Most of you guys already know and some of you must have already used the awesome new Amazon Kindle. For those of you who haven't, here's a hands-on review of Amazon's flagship E-book reader. And by-the-way, also keep a look-out for my e-book reader comparison post which I will be writing shortly.
OK, so what exactly is Amazon Kindle? The first thing that comes to mind is: It's an e-book reader. But that's not all. The Kindle can also be used for Audible and mp3 audio-books, text files, and after WiFi/3G integration in Kindle 3, it can also be used to access the internet on-the-fly. So now, you can also read your favorite online journals, newspaper and blogs on the incredible Kindle!
Now lets take a look into the technical specifications of the Amazon. Don't worry I'm not gonna bore you with stuff that isn't useful.
The Kindle originally had a 6"(diagonal) gray-scale screen. As for memory, it featured 250 MB of internal memory and also had a SD card expansion slot. It could store roughly around 200-250 non-illustrated titles.
The Kindle has gone a long way since then and it now features a 9" screen with E-ink "Pearl" display. The E-ink "Pearl" basically leads to better contrast leading to a better reading experience. The memory has also been buffed up. The new Kindle 3 boasts of 4GB internal flash memory of which 3.3GB is accessible by the user. A Kindle 3 is capable of storing upto 3000 non-illustrated titles. The biggest addition to the Kindle is the 3G and WiFi modem. There are two models of the Kindle 3. One has only WiFi while the other has both, 3G and WiFi. Another cool addition to the list of features in the new Kindle is the text-to-speech-menu feature. Now you won't need to read the menu options to navigate around the Kindle. Apart from that, you can not only listen to books aloud, but also listen to content listings on the home screen, item descriptions, and all menu options.
Now, I'd like you guys to check out one significant detail. When the Kindle was first launched, it was priced at 399$ and compared to the current Kindle 3, it is erm....lousy. The price of the Wifi Kindle 3 is only 139$ while the 3G+Wifi Kindle is priced at 189$. Apple and Co. should follow by example. The Kindle has become much more affordable than it was when it was first released, unlike several other electronic gadgets.
Amazon, has clearly tried to do everything in its power to make the Kindle more reader-friendly. The new Kindle is at least 20% smaller than the previous versions, and this makes it more comfortable to hold for a long duration of time.
There are also a lot of changes made to the keypad design of the new Kindle. The new page-turn buttons are smaller and less noisier than previous models. Oh! And by-the-way, page turning is now much faster than before. Amazon claims a clear 20% increase in speed, but that's a little exaggerated. Also, the navigation button has been modified and integrated into the more compact keyboard. That's all for the better.
So, overall, the Kindle has been buffed up and toned down into one of the best and most sophisticated e-book reader till date. You wouldn't be disappointed by the Kindle if you bought it. The best part is....you can buy a brand new Kindle 3 at around 150$! I'm not saying 150$ is nothing, but its a whole lot cheaper than the 400$ the first Kindle cost when it was released. On the whole, the Kindle 3 is a value-for-money solution for everyone who loves reading.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Magazines.com : Uber cool Offers You Can't Miss!!
Magazines.com needs no introduction. But for my own satisfaction, I'll still write an introduction for them. Magazines.com has been around since 1999 and after a decade in business, they have become the leading online magazine subscription service.
Subscribe. Save. And Get A FREE GIFT!
As the name suggests, Magazines.com is the internet's largest magazine shop. They have magazines and journals on all topics including business, cooking, technology and much more. In other words, if you wanna buy a magazine, you wanna go to Magazines.com. There is nothing more convenient than sitting at your laptop and buying your favorite magazine with the click of a button.
The fun doesn't end here. Magazines.com also has several offers which make your face light up. They have offers on leading magazines like TIME, People, Men's Health, etc.
The Website
Magazine.com is one of the most well-designed website I've seen. They're website is based on the web 2.0 model.
They website so easy to navigate, your 4 year old son can buy his favorite Nintendo Power magazine online. You can choose from several categories and narrow down your options by choosing sub-categories.
If you already have a particular title in mind, there's a very conspicuous search bar below the primary menu where you can put in the title.
The Offers
If I forgot to mention earlier, Magazines.com was initially a free business magazine site. But after a few years in business, companies approached them and they were given permission to offer subscriptions to premier magazines like TIME, People, Sports Illustrated, etc. Magazines.com, however, haven't given up their initial business model. They still give out free magazines and you can find them at Freemags.
Now let's take a look at some more interesting offers.
Social People Subscription Only 19.95$!!
5$ OFF Autumn Special!!
This offer is applicable on 'select titles' but don't worry, almost all title's are covered under this offer.
To use this coupon, you will have to enter 'fall_5off' during checkout. Make sure you use the above banner to go to Magazines.com or else you won't be able to navigate to the coupon center.
Magazine.com Birthday Celebration Sweepstakes!!
Apart from these, Magazines.com is currently celebrating its 10th Birthday Year with a sweepstakes. Magazines.com will give away one Apple iPad, one Nikon Digital SLR camera, five Dell Netbooks and 50 $10 Magazines.com gift cards. You can enter once everyday till the 31st of October (Trick or Treat). The winners will be announced on the 15th of November.
All these offers are valid till the 15th of November.....so hurry up and go get yourself some cheap subscriptions!!
And I'll keep updating this page with current offers.
Shipping
As mentioned before, all purchases, yeah I mean it, ALL purchases have FREE SHIPPING. Only problem, they don't ship outside the US as of now. They do plan on expanding business overseas but that could take time.
Overall
So the final verdict is out! Magazines.com is the only place you should look to for your magazine and casual reading needs. Magazines.com isn't the leading online magazine subscription service for nothing. It's the real deal. No hassles, no late shipping, FREE shipping and so many periodic offers! What more can you ask! So I urge all readers to kindly avail the offers I've told you about and get to work on some magazines!
As the name suggests, Magazines.com is the internet's largest magazine shop. They have magazines and journals on all topics including business, cooking, technology and much more. In other words, if you wanna buy a magazine, you wanna go to Magazines.com. There is nothing more convenient than sitting at your laptop and buying your favorite magazine with the click of a button.
The fun doesn't end here. Magazines.com also has several offers which make your face light up. They have offers on leading magazines like TIME, People, Men's Health, etc.
The Website
Magazine.com is one of the most well-designed website I've seen. They're website is based on the web 2.0 model.
They website so easy to navigate, your 4 year old son can buy his favorite Nintendo Power magazine online. You can choose from several categories and narrow down your options by choosing sub-categories.
If you already have a particular title in mind, there's a very conspicuous search bar below the primary menu where you can put in the title.
The Offers
If I forgot to mention earlier, Magazines.com was initially a free business magazine site. But after a few years in business, companies approached them and they were given permission to offer subscriptions to premier magazines like TIME, People, Sports Illustrated, etc. Magazines.com, however, haven't given up their initial business model. They still give out free magazines and you can find them at Freemags.
Now let's take a look at some more interesting offers.
Social People Subscription Only 19.95$!!
5$ OFF Autumn Special!!
This offer is applicable on 'select titles' but don't worry, almost all title's are covered under this offer.
To use this coupon, you will have to enter 'fall_5off' during checkout. Make sure you use the above banner to go to Magazines.com or else you won't be able to navigate to the coupon center.
Magazine.com Birthday Celebration Sweepstakes!!
Apart from these, Magazines.com is currently celebrating its 10th Birthday Year with a sweepstakes. Magazines.com will give away one Apple iPad, one Nikon Digital SLR camera, five Dell Netbooks and 50 $10 Magazines.com gift cards. You can enter once everyday till the 31st of October (Trick or Treat). The winners will be announced on the 15th of November.
All these offers are valid till the 15th of November.....so hurry up and go get yourself some cheap subscriptions!!
And I'll keep updating this page with current offers.
Shipping
As mentioned before, all purchases, yeah I mean it, ALL purchases have FREE SHIPPING. Only problem, they don't ship outside the US as of now. They do plan on expanding business overseas but that could take time.
Overall
So the final verdict is out! Magazines.com is the only place you should look to for your magazine and casual reading needs. Magazines.com isn't the leading online magazine subscription service for nothing. It's the real deal. No hassles, no late shipping, FREE shipping and so many periodic offers! What more can you ask! So I urge all readers to kindly avail the offers I've told you about and get to work on some magazines!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
A Review Of: Shambhala Publications, The Ultimate Self-Help Bookstore
So here goes! My first Online Store review. And since I began with the self-help category, I decided to review a store that specializes in self-help books and spiritual books. Although, they do sell other categories of books, Shambhala Publications are best known in the self help category.
The Website
Since Shambhala Publications has been around for almost half a century, we can't expect anything other than a super-cool, and not to mention spiritually soothing website design.
Apart from that, the site is well organized with all the links in the right places.
The best-sellers are listed in the homepage which is a good thing if you don't have a clue on what to buy. Not much more to be said about the site as a whole, except that the organization is awesome and navigation was as smooth as silk.
The Books
Now we're talking! OK. So this store seems cool until now. Lets take a look at all it has to offer in terms of books.
As I already told you, the recommended books are on the first page of the website. Apart from that, you can browse through lists sorted according to various criteria like sale books, bestsellers, new, forthcoming, etc.
Also, in addition to books, there are also a huge selection of audio products. Audios from famous authors like Pema Chodron, etc are a major USP of Shambhala.
The Offers
Yoga Exclusive Offer!
This book is only available at Shambhala's. So all yoga fanatics, hurry and buy it!
Pema Chodron Products Offer!
20% Off!
Please make sure you use the above banners only to avail the offers. Enter the corresponding coupon code displayed on the banner. If you don't the coupon will not be activated at checkout.
Explore your creativity
Coloring Mandalas special offer
Three for the price of two
If you don't know what mandalas are then I'll tell you. Mandala means 'circle' in Sanskrit. Mandala is a meditating art where you make circular patterns in a peaceful environment.
Shipping
OK, I've got a lot of good news in this department. Shambhala have different shipping options for US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and International buyers.
United States Shipping Options
Media Mail
3-12 business days
$3.00, plus $0.99 per item
U.S. Priority
3-6 business days
$3.99, plus $1.99 per item
U.S. Express Mail
1-3 business days
$10.99, plus $4.99 per item
UPS 2nd Day
By end of 2nd business day. Note: No PO Boxes.
$14.99, plus $5.99 per item
Canadian Shipping Options
Standard to Canada
10-25 business days
$9.99, plus $3.99 per item
Canadian Express
4-6 business days
$31.95, plus $3.99 per item
FedEx International Canada
3-7 business days
$18.99, plus $3.99 per item
International Shipping Options
First-Class Mail International A
Varies
$15.00, plus $5.00 per item
Express Mail International A
7-10 business days
$31.95, plus $4.00 per item
FedEx International
3-7 business days
$14.99, plus $6.99 per item
Australia & New Zealand Shipping Options
First-Class Mail International B
Varies
$15.00, plus $7.00 per item
Express Mail International B
7-10 business days
$31.95, plus $4.99 per item
Please remit payment in U.S. dollars only. We cannot accept foreign checks unless they are drawn on a U.S. bank.
What I just did is that I copied all the shipping details from their website for all of you guys.
Overall
So overall, Shambhala Publications is a helluva self-help online bookstore. Until I find another bookstore that can even rival this self-help bookstore, I'll do all my shopping from here.....and I urge you to do so too.
See ya later!
The Website
Since Shambhala Publications has been around for almost half a century, we can't expect anything other than a super-cool, and not to mention spiritually soothing website design.
Apart from that, the site is well organized with all the links in the right places.
The best-sellers are listed in the homepage which is a good thing if you don't have a clue on what to buy. Not much more to be said about the site as a whole, except that the organization is awesome and navigation was as smooth as silk.
The Books
Now we're talking! OK. So this store seems cool until now. Lets take a look at all it has to offer in terms of books.
As I already told you, the recommended books are on the first page of the website. Apart from that, you can browse through lists sorted according to various criteria like sale books, bestsellers, new, forthcoming, etc.
Also, in addition to books, there are also a huge selection of audio products. Audios from famous authors like Pema Chodron, etc are a major USP of Shambhala.
The Offers
Yoga Exclusive Offer!
This book is only available at Shambhala's. So all yoga fanatics, hurry and buy it!
Pema Chodron Products Offer!
20% Off!
Please make sure you use the above banners only to avail the offers. Enter the corresponding coupon code displayed on the banner. If you don't the coupon will not be activated at checkout.
Explore your creativity
Coloring Mandalas special offer
Three for the price of two
If you don't know what mandalas are then I'll tell you. Mandala means 'circle' in Sanskrit. Mandala is a meditating art where you make circular patterns in a peaceful environment.
Shipping
OK, I've got a lot of good news in this department. Shambhala have different shipping options for US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and International buyers.
United States Shipping Options
Media Mail
3-12 business days
$3.00, plus $0.99 per item
U.S. Priority
3-6 business days
$3.99, plus $1.99 per item
U.S. Express Mail
1-3 business days
$10.99, plus $4.99 per item
UPS 2nd Day
By end of 2nd business day. Note: No PO Boxes.
$14.99, plus $5.99 per item
Canadian Shipping Options
Standard to Canada
10-25 business days
$9.99, plus $3.99 per item
Canadian Express
4-6 business days
$31.95, plus $3.99 per item
FedEx International Canada
3-7 business days
$18.99, plus $3.99 per item
International Shipping Options
First-Class Mail International A
Varies
$15.00, plus $5.00 per item
Express Mail International A
7-10 business days
$31.95, plus $4.00 per item
FedEx International
3-7 business days
$14.99, plus $6.99 per item
Australia & New Zealand Shipping Options
First-Class Mail International B
Varies
$15.00, plus $7.00 per item
Express Mail International B
7-10 business days
$31.95, plus $4.99 per item
Please remit payment in U.S. dollars only. We cannot accept foreign checks unless they are drawn on a U.S. bank.
What I just did is that I copied all the shipping details from their website for all of you guys.
Overall
So overall, Shambhala Publications is a helluva self-help online bookstore. Until I find another bookstore that can even rival this self-help bookstore, I'll do all my shopping from here.....and I urge you to do so too.
See ya later!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Self Help Books: They Actually Work!
Everyone who has recently visited a book store cannot help but notice the growing volume of books in the self-help genre. 10 years ago, these books were always in the back-ground and the only one's being picked up were either Get-Thin or some other books of the sort.
Now, however, self-help books are becoming a rage in the literary world. We've seen how popular the Do It Yourself series, For Dummies, have become. There is a book for almost everything in the self-help domain. And it isn't really hard finding a subject for a DIY book. Everyone isn't great at all the stuff they do. Maybe the author knows how to do a particular thing like clockwork (except writing!). The next thing you know....there's a new book on the shelves!
As for readers, it isn't all that hard finding Self-Help books. Walk into any book store and ask the salesperson to direct you to the self-help section. OR use Google! Everyone knows the you can buy books online in 1 minute. Just go to Barnes and Noble's website and you can buy any book you want to. But then you don't get any special offers with your purchase.
That's where book clubs come into the picture. There are several book clubs offering promotions in the Self Help genre like, One Spirit and Literary Guild to name a few. These book clubs are offering 4-5 books at the price of 1. Cool isn't it! I'll be reviewing these book clubs in the near future so keep an eye out for them.
Anyways, about the effectiveness of self-help books, I can tell you that they really work. I've not been in a spiritual, mental or physical breakdown to have experienced this personally, but my dad who had thyroid problems cured himself with some Yoga book!
But, you should beware books like Improve Your Memory or something in those lines. Why? Well, that's because they never work! Believe me, I've tried some of them!
That's all from the Self-Help department. See Ya!
Now, however, self-help books are becoming a rage in the literary world. We've seen how popular the Do It Yourself series, For Dummies, have become. There is a book for almost everything in the self-help domain. And it isn't really hard finding a subject for a DIY book. Everyone isn't great at all the stuff they do. Maybe the author knows how to do a particular thing like clockwork (except writing!). The next thing you know....there's a new book on the shelves!
As for readers, it isn't all that hard finding Self-Help books. Walk into any book store and ask the salesperson to direct you to the self-help section. OR use Google! Everyone knows the you can buy books online in 1 minute. Just go to Barnes and Noble's website and you can buy any book you want to. But then you don't get any special offers with your purchase.
That's where book clubs come into the picture. There are several book clubs offering promotions in the Self Help genre like, One Spirit and Literary Guild to name a few. These book clubs are offering 4-5 books at the price of 1. Cool isn't it! I'll be reviewing these book clubs in the near future so keep an eye out for them.
Anyways, about the effectiveness of self-help books, I can tell you that they really work. I've not been in a spiritual, mental or physical breakdown to have experienced this personally, but my dad who had thyroid problems cured himself with some Yoga book!
But, you should beware books like Improve Your Memory or something in those lines. Why? Well, that's because they never work! Believe me, I've tried some of them!
That's all from the Self-Help department. See Ya!
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Welcome Readers!
In the first post on this blog, let me give you an overview of what you'll be seeing in this blog.
First of all, this blog is dedicated to all readers of every kind of literature. My focus is not on giving you recommendations of books to read, unless, of course, I find a really cool book I NEED to tell you about. Why we're not going to be focusing on random books is because everyone's taste differs. I'm going to be focusing on genres and the best books in their respective genres.
This blog basically helps you choose the best reading groups, book clubs and book stores to get your favorite books from. I'm going to be reviewing almost all book clubs that exist. We're also going to be looking at the current promotions going on in various book clubs.
Apart from that, we're also going to discuss current best-sellers from various genres. To organize the whole blog, I'm going to separate the blog into different categories so that its easier for you guys to navigate around the blog and check out the books, and book clubs related to your favorite genre only.
Ever since technology took over, we've been buying stuff online instead of visiting conventional book stores. So to satiate your needs of book stores, I'm also going to review online books stores, and post information about their latest promotions. Also since almost everyone has an iPod these days, we're also gonna talk about audiobooks.
That's a complete summary of what my blog is about. Hope you enjoy your read!
First of all, this blog is dedicated to all readers of every kind of literature. My focus is not on giving you recommendations of books to read, unless, of course, I find a really cool book I NEED to tell you about. Why we're not going to be focusing on random books is because everyone's taste differs. I'm going to be focusing on genres and the best books in their respective genres.
This blog basically helps you choose the best reading groups, book clubs and book stores to get your favorite books from. I'm going to be reviewing almost all book clubs that exist. We're also going to be looking at the current promotions going on in various book clubs.
Apart from that, we're also going to discuss current best-sellers from various genres. To organize the whole blog, I'm going to separate the blog into different categories so that its easier for you guys to navigate around the blog and check out the books, and book clubs related to your favorite genre only.
Ever since technology took over, we've been buying stuff online instead of visiting conventional book stores. So to satiate your needs of book stores, I'm also going to review online books stores, and post information about their latest promotions. Also since almost everyone has an iPod these days, we're also gonna talk about audiobooks.
That's a complete summary of what my blog is about. Hope you enjoy your read!
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