Saturday, February 26, 2011

I'm just yesterday's news


I find it very hard to keep up with technology from an emotional point of view. No sooner do I learn something new when it's time to let go of that knowledge and embrace the newest thing. For the most part, technological change is good--like my flat screen and lightweight television that I can lift alone--but some is just trying. I don't go readily though. So comfortable with the tried and true, I'm usually the last kid on the block with the latest gadgets.

Take music for instance. I was perfectly happy with albums when 8 tracks came out. Soon though, the best way to buy music was on cassette. It wasn't long before CDs came out replacing tapes--which I despise because they get scratched--and I had to buy all new equipment and music. Nowadays, most of my music is digital, which did me no favors when the V key on my laptop took a hit with water and fried the entire shebang (no, I hadn't backed up my files). I've not updated my Ipod since this tragedy and I'm stuck listening to an endless loop of the same old music.

Pieces of the baby quilt. Two down, four to go.

One technology I adore is video recording on my television. I do appreciate the fact that I could record all the television shows I'd miss while I was away and did indeed spend the second week of my vacation staying in my jammies all day and playing catch up with my DVR. Even if I'm home and able to watch, I still record my favorite shows because it allows me the ability to fast forward through the advertising. Love. That.

I also got a bit of knitting done in the process of getting caught up. On further reflection, I may appreciate this ancient art form of knitting because frankly, there is no modern technology involved with making loops with sticks and string, but that's a post for another day.

Sadly I can't knit and read at the same time. While I wish I could get into books on tape CD mp3 player, I'm much better with the written word. My mind just goes places once inside a book--places I usually like. It's also nice to hold a book in my hands and flip the pages. In addition to my knitting and travels, I've read 3 books while on vacation, and the fourth, well I'm working on that, but it's just too big to carry around. This got me to thinking it's time to get an e-reader. But which one? An Ipad? I've already got a MacBook that travels fairly well and frankly, I think an Ipad is way overpriced right now. A Nook? It's pretty spiffy and displays in color. This may be helpful for knitting books I may want to purchase. A Kindle? Ohhhh, I can't decide.

So I did the next best thing and downloaded the free Kindle app for MacBook to take for a spin and bought a book last night. I'm hooked. Completely.

Here I go again...



13 comments:

Brenda said...

Well....I am wondering if you are going to join those blocks in some way with the baby blanket. I will look forward to seeing it when it is finished
I so agree with you about the dvr. Love it.. and we had ours long after others had already discovered it.
My husband has an iPad for work and it is basically a large version of the iPhone. The newer version coming out sometime later this year is suppose to be better and somewhat smaller. I read books via iPhone and at first thought it was perfect for me. Now I am wanting a larger screen and I am looking into the tablets. They seem like just the right size for me..because I like to read in bed. Our Borders stores have filed for bankruptcy and are closing. I heard it was because they didn't get hooked into the e-readers soon enough. I for one will be very sad if book stores start closing down. Even though I have switched to electronic reading...I Love book stores and libraries. One of those situations where you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Jane said...

I'm not sure I could give up my books, there is something so comfortable about them

The Bug said...

I do love my kindle - especially the increase font size feature, which I've mentioned before :) But I also like to read real books & will probably not stop buying my favorite authors in that form. We just don't have room in our house for many more books!

I also love to listen to audio books - mostly in the car because I don't like wear headphones for very long. I just hook my dealio up to the tape deck & I'm good to go. Except Dr. M's car doesn't HAVE a tape player - it just has a CD player. Don't know what I'll do if I end up with a car someday that doesn't have a tape player...

SkippyMom said...

I feel your pain on this Rudee - I would love a Kindle too - it would cut down on the boxes of books I keep collecting. :)

I do like the feel of flipping pages tho'....oh the quandry.

Finding Pam said...

The one thing I learned about myself is that I can read my Kindle with much more ease than a real book. I am not as distracted by two pages to look at. However, with that being said, today I bought a real book. Go figure.

I am reading so much more now that I have a kindle.I don't loose my book mark and it easily fits into my purse. SOmetimes books do not fit the purse. Also with real books I sometimes skip to the ending before I am finished.

Rudee said...

Pam...I set up the kindle on my laptop to look like a book with a page on either side and chose the sepia color background. The absence of page numbers befuddles me. Yesterday, I bought and read JD Robbs new book and today I bought Unbroken. At this rate, I'll be broken, all right. Must slow down!

Unknown said...

Oh the quandary is right. I love my books, the feel, the smell and frankly don't have the money to spend on one of those things. I will be out of luck if they close all the bookstores, then the libraries. Who would have thought it.
QMM

Devon said...

Too much technology, but I love some of it, but it overwhelms me sometimes... Yeesh, I feel conflicted.

I don't even own and mp3 player of any kind, but I do have a kindle. Love it... it is better than a backlit screen as it does not cause the kind of eye strain you get when on the computer too long. It is like reading a papebook when it comes to your eyes.


I also bought a case with built in light, it was pricy, but it doesn't need batteries.. just runs off the kindle. And if you are thinking about getting an e-reader, the kindle is the lightest in weight and the battery lasts much longer than the others on the market.

I know I sound like an advertisement, but I spent many months researching the e-readers before buying mine in November.

I love mine :)

sue b said...

Public libraries have books to download for free so having your Kindle doesn't need to break your budget. Happy reading!

Rositta said...

Oh a Kindle, that is my birthday wish. I've downloaded some books on the iPod and now I'm hooked. For me it's mostly for travel. I like the idea of nor having to drag two months worth of books around in my luggage. I think the iPad is overpriced and the Kindle is somewhere around 140 bucks? Sweet deal...ciao

unmitigated me said...

Stick with the MacBook. I love my Kindle, but the real job doesn't look anything like it does on the MacBook or iPad.

Stephanie V said...

After my adventure with the Iphone, I wonder if I'll ever take the tech leap again. Being able to test-drive is a good idea. Everyone I know who has a e-reader is so satisfied that I have to feel a little curious about it.
There aren't enough free books at our library yet to make the switch worthwhile.

Celia said...

I didn't get a Nook for my birthday :( but I am still reading books when I get the chance. I get books on CD from the library and listen while I commute.