Technology and Gadgets Online

The Kindle is an electronic ebook reader that really hit the market by storm. In essence, this model and other digital book readers are hand held mobile wireless gadgets that allow people to store massive amounts of books and other publications and read them from anywhere they might be. Plus, there are various other uses and features as well. The Kindle is definitely the most popular of all brands of digital book readers.

The Kindle comes in three different models, the Kindle Wifi that retails for $139, Kindle 3G + Wifi that retails for $189 and the Kindle DX that retails for $379. The reason for the significant price increase in the Kindle DX is that it comes with a larger display screen of 9.7″ versus the other two models that have a 6″ screen. Many wonder if the DX is worth the bigger price tag because it is definitely not one of the cheap ebook reader models. Technically it is a larger and more powerful device, but there are other considerations. Please read on to find out if the Kindle DX is worth paying the extra cost and its overall pros and cons.

Key Features

• High contrast e-Ink pearl technology 9.7″ screen display, reads perfectly in bright sun, no glare and reads like real paper
• 10.4 x 7.2 x 0.38 inches in size
• Weighs 18.9 ounces
• Free 3G in 100 countries
• 30 second book downloads from Kindle store
• No compute required, Kindle DX works out of the box
• 2 – 3 weeks battery life with wireless off and 7 day battery life with wireless on
• Store up to 3,500 books
• Built in PDF reader
• Text-to-speech feature where the Kindle reads to you
• Automatic bookmarks
• Hundreds of free books in the Kindle store
• Share books with friends
• and much more

What’s Good ABout The Kindle DX

The bigger display screen means you will get more of the book text on the page which in turn makes it easier to read and much easier on the eyes. This is perfect for those that like to buy and read large print books.

The Kindle DX also delivers much better contrast on the screen than any of the older models and while the cheaper Kindle models may cost less, some are more than happy to pay extra for a device that enhances their reading experience that much more. This makes reading on this Kindle model much more like a real book, in fact many users report that the Kindle actually reads better than paper because there are no grains on the page.

What’s Not So Good

The price is definitely higher than the other models. In fact, the Kindle DX costs around twice as much as the 3G + WiFi model and this does make it beyond the reach of the typical consumer. In reality, the high price tag of the Kindle DX makes it not so much cheaper than the iPad 2 tablet computer, which also serves as a book reader and so much more. The iPad can perform a large array of distinct functions, including, computing, apps and others. But, it is still important to realize that the Kindle’s main function is that of a book reader and because it is built with that function in mind the reading experience is much better, especially because of the screen display, which in contrast to the iPad is not a computer screen that is so harsh on the eyes, but is actually an E-Ink screen that is just like reading real books.

Some additional user complaints include the fact that the buttons and controls on the Kindle DX are believed to be too small for a device that is overall larger in dimensions. This is actually due to the fact that the screen takes most of the area on the device. And, is this really a negative? When you think about it, the whole point of the Kindle DX is to enhance the reading experience with a larger page and print, so unless they would make the Kindle as big as a laptop, it makes sense that they will use as much of the space as possible for the screen.

Another con is the fact that the sacrifice for a larger screen and easier reading is that the device is heavier and less mobile as compared with the other models of the Kindle. This is a sacrifice that individual consumers will have to decide if they are willing to make.

Summary
Basically the Kindle DX has all the same features and functions as the Kindle 3G + Wifi and the main distinction is the larger screen and therefore an enhanced reading experience and especially for those that enjoy large print books. Weather or not you are willing to pay the extra money to get that will be an individual choice, but overall if the larger screen significantly enhances the reading experience that it maybe well worth it.

When you hear the word “hotdocs,” you might immediately think of some of the beautiful men and women you see on the weekly medical shows deftly saving lives and dealing with life and death situations while retaining their courage and perfect teeth. But there is another hotdocs that is well known in legal circles and is arguably more popular and hands down more useful than any actor living.

Hotdocs software is a program that allows the conversion of standard file formats, such as Word documents, WordPerfect files, or PDFs into a universal template that can be used to create sophisticated forms and documents for any number of purposes.

This legal system software was first developed back in the 1970s when Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, started to look at ways for computers to generate legal forms. The software has grown over time, constantly refined and developed in response to feedback from an ever growing user base. In 1993 the first commercial version of the software was released, garnering a significant following and simplifying the complex arena of legal form production.

Sales proposals, contracts, court documents and other legal forms became much simpler and much less time consuming to generate. Similar to mail merge processes within word processing documents but on a scale much grander and far more sophisticated, hotdocs allows the user to turn a standard document, such as a PDF or Word document, into an interactive questionnaire. The answers from this questionnaire are then used to generate a fully automated and useable legal form, customized to the individual or company at hand with all of the correct clauses and details.

Beyond this, hotdocs can be used in conjunction with databases, allowing maximum efficiency and total customizability with the infrastructure of the many and varied documents needed to effectively supplement the company. Case and practice management systems can also be integrated into the architecture, making hotdocs a unique product to each customer, a truly versatile piece of software.

The functionality of the program also allows it to be portable across the internet, reaching clients and offices wherever the web touches. Additional software is needed to accomplish this, but hotdocs pricing can include the necessary components in package deals to suit most businesses. The time recouped alone is worth the initial investment.

With such an amazing tool at their fingertips, it’s no wonder that so many companies now take advantage of hotdocs, incorporating it into their daily workflow and enhancing areas that once moved at a sluggish pace, at once rendering them more efficient and less tedious. Now that’s much more useful than George Clooney with a stethoscope.

The developers version of Windows 8 has just been released and technology blogs are covering every little detail all over the web. The OS received over 500,000 downloads in the first 24 hours alone. Windows 8 is far different from any previous version of Windows as its completely optimized for tablets and is touch-screen compatible; however, you can still navigate the screen just fine with a keyboard and mouse.

The new start menu is very similar to the Windows 7 phone UI, supporting interactive live tiles that can be rearranged. The traditional desktop interface as not gone away; you can access this anytime by using the keyboard shortcut ‘Windows key + D’ to quickly switch to your desktop. You can also use the keyboard shortcut ‘Windows key + tab’ to switch between any full-screen apps or programs you have open.

Tons of new features have been added to Windows 8 to support touch gestures including the Picture Login. This allows you to set any picture as your login screen background and you can login in by setting a secret touch gesture combination that applies to your background image. To access these options, navigate to the control panel and select Users in the left panel. If you’ve forgotten your picture password, you can easily switch back to the traditional password login screen.

Another cool feature in Windows 8 is tucked under the appearance settings and is called Auto Color. This allows you to select an automatic color option that will select the dominate color in your theme and apply it to your window borders, Start menu and taskbar. Once Auto Color is enabled, simply changing the desktop image will change your color settings!

New technology gadgets like tablets and advanced touch-screen display systems will come installed with Windows 8. Although Windows 8 supports traditional desktop computers, the default Windows 8 device will most likely become a tablet.

Sony has recently announced that they are releasing digital recording binoculars in November 2011 that are aimed at bird watchers and nature lovers everywhere.  There are two models available called the DEV-3 and DEV-5, both of which let you record in high definition HD, plus more amazingly let you record images in 3D – and can then transfer the video via USB to your PC or watch on a 3D or HDMI compatible television.

These are the World’s first digital recording binoculars and other manufacturers are bound to follow Sony.  For people who love recording nature and bird watchers these new devices could mean you are producing your very own high quality high definition 3D movies.  Imagine the joy at being able to record nature close up despite being miles away, and then editing your own movies to share online with friends or other wildlife and nature lovers.

You can see each and every detail of birds, wildlife, boats, planes, distant landmarks or sporting events.  Using the controls you can sweep into a wider area to locate your target, and are then able to smoothly zoom into your subject for a much closer view – and this is due to the 10x magnification ability of both digital recording binoculars.

Often with higher magnification binoculars the user will get wobbly and unstable images – especially with handheld models.  However, these Sony digital recording binoculars come with something called Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode – this is designed to give a clearer and far more stable view of your targets – which for people interested in identifying distant birds and planes will be essential functionality.

Both digital recording binoculars are very high priced with the Sony DEV-3 starting at $1,399 US dollars and the DEV-5 coming in at a hefty $1,999 which is a massive six hundred dollars more.  You might ask what the difference between the two models are – and in truth it’s not a lot.  The higher spec model has a couple more features the main one being an in-built GPS receiver. 

This will let the user geo-tag their videos and images and integrate them with a Google or Bing map for later reference.  The DEV-5 also comes with a carry case and additional leads – whether that is warranted in a six hundred dollar price rise will be the consumer’s choice.

Both Sony digital recording binoculars are designed to be used in stealth as they have a minimum amount of visible buttons and use an elastomer covering – which also allows for easy operation in the toughest conditions and whilst wearing gloves.

If you want a pair to pre-order Sony digital recording binoculars then you are going to have to wait until November of 2011, but they could be set to change the world of wildlife and nature photography forever.

The subject of gaming keyboards is extremely delicate, considering that there are still users who think that a keyboard is not very important for a good gaming experience. However, smart gamers know that they need all they can get in order to get that edge that can make them really good and comfortable with their passion. And as far as gaming keyboards on today’s market are concerned, you probably won’t get better than the Logitech g510.

Design

The color scheme is probably the one thing that we would have wanted to be better in terms of design at the g510. The keys part of the keyboard is OK, giving that the classic black is doubled with a bright blue in order to get an interesting contrast, but the top and the bottom don’t feel so good. The color used at these two surfaces is a kind of a grey that makes the whole design look a bit modest. In terms of dimensions, on the other hand, the g510 is perfect, being extremely wide, spacious and comfortable. The weight is also more than appropriate for a gaming keyboard, making the g510 feel sturdy, solid, but not heavy.

Features

The Logitech g510 comes with a palm rest, which is a nice touch from Logitech, but the piece of resistance in matter of features is of course the LCD screen, placed on the center top portion of the keyboard. Whether the display is truly helpful or not is questionable, but a thing is certain. It is nice and provides a feel of elegance and excellence to the keyboard. Also, it is not a full color LCD screen, which means that the price is not that much inflated by it. The g510 provides also custom-color backlighting, 18 programmable G-keys and full-speed USB.

Performance

There is not much that we can say in terms of performance about the g510, considering that it offers gamers about everything they might need for a comfortable, professional gaming experience. The keys are well-spaced, the illumination provided is more than satisfying and the integrated USB audio has an extremely high response speed. The three rows of six programmable G keys are also impressive and will score points in the eyes of true gamers.

All in all, if you are a passionate gamer and you don’t mind spending a few extra bucks for your passion, the Logitech G510 will not disappoint you and will offer you high quality, comfort and ergonomics.