Electronic stuff: What works.
#1
I see that Kindle is selling a "Paperwhite reader. Basic, not a "tablet" but can be read in low light or no light without "backlighting". The point here is that backlit reading can be tough on the eyes.
Nook has had something like this on the market for a while. Lights the page with some kind of non-direct light. Getting good reviews.

So, I'm wondering what others have noticed with regard to "eye fatigue" or other possible irratations from reading backlit devices. I don't want to outlive my eyes. I'm not a fast reader really, but am blessed with the ability to read for long stretches. (new habit: I get up at least once an hour and walk around. The people at AARP strongly recommend it).

I read on a laptop, iPad, Nook tablet and even from time to time on an iPod (short things). Prior to these things I had my wife's hand me down original Nook long gone).

Would like the opinion of others: I'm thinking of "maybe" going back to the Paperwhite or e-ink Nook reader with a light. (but not backlit)

I'll never give up my laptop: My "go to" device. (TVg thinks it's goofy and I can't sit in one place an that I should just cash it in and go back to writing on the back of Safeway bags).

The iPad was a hand me down from my son. 1st edition, and works okay. It's the first thing I'd give up if necessary. Redundant: The laptop does it all AND is a complete machine with a keyboard. (Mine in a 13" MacBook Pro, so not that much larger than the iPad).

I've learned to REALLY like reading on ebooks. Won't bother with the reasons here, but it's now my preference. I have the "Tablet" and again, it's kind of redundant because I have the laptop. A simple reader would be fine, and not backlit.

Can't live without my iPod. I'm addicted to podcasts and with my wi-fi router I can listen anywhere on the lot (and down the street a ways). Recently I have been not sleeping well because I'm a big sissy who can't deal with pain and so I listen to lots of stuff at night using the iPod. (By the way, just downloaded Diana Krall's new album, "Glad Rag Doll" and IMHO it is great. (You gotta like light easy jazz however).

No. Don't have an iPhone. I have a 30 dollar phone off the shelf and a no contract thing with T-Mobil. I pay a hundred bucks a year for 1500 minutes and never use them all.

Whatever, got more involved here than I intended. I'm so glad to have lived long enough to take advantage of these gadgets. In my own case, they give me access to stuff that I would otherwise have to work hard and long to get. If ever.

So, would be interested, should you feel like sharing, on what works for you. It might cause me to change my way of doing stuff.
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#2
I like to hold a real book in my hand. I can't give that up yet. One of the multiple reasons is I read too fast. I tried using my SO's Kindle, and got horribly frustrated at the page load (pretty short, but frequent and distracting).

I've found reading on my iPod Touch to be a better page-turning experience, although it's far too small to want to do it often.

However, from everything I've researched, eye fatigue from low light reading or backlit reading is transitory with no long term effects. So you don't need to worry about it damaging your eyes. Still, I would imagine not getting the fatigue in the first place would be preferable.
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#3
I completely and totally fell in love with my Kindle Fire one day at my podiatrist's office. I had brought the Kindle, but had somehow neglected to bring my reading glasses.

Aha! A lightbulb moment!
The Kindle has a text size adjustment!
I then adjusted the text to a readable size and spent the endless wait reading my latest Kindle book.

I have learned a lof of new electronics...I stopped, so far, before I got to a SmartPhone.

I really have no use for one. I never use even half of the minutes I get on my AARP senior citizen phone.

I do have a NetBook, with a real keyboard, if I absolutely have to get onto the internet while away from home. If I find available WiFi

I haven't figured out how to connect to the net, while away from home, with the KindleFire yet.
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#4
(10-04-2012, 08:47 PM)Clone Wrote: I completely and totally fell in love with my Kindle Fire one day at my podiatrist's office. I had brought the Kindle, but had somehow neglected to bring my reading glasses.

Aha! A lightbulb moment!
The Kindle has a text size adjustment!
I then adjusted the text to a readable size and spent the endless wait reading my latest Kindle book.

I have learned a lof of new electronics...I stopped, so far, before I got to a SmartPhone.

I really have no use for one. I never use even half of the minutes I get on my AARP senior citizen phone.

I do have a NetBook, with a real keyboard, if I absolutely have to get onto the internet while away from home. If I find available WiFi

I haven't figured out how to connect to the net, while away from home, with the KindleFire yet.

I had a NetBook. Loved it! (no longer have it. Boring story). My own (minority) opinion is that a NetBook is far superior to the iPad.

If you find Wi-Fi access while out, you should be able to go to Settings and enable your Wi-Fi access. Some places require a password, many don't. Once Wi-Fi is connected, go to your browser (or anything requiring NET connection) and it should load. (There is an option in settings for "ask to join other networks". Yes is the correct answer)

I think what I use most on the net while reading is Wiki. I find the browser a bit hard to use, but I use the Nook with a Apple browser.

By the way, do we have a resident computer guru anymore? I used to think it was TVg until I found out he has a Commodore 64 hooked up to a truck battery and gets the Net over some rusty barbed wire he used to tap off at the pole. He uses email. He prints it out, then drives it to whom ever it's intended for. Once told he should scrub his hard drive, he used gasoline and LAVA soap. The dog ate his mouse. He uses the dogs chest as a pointer. And so it goes.
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#5
(10-04-2012, 08:21 PM)csrowan Wrote: I like to hold a real book in my hand. I can't give that up yet. One of the multiple reasons is I read too fast. I tried using my SO's Kindle, and got horribly frustrated at the page load (pretty short, but frequent and distracting).

I've found reading on my iPod Touch to be a better page-turning experience, although it's far too small to want to do it often.

However, from everything I've researched, eye fatigue from low light reading or backlit reading is transitory with no long term effects. So you don't need to worry about it damaging your eyes. Still, I would imagine not getting the fatigue in the first place would be preferable.

I resisted ebooks. Only when my wife got one and I tried it did I start using it and finding lots of advantages.
But, I know the feeling...a paper book is connecting us all the way back to the printing press. Lots of tradition there.
Should you ever get the chance to use a ebook, you might give it a whirl and see what you think. I still read a few paper books but I really need larger print many times and the e-reader does such a great job of that. (Also, I much prefer keeping notes on the ebook than writing in the margins of paper books). Bookmark features are handy too. And, we all know we should keep a dictionary handy when reading. But most often, we don't. On my e-reader, I simply press down the word and up pops my dictionary, thesaurus, and if online, WIKI.

Still, it's a personal thing, and I get that. The main thing is to continue reading, as I'm sure you agree.
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#6
(10-04-2012, 09:11 PM)Wonky Wrote: By the way, do we have a resident computer guru anymore?

Waving

I've been using computers since the 80s. I own both PC and Mac. And I'm really good at figuring out what to type into search engines to get the actual information you're looking for.
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#7
(10-04-2012, 09:31 PM)csrowan Wrote:
(10-04-2012, 09:11 PM)Wonky Wrote: By the way, do we have a resident computer guru anymore?

Waving

I've been using computers since the 80s. I own both PC and Mac. And I'm really good at figuring out what to type into search engines to get the actual information you're looking for.

All right!
I've made a note of that.

PS: Is it possible to turn off my computer without going out to the service panel and shutting off a circuit breaker? Surprised
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#8
(10-04-2012, 10:04 PM)Wonky Wrote: All right!
I've made a note of that.

PS: Is it possible to turn off my computer without going out to the service panel and shutting off a circuit breaker? Surprised

Laughing Laughing Laughing
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#9
(10-04-2012, 10:04 PM)Wonky Wrote:
(10-04-2012, 09:31 PM)csrowan Wrote:
(10-04-2012, 09:11 PM)Wonky Wrote: By the way, do we have a resident computer guru anymore?

Waving

I've been using computers since the 80s. I own both PC and Mac. And I'm really good at figuring out what to type into search engines to get the actual information you're looking for.

All right!
I've made a note of that.

PS: Is it possible to turn off my computer without going out to the service panel and shutting off a circuit breaker? Surprised

You can stop paying your electric bill. Wait a week or two after your final notice arrives in the mail, and your computer will turn off.
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#10
(10-04-2012, 08:47 PM)Clone Wrote: I completely and totally fell in love with my Kindle Fire one day at my podiatrist's office. I had brought the Kindle, but had somehow neglected to bring my reading glasses.

Aha! A lightbulb moment!
The Kindle has a text size adjustment!
I then adjusted the text to a readable size and spent the endless wait reading my latest Kindle book.

I have learned a lof of new electronics...I stopped, so far, before I got to a SmartPhone.

I really have no use for one. I never use even half of the minutes I get on my AARP senior citizen phone.
I use the free kindle app on my smartphone Smiling LOVE IT! I'm currently reading "The Mysterious Island" by Jules Verne. It's a free kindle e-book version.
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#11
My SO discovered the free lending library on Kindle. Don't know if it's available through the smartphone app, but if you own a Kindle, you can get access to a massive library of books that other Kindle owners have put into the lending library.
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#12
Josephine County Libraries also allow you to borrow items on on your kindle.
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#13
(10-05-2012, 12:53 PM)cj2112 Wrote: Josephine County Libraries also allow you to borrow items on on your kindle.

Yes. But you have to leave your Kindle as collateral. Sad
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#14
This thread From He who uses a cell phone strictly for an answering machineLaughingLaughing
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#15
(10-06-2012, 03:50 PM)tvguy Wrote: This thread From He who uses a cell phone strictly for an answering machineLaughingLaughing

What? You can call OUT on those suckers too? What will they think of next? Color TV? (Never happen)
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#16
(10-04-2012, 10:04 PM)Wonky Wrote:
(10-04-2012, 09:31 PM)csrowan Wrote:
(10-04-2012, 09:11 PM)Wonky Wrote: By the way, do we have a resident computer guru anymore?

Waving

I've been using computers since the 80s. I own both PC and Mac. And I'm really good at figuring out what to type into search engines to get the actual information you're looking for.

All right!
I've made a note of that.

PS: Is it possible to turn off my computer without going out to the service panel and shutting off a circuit breaker? Surprised

Try holding the power button in for 10 seconds and chant to the computer gods.
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#17
Our next great institutions of learning, will fit in your hand. Other than the football team.
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