Quick Review: Kindle DX PDF Support Is Great!

Just got a Kindle DX in my hands about an hour ago and first impressions so far are quiet good.  The first thing I did is load up a bunch of technical PDF documents (SDK’s) I have gathering on my desktop.   I transferred them onto the Kindle DX via the USB cable and it mounted like an external drive.  A simple drag and drop to the documents folder and unmount was all it took.   All the PDF’s displayed on the main screen of the Kindle.  The problem with the 6″ devices is that PDF support is not very good because of the eInk screen size.  Scaling down a PDF makes it unreadable so the 9.7″ eInk display works out very good.  Page flipping and search works and so far I’m quite impressed.   The cost of the Kindle DX is $489 which is very high compared to the 16gb Apple iPad.  I would say the iPad will be a better device to store/read PDF’s as you don’t typically read them from cover to cover.  At least I don’t, I typically reference SDK’s so using a iPad would work.   The DX or other 9.7″ eInk devices costing  $489 (or higher) may not be a viable products once the iPad is released.

Debating the merits of Apple’s iPad…

CNET has a pretty good balanced article about the iPad.    I know there are heated debates going on about the iPad and it’s purpose/uses.  What do you guys think?   Does having no Adobe Flash really hurt the iPad — my opinion is no — hasn’t really been a issue on the iPhone since there is an app for everything and I rarely launch Safari for surfing (here is Adobe’s response). Does the size of the device make this unusable for daily use?  Would you use it as a work device?   I’d love to hear your thoughts…

CNET - Debating the merits of Apple’s iPad

Why the Apple iPad is not an eBook Reader

I’ve been reading a lot about how the iPad could hurt sales of eReaders and quite frankly I don’t think this is the case.  I personally own a Nook and I’m in love with the eInk screen technology.  There is something about the non-glare screen that is very reminiscent of printed paper.  You can read it in bed without blinding your spouse and the 6″ devices (Kindle and Nook) are easy and natural to hold.   The battery life is amazing and you never have to worry about closing or powering up and navigating back to the last page you were on — the eBook reader experience seems pretty natural to me.

The iPad is a very innovative device that I can see serving a purpose in peoples lives but does not offer any compelling reason to use as an eReader.  Sure, people are saying that you get more than an eBook reader, true. However, the key element in an ebook is the screen, otherwise, why don’t we all read books on our computers or iPhones/touches?   The highly reflective glass screen used on the iPad/MacBook and iPhone is terrible (using a MacBook Pro with one right now) and will cause eye strain if used in areas where it can catch reflections — not good for reading a long book.   Not to mention all the distractions fingerprints on the glass will cause while reading.   The LED backlight will be too bright when used on planes and in dark rooms, when used outside in bright sun it will be worthless.  The novelty of sliding to flip a page also seems like it will wear off rather quickly… there are no buttons to press to advance pages easily.   The whole point of reading is to get enveloped in the story, not by visual elements that make what you are reading look like a physical book.   I feel that the eReaders featuring eInk capture the analog pluses pretty well.

So where do I see the iPad fitting in?  As a multimedia connected home control device of course!  The form factor and price is perfect as the “second screen” we have been looking for in our living rooms and as this platform evolves I’m sure we will see more ways we can utilize this in our lives just not as an eBook reader — which is fine, because why is it bad thing to have a single purpose device that works very well?

Myro:Home Automation Controller Running In Apple iPad Simulator

Just downloaded the newest iPhone SDK (3.2) and ran the Myro:Home iPhone app in the iPad Simulator. It works (you can press the 2x to zoom it, seen in the second image) Once I release the iPhone app, I will be focusing on making a native version for the iPad. This should be fun! A $499 home automation controller is perfect — the iPad is Myro Control’s wireless home controller!

CES 2010 Video – Samsung MyFit

Here is a great little gadget for the neurotic hypercondriacs like myself.  The Samsung MyFit is more than just an MP3 player.  This little device tells you how to stay fit and healthy.   In the video you can see it check my stress level (it was “very good”) and even can tell you your melanin level (I was 175 due to my Greekness).   But that’s not all, it can even tell you how fat you are… by serving up your BMI index.   This little gadget is so feature packed you’ll burn calories just navigating it.

There is no release date or price yet… however, this will definitely be on my gadget wish list.

Barnes & Noble Nook – The Unboxing!

I finally got the Barnes & Noble Nook in my hands and here is the live unboxing.  It was a challenge but was well worth it!  The fit and finish on the Nook is exactly what I expected.  Like others have mentioned, the UI needs some refinement and optimization but for a v1 product, I’m extremely happy with it.  I will load up my PDF’s (SDK and technical docs) and report back my experiences…

P.S. Sorry about the poor production on the video… I got lazy and tried out the Flipcam I bought my wife for Christmas.   If you like the “rawness” of the Flip videos, I can do more of these types of posts as they are a lot easier to create than the edited ones. Enjoy!

SNEAK PEAK: Myro:Home for iPhone (HAI Controller)

Here is a sneak peak of the Myro:Home iPhone application.  As you can see, progress has been coming along.  I’ve been getting the design finalized and now I’m just tweaking the look and feel a bit.  The mobile framework has also been set in the core Myro:Home application which acts as a server on your home network.  The iPhone version connects into Myro and loads and controls the HAI panel via a secure channel.

The key focus has been getting control of your home via the iPhone in the quickest time possible.  As it works now, I can load and control in less than 3 seconds (if on WIFI).

- MYRO CONTROL – Myro:Home

MAVROMATIC @ CES 2010

Hope you all had a great new year!  I will be heading to CES this year and will be posting live via my iPhone starting Jan 7th.   If you have anything you want me to check out be sure to post in the comments.

Mypressi TWIST – Portable Espresso Maker

Are you the type of person that needs their daily espresso?  Well, Mypressi TWIST could be the gadget for you.  TWIST uses fresh ground coffee and requires no pumping, priming or compressing to make a shot of espresso.   All you need to provide is a standard N2O cartridge (the kind you use in whipping cream dispensers), hot water and ground coffee.  Then just press the button to push the hot water through the coffee.  The cartridge can be used approximately 8 single or 4 double shots.  This is great for camping!

– Mypressi TWIST

2010 Ford F-150 Raptor – Good Grill Design!?

I was flipping through a magazine today and saw the Ford F-150 Raptor.  I’m not much of a full-size truck guy but there’s something I’m liking about the grill design on this rig.  The FORD text and the brick layout in the grill makes this one bad-ass looking truck.  I wonder if Ford will bring this design to all the other F-150’s?  What do you guys think of this grill?  Am I’m out of whack for liking this?