E-readers

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Yesterday as I was going to visit my 92 year old mother in the independent living facility where she now resides, I passed by a woman (about 80), who used to live next door, sitting in a chair in the common area. Guess what? she was using an e-reader!

As she had a different reader from the one I use (which is a ∩ook), I stopped to discuss the various aspects of each and why we chose diverse models.

Turns out hers had been chosen for her by adult children. But she said she likes it especially because she could access her email from it. In fact, she said she likes it better than her laptop for reading/writing her email. I didn't take the time for her to show me how the email works on her unit. Maybe I will go back and ask for a demonstration.

The ∩ook I use has the capability for email and it would do in a pinch. I can read email OK, but I find it way too slow for me to use to write email--the keyboard has no tactile response and, therefore, I make a lot of errors! Either that or I just haven't found the magic yet.

Periodically, I am reading a booklet called Nook Survival Guide. Actually, "reading" is too strong a word. I dip into it when I can't do something. In this case, I must follow my own advice: "When all else fails, read the directions."

All in all, the ∩ook is turning out to be a lot of fun. I even downloaded the app to read ∩ook books onto my mini laptop. Now, no matter which portable device I have at hand, I can read my book.
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Confession Is Good for the Soul

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Yes, my gentle snowflakes, I have a confession--and God knows, my soul can use all the help it can get.

One more Christmas present to myself. Since I have managed to set up wifi, I wanted more than just my ∩ook to use it. All that capability just called out for more attention. And nature does abhor a vacuum.

So, I bought myself a mini laptop--Hewlett Packard. An HP Mini 210-2000 CTO PC, to be precise. I think I like it. I picked the HP largely because of the keyboard. It has really nice tactility. And large keys. The screen is very adequate--just takes a lot more scrolling to read the articles that come over my rss feed.

The only thing I would wish for is MORE SPEED! And that has been my cry with every computer I have ever owned--ever, since 1978!
The HP came with Windows7. That is proving to be a little challenge--switching back and forth from XP to 7, that is the challenge. I can work with Windows7 and I can work with Windows-XP. It is switching back and forth from one to the other that boggles my old, not-so-limber brain. But I will master it, hopefully. And the mastery should help my brain stay young--that's what the research is saying, "Use it or lose it."

I can take it to bed with me and check my email one last time. I can look at Twitter for that last tweet of the night. I can check Facebook to see what my grandkids are up to in the wee small hours of the morning. [Caught the posted cell-photos of one grandson at a school dance. I would never have seen that without facebook. :) Candid pictures of him at a dance? Said photos taken by a friend of his? Never would have seen them. ]

OK, enough confession. Soon you will know all my secrets and vulnerabilities. There will be no more mystery woman behind the blog.

Have a Happy New Year!
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