Uh oh. I can already feel the scrutinizing eyes upon me! People nowadays are so attached to their web browser of choice that some will argue their point more heatedly about this topic than their political views. For some, their choice of web browser IS a political view, but I'm getting ahead of myself. First of all, what is a web browser?
If you read my article about "What is the Internet?" you may alread be familiar with the term "web browser" as I briefly mentioned them in the PTD (Practical Tip of the Day). In short, a web browser is the program in your computer (or any other electronic device that lets you surf the web) that communicates with the Internet.
Some of the most popular web browsers used right now are Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari. These four programs are all made by different companies and all do the same thing only slightly differently. When asked which web browser is "the best" I usually draw similarities between web browsers and cars. If you have four sedans lined up, and had a dozen people test them all, it would be unlikely that all twelve would pick the same car as "the best." Personal preference comes into play just as much with web browsers as it does cars.
For some, they want the fastest. Others, the safest. Still others prefer ease of use or maybe they just want to stick with what they've always used. I'm not going to go into which web browser wins in these individual catagories because A) Web browsers are upgraded so frequently that my information would become out of date very quickly and B) Some of these catagories are very difficult to quantify so it's difficult to rate. What I might consider a difficult browser to understand might be simple to someone else or vice versa for example.
Fortunately, if you do want to "shop around" for web browsers there are a plethora of people who do do reviews and rate them. A simple google search for "web browser reviews" should give you plenty of resources. The other nice thing is that most web browsers are available for download for free so you can try them out without paying anything. What do you have to loose? Read around, try them out, and you'll be sure to find one that works perfect for you!
Practical Tip of the Day:
Most web browsers have two areas to type things in towards the top of the window. One is called the "URL field" (don't worry about what URL stands for right now), and the other is the "search field". If you know exactly what webpage you want to go to, you will type in it's name into the (generally longer) URL field. This is where you'd type an address typically starting with "www". If you don't know exactly where you want to go, or you need to find the answer to a question, you'd type it into the search field. Think of this as the yellow/white pages of the Internet. It'll show you all the webpages it finds that match what you typed into the search field.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
What Are Those Wavy Lines In Word?
The area I live in used to have a big typewriter factory. Then they started making word processors. It's been explained to me that the biggest difference between a typewriter and word processor is that a work processor would check your spelling and let you make corrections before the ink actually touched the paper. Nowadays, word processors are programs on computers that let you type things up. From there you can print it, email it, save it, and many other things.
The most common word processing program is Microsoft Office's Word. If you use a Mac there's iWork's Pages, and if you like free things there's a slew of free programs you can get from the Internet (Note: Be careful when downloading programs off the Internet. Not everything is what it claims to be!) In most word processing programs you can do things like make your text bold or underlined, center justified, and even add pictures, but the most basic thing is still the ability to have your spelling checked for you. If you've ever used one of these programs you may have noticed red lines appear under your misspelled words.
If you see a word with a red wavy line under it, right-click on it (that means pressing the button on the mouse that's on the right instead of the left like we usually do) and the program will suggest words it thinks you meant. Keep in mind that this will only catch misspelled words, not misused words. It won't catch "their, there, and they're" problems or "to, two, and too", but it's a very handy tool.
You may also see another kind of line; a green one. If you see a green wavy line under a section of your text that means that the program thinks there's a grammatical error. This will often find things like a word typed twice on accident, sentence fragments and other obvious errors, but again, there are things that it won't be able to detect. Just like with the red wavy line, if you right-click on the text that has the green line under it, the program will tell you what error it detects so you can make the correction.
Practical Tip of the Day:
If you're writing something that you're going to share with other people, always proofread it. I know this isn't a technical tip, but you can't replace an actual person reading something. Re-reading your document will find things spelling and grammar check can't catch like run on sentences and nonsensical grammar.
The most common word processing program is Microsoft Office's Word. If you use a Mac there's iWork's Pages, and if you like free things there's a slew of free programs you can get from the Internet (Note: Be careful when downloading programs off the Internet. Not everything is what it claims to be!) In most word processing programs you can do things like make your text bold or underlined, center justified, and even add pictures, but the most basic thing is still the ability to have your spelling checked for you. If you've ever used one of these programs you may have noticed red lines appear under your misspelled words.
If you see a word with a red wavy line under it, right-click on it (that means pressing the button on the mouse that's on the right instead of the left like we usually do) and the program will suggest words it thinks you meant. Keep in mind that this will only catch misspelled words, not misused words. It won't catch "their, there, and they're" problems or "to, two, and too", but it's a very handy tool.
You may also see another kind of line; a green one. If you see a green wavy line under a section of your text that means that the program thinks there's a grammatical error. This will often find things like a word typed twice on accident, sentence fragments and other obvious errors, but again, there are things that it won't be able to detect. Just like with the red wavy line, if you right-click on the text that has the green line under it, the program will tell you what error it detects so you can make the correction.
Practical Tip of the Day:
If you're writing something that you're going to share with other people, always proofread it. I know this isn't a technical tip, but you can't replace an actual person reading something. Re-reading your document will find things spelling and grammar check can't catch like run on sentences and nonsensical grammar.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Why is Water Bad for Electronics?
It's happened to more Americans than not. An electronic device- iPods, radios, phones, hopefully not toasters- falls into or is otherwise in contact with water. Sometimes it's not water. I've lost count of how many times I've met people who've spilled soda on their laptops, put an iPod through the washing machine, dropped their phone in the pool, and the list goes on and on. This inevitably leads to a frantic Internet search on how to save their device, but the most potential damage is done within the first few seconds. So, exactly why are liquids bad for electronics?
It's all simple science. Electricity moves through matter- be it solid, liquid or gas. Some things conduct electricity better than others, and water is a very good conductor. The way modern electronics are made, electricity travels around the device through tiny wires that connect all the different parts. When water gets introduced to device, the electricity can spread and go to parts that aren't supposed to get electricity, and give more electricity to parts than they're designed to handle. This essentially electrocutes the device. This is the point where the most potential damage happens.
Now, if your device is turned off when it gets wet it's less likely to suffer major damage, but since few portable devices ever turn off completely there's usually at least a small current of electricity going through them. As far as other problems with getting your electronics wet, you also need to account for material other than water in the liquid. For example, if you spill a soda, the acid can corrode parts as well as make it sticky. Pools have plenty of chemicals, as so washing machines, and I won't even go into the additional problems when you drop a device in the commode!
So what can you do to prevent or minimize the damage of liquid to your electronics? The easiest thing is to keep them away if possible. Don't take your iPod to the beach, or drink your wine next to your laptop. Secondly, if your device does get wet, turn it off right away if it's on- this will turn off the electrical current going through those wires and hopefully minimize further damage. Lastly, once it's off, keep it off for at least 24-48 hours, preferably in a room with low humidity. There are other suggestions on the Internet, but none that have been proven to work.
Practical Tip of the Day:
If you need to take your electronics to a place with potential moisture, there are lots of things you can do to protect it. If you're going to the beach, put your electronics in a baggie. This will help protect against both water and sand. If you canoe, kayak or even scuba dive, they make water-proof cases for most cell phones and MP3 players. They even make water-proof headphones! For your laptop, a simple plastic cover over the keyboard helps cover the easiest point of access for spills of all kinds. This also helps keep crumbs, dust and other matter out of your keyboard as well.
It's all simple science. Electricity moves through matter- be it solid, liquid or gas. Some things conduct electricity better than others, and water is a very good conductor. The way modern electronics are made, electricity travels around the device through tiny wires that connect all the different parts. When water gets introduced to device, the electricity can spread and go to parts that aren't supposed to get electricity, and give more electricity to parts than they're designed to handle. This essentially electrocutes the device. This is the point where the most potential damage happens.
Now, if your device is turned off when it gets wet it's less likely to suffer major damage, but since few portable devices ever turn off completely there's usually at least a small current of electricity going through them. As far as other problems with getting your electronics wet, you also need to account for material other than water in the liquid. For example, if you spill a soda, the acid can corrode parts as well as make it sticky. Pools have plenty of chemicals, as so washing machines, and I won't even go into the additional problems when you drop a device in the commode!
So what can you do to prevent or minimize the damage of liquid to your electronics? The easiest thing is to keep them away if possible. Don't take your iPod to the beach, or drink your wine next to your laptop. Secondly, if your device does get wet, turn it off right away if it's on- this will turn off the electrical current going through those wires and hopefully minimize further damage. Lastly, once it's off, keep it off for at least 24-48 hours, preferably in a room with low humidity. There are other suggestions on the Internet, but none that have been proven to work.
Practical Tip of the Day:
If you need to take your electronics to a place with potential moisture, there are lots of things you can do to protect it. If you're going to the beach, put your electronics in a baggie. This will help protect against both water and sand. If you canoe, kayak or even scuba dive, they make water-proof cases for most cell phones and MP3 players. They even make water-proof headphones! For your laptop, a simple plastic cover over the keyboard helps cover the easiest point of access for spills of all kinds. This also helps keep crumbs, dust and other matter out of your keyboard as well.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
What Are Text Messages?
Previously, I had mentioned text messages (AKA SMS or texting) in an article about whether or not Facebook was replacing email. I love watching these topics build up on each other like this. One small step at a time, we're learning more about the technology world around us.
Text messages are exactly what their name says they are. They are messages made entirely out of text. They're sent from cell phone to cell phone (with some exceptions I won't go into here), and are usually short- around 200 characters or so.
"Texts" as they're usually called (short for "text messages"), are quickly becoming the most popular form of communication with American youth today. They're short, they're personal, private, and because they're instantly delivered, you don't have to wait for someone to check to see your message.
Text messages are different from email from both a fundamental and functional standpoint. Fundamentally, text messages seperate themselves from email because they are sent and received by cell phone towers, not over the Internet. In this way, texts are more closely related to phone conversations.
Functionally, text messages are short messages. They're usually one line messages like: "I love you, Mom." "Pick up milk on your way home, please." or the more common "c u l8r". What? You don't understand the last one?
Text messages have created their own cryptic psuedo-language that will drive any English teacher insane. The above message actually means "See you later." They make small reference guides to decyphering "text-talk", but I like my method of simply writing in normal English, and if someone replies with something I don't understand I simply reply with "?"
As tempted as I am to give a quick primer on popular acronyms, I'll leave that to the professionals. Click this link if you've found yourself confronted with text or Internet slang you don't understand, but I wouldn't try to memorize any of these. No one's going to be quizzing you. Promise!
Practical Tip of the Day:
Almost every cell phone on the market today is capable of text messaging, but often times it costs to send or even receive text messages. As any of our friends can attest, my husband used to scold people for texting him even though he didn't have a plan. Each time one of our friends forgot and sent him a message, it cost him $.5. Before you start going crazy sending text messages, make sure you and the people you want to text with have plans or you may be looking at additional charges to your monthl cell phone bill.
Text messages are exactly what their name says they are. They are messages made entirely out of text. They're sent from cell phone to cell phone (with some exceptions I won't go into here), and are usually short- around 200 characters or so.
"Texts" as they're usually called (short for "text messages"), are quickly becoming the most popular form of communication with American youth today. They're short, they're personal, private, and because they're instantly delivered, you don't have to wait for someone to check to see your message.
Text messages are different from email from both a fundamental and functional standpoint. Fundamentally, text messages seperate themselves from email because they are sent and received by cell phone towers, not over the Internet. In this way, texts are more closely related to phone conversations.
Functionally, text messages are short messages. They're usually one line messages like: "I love you, Mom." "Pick up milk on your way home, please." or the more common "c u l8r". What? You don't understand the last one?
Text messages have created their own cryptic psuedo-language that will drive any English teacher insane. The above message actually means "See you later." They make small reference guides to decyphering "text-talk", but I like my method of simply writing in normal English, and if someone replies with something I don't understand I simply reply with "?"
As tempted as I am to give a quick primer on popular acronyms, I'll leave that to the professionals. Click this link if you've found yourself confronted with text or Internet slang you don't understand, but I wouldn't try to memorize any of these. No one's going to be quizzing you. Promise!
Practical Tip of the Day:
Almost every cell phone on the market today is capable of text messaging, but often times it costs to send or even receive text messages. As any of our friends can attest, my husband used to scold people for texting him even though he didn't have a plan. Each time one of our friends forgot and sent him a message, it cost him $.5. Before you start going crazy sending text messages, make sure you and the people you want to text with have plans or you may be looking at additional charges to your monthl cell phone bill.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Who is Anonymous?
You may have seen their iconic images, the suit with no head, the Guy Fawkes mask, or you may have even read their slogan before:
What they aren't:
It would take far too long for me to describe everything they've done, and there are a plethora of websites that have documented that already, but I just wanted to let everyone know exactly who/what they are and what they really do since major media outlets seem to switch between ignoring them, belittling them, and making them seem like terrorists. Several people have called them "bored teens", but after seeing what they do and why they do it I must ask: Does age really make someone's actions more valid than anothers? It would seem to me that this collective of people has been more effective at protecting the rights and liberties of people world-wide than all the politicians put together.
"We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us."
If you watch or read the news you've probably heard of this mysterious collective, but exactly who is Anonymous and what are they about?
In the simplist of terms, they are a loose-knit collective of Internet activists. They have no leader, they have no headquarters, and yet they are one of the most effective groups of individuals on the Internet. Their hobbies are:
- Civil disobediance
- Punishing racism
- Exposing Internet predators/ child pornographers
- Defending freedom of speech
- Preventing Internet censorship
- Punishing abuses of power
- Sharing information
- Long walks on the beach
What they aren't:
- Anarchists
- "Script kiddies" (Young, inexperienced hackers)
- Terrorists
It would take far too long for me to describe everything they've done, and there are a plethora of websites that have documented that already, but I just wanted to let everyone know exactly who/what they are and what they really do since major media outlets seem to switch between ignoring them, belittling them, and making them seem like terrorists. Several people have called them "bored teens", but after seeing what they do and why they do it I must ask: Does age really make someone's actions more valid than anothers? It would seem to me that this collective of people has been more effective at protecting the rights and liberties of people world-wide than all the politicians put together.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Special Edition: What is ACTA?
When I checked Twitter this morning I was overwhelmed with all the messages about ACTA protests around Europe today. Especially since most of these countries are experiencing record snow fall this year, it makes you wonder what in the world could bring out thousands in Berlin, Amsterdam, and London just to name a few major cities. So, without further ado, what is ACTA?
ACTA stands for the "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement" and is an international trade agreement between the US, EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, Mexico and several other countries. The intention of the agreement is to help crack down on international copyright infringement and counterfeited goods. We've all seen counterfeit designer hand bags and illegal "generic" versions of medicine (the primary target of this agreement), but while this agreement hopes to taper if not end that, it would also have wide-reaching effects on the Internet as well.
If this sounds at all familiar, you might be remembering the recent protests about SOPA/PIPA. ACTA will have all the things bad about those, some even worse things, and put them on an international scale. (Click here for a refresher on SOPA/PIPA) It would additionally hold your Internet service provider (ISP) responsible for your actions on the Internet as it pertains to copyright infringement. Critics of the agreement make the point that if this becomes the case it will encourage ISPs to watch what you do on the Internet ala "Big Brother".
It would also make it extremely difficult to give things away for free on the Internet anymore. If someone makes something, let's say a web browser like the one you're using to read this right now, and they try to give it away for free on the Internet, their ISP will be forbidden from hosting it (hosting means letting it reside on a website they have) because it could access copyrighted material. Yes, if you make something that can see, touch, show or in any way access anything copyrighted, you cannot give it away for free!
The biggest problems people have with ACTA though, is that politicians are circumventing the normal due process of their countries in signing and supporting this without any voting input of their people, and that the details of ACTA are being kept secret from the people, being discussed and written in secret closed-door meetings. (No, really. They're secret, and they do not let in any press or lobbyists that are against this agreement.) This is seen as a major threat to Democracy everywhere, and has angered and outraged not only the Internet community, but anyone who cares about politics being of the people for the people, not of the corporations for the corporations.
Practical Tip of the Day:
I guess this isn't so much a tip as it is a "heads up". The Internet activist group Anonymous is planning it's own version of a protest today, so many government and large media company websites will likely be brought down today for large swaths of time. The group tends to use a version of a DDoS attack, and sometimes recruits new attackers by posting and sharing a link that is generally shortened as a "pastebin" address. So, if you do not wish to participate in cyber-attacks on government websites (which can get you jail time) I recommend avoiding any website links that start with "pastebin".
ACTA stands for the "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement" and is an international trade agreement between the US, EU, Japan, Canada, Australia, Mexico and several other countries. The intention of the agreement is to help crack down on international copyright infringement and counterfeited goods. We've all seen counterfeit designer hand bags and illegal "generic" versions of medicine (the primary target of this agreement), but while this agreement hopes to taper if not end that, it would also have wide-reaching effects on the Internet as well.
If this sounds at all familiar, you might be remembering the recent protests about SOPA/PIPA. ACTA will have all the things bad about those, some even worse things, and put them on an international scale. (Click here for a refresher on SOPA/PIPA) It would additionally hold your Internet service provider (ISP) responsible for your actions on the Internet as it pertains to copyright infringement. Critics of the agreement make the point that if this becomes the case it will encourage ISPs to watch what you do on the Internet ala "Big Brother".
It would also make it extremely difficult to give things away for free on the Internet anymore. If someone makes something, let's say a web browser like the one you're using to read this right now, and they try to give it away for free on the Internet, their ISP will be forbidden from hosting it (hosting means letting it reside on a website they have) because it could access copyrighted material. Yes, if you make something that can see, touch, show or in any way access anything copyrighted, you cannot give it away for free!
The biggest problems people have with ACTA though, is that politicians are circumventing the normal due process of their countries in signing and supporting this without any voting input of their people, and that the details of ACTA are being kept secret from the people, being discussed and written in secret closed-door meetings. (No, really. They're secret, and they do not let in any press or lobbyists that are against this agreement.) This is seen as a major threat to Democracy everywhere, and has angered and outraged not only the Internet community, but anyone who cares about politics being of the people for the people, not of the corporations for the corporations.
Practical Tip of the Day:
I guess this isn't so much a tip as it is a "heads up". The Internet activist group Anonymous is planning it's own version of a protest today, so many government and large media company websites will likely be brought down today for large swaths of time. The group tends to use a version of a DDoS attack, and sometimes recruits new attackers by posting and sharing a link that is generally shortened as a "pastebin" address. So, if you do not wish to participate in cyber-attacks on government websites (which can get you jail time) I recommend avoiding any website links that start with "pastebin".
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Should I Plug In My Phone At Night?
Almost everyone nowadays has a cell phone. As a matter of fact, it's becoming increasingly popular to not even have a land-line phone in a house- everyone has their own personal cell phones.
When the first cell phone was made, battery life was considered a non-issue since the phone was so heavy you probably couldn't hold it up to your ear long enough for the battery to completely drain, but cell phones now are so small that people can, and sometimes do, talk on them for hours at a time. This, in addition to most phones being able to do more than just call people, has increased demand for phone batteries to last several hours.
Which leads us to this modern day dilema. Am I supposed to plug my phone in every night or let it drain all the way?
Batteries are similar to car tires in that they both wear down with use. Each time a battery is depleted (used up) and charged (filled up) it's called one "recharge cycle" Like tires, there's an average amount of use a cell phone battery takes before it starts seeing a degregation of quality. So the trick is to try and get the most of those recharge cycles. It used to be that you had to "train" a rechargable battery on how much of a charge it should hold by letting it drain down all the way and then charging it back up. Modern batteries though don't require that sort of babying, and will hold the same amount of charge if you charge it from empty or nearly full.
Almost every tech-person agrees that the best way to treat a rechargable battery (this applies to cell phones, laptop computers, iPods, and anything else with this kind of battery) is to let it drain down to low (but not all the way) and then charge it up. You don't want it to get so low the device turns off. This means the battery has "died" and has absolutely no charge left. This damages the battery, but don't worry, the battery can still be charged back up; This is not a permanent kind of "death".
This is the way I usually explain phone charging to people: Most of us drive our cars until our gas meter shows we're getting close to "E". (Or, if you're my husband, you drive it until the gas light turns on and then you figure you still have 30 miles. Drives me nuts!) Once our car says we're low on gas we go to a station and fill it back up. That's what you should do with your electronic devices. Use them until they're low, and then fill them up. You wouldn't want to drive your car until you had absolutely no gas and the car stopped would you?
Here's the catch. I use my cell phone until it's about 2/3 depleted every day. If I left it unplugged at night I'd only get half way through the next day before my battery died. (Which is bad.) Because of that, I plug my phone in every night. I know I could have my phone's battery last longer if I didn't, but we're talking about a difference of a few minutes worth of use after I've been doing this for a year. By the end of two years it might be a half-hour difference.
That being said, it is better to let your phone get low before charging it, but if doing so would cause you to be constantly watching and babying your phone, don't worry too much about charging it every night. It won't ruin your phone.
Practical Tip of the Day:
I've run into a fair amount of people who use their smart-phones (phones that do lots of other things besides making calls) so much that they can't even make it a whole day without needing to charge. If you find yourself to be in that group of people, or if your phone's getting older and the battery doesn't last very long, there are cases you can put your phone in that have an additional battery. They usually make your phone larger (because of the size of the additional battery), but often double the amount of usage you can get from your phone before needing to charge.
When the first cell phone was made, battery life was considered a non-issue since the phone was so heavy you probably couldn't hold it up to your ear long enough for the battery to completely drain, but cell phones now are so small that people can, and sometimes do, talk on them for hours at a time. This, in addition to most phones being able to do more than just call people, has increased demand for phone batteries to last several hours.
Which leads us to this modern day dilema. Am I supposed to plug my phone in every night or let it drain all the way?
Batteries are similar to car tires in that they both wear down with use. Each time a battery is depleted (used up) and charged (filled up) it's called one "recharge cycle" Like tires, there's an average amount of use a cell phone battery takes before it starts seeing a degregation of quality. So the trick is to try and get the most of those recharge cycles. It used to be that you had to "train" a rechargable battery on how much of a charge it should hold by letting it drain down all the way and then charging it back up. Modern batteries though don't require that sort of babying, and will hold the same amount of charge if you charge it from empty or nearly full.
Almost every tech-person agrees that the best way to treat a rechargable battery (this applies to cell phones, laptop computers, iPods, and anything else with this kind of battery) is to let it drain down to low (but not all the way) and then charge it up. You don't want it to get so low the device turns off. This means the battery has "died" and has absolutely no charge left. This damages the battery, but don't worry, the battery can still be charged back up; This is not a permanent kind of "death".
This is the way I usually explain phone charging to people: Most of us drive our cars until our gas meter shows we're getting close to "E". (Or, if you're my husband, you drive it until the gas light turns on and then you figure you still have 30 miles. Drives me nuts!) Once our car says we're low on gas we go to a station and fill it back up. That's what you should do with your electronic devices. Use them until they're low, and then fill them up. You wouldn't want to drive your car until you had absolutely no gas and the car stopped would you?
Here's the catch. I use my cell phone until it's about 2/3 depleted every day. If I left it unplugged at night I'd only get half way through the next day before my battery died. (Which is bad.) Because of that, I plug my phone in every night. I know I could have my phone's battery last longer if I didn't, but we're talking about a difference of a few minutes worth of use after I've been doing this for a year. By the end of two years it might be a half-hour difference.
That being said, it is better to let your phone get low before charging it, but if doing so would cause you to be constantly watching and babying your phone, don't worry too much about charging it every night. It won't ruin your phone.
Practical Tip of the Day:
I've run into a fair amount of people who use their smart-phones (phones that do lots of other things besides making calls) so much that they can't even make it a whole day without needing to charge. If you find yourself to be in that group of people, or if your phone's getting older and the battery doesn't last very long, there are cases you can put your phone in that have an additional battery. They usually make your phone larger (because of the size of the additional battery), but often double the amount of usage you can get from your phone before needing to charge.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
What Are eBooks?
We all (hopefully) know what books are. You know, those things with ink on paper all collected together? They used to be the bee's knees, but now it seems like you can hardly find them. Even when you can find a book store, they seem more interested in showing you their new eReaders for their eBooks. First of all what's with "e"? The beginning "e" simply means electronic. It's the same "e" as in "email".
Knowing that we can now establish that eBooks are electronic books. Why would someone want an electronic book? Well, have you ever tried to carry around a copy of War and Peace with you to read when you have some free time? On the other hand, you can have that and dozens of other books on one eReader (the thing that lets you read the eBooks) that weighs almost nothing and fits easily into a purse, backpack or breifcase. Waiting for your oil change? Read a few pages. Child FINALLY went down for a nap? Read a few pages. You catch my drift.
So why aren't people buying these things up? Well, they kind of are, but some people are die hard paper-books-only people. There's nothing wrong with physical books. I enjoy having them, and you can't beat that book smell! I'll go over some of the benefits of eBooks here, but by no means think that I'm saying eBooks are better the paper books. You already know (hopefully) the benefits of paper books.
My favorite thing about eBooks besides the size and ease of transportion is how easily you can interact with the book. Have you ever been reading and run into a word you don't know? Most eReaders allow you to select a word and look it up in the built-in dictionary. (You have to admit that's pretty cool!) I also like that you can usually highlight text you want to remember or set bookmarks to help you get back to important parts. I never mark up my real books (it's heresy to me), but throwing a fake highlight onto a line I want to tell a friend about makes me share my reading experience a lot more. I also love that you can increase the size of the text on the book. I wear glasses so if I'm reading a paper book I have to hold the book away from me, but if I have my glasses off I have to have the book three inches from my face. With an eBook, I can increase the text so I can hold it a comfortable distance away.
Now for the downsides. eBooks have batteries. Real books never need to be charged. Cost- eReaders are usually $100 or more. That'll buy you a lot of real books! Screens- Some people complain about reading on a screen. The majority of popular eReaders use eInk (I think you can figure out what that is) which simulates the look of real ink on real paper. Most people find that this doesn't bother their eyes, but some do. (I'm one of them that can't stand it for some reason.)
Before you go out and buy a Kindle or a Nook though, I do have to point something out first though. You may already have an eReader! There are programs you can put on your computer if you felt like reading a book on your computer screen, and most "smart phones" and tablets can also display eBooks. I personally read primarily on my iPhone for example. So, if you already have an electronic device, check and see if it has eReader capability first.
Practical Tip of the Day:
If you have a device that can read eBooks, check out classical books first. Most older books like Dracula are free, so you can catch up on those books-you-don't-want-to-admit-you've-never-actually-read without spending any extra money!
Knowing that we can now establish that eBooks are electronic books. Why would someone want an electronic book? Well, have you ever tried to carry around a copy of War and Peace with you to read when you have some free time? On the other hand, you can have that and dozens of other books on one eReader (the thing that lets you read the eBooks) that weighs almost nothing and fits easily into a purse, backpack or breifcase. Waiting for your oil change? Read a few pages. Child FINALLY went down for a nap? Read a few pages. You catch my drift.
So why aren't people buying these things up? Well, they kind of are, but some people are die hard paper-books-only people. There's nothing wrong with physical books. I enjoy having them, and you can't beat that book smell! I'll go over some of the benefits of eBooks here, but by no means think that I'm saying eBooks are better the paper books. You already know (hopefully) the benefits of paper books.
My favorite thing about eBooks besides the size and ease of transportion is how easily you can interact with the book. Have you ever been reading and run into a word you don't know? Most eReaders allow you to select a word and look it up in the built-in dictionary. (You have to admit that's pretty cool!) I also like that you can usually highlight text you want to remember or set bookmarks to help you get back to important parts. I never mark up my real books (it's heresy to me), but throwing a fake highlight onto a line I want to tell a friend about makes me share my reading experience a lot more. I also love that you can increase the size of the text on the book. I wear glasses so if I'm reading a paper book I have to hold the book away from me, but if I have my glasses off I have to have the book three inches from my face. With an eBook, I can increase the text so I can hold it a comfortable distance away.
Now for the downsides. eBooks have batteries. Real books never need to be charged. Cost- eReaders are usually $100 or more. That'll buy you a lot of real books! Screens- Some people complain about reading on a screen. The majority of popular eReaders use eInk (I think you can figure out what that is) which simulates the look of real ink on real paper. Most people find that this doesn't bother their eyes, but some do. (I'm one of them that can't stand it for some reason.)
Before you go out and buy a Kindle or a Nook though, I do have to point something out first though. You may already have an eReader! There are programs you can put on your computer if you felt like reading a book on your computer screen, and most "smart phones" and tablets can also display eBooks. I personally read primarily on my iPhone for example. So, if you already have an electronic device, check and see if it has eReader capability first.
Practical Tip of the Day:
If you have a device that can read eBooks, check out classical books first. Most older books like Dracula are free, so you can catch up on those books-you-don't-want-to-admit-you've-never-actually-read without spending any extra money!
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