Rob & Marg wrote:Hi Billy the Kid,

A Kindle is an e-book reader that you can buy from Amazon.com. You can download books from their website onto the Kindle and read it inside or outside (it’s not like a computer screen that is almost impossible to read in bright sunlight… it uses e-ink, which can be read easily outside.)

You don’t have to sign up for an internet account when you buy a Kindle, either… Amazon use their ‘Whispernet’ service to let you access their website, browse, and download books.

You can download a sample of any book you’re interested in to see whether you like it… very handy!

You can read more about the Kindle here:

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Wireless-R … B002FQJT3Q

When are you expecting your new caravan? That’s exciting!

Cheers
Marg

12 months later,what do you think of your Kindle now please.
Cheers.
Titch

Hi Titch,

Sorry for the delay in responding. (New grandson arrived 2 weeks ago… birth complications & a Caesarean; grandma is on call for just about anything…)

Back to the Kindle. I have to confess that since I bought an iPad, I use it for eBooks more than the Kindle (although the Kindle is still best for reading outside – you can read it in bright sunlight, whereas the iPad screen is hard to see). I like the iPad better because I can just tap pages or icons instead of having to use the little joystick to navigate (Kindle). HOWEVER… I see that Amazon are at last bringing out a Touch Kindle – on their website it says November. That would be better than the one I have.

Back to the iPad: you can get a Kindle app (and a Borders app) so you can order eBooks from both and download them to the iPad. You have to visit the Kindle store first, using your browser, and choose the ‘download to iPad’ option (once you’ve installed the Kindle app. on your iPad.)

I also like the iPad better because it’s full colour (great for books with coloured illustrations) and I can read it in bed at night without turning the light on, because the screen is backlit like a computer.

Of course, the Kindle is much cheaper than an iPad – so if you just want an eBook reader for novels, then it would be fine. If you like checking email and watching YouTube videos and checking out websites etc, then the iPad can do all this as well.

One last thing: I have found it a bit frustrating trying to order books that I like from Amazon only to find that many of them are not yet available to readers in Australia. I know that it can take a few months for us to get a paperback after it’s released overseas, but I do find it annoying if I go to Big W or somewhere, see a recent large-format paperback release, but STILL can’t order it as an eBook. There are various complex publishing laws that cause this, and it bugs me!

Still, there are a gazillion books to choose from on Amazon that ARE available, (and some recent releases are too, of course) and I’m never short of something to read. I like the fact that I can download a book at 10 pm if I need something to read, and it’s available within seconds. They’re also usually cheaper than paperbacks; I commonly pay $6 -$10 for a book. There are also classic titles available free.

Hope I haven’t confused you even more!

Cheers
Marg

No you have not confused me one bit,I want to read and not browse.
Congrats on the new Grandchild and I hope Mum and child are doing well.
Thanks for the reply.
Cheers.
Titch

Hi Marg
What do you think of this? Is it something to worry about for an everyday common computer user ?

http://ideas.ted.com/5-ways-to-keep-you … right-now/

Thank you.
Hans

A’van wrote:Hi Marg
What do you think of this? Is it something to worry about for an everyday common computer user ?

http://ideas.ted.com/5-ways-to-keep-you … right-now/

Thank you.
Hans

Hi Hans,

I think I’m like most people in that I take a few precautions, but I don’t go overboard. A determined hacker will get in no matter what.

I use RoboForm (and have done for years) for remembering usernames and passwords, and I don’t use ‘remember me’ for secure sites; I type it in every time. (Or use Roboform.) I honestly don’t think I could be bothered doing things like putting a sticker over a webcam – although I rarely use it. Nor do I encrypt phone calls and text messages.

Others might prefer to take more precautions, of course… this is just me.

Cheers
Marg