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Confessions of a Former Book Lover

I love to read, always have — what a surprise right?  And I always thought I liked the actual books but now I know it is really the content I love — the ideas, the puzzles, the stuff that makes you think and imagine.  And I know this how?  I am in love with my Amazon Kindle.  I thought it would be great for taking a bunch of books away with me when I’m gone for several weeks or so.  Less weight since air travel is such a pain these days.  I wanted to try it out as I have always love to gadgets.  I was amazed last November when a plane I was on had half the people using ebook readers.

So I downloaded a bunch of books to take away with a month ago.  BTW, it is easy on the Kindle as it has wireless capabilities.   I loved the feel of the Kindle, the weight, the ease of use as soon as I started using it.  I could bump the font up so I don’t have to squint (yeah, I’m getting old!).  I could take it anywhere; even on the bright sunny beach it excelled.  The one thing I had not anticipated was that I could rest the reader on my knee, on the back of the seat in front of me on the plane, on a pillow and only flick the next page button — so almost hands free,  amazing.  The Kindle even passed the bathtub

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Gadgets for the Digital Nomad

Some cools stuff in this article but my favorites are:

Print Shop to Go, Printstik PS910

Forget about waiting at a Kinkos to print out that hard-copy report. Planon’s Printstik PS910 is a go-anywhere print shop. At 1.5 pounds and powered by a lithium ion battery, the PS910 easily fits into a notebook bag, yet it can print from a smart phone, handheld or notebook, either through a USB cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth. The US$300 printer uses thermal technology; a package of three rolls of thermal paper costs US$25. It means that you only get monochrome documents, but if you need a quick sales letter, a map or a proposal, this could be just the thing.

Power Central, Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger So much work, so few power outlets — it’s the nomad’s nightmare. Belkin’s Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger turns a single AC outlet into three, delivering electricity to you and those around you (sharing that outlet may get you good karma, or even a free latte). It also provides a pair of USB ports for charging phones, handhelds or media players. At 6 ounces, the Mini Surge Protector is worth its weight in batteries, and it rotates so that it won’t block the second outlet on the wall. The device costs US$25, but is well worth it — not the least because it carries a $75,000 warranty against damage from a power spike.