Library on the go with digital book readers…

Today’s column deals with reading e-books on digital devices, but first I want to take time for a public service reminder — back-up your computer’s hard drive on a regular basis. The other day I received a phone call from a fellow Macintosh user at TR, asking if I had any suggestion for a problem they were having. After explaining what had happened, it seem apparent that the hard drive was not functioning. I asked if they had been backing up their drive, and the answer was no! Everyone should be making regular backups. All versions of Windows include a backup and restore function, and Mac OS X version 10.5 and later includes a program called Time Machine to preform automatic backups. While the backup programs generally backup everything on your drive, you can also backup critical data and photo files by periodically dragging them to an external drive, flash drive, or burning to a CD or DVD. Whatever method you chose, remember that it is only a matter of time before your drive fails or causes other problems, and you will be glad you were prepared.

I have always been a voracious reader, and next to my side of the bed in our RV you can usually find a stack of books. At home in New York I seldom leave our public library without five or six books to read, and when we travel I always try to prepare a stockpile of reading material for the trip. So it is no surprise that the idea of a portable, digital reader intrigued me. 

The concept of reading books, magazines and newspapers on digital devices is not new, but it has only recently caught on with the buying public. Reading print material on a computer screen is not easy on the eyes, and you cannot curl up with a computer, but digital readers are small, compact devices that are not much bigger than a paperback novel—only without the pages. As we begin 2010, there are many such devices on the market, with many more scheduled for release in the coming months. The one that has thus far captured the most attention and sales is the Amazon Kindle. Eddie gave me a Kindle for Christmas, and after a month of using it I can unequivocally say that I love it!

The original Kindle, released in November of 2007, featured a 6 inch (diagonal) 4-level grayscale display and could hold approximately 200 books. The current version of the device, the Kindle 2, was released last February and features a 16-level grayscale display, improved battery life, faster page refreshing, a text-to-speech option, thinner than the original model, can store approximately 1,500 books and is nothing short of amazing.

Reading material is downloaded to the Kindle through Amazon’s Whispernet network, included with every device. After registering a credit card at Amazon.com, you visit the Kindle Store from the Kindle’s main menu, chose a book, and it instantly is downloaded. When you finish reading a book you can leave on your Kindle or delete it. All deleted material will be archived in your Amazon account and can be downloaded again at any time.

The Kindle does not feature a touch screen. Instead there are a few, conveniently located button that control the device. It also has a full keyboard for entering text in a search box. There is also a built in dictionary for word definitions, and you can even access the internet through the Whispernet wireless connection.

There are reported to be over 400,000 books available for download, with most releases, both fiction and nonfiction, costing $9.99. Some books are actually priced less, and there is also a plethora of older books in the public domain, many of them classics, that can be downloaded for free. Paperback trade books, such as how-to-books on digital photography, will cost more, but are priced between 40% and 60% off the publishers list price. You can also subscribe to over ninety newspapers and magazines. I have a subscription to the New York TImes and a new issue is downloaded automatically to my Kindle every morning.

As nice as it is to have access to such a large body of reading material, what makes the Kindle stand out is readability. The screen uses a technology called electronic paper and is extremely easy on the eyes. The text can be adjusted to six different sizes, and the margins can be adjusted to show fewer words per line. 

If you like to read, and want to have a library at your fingertips, a digital reader may be in your future. In addition to the Kindle, Sony sells the Sony reader, and a number of other digital readers are scheduled for release in 2010. The most anxiously awaited is the Nook from Barnes and Noble. The Nook was supposed to be available before Christmas, but the current release date is projected for February 12.

The Kindle is available exclusively from Amazon.com and currently sells for $259. 

Buying a New Computer - Part Two

Under the Hood
Before I get into the topic of today’s column, I want to give an endorsement to a relatively new TR Times advertiser — On Q Smokehouse Grill.  I saw the ad for On Q in the January 8 issue of the TR Times and Eddie and I decided to give it a try. Located in a converted house on the corner of State Road 52 in St. Leos, its small parking lot fills up fast. After trying the barbecued ribs we can see why this new restaurant is so popular. The ribs, and everything that came with them, were delicious. The service was friendly and efficient and the prices are very reasonable. Treat yourself and give On Q a try!

Last week’s column covered what decisions you need to make about the outside of a computer when shopping for a new one. This week we will look at what is “under the hood.” With the improvements in desktop/laptop computers over the past several years, almost any computer you buy will most probably meet your needs. The notable exception is with the NETBOOKS that have become popular over the past year. Not to be confused with laptops, netbooks are smaller and weigh less than laptops. Their small size is what makes them desirable, especially for frequent air travelers, but to make the computers extremely compact, manufactures have  sacrificed memory, processing power and storage space.

The heart of every computer is the CPU (central processing unit), which is controlled by a microprocessor. Microprocessors found in most computers today are made by two companies, Intel and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices), and both have received good reviews. Both companies feature several types of microprocessors with many different names, something that can be very confusing to the novice computer shopper. Basically, what you need to know is that there are three main types processors to consider: single, dual and quad core processing units (single computer chips with either one, two or four distinct processing units).  While quad core is  targeted at the high-end desktops market,  dual-core processors are found in many laptop and desktop computers, and provide increased processing power (over single) that is needed in everyday computing tasks.

The speed of microprocessors varies from approximately 1.2 GHz (gigahertz) to over 3 GHz. To put the speed in perspective, unless you work with intense number crunching or high end image or video editing, even the lower processing speeds will be more than adequate. 

The total amount of random access memory (RAM) is another consideration. While some computers still come with only one gigabyte of RAM, the minimum you should consider is two gigabytes, with four gigabytes being preferable. Why do you want so much memory? Because the more RAM, the better performance you will get from your computer. Windows 7 operating system requires a minimum of one gigabyte of RAM, but it works much more efficiently with two gigabytes. Purchasing a computer with four gigabytes of RAM sets your computer up to be ready for future operating system upgrades and software.

Finally, today’s computer processors are either 32-bit or 64-bit capable. The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refers to the way the processor handles information, and 64-bit systems can handle larger amounts of RAM — if you will be installing more than four gigabytes of memory you must have a 64-bit system. However, if you plan on running older versions of software and/or connecting older peripherals to your new computer, a 32-bit system is a better option.

You also want to give some thought to the storage capacity of the internal hard drive. On the low end are 120 gigabyte hard drives and on the high end are one terabyte (think 1,000 gigabytes) drives. Most computer will come with 320 GB or 500 GB drives and both have more than adequate amount of space for most users.

Other things you need to take into consideration are the number of USB ports (two minimum), a wireless internet card (802.11a/b/g/n), an ethernet port (to connect with a network), and a DVD-RW/CD-RW drive (plays and writes both DVD and CD discs). An additional feature you should consider is a webcam for video chats with friends and family back home. Finally, if you have a digital video camera, check to see if you need a IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire) to connect the camera to the computer. 

Your final consideration should be the operating system installed on your computer. If you are buying a Windows based computer, be sure that Windows Home Premium is pre-installed. If you want to become more educated on any of the features mentioned in today’s column, spend a little time searching the internet. Good places to start are www.ehow.com and www.wikipedia.org. Knowledgeable sales people may also be able to help (when you can find them), but remember, their main goal is to make a sale.

Buying a New Computer - Part One

Laptop or Desktop?

Are ready to buy a new computer? Today’s column will cover the external computer hardware. Next week’s column will discuss processor speed, memory, and hard drive storage, and operating systems.


You need to make a major decision before you start shopping. Do you want a laptop or desktop computer? If you currently use a laptop, then you will probably want to replace it with another laptop. However, if you have always used a desktop computer, you might be surprised to learn that today’s laptops can compete quite effectively with desktop computers in both memory capacity and processing speed.

The major advantages of desktop computer are the larger screen and sturdy keyboard. The negative to them is the size, especially if you live in a confined space like many of us at Travelers Rest. Both my husband Eddie and I use laptop computer all year round. I use a 17” Macbook Pro, and Eddie recently traded a 17” Acer running Windows XP for a new Dell Studio 17” running Windows 7. We both like the ease of using a laptop and being able to take it with us wherever we go. At home in New York Eddie attaches a second, external LCD monitor to his laptop, giving him additonal screen space.

Whichever style of computer you chose, you need to decide on the screen size. Screen size is measured on the diagonal, and the most common laptop screens are 13”, 15”, and 17”,  although there are some laptops with 12”, 14”, 16” , and even 18” screens. My personal recommendation is that if you using a laptop as your primary computer, buy a 17” screen. If, on the other hand, you plan to do a lot of air travel, or the laptop is going to be a second computer, consider a one of the smaller sizes. If you are buying a desktop computer you have your choice of LCD monitor sizes, starting at 20” and going up to 30”. The typical desktop system comes with a 20” or 24” screen.

Regardless of whether you use a laptop or desktop, you need to be aware of screen resolution. Screen resolution refers to the number of horizontal and vertical pixels that make up the image on the screen. The higher the resolution, the more pixels can fit on the screen. Previously, the standard resolution was 800 pixels horizontal by 600 pixels vertical. Today you are more likely to see screen resolutions of 1024 x 768 or 1600 x 1200. Higher resolution monitors present an extremely clear image, but the image (including text) may be too small for comfortable viewing.

The only way to decide which monitor/computer is best for you is to try before you buy. Plan a window shopping excursion to a store with a large computer department. If you plan on buying a Windows PC, a good place to visit is the Best Buy in Wesley Chapel. Only eighteen miles down I-75, the store has wide variety of computers on display. If you are considering a Macintosh, plan to visit one of the Apple stores either in Tampa, at the International Plaza, or in Brandon at the Brandon Town Center.

Take your time looking at the screens to see which size and resolution works for you. While you are previewing monitors, take some time to get the feel of the different keyboards. If you are planning to buy a laptop, try out the touch pad as well. Most laptop feature a touchpad, which works by dragging a finger across the pad, in place of a mouse. However, both a USB or wireless mouse can be used with laptops.

Write down the names of the computers you like best and in next week’s OnMouseClick column, I will discuss processor speed, memory, hard drive capacities, and operating systems. 

2010 Begins…

Are you ready for a new decade?

Welcome back to a new year, a new decade, and another season of OnMouseClick columns. OnMouseClick strives to keep its readers informed and up-to-date on computers and technology — something that often seems like an impossible task in our fast moving world.

Some of you are probably using a computer that you have had for many years. As far as you are concerned, it works just fine — until something goes wrong. I cannot count the number of times someone has asked my advice on whether they should have an older computer fixed or buy a new one. If the answer to the question, “How old is your computer?”, is five or more years, I immediately answer “Buy a new one.” With the introduction of Windows 7 last October, I would even be tempted to recommend a new computer to anyone who uses a PC (a computer running the Windows operating system) running any Windows operating system older than Vista. (In this column I am only going to be discussing computers running Windows. Macintosh computers will be discussed in a later column.)

When something goes wrong with an older computer, it can be very difficult to repair. Replacement parts are sometimes impossible to find, and the software that will run on older machines is woefully out of date. If you have a computer running an older version of Windows, and your operating system becomes corrupted, you will need to reinstall this system from the disk that came with the computer. There is a good chance that the disks cannot be found, and it is practically impossible to find replacements for out of date Windows system disks.

Other problems occur with peripherals, such as printers, scanners and digital cameras. Newer models of these devices will not work with older computer systems. Printers are relatively inexpensive, and when one stops working it is usually more cost effective to buy a new one. However, if your computer is more than a few years old, there is a good chance that a new printer will not work with your computer. Likewise, if you get a new digital camera, don’t expect to be able to download your photos onto an old computer.

Finally, it is important to understand the versatility of a new computer verses an older one. The processing speed of computers has increased exponentially over the past several years. While you may have access to high speed internet, if your computer operates slowly, you will not be able to take advantage of this speed. Web browsers, the software that allows you to view internet sites on your computer, have all been updated and create a conundrum. If you are running an older browser, you will not be able to take advantage of all the internet has to offer, and if you are working on an older machine, you cannot use modern browsers.

The Windows operating system itself has also changed radically. The interface is much easier to use and the built-in safe guards against viruses, spam, adware, and spyware are much better than they were even a year ago. If you do any online banking or shopping, it is imperative that you have the most up-to-date protections available, which are included in Windows 7. If you are already using Windows Vista, upgrading to Windows7 should be relatively easy. However, if you are running Windows XP or earlier (which means your computer is more than three years old), upgrading to Window 7 is a very involved process, and it might be a good time to decide on buying a new computer instead.

If you are using one of these older computer systems, I hope that today’s column has given you something to think about. In next weeks column I will make a shopping list of what to look for when buying a new Window computer system.

In addition to making this column available online,  I also write a photo blog at LindasLens.blogspot.com. My goal is to post one of my photographs every day in 2010. I also plan to feature some tips for digital photographers, so please take a look when you can. As of January 8 eight photos have been posted, with only 357 to go!