchronizing, etc, while reading:

Note that normally when reading these option buttons are not there, so that the entire screen's real estate can be used for book text.

And did I mention that the Kindle for iPhone application was free?

Thinking of a career change in a down economy? Ever wondered how business leaders are trained? Want to gain insight into the world of movers and shakers?

If so, you might enjoy reading Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School, by Philip Delves Broughton (kindle edition).

Against type, the book depicts a former London journalist's decision to reinvent himself by trying for a Harvard MBA. While many of his classmates are attending the program "on vacation" from their Wall Street jobs, Broughton struggles to keep up with computations using Excel and a demanding class and homework schedule. The story is essentially about Broughton's quest for meaning, his place in the world, and what exactly are the characteristics of the "perfect job". As he goes through the program, he tries to balance all the knowledge and networking relationships he gains with the realization that the resulting careers of those who graduate, though very lucrative, might not be exactly what he is looking for due to the family and personal sacrifices such jobs demand.

The book also gives a rare glimpse inside the very successful Harvard MBA program, as well as some of the students in the program. If you are thinking of testing your mettle and going for an MBA, then you might want to read his story.

These days, we seem to be traveling a lot more and are carrying lots of mobile devices with us when we do --- laptops, Kindles, iPods, etc. Each one of these devices carries precious memories, important information, and/or data that is simply impossible or difficult to replace.

We can find useful packs in which to safely carry all this equipment with us, but the fact remains that we are carrying a lot of data that is very susceptible to damage or loss. This calls for a prudent backup strategy, but making timely backups might not be convenient if you travel a lot.

Enter the Iomega eGo 320GB Hard Drive. This great little drive is light and rugged enough that you can just throw into your pack and go, so that your extra data and backup ability are never far away.

This drive is quiet too. Even better, this unit is powered by the data transfer cable, so you don't need to carry around an additional external AC/DC power source. Finally, due to massive increases in drive memory capacities and drops in prices, units like this (available in a variety of colors --- jet black, ruby red, and alpine white) make for very reasonable data storage and backup solutions. In fact, there aren't many valid excuses for why you *don't* get something like this and backup your data. Just do it.

That said, if you want a data storage option that is even more portable, say for quick data transfer and backup, you might consider the Kingston DataTraveler 16GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive. This memory stick provides 16GB of capacity in a very small package --- the USB connector retracts inside of the actual dongle, and extends via a small slide. A perfect data pocket companion.

While trees are wonderful around any home, and provide many quality-of-life and ecosystem benefits, they do require a little care and attention from time to time. If you only have one or two trees, then you might be able to get by with a hand saw or pruning lopper shears. However, even these can be difficult to use in awkward situations (like when at the top of a ladder) or amid a dense collection of branches. And forget those manual tools if you have a lot of trees to maintain. But I've found the Makita 4-1/2-Inch 12-Volt Cordless Electric Chain Saw to be the perfect tool to use for these and other situations.

This saw works very well around the homestead for general sawing/pruning applications. It is light enough that you do not get tired quickly holding it, and it is small enough that you can use it in hard to reach spaces. And it is battery-powered, so you no longer have to deal with those chainsaws that leak oil all over the place.

The saw comes in a convenient carrying case with a battery charger and small bottle of chain oil.