While I’m gone, please take some time to look through some old posts, especially if you are a few user/follower 
And for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, as you move your way toward your winter months, don’t forget this easy way to make your gloves touch-screen friendly!
Posted by sharechair on April 5, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/04/05/taking-a-short-blogging-break/
When you read, are you a highlighter? This is a new habit for me. In the past … the very-long-ago-past …. I would highlight in textbooks for courses of study (yes, they had big heavy textbooks back in the stone age ). That was really all the highlighting I ever did….solely for the purpose of going back to study those important bright yellow parts.
But today, when you read a Kindle book, you often run into passages that have been highlighted by other readers of the book. This made me think about doing some highlighting of my own.
And highlight I did. It’s so easy…. just touch the text on a Kindle Paperwhite and slide your finger. Poof! You have just highlighted a passage!
Now here comes the super cool part: You can now go to the Amazon website and see ALL of your highlights (from any and all of the books you’ve highlighted) all in one place.
(If you haven’t highlighted anything on a kindle book, perhaps you should make a few, and then come back to this post.)
Just go to https://amazon.kindle.com/
Look across the TOP of the screen, and you will see this:
Notice the words “My Highlights”? Click on that. (You will probably be asked for your Amazon password at this point).
You will now find yourself on the page of highlights. Your highlights.
I’m really enjoying looking back at all the passages that I particularly felt worthy of remembering, all laid out for me to remember. This is truly a wonderful feature that I am just beginning to use, but one that I know will become a regular go-to for me.
p.s.
(There are several other really great features on this page, and I’ll be sure to cover these in future posts.)
Posted by sharechair on March 27, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/hey-kindle-readers-view-all-your-highlights-in-one-place/
I am not a happy flier. I do it because I have to do it to get places. If there was an option, I’d choose it. Any “it”. But usually there is no option, so I have to fly.
It’s not just the flying that puts me off. Just getting to the gate of your plane can be quite the ordeal with new rules about luggage fees, kiosk check-ins, and crazy long security lines.
And then you crush into those airplane seats which were obviously made for a race of beings that are much smaller than the average human. No place for your knees, your elbows squished to your sides and (usually) the seat in front of you reclined so that it practically touches your nose.
Once I’m strapped in place, I want to ‘escape’! I pull out my kindle and jump into a book and do my best to forget about my budding claustrophobia, discomfort and just a touch of terror fear-of-flying.
But, just as I start to lose myself in my book, the doors close, the plane pulls away from the gate, and the announcement comes on “Please power down your electronic devices for take-off.”
No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!!
Take offs and landings are both times that I especially want to forget where I am and be lost in my book. Hurtling down the runway is not my idea of a good time.
Happily, this rule may soon be changed. Hurray!!
The New York Times is reporting that by the end of the year these restrictions may be relaxed.
Apparently, the Federal Aviation Administration set up a committee last year to look at this issue since they have been under increasing pressure to either change this rule or PROVE that it matters. Lots of folks have argued for years that these devices don’t really interfere with the functioning of the plane. And now the FAA has been pushed to the point of “put up or shut up”.
Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri, has now introduced legislation to make this happen. “So it’s O.K. to have iPads in the cockpit; it’s O.K. for flight attendants — and they are not in a panic — yet it’s not O.K. for the traveling public,” she said. “A flying copy of ‘War and Peace’ is more dangerous than a Kindle.” After meeting with the chairman of the F.C.C. she said “The idea that in-flight use of electronic devices for things like reading a book poses a threat to the safety of airline passengers is baseless and outdated.”
Even the pilots are using iPads, for goodness sake!
I’ll be flying again in June. The reports say the changes will be announced “by July 31″, so I’ll probably still have to turn off my Kindle for this flight.
But hopefully this will be the last time.
Posted by sharechair on March 26, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/dumping-the-dreaded-turn-off-your-electronic-devices/
Amazon has just announced a new exciting feature for Kindle owners.
This new “send to kindle” button allows you to send the content that you see on the web directly to your Kindle to read later at your own leisure.
(There are many apps that do a similar deed for the iPad (I use Instapaper), but the idea of sending a web page directly to my Kindle is very exciting.)
So far this magic button has only been added to a few websites, but the Washington Post is one of them, and is a great place to try this out. I did, and it worked GREAT.
Here is all I did to send a Washington Post news story directly to my Kindle:
I pulled up a random news story, and there, on the side, were a list of buttons, among them, a new “K“.
I tapped the ”K” and another pop up appeared, asking me where I would like it sent. I chose to send it to my Paperwhite.
That’s it.
The next time I went to my Paperwhite, the article from the Washington Post was waiting there for me to read it. Wonderful!
I thoroughly expect this “K” to quickly start showing up on websites all over the internet. It is available from Amazon, now, for all websites and also for WordPress blogs.
(Note to WordPress bloggers: Of course I immediately wanted to add this Kindle button to my own blog, however, it is my understanding that at this point it is not possible to add it to the free-version of wordpress blogging, the kind with wordpress.com in your address. I’m hoping WordPress allows us to use it, soon. But in the meantime, if you have upgraded your WordPress blog, know that you can now add a kindle button and allow your readers to read your blog posts on their Kindles.)
Posted by sharechair on March 20, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/look-for-amazons-new-send-to-kindle-button-on-a-website-near-you/
March 2 is the birthday of Theodor Geisel best known to the world as Dr. Seuss.
Dr. Seuss wrote and illustrated 44 children’s books. Fox in Socks was a favorite in our house, along with Dr. Seuss’ ABC, Hop on Pop, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.
(They really stick with you, don’t they? It’s been 25 years, and I think I can still recite these all by heart )
Oceanhouse media has put all their Dr. Seuss book apps on sale for this weekend for 30 – 75% off, and you can find the entire list, here. (Android apps are also on sale. Look in your favorite Android store for Oceanhouse Media, and these apps should be on sale there, as well.)
Posted by sharechair on March 1, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/03/01/celebrate-dr-seuss-birthday-with-app-sales/
photo credit: “Caveman Chuck” Coker via photopin cc
Simply explained:
Looking at a backlit screen is like looking into a light bulb. A backlit screen is bright, even in a dark room. Your computer screen is a backlit screen.
An e-ink screen is not lit. Just like a piece of paper, the only way YOU can see it is if you shine light ON it. You can read an e-ink screen in a well lit room, but if you were sitting in the dark you would not be able to see it without some other light source. .
That’s it. It’s that simple.
Backlit = bright. E-ink = not bright.
Now for a few other points about each:
Backlit screens
Backlit screens are found on desktop computers, laptops and tablets (like the iPad and the Kindle Fire).
Backlit screens wash out in bright sunlight.
The use of backlit screens before bed (like with a tablet) makes sleep difficult for many people.
Some people complain of eye strain with extended use of backlit screens.
E-ink screens
E-ink screens are clear and sharp in bright sunlight, making them the #1 choice for outdoor (beach) reading.
To read in a dark room, (bedtime reading), you need a light. A clip on book light works great for most e-readers.
The Paperwhite Kindle has an e-ink screen. It is unique in that it has a built in light that covers the whole screen. The light reflects, it does NOT come from within. If you turn the light up, the screen looks bright, but that is light that is layered on TOP of the e-ink. If you turn the light down, you will see the standard plain old e-ink screen. So the Paperwhite is just an e-ink device with a fancy light.
One more piece of confusion to clear up: Kindles come in both backlit AND e-ink screens. Kindle Fire Tablets have backlit screens. Kindle e-readers have e-ink screens.
Posted by sharechair on February 6, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/e-ink-or-backlit-screen-whats-the-difference/
A few days ago I confessed that I had far too many books in my Amazon Cloud. It was crowded with dozens of free books that I grabbed over time. I needed to permanently delete books, and I showed you how to do that, here.
But now that I discovered the BEST free book sorter I have ever seen, well, my Cloud is filling up again!
With Free Book Sifter, you have the ability to dig down through the genres that YOU want.
Along with the title of the book, you are also presented with the number of reviews and the number of stars that the book has acquired on Amazon. (remember .. you don’t have to have a Kindle to read Kindle books. There is a wonderful, free, Kindle App for your iPhone and iPad.)
And the sorting goes deep … once you choose a category, you are presented with sub-categories.
A Browsing Bonanza!
Click on a book and you are taken directly to Amazon where you can learn more about it, read the reviews and make your choice.
Just BEWARE … you will probably loose track of time as you frolic in all the free-ness.
Have fun with Free Book Sifter
Posted by sharechair on January 31, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/find-the-free-kindle-books-you-want-with-free-books-sifter/
I didn’t know I needed a Movie App.
I felt quite comfortable (if I wanted to go and see a movie) just looking up my local theaters and seeing what they were showing.
But then my son suggested this app, and since the price was right (it’s FREE), I downloaded it at once.
And I must say … I’m delighted.
I don’t go to the movies very often, so I’m not “up to date” on what’s playing, or what’s hot, or what’s the next big thing. I really don’t know much.
But, when I DO want to see a movie, this app gives me everything I need, all in one place. Very very handy.
It shows me the theaters closest to me, and names the movies playing there. It shows the times, as well. It let’s me know all the showtimes for the coming week.
You can tap any movie and watch a trailer.
You can look at a list of the movies coming out next week, and the week after and the week after that.
You can read reviews of the movies, check ratings, learn about the actors and even find movies newly released on DVD.
Tapping on a movie shows you a screen like this. Scroll down the movie page for more information. Ratings by critics and ordinary folks are all included.
Looking ahead to see what movies are playing next week or the week after is as easy as a tap. Then you are presented with a screen like the one below. Movie list on the side, just tap any to get further information.
Very very handy to have all the information you need in one place. Flixster is free in the iTunes store. It is also available for Android, and Kindle Fire users can find this in the Amazon App store (also free).
Posted by sharechair on January 27, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/find-a-movie-with-flixster/
photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography via photopin cc
The Cloud is great because it is basically a huge bookshelf just for you (but you don’t have to dust it ). It grows and grows as you add books.
But at some point, you are going to sort through the Cloud and say “What the heck am I doing with THAT book?” It happens. Especially since Amazon offers so many free books, you might find yourself regretting a grab or two (or in my case, about twenty).
Here is how you permanently delete a Kindle book:
(the important word here is permanently. If you delete books in this manner, you would have to buy them again if you want to read them.)
Access your Amazon account from your computer.
After you sign in, go to “My Account” and slide down to “Manage My Kindle”
After you click on “Manage My Kindle”, you will be shown a list of all the Kindle books that you have ever bought. You can do lots of things from this page, but we are going to concentrate on the permanent delete.
Notice off to the right of each book there is a button labeled “Actions”.
Touch on “Action” next to the book that you would like to permanently delete.
A drop-down menu appears. Note that one of the choices is to “delete from library”.
“Delete from Library” is the magic button that will permanently delete your book.
Select “delete from library”, and you will get this warning message before you actually do the deleting:
I’m so glad they put that extra warning message step in the process, because that way you really know for sure exactly what you are doing.
Give the “yes” a tap and the book will disappear from your Cloud bookshelf … forever.
Posted by sharechair on January 23, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/how-to-permanently-delete-a-kindle-book/
photo credit: Patrick Hoesly via photopin cc
So let’s look at the life of a Kindle book.
Once you buy a Kindle book, it is yours forever (if you want to keep it).
Imagine a huge bookshelf in the sky. This is your bookshelf. There is no limit to it. It will grow and grow as you add books. When you buy a Kindle book at Amazon, the book appears on your shelf-in-the-sky. Amazon calls this the “Cloud”.
If you have a Kindle Fire, or a Kindle App on an iPhone or iPad or a newer Kindle (like the Paperwhite), you will see a spot that says “Cloud/Device”.
This is how “Cloud/Device” appears on the Kindle App on the iPad. It is similar on other devices.
(On the oldest Kindles, the “Cloud” can be found by looking at your “archived items”)
Tap on “Cloud” and you will see ALL OF THE BOOKS YOU HAVE EVER BOUGHT. Touch and hold any one to download it to the device in your hand.
Tap on “Device” and you will see ONLY THE BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED to the Kindle or Kindle app in your hand.
Your purchased book can reside in many places. It can sit on your Kindle reader, or on another device that has a Kindle app (like your iPad or iPhone), or it can stay in Amazon’s ‘Cloud’.
A book can also be in several places at once. When I read a book, for example, I will typically download it to my Paperwhite AND to my iPhone Kindle app AND to my old bathtub Kindle, so I can pick up the book and continue reading wherever I am.
Any family member or anyone else sharing the same Amazon account can have the same books on their Kindle at the same time, as well. The Cloud is the source for all your content on all your Kindle-powered devices.
Now, to answer Marcia’s original question: removing the books from your Kindle or Kindle App does not ‘delete’ them from your life. It only takes the book off of the device .. but it leaves it in the Cloud, so that you can put it back on your device whenever you choose.
When you want to remove a book from your device, just tap and hold it. On a Kindle App, a bubble will pop up that says “Remove from Device”. Go ahead and tap that. The book will be gone from your reader, but it will still be in the Cloud to be downloaded again, whenever you want it.
(On the Paperwhite, if you tap and hold a book that is on the Kindle, a list of options will appear, and among them is “remove from this device”.)
So if you look at this diagram, you can now imagine your books flying back and forth from Device-to-Cloud from Cloud-to-Device, back and forth and forth and back. Move them around as you’d like.
It is possible to delete books permanently, as well. (Thank goodness for that, because I have nabbed some free ones that I quickly regretted.) I’ll make this process a separate blog post, another day.
Posted by sharechair on January 21, 2013
http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/where-are-my-kindle-books-how-to-find-them-and-move-them/
