Barnes and Nobel Competes

You have to admire what Barnes and Nobel is doing these days. In a weakening economy they have chose to compete. Amazon had better look over its shoulder.

• Barnes and Nobel are offering free electronic readers for use to download. You can read electronic books on PC’s, Mac’s, iPhones, iPod touches, and Blackberries. They even give you a few classic books to get you started.
•  College textbooks are offered up to a 30% discount and with free shipping. Really important in September and January.
• B&N offer free Wi-Fi in their stores, especially the ones with a Starbucks. There is no decrease in books on the shelves, and the stores in Socal are all orderly.
• The membership program is still active with healthy discounts on books.

Would not be surprised to see them sell Sony’s reader to take more share from Amazon Kindell. Would be a natural partnership for Sony.

 

In short it is good to see well run companies innovate.
Steve

 

9/11 showed us who we can be

A very good article about the grace and warmth of people after a disaster. We are much more caring and helpful than people believe. This is from the LA Times.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-solnit11-2009sep11,0,5396972.story

Actually went to dig up the original article, and think the LA Times article was more focused (i.e. better). Here it is
Rebecca Solnit, 9/11's Living Monuments
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175112/rebecca_solnit_9_11_s_living_monuments

Sorry the links are not working. Copy and paste into your browser. You may have to search www.latimes.com to find the title article.

Know we are meant to be better than the self center children we started out to be. Amazing how much better we can be.
God bless,
Steve

Tough Tech Rugged Gear That Can Survive Almost Any Calamity

A fun article for your Labor day about technology that is not fragile, but meet a MIL spec for strength and durability. Fortunately my job does not require these tools.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/170706/tough_tech_rugged_gear_that_can_survive_almost_any_calamity.html?tk=nl_wbx_t_topstoryn

You may have to go to PCworld.com and search for the article title Tough Tech

After you peruse the high priced I really don't need its, go to the Essential (and Cool) Laptop Gear article to see laptop gadgets like the PLANon DocuPen Color Scanner RC805 and other elite tech gear you probably don't need... :)

http://www.pcworld.com/article/170418/essential_and_cool_laptop_gear.html

Have a great Labor day! I have to get back to working on finding more work.
Steve Amos

A peek into the future

Good article about the near future of technology.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover6-2009sep06,0,6494829.story
Copy and paste or just search "A peek into the future"

I love predictions. It is amazing how wrong we get them. Yet is it shows how we are trying to solve problems all the time.

Wireless electricity seems like a side effect failure, but there are great places to use it. Especially how difficult it is to run some wires. RUF seems too costly. There is a better chance for cars to use other software technologies which do not require the infrastructure.

N + 3 Aviation and Nanotechnology do seem like the future. There is a tremendous need for both of these technologies.

Just my guess about these technologies. What is yours?
Steve Amos