Nooks, Kindles, and E-Readers

Pictures on cave walls. Words on stones. Story tellers. Manuscripts. Books. E-readers?

This is the the condensed path that stories have taken over the years. Since the invention of the printing press, novels and stories have been written down on paper and bound together in books. I love books. If there was something stronger than love then I would use that to refer to my feelings for my books. I have books that fill up two bookcases in my room. I have five or six cases full of books downstairs in my basement waiting for the library of the house I will one day buy. (My mom made me box them up.) 

Now a lot of people are reading their books in a different format though. They are reading the words through screens on nooks, kindles, and other e-readers. As a lover of books, this makes me really sad. But as a child of the technology age, I thing they are rather neat. I must even admit, that I have a nook. 

Nook

Nooks are the e-readers from Barnes and Noble. I got my nook when it first came out. It was a graduating present from my dad. I think the design is very simple and easy to use. There is a touch screen at the bottom that lets you get where ever you need to go. You can put audio books on here and also play chess if you are bored in the car. I personally really like me nook. It works well. The battery lasts for a good bit of time. It's light. Its clean looking. It's just a very great design and product. 

Kindle

I have two friends that have a Kindle. I have used it before to see how it works. I'm personally not a fan of it. I like my nook. But their design is rather nice too. The only thing I really see as different then the nook is that it has a keyboard. I suppose this is good for anyone who isn't used to a touch pad or anyone who would rather have a keyboard.

E-Readers

There are a number of other E-Readers out there. Sony has one, actually a lot of companies have one. I'm not going to go through each one because I don't know anyone who has these brands.

You can also get an app to download ebooks through your phone or tablet. This is actually kind of nice because it comes in handy when you are out and end up waiting somewhere for a long period of time and all you have is your phone. I don't use it often but it's nice to have sometimes.

To be honest, I like my nook but I would rather have a book in my hand. I'm just a fan of books. I like the different covers and the amount of work that goes into creating it. I like seeing the spines of books to see the author, publishing company, and title of the book. I like physically holding the book in my hand to feel the weight of the paper and the words in my hand. I love holding a book and knowing that it might take me on a journey or might hold something that has the potential to change the world. I love feeling the pages beneath my fingers. I love physically turning the page. I love feeling the weight of how much I have read and how much I have left. I love seeing this accomplishment in the amount of pages physically and not just a number at the bottom of a screen. I love books. I love everything about them. I'm just a book girl I guess. It comes with being a known nerd. 

Do you like E-Readers? Do you like them better than books? Let me know.

Tech Decline Week: Desktops and Wired Internet

Desktops

The all-in-one desktop computers may stick around but most desktops are going to be extinct pretty soon. More people buy and use laptops or tablets then desktops. I personally, still love my desktop at home. I don't use it very often but I still like to sit at a desk and get work done. 

Wired Internet

Be honest. When was the last time you hooked up your computer to an Ethernet cable. Now that everyone is using laptops and there is wireless in every coffee shop, very few people use wired internet. I talked to my cousin who is a few years under than me and she can't even remember ever using wired internet other than at school. That definitely surprised me. 

What do you think? Do you still use a desktop? Wired Internet?

Tech Decline Week: The Mouse

Yes, you did read that right. In the near future, mouses will be a thing of the past. Hard to believe, right? I was definitely surprised until I took a moment to think about it.

Laptop computers all have those little touch pads included under the keyboards now. Monitors are becoming touch screen capable.

The extra cost of adding the touch software will be so small that everything will have it. A lot of phones already do. Soon monitors, TVs, and laptops will have have touch screens too.

Now, don't get me wrong. Mouses won't just suddenly disappear. We won't wake up one day and they will be gone. No. It will be a slow decline. It's already started. Mouses are fading away and we don't even realize it. My laptop doesn't even have a mouse right now as I type this.

I'm not sure I'm exactly thrilled about this. I mean, I'm all for new technology but I really do like using a mouse for certain projects or when I'm sitting at my desk. Maybe I'll go stock up on mouses just in case.

Tech Decline: Cameras and Camcorders

My first camera was a little plastic Polaroid camera that spit out the picture with pink and purple tabs on each side. I loved it. My mom hated it though because the film strips were so expensive. It's hard to imagine but cameras and camcorders are already starting to dwindle. 

Think about it. Do you have a camera phone? A smartphone? How often do you pull out your camera and take pictures on your phone instead of pulling out that trusty camera? Do you record videos with those smartphones? I know I do. Just this month I've taken four videos and 150 photos on my iPhone. I can't remember the last time that I used my camera.

Companies are already beginning to feel the consumer decline of camera and camcorders. Smartphones are always with us where as we usually only use our cameras and camcorders when there is an event or special occasion. 

DSLRs and micro four-thirds cameras will stay with us, but in a few years, perhaps even a decade, most of us won't own our own camera anymore. 

Dental Fears

I hate going to the dentist. I know you are supposed to, and it's a healthy thing to do, especially if I want to keep my teeth. It doesn't matter what anyone says to me. I hate the dentist. Sorry to those who make a living looking at peoples teeth, but it's just not my thing. I think the main reason I hate the dentist is the whine of the drills. The drills scare the crap out of me and make my hands sweat. Even the whine on the gadget they use to clean teeth makes me uncomfortable. I appreciate the television that sits above my head, but when it only plays muted soap operas I think more about it falling on my head to put me out of the misery of having someones hands in my mouth then actually enjoying the show.

Anyway, get to the point right? 

A new device is in development by a team at King's College Dental Institute that will be able to block out the high pitched whine of dentist drills. The device is a headset with a microphone and microchip. It blocks out certain sound waves so that the sound of music or a TV can still be heard but the drill sounds are blocked.

Want to know more? I sure did. Read about it here. 

Goodbye Passer By

Have you ever thought about how many picture you are in? Not just your pictures but other peoples pictures? How many special moments of someone else's life you were caught in? Well now it's possible to get other people out of your pictures.

Scalado, a Swedish photography company has developed an app that allows someone to remove the people walking by in an app. This app makes it easier to have pictures at special landmarks or places without people in the background. 

The app takes several shots and then removes any objects that seem to be moving. The items are marked in a screen while allow the user to remove which ones they want.

Beauty and the Geek?

I've been called a geek and nerd most of my life from my family, friends, and those "bullies" at school. It's never bothered me to be honest. But, as a well known geek, I'm just going to say that I personally wouldn't wear these. Though, I really don't have any use for them.

These pants are called the Beauty and the Geek pants. The pants incorporate a  keyboard, mouse, and speakers into their design, and they can also communicate with a computer by Bluetooth or waist-worn cables. They were created by Erik de Niijs of Nieuwe Heren. 

I will admit they are pretty cool, but be honest, would you wear them?

Braille

I started this blog wanting to post about cool inventions I find. Well, I guess it's become more than that. I've begun posting about ways that we adapt. My first post like this was about the mouse for your foot for those who can't use their hands or arms. I hope to keep posting things like this, because they are cool.  But, more than that, they show that we care about people with disabilities.

This is the DrawBraille Mobile Phone. It was designed by Sheffield Hallam University student Shikun Sun. This phone was designed for the visually impaired. It has a braille board and finger pads. The first rows is made up of braille buttons while the other side is sort of like a touchscreen. Battery life can be read by the row on the side of the phone.

Georgia Institute of Technology developed an app that brings Braille to a smartphone. It's called the Brailletouch app and consists of six-key keyboard. Typing on the keyboard is almost like using a Braille keyboard. 

Touch free Touchscreen

I've always thought the purpose of a touchscreen was to work when you touched it, but apparently I'm wrong. Either that, or Sony doesn't think so because they created a new screen for their new phone Xperia Sola smartphone. The screen on this phone can be operated just by bringing your finger close to the screen. 

The technology allows the user to simply hover over the screen to move the cursor and touch the screen to load. This could be nice if you have dirty or gross fingers, but I think I would end up sending a text I didn't want to send by mistake and end up forever hating the phone. 

What do you think? Is this cool or just a little too far?

Glucose meter

As you already know, my father is diabetic. If you don't know that, then it's because you missed this post, about measuring glucose through saliva. It's actually pretty cool. You should check it out.

This post is about making it easier to check glucose levels, but sorry you have to keep the needle. This is the iHealth Smart GlucoMeter created by iHealth Labs. It makes it easier to check blood sugar levels, and also keeps track of changes and trends in glucose levels through the iPhone. Actually, it can work through most devices like the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad. It uses standard blood test strips and allows you to send readings of glucose levels to your doctors if need be.

Baby Monitor

I'm personally pretty excited about this gadget because I feel like I might need it soon. No, not for myself, but for my sister. My sister got married in October, so I fear sometime in my near future I'm going to be an Aunt. What a scary thought!

This is a baby monitor for the iPhone. Withings, a French company developed this gadget to help parents keep an eye on their baby. The white device pictured above is a monitor. It has a 3 megapixel camera. The camera can switch to infrared LED in a dim light, be zoomed in, and can will alert parents to room temperature and humidity changes. 

Self Healing

If you were wondering how my second phone fared after I killed the first one, this post will probably clue you in. I'm a klutz, what can I say?

Nissan has developed a new coating that is scratch resistant. They've created the first self-healing iPhone case.  The paint is made of polyrotaxane which can stretch itself to fill gaps. It takes anywhere from an hour to a week for the case to heal itself. The surface is gel-like which makes it easier to grip and reduces the chances of dropping the phone. Originally, the Scratch Shield paint was developed for cars, but this new case is the first of many new uses for the substance.

Touch and Type

Recently, my mother has learned to text. Not well, I might add, but she is learning. I have to give her credit for that. Anyway, when she does text, she always complains that the buttons are too small for her fingers. When I say always, I don't mean occasionally or sometimes, I mean every-single-time. I was tempted to buy her this little gadget, but she doesn't have a smartphone. So, no luck. 

This little gadget was developed by a Norway company ONE2TOUCH and is called the "Touch & Type" keyboard. It can communicate with most tablet or smartphone by simply downloading and installing a driver on the device. The phones can then be set on the black strip and be used to type on the phone. The keyboard also has a charging strip in the middle, is waterproof, and can fold up to be put in a purse, or pocket. 

Red X's

I received my first cell phone as a Christmas present when I was 16. I remember that morning very well, because I had been complaining to my parents for months. All my friends in school had a cell phone. In face, most of them had cell phones since we were in middle school. I complained almost everyday. When we went to the mall, I would purposely walk by the Verizon Wireless store and stare at the phones in the window. My mom got annoyed quickly, but she held out, telling me "You're too young to have a phone. What are you even going to do with it?"

I was told if I kept my grades up, kept my room clean, and behaved, I could have a phone when I turned 16 because I would be driving soon. When I turned 16 in September, no phone. I had to wait til December 25. I was opening gifts from my stocking when a bright orange pop can snuggie fell out. I looked at it. "Uh, thanks?" I said disappointed. I picked it up and realized it was too heavy for a cloth snuggie. I looked inside and a pretty little phone was sitting there. I had a big smile on my face. Mom said I was still too young for it. 

About two months after I got my phone, I dropped it in a puddle on accident while it was raining. The red X's that were on the battery were gone. It was damaged. Sure enough, I went to turn it on and it wouldn't work. First phone. Gone. I had to wait for a new one.

I bring this up, because it would have saved me a lot of trouble to have had something like this back then...

A company in California named Liquipel has developed water resistant nanocoating. It's suppose to protect smartphones from water intrusion. It's just a coating that is applied as a vapor and doesn't affect the usability of the phone or make it any bigger. The vapor penetrates the whole device and gives the phone a longer life span. Check out the video. It's pretty cool.

Do you want to know more? Do you want to get your smartphone treated? 

Check it out here.

Any color, any where

In middle school, I wanted to be an artist. I would draw all the time. I would come home from school with pictures on my jeans, hands, and notebooks. Sketchbooks littered my floor. My desk drawers were filled with pens, crayons, markers, and colorful pencils. It drove my mom crazy. She would tell me, "There are no jobs in art. You are too smart anyway. Be a doctor."

    It took two years, but my mom finally convinced me to give up on my dreams of becoming an artist. What she didn't destroy though was my love for pens, pencils, markers, and all things colorful. I can spend an hour looking at pens in Office Max. I spend even longer in a craft store because there are so many different pens. I know. I'm weird.

   This is called the Color Picker Pen and it was created by Jinsu Park. It's a pen that allows you to write in any color you want. All you have to do is scan the color you want with the color sensor. You can just hold the sensor up to an object you want to scan, push the button, and then write in that color. The pen mixes the right amounts of purple, blue, green and yellow to create the right color.  

  

This pen is only a concept at the moment, but just imagine it. Who needs a box of 120 crayons when you have a pen that can make any color? I would be the envy of ever Kindergardner in the world.

Goodbye Ink Cartridges

I wake up late after spending most of the night writing a paper for class. It's due in a few hours. I walk over to my computer and pull the file up. I hit print. Then I leave my room to get breakfast and get ready for class. After going through my boring morning routine, I pack up my books for class. Before leaving, I go to my printer to grab my paper to turn in. It's not there. I frown and walk back to my computer. I hit print. Once again I walk to my printer, only to find a red blinking light. No ink. It seems like every time I need to print something, I'm out of ink.

    This is the Pencil Printer. You can take old wooden pencils, feed them into the printer, and it will use the lead to print your document. There is also an eraser in the printer, so if you make a mistake you can feed the paper through and erase all the writing. Or say you are just done with whatever is on the paper, you can feed it through the printer, erase it, and use it again. 

I'm always one for saving some trees.

 

Germaphobe Friendly Keyboard

I have a few friends that are serious germaphobes. Let me say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Everyone has something they are scared of or don't like. I'm deathly afraid of thousand leggers. Anyway, when I showed this gadget to my friend, she practically squealed with joy. 

This keyboard from Viogaurd uses ultraviolet light to kill harmful micro-organisms in seconds. The keyboard looks and feels the same as any standard keyboard, but it sanitizes itself. The keyboard is stored inside a box and comes out with a wave of the hand and returns once a button is pressed. 

Beetle Plastic

Beetles may freak a lot of people out, but they they have helped develop an alternative to plastic.

Researchers at Wyss Institute were inspired by the exoskeletons of these little bugs. Shrilk, the material of the exoskeletons of beetles is made up of silk and chitin protein. Shrimp also has this same material in their shells. This material is clear, moldable and durable. It's also bio-degradable. This material could be used to create degradable packaging and tons of other things. It could replace plastic completely for a greener future.

Apps Galore

Have you ever seen someone walk into a wall while texting? Or perhaps you've had someone run into you with their phone to their face as they updated their facebook status? Well, here's an app for those people, or for you if you are one of them.

For anyone who has an iPhone or some type of smartphone, you know that there are tons of apps that you can download. Well, a new app has been developed that makes it easier for those who like to text and walk at the same time. This app called the Transparent Screen projects an image of your path behind the regular functions of your phone. The app uses the camera to show the image of your route and obstacles in your path.

Massage

Two years ago, I suffered from severe muscle spasms in my back. They were mostly from the back problems I have, but these little things would have come in handy then. Instead, I had to use the machine from my doctors office, which didn't work very well. I would have loved to have these USB massagers for my back.

These uPixie are from OSIM. They are powered by USB and use electrical currents to massage. The massages can be customized to the user. 

Find them here!