Month: August 2010
Kindle Users' Tip: Hands-Free Reading on the Kindle 2, Kindle 3, or Kindle DX – Where There's a Will There's a Way
Here’s a tip that Kindle 1 owners don’t need, but it can come in handy if your ebook reader of choice is a Kindle 2, Kindle DX, Kindle Wi-fi, or Kindle 3.
This morning I drove to the gym while in the midst of listening to The New York Times Book Review — now available as a freestanding Kindle periodical for just $2.99 a month — on my Prius stereo via Kindle text-to-speech, and I fully intended to continue listening when I arrived at the gym and stepped onto an elliptical machine.
Problem was, I forgot to bring my favorite Kindle headphones. (I’m not an earbuds kind of guy, and
sometimes I just forget to throw the headphones into my gymbag.) That could be a deal-breaker for my reading-while-seating plan, because I’m not about to impose my reading choices on my younger and sleeker gym-mates via the Kindle speakers, and I don’t really fancy reaching foreward to tap “next page” every 20 seconds as I read.
On the Kindle 1, of course, there’s a “reading slideshow” feature that allows for hands-free reading: just press ALT+0 to turn the feature on, ALT+1 to begin it once it is in the “on” position, and ALT-2 to stop, and your Kindle does the work your hands would normally have to do.
But that feature was abandoned on the Kindle 2 and subsequent models, so what’s a would-be hands-free reader to do?
There’s actually a pretty easy work-around solution for the Kindle 2, Kindle 3, and Kindle DX that will work with any book, periodical, blog, or personal document that is text-to-speech enabled.
Just turn the volume all the way down on your Kindle and use the aA key to turn on text-to-speech, and
voila! your Kindle will begin turning its own pages in harmony with its text-to-speech reading speed.
So, for me, it was problem solved, and I stepped off the elliptical 20 minutes later a slightly wiser and slightly fitter man than I had been when I stepped on.
Two relatively minor tips to optimize this experience:
- You’ll probably want to select the fastest of the three read-aloud speeds so that your Kindle will have a better chance of keeping up with you.
- Keep in mind that text-to-speech uses Kindle battery power more quickly than any other feature except the ones where you use your Kindle to brew coffee or play DVDs, so plan accordingly.
eBooks for Troops Invites Kindle 2 Owners to "Support Our Troops – Donate a Kindle 2"
Related post: Getting a New Kindle? How to Return, Sell, or Otherwise Dispose of Your Existing Kindle
A couple of weeks ago when I began to notice how many Kindle Nation citizens were upgrading to the new Kindle 3 (3G + Wifi or Wifi-only) I shared the post linked above on various ways to keep our earlier Kindle models gainfully employed. In the process I contacted Len Edgerly of eBooks For Troops and The Kindle Chronicles to ask if EB4T was accepting used Kindles as donations to be sent along to troops. The answer at the time was negative but I’m happy to report positive news today. I’ve just received an email from Len with a link to the following post:
Support Our Troops – Donate a Kindle 2
We are very excited to announce that E-Books for Troops has launched a great new program, Kindle 2 for Troops (K24T), which provides an opportunity to donate your pre-owned Kindle 2 to a solider who is currently deployed overseas.
The impetus for this new program was observing the overwhelming demand and response to Amazon’s recently announced third generation Kindle. We instantly recognized this created a terrific opportunity for current owners of Kindle 2s who are upgrading to the new model to donate them to our deployed soldiers.
Here are the highlights of the program. It is really easy to participate:
- Read the details of the program on the Kindle 2 For Troops information page.
- If you have a Kindle 2 U.S. or Kindle 2 International that is in good, working condition (no damage, please) and you are a U.S. citizen, you are eligible for the program. (Note: first generation Kindles or Kindle DXs are not eligible).
- Complete our K24T Kindle donation form, and we will then email you with shipment instructions for your pre-owned Kindle.
- You will then mail your Kindle 2 to EB4T, and once received we will email you a receipt that you can use as proof of donation (note: EB4T has a 501c3 application pending and is authorized to operate as a tax-deductible organization per IRS publication 4220).
- We will then distribute your Kindle, along with a case and light donated by M-Edge Accessories, as part of a future donation to a sponsored EB4T unit.
We are so excited to announce this program, and know it will be very successful, but it will only be active for a limited time.
We are accepting donations only through Thanksgiving Day 2010, so please contact us now.
For more information or questions, please contact us today.
UK Edition Kindle Nation Daily Free & Bargain Book Alert for Wednesday, August 18, 2010: Over 50,000 UK Kindle Titles For Less Than a Pound, plus A Galaxy at War by Today's Sponsor
If you’ve been checking out our free book listings for UK Kindle Store customers, you are probably aware already that there is a growing selection of over 5,700 free books in the UK Kindle Store. We will keep adding notable titles and additions to this great list of classics and contemporary promotional titles, but today we’re going to focus on an amazing treasure trove of other great reads at bargain prices for UK Kindle readers….
How far would you go to achieve your goals? GFS pilot Ryann Germayne certainly pushes his limits in John Fitch V’s A GALAXY AT WAR. With nods to Star Wars throughout the prose, this isn’t your ordinary space opera: oh no, it gets dark. The consequences? Galactic domination. John Fitch V may be new to UK readers, but you can download a free sample or the entire book here to see A Galaxy at War is getting unanimously great reviews from US Kindle readers.
Kindle Price: £2.21 includes VAT* & wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
Captain Ryann Germayne, son of the legendary Jaxson “Hot Shot” Germayne, has been living up to his late father’s reputation. He is the best pilot the Galaxy of Free Systems “GFS” has. His equally talented first mate gunner, Joslyne, happens to also be his wife. They feel secure in the knowledge that should the end come during battle, they would perish together. Some believe that the GFS has grown too large, too bureaucratic for the regular person across the galaxy. This small group of rebels is slowly, but steadily, growing in numbers. Brit Hyram, the overall head of the Rebellion, is the public face of the secessionist movement. Though idealistic, neither he, nor any other within the Rebellion, has any real understanding of military tactics. The simulators used to train new recruits are woefully outdated. Therefore, the GFS pilots have little trouble winning the skirmishes on land or in space. But then the Rebellion suddenly has a blast cannon on their side. President Greensteen and Admiral Zephyr send Ryann to lead a strike team on a ground assault to destroy the cannon. Ryann has extra orders to secretly assassinate a certain individual while there. Having to kill someone face-to-face and in cold blood does not sit well with Ryann. So when he is later asked to assassinate another, Ryann and Joslyne defect. The Rebel Secessionist Movement is thrilled to have the best GFS pilot and gunner team join their cause. The new duo will have to earn the trust of Hyram and the other leaders, but they are put to work immediately. Joslyne’s expertise is used to update simulators for target practice and the like. Ryann begins teaching military maneuvers to the pilots and updating the equipment on all the ships. Joslyne still has doubts about what they are doing. As Ryann rises in rank and power at lightning speed, he begins to change. Even personally executing former friends and comrades no longer seems to bother Ryann. Joslyne soon wonders to what lengths her husband would go, how low he would sink, and how cold blooded he would become for his new beliefs. And can she continue to stand beside the man he is morphing into? |
Click here to download A GALAXY AT WAR (or a free sample) to your Kindle, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android-compatible, PC or Mac and start reading within 60 seconds!
US Kindle customers: click here to download A GALAXY AT WAR for just $2.99!
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Each day’s list is sponsored by one paid title. We encourage you to support our sponsors!
* Authors,
Publishers, Kindle Accessory Manufacturers: Interested in learning more about sponsorship? Just click on this link for more information: Click here to sponsor a Kindle Nation Daily Free Book Alert!* * *
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(Sponsorship can take a number of different forms and implies no endorsement either of or by Kindle Nation or a sponsor.)
UK Kindle Store Bargain eBooks
In addition to 5,721 free titles in the UK Kindle Store at this writing, there are currently 47,044 other Kindle books priced at less one pound! Here are some of our top picks:
Free Promotional Titles UK Kindle Store Listings!
(For our US Kindle Free Book Alerts click here.)
No guarantees on how long this one will last as a freebie, since it shows a ra
ther dear list price and is selling in the US Kindle Store for $41.21….
This book bridges the gap between theory and practice and goes beyond just one single model to present a complete toolbox – a range of models that can be used to analyze, diagnose, and resolve conflict in any situation. It shows mediators, negotiators, managers, and anyone needing to resolve conflict how to simply and effectively understand and assess the situations of conflict they face. And it goes a step further, offering specific, practical guidance on how to intervene to resolve the conflict successfully.
Each model provides a different and potentially useful angle on the problem, and includes worksheets and a step–by–step process to guide the reader in applying the tools.
- Offers eight models to help you understand the root causes of any conflict.
- Explains each model′s focus, what kind of situations it can be useful in and, most importantly, what interventions are likely to help.
- Provides you with clear direction on what specific actions to choose to resolve a particular type of conflict effectively.
- Features a detailed case study throughout the book, to which each model is applied.
- Additional examples and case studies unique to each chapter give the reader a further chance to see the models in action.
- Includes practical tools and worksheets that you can use in working with these models in your practice.
The Conflict Resolution Toolbox equips any practitioner to resolve a wide range of conflicts. Mediators, negotiators, lawyers, managers and supervisors, insurance adjusters, social workers, human resource and labour relations specialists, and others will have all the tools they need for successful conflict resolution.
LENGTH: novella, approximately 20,000 words, 96 pages in the trade paperback edition
“Reading the Peter Leroy saga is akin to watching a champion juggler deftly keep dozens of balls in the air while executing an intricate double-time dance routine-all without breathing hard. . . . Sentimental, loving, raucous, wise, and great fun, this is simply not to be missed.”
Booklist
“[Kraft’s Peter Leroy] series is smart, funny, warmly inviting, and delightfully impossible to define.”
Kate Bernheimer, The Oregonian
“Eric Kraft’s essential subject is suburban boyhood-in particular, that moment when it loses its innocence. . . . Like Lawrence Sterne, Kraft is unashamedly sentimental, digressive, and extremely funny; like Proust, profoundly nostalgic and obsessed with loss. The typical Kraft novel is a laugh-out-loud read with undertones of grief and ruefulness. Almost all of his books revolve around a single individual, Peter Leroy, who is now . . . as fully realized as any character in current American literature. . . . Under the surface humor, Kraft’s take on the national experience is thoughtful, disturbing, and unlike that of any other American writer.”
Anthony Brandt, Men’s Journal
“The Personal History, Adventures, Experiences & Observations of Peter Leroy is one of the biggest, funniest, sweetest, and looniest undertakings in contemporary American fiction.”
John Strausbaugh, New York Press
Kindle Nation Daily Free Book Alert for Wednesday, August 18, 2010: Another Kind of 9/11 Legacy, plus The Vampire Shrink (Today's Sponsor)
Nine years after 9/11, former New York Times reporter Anthony DePalma chronicles another frightening legacy which continues to haunt the attack’s survivors in the immediate Ground Zero neighborhood in today’s latest addition to our Free Book Alert listings….
The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Ph.D., Vampire Psychologist Series)
by Lynda Hilburn
Just $1.99 for a limited time in the Kindle Store
“A great blend of humor, horror and quirky mystery.” — Jennifer Armintrout, author of the “Blood Ties” series, 2007
“A refreshingly original twist on the vampire story. Fast-paced and fun.” — Kelley Armstrong, NY Times bestselling author, 2007
“A very well-written horror fantasy! . . . A marvelous, unique writing style causes suspense to build as the mystery unfolds.” — Simegen. com, 2007
“Lynda Hilburn creates a fascinating world — wicked and sexy!” — Kerrelyn Sparks, USA Today bestselling author, 2007
Product Description
Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight, Ph.D., doesn’t believe in the paranormal. She especially doesn’t believe in vampires. So what happens when she finds herself neck-deep in the vampire underworld?
Kismet is smart, witty and attractive. She’s respected in her field, successful and prosperous. She’s followed all the rules – done everything right. So, what’s the problem? Her life is empty. There’s no passion. No vitality. No excitement.
That is, until a new client introduces Kismet to the vampire underworld, and a drop-dead gorgeous, 800-year-old vampire named Devereux. Kismet isn’t buying the vampire story, but can’t explain why she has such odd reactions and feelings whenever Devereux is near. Kismet is soon forced to open her mind to other possibilities when she is visited in her office by two angry bloodsuckers, who would like nothing better than to challenge Devereux by hurting Kismet.
As Kismet gets pulled deeper and deeper into the vampire subculture, she struggles to hold onto her professional ideas about what is and isn’t “real.” The more she finds herself attracted to the charismatic, handsome Devereux, the more out of control her life becomes.
When one of her clients shows up in her office almost completely drained of blood, Kismet finds herself immersed in an ongoing murder investigation. Kismet is questioned by irreverent, handsome FBI profiler Alan Stevens, who warns her that vampires are very real. And one is a murderer. A murder who is after her.
In the midst of all this, Kismet realizes she has feelings for both the vampire and the profiler, but even though she cares for each of the men, facing the reality that vampires exist – along with all the other supernatural insanity she discovers – is enough of a challenge. For now.
Click here to download The Vampire Shrink from the UK Kindle Store
Each day’s list is sponsored by one paid title. We encourage you to support our sponsors!
* Authors, Publishers, Kindle Accessory Manufacturers:
Interested in learning more about sponsorship? Just click on this link for more information: Click here to sponsor a Kindle Nation Daily Free Book Alert!* * *
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(Sponsorship can take a number of different forms and implies no endorsement either of or by Kindle Nation or a sponsoring company or individual.)
Protect Your Kindle – Check Out Today’s Kindle Nation Accessory Advisor
Free Listings in the US Kindle Store!<
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(For our UK Kindle Free Book Alerts click here.)
A brand new collection of essential insights for your business and career from world-renowned experts-now in a convenient e-format, at a great price!
Actionable lessons from a century of extraordinary businesses-from Ford to NetFlix, Wal-Mart to Zappos
What you can learn from the world’s greatest businesses: from legendary startups to extraordinary turnarounds! Crucial takeaways from the experiences of McDonald’s, Home Depot, Zappos, Wal-Mart, Oprah (Harpo), Ford, NetFlix, UPS, Lego, Intuit, and many others.
From world-renowned business profilers New Word City and Nancy F. Koehn.
Included in this collection:
- How McDonald’s Got Its Groove Back (New Word City)
- Undoing Home Depot’s Demolition (New Word City)
- How Zappos Shoes In Success (New Word City)
- Sam Walton’s Way (New Word City)
- Oprah (Brand) Renew (Nancy F. Koehn)
- Henry Ford’s Way (New Word City)
- How UPS Delivers Again and Again (New Word City)
- How Netflix Produces Happy Endings (New Word City)
- How JetBlue Got Its Wings Back (New Word City)
- Bill Walsh’s Winning Ways (New Word City)
- How Kraft Crafted a Comeback (New Word City)
- Ray Kroc’s Way (New Word City)
- How Lego Built a Comeback (New Word City)
- How Intuit Turned Feedback into a Comeback (New Word City)
book reveals much that scientists and cultural historians have learned about the pervasive interconnections between infectious microbes and humans. It also considers what our ongoing fundamental relationship with infectious microbes might mean for the future of the human species.
Mourn The Living
by Henry Perez
From Publishers Weekly: Veteran Chicago Record reporter Alex Chapa is looking forward to a much needed vacation and time with his 10-year-old daughter, Nikki, whom he barely sees now that his ex has moved to Boston. Then his boss calls him back to cover for Jim Chakowski, killed in a mysterious explosion. As Alex digs into Chakowski’s notes linking a string of murders to prominent city council members, he and Nikki come under fire. Short, choppy chapters move the action along at a measured clip, and detailed descriptions infuse the text with atmosphere and suspense, especially during flashbacks to Alex’s childhood in Cuba and the murderer’s dark and traumatic upbringing. The killer’s identity is no surprise, but the final showdown keeps the adrenaline pumping right through the ending, which Perez (Killing Red) leaves wide open for possible sequels.
- A Nail Through the Heart: With Bonus Content by Timothy Hallinan
- The Postcard Killers (Special Free Preview: Book One) by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
(About 87 pages in print) - Hour of the Hunter: With Bonus Material – by J. A. Jance Pre-Order, August 24, 2010
- The Girl on the Beach: A Bess Crawford Mystery – Charles Todd (Pre-Order, August 31, 2010)
- The Static of the Spheres – Eric Kraft
- The Wild’s Call – Jeri Smith-Ready
- The Hunters – Jason Pinter
- Autobiography of a Yogi (Reprint of Original 1946 Edition) – Paramhansa Yogananda
- More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea – Tom Reynolds
- Seducing Jane Porter – Dominique Adair
- All in Time – Ciana Stone
- Shaken (Teaser Chapters) (Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels Mysteries) – J.A. Konrath
- The Lost Hero Chapter Sneak Peek – Rick Riordan
- The Reincarnationist Series – M.J. Rose
- The Last Song: Exclusive Free Kindle Content – Nicholas Sparks and Touchstone Pictures
Kindle Nation Daily Free Book Alert for Tuesday, August 17, 2010: Hot New Nonfiction Freebies, plus angels, heroes, and high school fantasy by Tess Oliver (Today's Sponsor)
The selection of new nonfiction releases in our Free Book Alert listings has been especially interesting lately, and we lead today’s additions with an omnibus collection of the fascinating and very popular new (and old) economy chronicles that we’ve seen in shorter form from FT Press and New Word City in recent months….
Angels, heroes, high school fantasy and a 19th century beach house with a shady history adorn the landscape of today’s sponsor, a young adult, contemporary paranormal romance….
Safe Landing
by Tess Oliver
Just 99 cents for now in the Kindle Store
Still trying to cope with her parent’s divorce, seventeen-year-old Brazil Parkin finds her world slipping even further from its once blissful orbit. She blames her mom for the rotten turn her life has taken. Leaving behind her friends, her horse, and a father she adores, Brazil moves with her mother and twin brothers to a 19th century beach house with a shady history.
Click here to download Safe Landing from the UK Kindle Store
Each day’s list is sponsored by one paid title. We encourage you to support our sponsors!
* Authors, Publishers, Kindle Accessory Manufacturers:
Interested in learning more about sponsorship? Just click on this link for more information: Click here to sponsor a Kindle Nation Daily Free Book Alert!* * *
|
|
(Sponsorship can take a number of different forms and implies no endorsement either of or by Kindle Nation or a sponsoring company or individual.)
Protect Your Kindle – Check Out Today’s Kindle Nation Accessory Advisor
Free Listings in the US Kindle Store!
(For our UK Kindle Free Book Alerts click here.)
A brand new collection of essential insights for your business and career from world-renowned experts-now in a convenient e-format, at a great price!
Actionable lessons from a century of extraordinary businesses-from Ford to NetFlix, Wal-Mart to Zappos
What you can learn from the world’s greatest businesses: from legendary startups to extraordinary turnarounds! Crucial takeaways from the experiences of McDonald’s, Home Depot, Zappos, Wal-Mart, Oprah (Harpo), Ford, NetFlix, UPS, Lego, Intuit, and many others.
From world-renowned business profilers New Word City and Nancy F. Koehn.
Included in this collection:
- How McDonald’s Got Its Groove Back (New Word City)
- Undoing Home Depot’s Demolition (New Word City)
- How Zappos Shoes In Success (New Word City)
- Sam Walton’s Way (New Word
City) - Oprah (Brand) Renew (Nancy F. Koehn)
- Henry Ford’s Way (New Word City)
- How UPS Delivers Again and Again (New Word City)
- How Netflix Produces Happy Endings (New Word City)
- How JetBlue Got Its Wings Back (New Word City)
- Bill Walsh’s Winning Ways (New Word City)
- How Kraft Crafted a Comeback (New Word City)
- Ray Kroc’s Way (New Word City)
- How Lego Built a Comeback (New Word City)
- How Intuit Turned Feedback into a Comeback (New Word City)
Mourn The Living
by Henry Perez
From Publishers Weekly: Veteran Chicago Record reporter Alex Chapa is looking forward to a much needed vacation and time with his 10-year-old daughter, Nikki, whom he barely sees now that his ex has moved to Boston. Then his boss calls him back to cover for Jim Chakowski, killed in a mysterious explosion. As Alex digs into Chakowski’s notes linking a string of murders to prominent city council members, he and Nikki come under fire. Short, choppy chapters move the action along at a measured clip, and detailed descriptions infuse the text with atmosphere and suspense, especially during flashbacks to Alex’s childhood in Cuba and the murderer’s dark and traumatic upbringing. The killer’s identity is no surprise, but the final showdown keeps the adrenaline pumping right through the ending, which Perez (Killing Red) leaves wide open for possible sequels.
- A Nail Through the Heart: With Bonus Content by Timothy Hallinan
- The Postcard Killers (Special Free Preview: Book One) by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
(About 87 pages in print) - Hour of the Hunter: With Bonus Material – by J. A. Jance Pre-Order, August 24, 2010
- The Girl on the Beach: A Bess Crawford Mystery – Charles Todd (Pre-Order, August 31, 2010)
- The Static of the Spheres – Eric Kraft
- The Wild’s Call – Jeri Smith-Ready
- The Hunters – Jason Pinter
- Autobiography of a Yogi (Reprint of Original 1946 Edition) – Paramhansa Yogananda
- More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea – Tom Reynolds
- Seducing Jane Porter – Dominique Adair
- All in Time – Ciana Stone
- Shaken (Teaser Chapters) (Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels Mysteries) – J.A. Konrath
- The Lost Hero Chapter Sneak Peek – Rick Riordan
- The Reincarnationist Series – M.J. Rose
- The Last Song: Exclusive Free Kindle Content – Nicholas Sparks and Touchstone Pictures