Three to Think About

Sometimes I run across things one after another that seem connected to me but I�m not always sure about the connection. So, I�m not going to try to connect the dots this time, but just share and let you make any connections you see.

Amazon announced/released their Kindle e-book reader:

"Books have stubbornly resisted digitization," he elaborated. "I think there's a very good reason for that, and that is, the book is so highly evolved and so suited to its task that it's very hard to displace."

. . . Kindle tips the scales at a total 10.3 ounces--"That's less than a paperback book," Bezos said--and uses an "electronic ink" technology to mimic paper, not a computer screen.

. . . The battery life, company representatives said, will last several days to a week. A charger can juice up the battery in a matter of two hours.

Notably, Kindle does not require a PC for synchronization or any software to be installed. "Instead of shopping from your PC, you shop directly from the device. The store is on the device, and then the content is wirelessly and seamlessly delivered to the device," Bezos explained.

. . . Bezos also announced that dozens of newspapers, from The New York Times to France's Le Monde, would also be available for the device, as well as magazines and 300 of the most popular blogs, such as BoingBoing and Slashdot. "On Kindle, newspapers are delivered while you sleep, automatically," he said. The publications will receive a cut of the subscription fee revenue, as no advertising will be displayed on them.

Additionally, Kindle comes with an electronic dictionary and access to Wikipedia. Each device, as News.com reported, also provides the user with a personal Kindle e-mail address so that word-processing files such as Microsoft Word documents, as well as image files, could be sent to the e-book reader.

Livescribe (via Jeff Whipple, and you really need to watch the three demo animations to get the feel for it):

The Livescribe paper-based computing platform � a smartpen, paper, software applications, and development tools � will be available online beginning in Q1 2008. The smartpen will be less than $200. Additional dot paper will be available at prices comparable to standard paper products.

• Listen to your class lecture by just tapping on your handwritten notes.


• View & listen to your notes on your PC and search by keyword.


• Email your written & audio notes to your classmates or study group.


• Translate a word or phrase by simply writing it on paper.


• Download one or more languages to your pen computer.


• Practice your pronunciation by tapping on a word and listening


• Write & send a message directly from your notebook.


• Create & send an animated voice message from your paper.


• Post a message, drawing or animation (with voice) to your blog or Facebook profile.

Google-backed Genetic Testing Launches (and more):

Google Inc-funded 23andMe launched on Monday and began offering a DNA saliva test for $999 per person, which would help users of the online site learn about their genes, inherited traits, family trees, and participate in research.

"The mission of 23andMe is to take the genetic revolution to a new level by offering a secure, Web-based service where individuals can explore, share and better understand their own genetic information," said Linda Avey, who co-founded 23andMe with Anne Wojcicki.

I think the first two obviously have more in common with each other than the third one, but the phrase �individuals can explore, share and better understand� seemed to sum things up nicely for me.

Any thoughts?