This Week’s Best Deals: Kindle Fire Sale, Old Navy Discounts, Freebies – TIME

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The Cyber Threat: Special Kindle Promotion – CTOvision (blog)

Thanks to Amazon.com we are able to provide our readers with a free copy of the Kindle version of our book on The Cyber Threat during a special two day promotion running 23 and 24 April. The book was written to provide actionable insights into the cyber threat specially aimed towards the leader who should know more about threats to protect business objectives.  You can read this version of the book on any Mac, PC, Tablet, or Smartphone.

To receive your free copy visit http://ctolink.us/TheCyberThreat on 23 April and select the free Kindle option.

Please help us spread word of this free book to others in your organization who may need to know more about the threat.

Kindle Writeon is Destined to Fail – Good E-Reader (blog)

I'm catching hints of Microsoft in Amazon's behavior. Trying to do too much is a recipe for failure. Take for instance Microsoft's mission statement as stated by Bill Gates in the 1980s:

"A computer on every desk and in every home running Microsoft software."

Remarks like that were being praised in management circles at late as 2006:

http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/2432/power-of-a-clear,-concise-vision

But you and I know precisely what's wrong with it. Those two phrases "every desk" and "every office" don't encompass a world of mobile or portable devices. That's a core reason why Microsoft missed out on smartphones and tablets. It's also why they were caught flat-footed by the Internet. Those computers existed primarily to run "Microsoft software."

But notice that Gate's remark is wrong in another way—those two "every" claims. Microsoft wanted to own office and personal computers. It was so focused on driving what happened that it failed to see what was happening outside itself.

Amazon is making similar blunders, particularly in the book arena. What it can't own outright, it seeks to dominate. Sometimes that means it is legitimately charged with bullying. Sometimes it means its late to a party and upset to discover that everyone else is going down a different path. A healthier company would cooperate with those other paths not compete with or try to buy them out.

—–

Like Microsoft before it. Amazon is also making enemies among those with who it must have cooperative relationships, particularly authors and publishers. Other corporations know better, including Boeing, which also has a heavy Seattle presence.

When I worked for Boeing as a tech writer, I was told something interesting. Boeing, I was informed, could easily run its own passenger and package firm, using its own aircraft to shuttle people and things between its major facilities. It'd save time and money. An Boeing executive at the company's Everett facility (where 747 are assembled) could show up at 8:15 am and leave on an 8:30 flight to the company's plant in Wichita, arriving at the facility itself. He could attend a meeting and return that afternoon. And all that convenience would cost the company less than flying commercial.

Why doesn't it do that? My informant explained why. The airlines and package companies were its customers. Boeing had the good sense to know that, if it wanted to sell planes to American and UPS, it needed to do a healthy business with them. I couldn't compete.

Amazon seems totally unaware of that dynamic. It thinks it can be a print and digital publisher and still have amiable relationships with publishers. Not very realistic.

A publisher doesn't mind sharing book profits with book retailers. It knows that a healthy book market needs both publishers and retailers to do well. If bookstores are hurting, publishers will soon be hurting. What a publisher doesn't like is sharing its profits with a retailer who is also trying to dominate publishing. Amazon executives may think it's making clever moves to gain leverage over publishers. Others will think it's being foolish and making enemies unnecessarily.

—–

I do have one question about Wattpad though. I placed a draft of my latest book, Senior Nurse Mentor there:

http://www.wattpad.com/story/34716705

I was impressed by how marvelously is made my raw text look quite good. But while getting 95 reads, was probably respectable, I'm disappointed that none have commented even though I think I know why. My book is serious non-fiction. Nursing morale in many hospitals dreadful. It offers a practical solution.

But Wattpad seems to be almost exclusively for fiction. Three of the four "similar stories" it found to mine are about Harry Potter, of all things. The only sense I can make of that is that their recommendation software must think that the "mentor" is my title is like the wizards of Harry Potter. Weird!

What's the answer? Wattpad is about fiction. Amazon is flailing about with Writeon. Does anyone have a website that focuses on non-fiction, perhaps broken down by area?

That would make sense. Wrong is worse in many ways than boring. Because it's fact-based, non-fiction needs more prepublication reviews than fiction. But doesn't seem to be an Internet-wide way to do that.

–Michael W. Perry, Inkling Books

Amazon Kindle Voyage Review: A great e-reader made even better – Daily News & Analysis

The Kindle Voyage is the spiritual successor to the Kindle Paperwhite, and it absolutely does not disappoint.

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Smartphone, tablet, e-book reader; you'd imagine that the average user would prefer convergence and carry fewer devices on a business trip or a holiday. A slew of high-end e-book readers launched in the recent past suggest otherwise. Amazon's new Kindle Voyage is the latest device to target the 'compulsive' reader with a premium e-book reader, building from where they left off with the Paperwhite. Does the Kindle Voyage justify a price point at which you can snag a capable 7-inch tablet? 

While we loved the build quality of the Kindle Paperwhite, the Voyage raises the bar; yet again. It's ultra-slim (just 7.1mm) and is lighter than quite a few phablets (Just 180g). The device stands out with its clean lines and elegantly sculpted back. A power button sits at the back of the device while a micro-USB port is located at the base. The Kindle has opted for a flush glass front with chemically strengthened glass in a bid to reduce scratches on the surface. You will also notice a set of pressure-sensitive page-turn buttons that flank both ends of the bezel. These buttons generate haptic feedback depending on where you place your fingers. This is one of the standout features in the Voyage, especially if you dig physical buttons for every page turn. 

The glare-free display is one of the other big improvements. Kindle's E-ink displays have offered great visibility even under direct sunlight, one of the reasons why they are perfect for the pool deck at your favourite beach getaway. The 6-inch Carta E-ink HD touchscreen display stays in that zone despite it being a brighter screen. With 300 pixels per inch (PPI) it is a considerable jump over the Paperwhite (212 PPI) but the killer feature is how the front light adapts to the ambient light conditions, ensuring you won't go to bed with a piercing light from your Kindle. The screen is very responsive too; you don't really need the PagePress feature to flip through pages.  
There are no major improvements on the hardware spec sheet. The device is powered by a 1GHZ single-core processor with 512MB RAM; that's enough fire-power for this device. There's 4GB memory onboard, enough to store all the books you can possibly read in a lifetime. The battery life does not match the Paperwhite – that could be due to the more powerful screen on this device and yet a single charge could last you for weeks together. Quite a contrast from the daily charging routine of your smartphone or tablet. The Voyage comes in both Wi-Fi Only and Wi-Fi plus 3G options. Just like other Amazon Kindles the 3G is effectively free and, unlike the US, users in India don't encounter any promotional ads. 

The Voyage is packed with all the features we have come to love on the Kindle and instant access to Amazon's bottomless book store. One of our favourite features is Smart look up, where full dictionary definitions are integrated with other reference information, via the 'X-ray' function, and Wikipedia. There's also Whispersync where the last page read is saved and synchronised across devices – just in case you are flitting from one device to the other. Kindle devices also allow you to quickly share book recommendations or sections from your e-book on Facebook and Twitter, just in case you want to appear more 'evolved' on your social networks! 

The Kindle Voyage makes a compelling case for a dedicated e-book reader at a time when quite a few users are catching up on their reading on tablets and even 5-inch smartphone displays. You will never have to worry about that 'unputdownable' book being interrupted by an e-mail from your boss. The improved display elevates the user experience while Kindle's intuitive features and book store are a given. It's also one of the best designed e-book readers ever, light enough to curl up on the couch for long periods of time with your favourite book. Kindle's cool origami cover is a clever accessory that allows you to prop up your Kindle on a stand. It's not bundled with the Voyage and comes at a stiff price tag (Rs 2,999 onwards). The Voyage might not justify an upgrade (given its steep price tag) for Paperwhite owners but if you're an avid reader looking for the best possible e-book reader experience look no further.
 

AT A GLANCE

What we liked

• Design
• Adaptive lighting
• PagePress feature

What we didn’t like

• Pricey
• Case sold separately

Price: Rs 16,499 (WiFi only) / Rs 20,499 (WiFi + 3G)

Quick Specs

Display: 6″ Carta E-ink GD touchscreen (monochrome) 300PPI

Memory: 512MB RAM, 4GB storage

Processor: 1GHz single-core

Kindle App for Android Gets a Big Update, Adds Word Wise and More – Droid Life (press release) (blog)

The Kindle app for Android received a big update yesterday that includes one of the most popular e-reader features, Word Wise. The update also lets you learn more about books and authors before reading them, adds flashcard creation from textbooks, word look-ups with any dictionary, easy Audible playback control, and more. 

Most of the new features are pretty self-explanatory, but for those new to Word Wise, I'll do my best to explain. Word Wise attempts to make it easy for kids (or those learning English) to read more challenging books by adding short and simple definitions above difficult words. By doing this, one could continue reading a book after looking at the short reference, instead of having to look something up in a dictionary or elsewhere.

The update should be live for all.

What's New

• Read more challenging books with Word Wise
• Learn more about the book and author before you start reading
• See popular highlights from other Kindle readers
• Create flashcards from textbooks to help you study
• Look up words with any dictionary
• Control Audible playback easily without leaving the page
• Navigate manga easily with a table of contents
• Bug fixes

Play Link

Amazon targets kids and parents in latest Kindle for Android update – VentureBeat

Top marketing execs: Join us June 1-2 in Boston for GrowthBeat Summit. Sign up today as space is limited and we’re limiting attendance to CMOs and top marketing execs. Request your personal invitation here.

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Amazon quietly updated its Android Kindle app last night with two previously Kindle-only features: Word Wise and popular highlights.

Amazon's Word Wise feature automatically displays the definitions of certain words, making it a selling point for parents (and their kids), non-native English speakers, and anyone who reads books written over a century ago (good for you, Aldous Huxley). "Parents are reporting that Word Wise is helping their kids expand their vocabulary and take on longer chapter books," Amazon told us.

The popular highlights feature offers a similar utility — if you have it turned on, the Kindle app will auto-highlight certain passages based on what other Kindle readers highlight. That's totally not a privacy violation, right?

Amazon's last Kindle for Android update introduced features like push notifications and flash cards back in December.

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VentureBeat's VB Insight team is studying email marketing tools. Chime in here, and we'll share the results.

Amazon Kindle Voyage Review: The Rolls-Royce of Ebook Readers – NDTV

Amazon has dominated the relatively niche world of ebook readers thanks to solid hardware and by offering a bigger, better library than everyone else. The word Kindle has been synonymous with affordable hardware that’s unlikely to score high on design. Given this background, the launch of the ‘premium’ Kindle Voyage was a bit of a surprise. Is the Voyage really the best Kindle till date? Let’s find out.

Build and design
The first thing you notice about the Kindle Voyage is how thin and light it is. Compared to the Paperwhite, it’s easier to hold the Voyage with one hand, and people with medium-to-large-sized hands will be able to get their fingers all the way across the Kindle and still have a secure grip. Of course, you are more likely to hold it from one of the bottom edges – left or right – and the new Kindle is light enough that doing so even for long durations is unlikely to cause any discomfort.

From left-to-right: The basic Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite (2013), and Kindle Voyage; all at full brightness.

The Kindle Voyage comes with the power button at the back, while Paperwhite has it at the bottom. If you use a cover with your Kindle, this change is unlikely to make much difference to your life since the ebook reader turns itself on or off as you open or close the cover. Others, however, will welcome this change, as the new position is certainly easier to access.

The Voyage is built out of premium plastic, and has a very nice feel overall. However, the back – which is sloped close to the left and right edges, ostensibly to make it easier to grip with one hand – is more prone to smudges than the predecessor.

Display and performance
Let’s get this out of the way – we didn’t really have any complaints about our Kindle Paperwhite – until the Kindle Voyage showed up. Not only is the device lighter and easier to hold, there are big improvements in the display as well. The Kindle Voyage comes with a brighter 300PPI display, which means the text is sharper and the difference between the Voyage and Paperwhite is especially clear when you hold the two e-book readers side-by-side.

Up close with the Kindle Voyage (top) and Paperwhite (below the black line)

The Voyage comes with an ambient light sensor – the first in a Kindle ebook reader – which means the device can automatically adjust the brightness of your display as the ambient lighting conditions change. It also has a Nightlight feature – turned off by default – that gradually reduces the screen brightness over time as your eyes adjust to the dark.

Kindle Voyage also comes with PagePress, which seems like a gimmick at first, but is surprisingly useful. The bottom part of the bezel to the left and right of the display has a small line, and the top part has a dot. When you are reading a book, you can tap near the line on either side to go to the next page or tap near the dot to go to previous page.

You can of course still flip pages by tapping on the left or right edge of the screen but PagePress is useful when you’re holding the Kindle in one hand and want to go to the previous or next page without having to reach all the way to the other side of the screen.

PagePress also provides feedback by gently vibrating part of the Kindle. You can you can set the level of feedback you get to low, medium, or high; with the latter recommended for when you are using the Kindle inside a cover. You can also customise the amount of pressure required to trigger PagePress.

In terms of software, the Kindle Voyage is pretty similar to the Paperwhite, though Amazon is touting some new features. Chief amongst these is Family Library, which allows family members to share ebooks with each other. Unfortunately, this isn’t available yet and will be rolled out via a software update. It’s not clear if the feature will be available in India, since services like Kindle Unlimited are restricted to specific regions.

Rest of the features remain pretty similar to the Paperwhite, and if you are buying your first Kindle, you should also read our review of the Kindle Paperwhite (2013).

Kindle Voyage in bright sunlight

Verdict
The Kindle Voyage is priced at Rs. 16,499 for the Wi-Fi variant and Rs. 20,499 for the 3G variant, which is a lot of money to pay for an ebook reader. While it’s a significant improvement over the Paperwhite, Amazon’s previous flagship ebook reader is still a great device that we wouldn’t mind hanging on to for some more time. Since the physical dimensions of the device are different, you’ll also have to invest in new accessories like covers.

Having said that, there’s no doubt that the Kindle Voyage is the best ebook reader till date, and if you have the money to spare, this is definitely the Kindle you should get. For everyone else, the Paperwhite will do just fine.

Kindle Voyage (Wi-Fi only) – Rs. 16,499
Kindle Voyage 3G – Rs. 20,499
Amazon Protective Cover for Kindle Voyage – Rs. 2,999
Amazon Protective Leather Cover for Kindle Voyage – Rs. 3,999

Top 5 Best Tiny House Kindle eBooks – Heavy.com

eBooks fit right in with the Tiny House lifestyle. They are small, cheap and don't take up any space. If you are a tiny house enthusiast looking to expand your knowledge, get some great ideas and inspiration, check out innovative floor plans and designs, or just read a good story or two about tiny house builders, check out the eBooks in this list. These books cover small space living, floor plans and practical building advice, inspiring stories and the practical realities of tiny house life. At $ 9.99 and under, these titles won't take up any space in your tiny bookshelf!

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1. 'Build Your Own Tiny House with Sponsored Products & Build Plans for Your Tiny House (Builder Reveals Series)' by Don Plenter

This is a two-book set that includes build plans and construction details for tiny homes. The first title, "Build Your Own Tiny House," is a 12 step action plan on how to construct a tiny house on a trailer. The book answers the question "How am I going to afford to build my tiny house from scratch?" It doesn't do much good to downsize your life if you end up spending all of your savings or go into debt to finish your project. This book explains how you can use sponsored products to build your house for cheap, or even for free. It turns your tiny house project into a business that can save or even earn you money, both during the project and in the future.

The second book is 'Build Plans for Your Tiny House That Won't Break Your Budget." This book includes practical construction drawings and plans for tiny home,s both on trailers and on solid ground. It is a practical resource for anyone who is ready to build or is looking for design inspiration.

Price: $ 9.99

Buy the Builder Reveals Series here.

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Pros:

• Two book package
• Good ideas for earning and saving money with your project
• Excellent floor plans

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Cons:

• Short books
• No photos
• No additional resources included

Find more Builder Reveals Series information and reviews here.

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Top 5 Best Tiny House Books

Want to build a Tiny House? These books feature stunning photos, ideas and inspiration for your tiny home project.

Click here to read more

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2. 'How to Live Well in a Small Space: 78 Small Space Ideas for Tiny House Living' by Imogen Beckett

How to live Well in a Small Space is a short and sweet ebook that is essentially about minimalism. If you are going to live in a tiny home, it becomes necessary to re-assess how much "stuff" you have and what you really need versus what creates unnecessary clutter in your home and mind.

This book is a good resource for anyone looking to simplify their life, even if you are not planning on moving into a tiny house right away. It goes through a home, room by room, and discusses choosing furniture, bringing new items into the home, getting rid of old or unused items, and taking into account your true needs versus sentimental attachment.

Price: $ 2.99

Buy How to Live Well in a Small Space here.

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Pros:

• A quick read
• Good for anyone interested in minimalism
• Well organized

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Cons:

• No images
• Not very in depth
• Some info is repetitive

Find more How to Live Well in a Small Space information and reviews here.

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Top 5 Best Tiny House Floor Plan Books

Are you interested in Tiny Homes and looking for some inspiration? These 5 books take you inside real Tiny Houses with floor plans and detailed construction illustrations.

Click here to read more

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3. 'Tiny Home Realities: The Other Side of the Coin' by Mark Fontenot

Tiny Home Realities addresses some of the common questions that are often ignored by tiny home enthusiasts. It starts with a brief history of the Tiny Home Movement and then dives into the big questions: What's so good about tiny houses anyway? What are the drawbacks to tiny living? What are additional concerns, and what is the true reality of this lifestyle?

Tiny homes are a great fantasy for many people but the realities of living in such a small space are not for everyone. It is also not practical in every city, town or state depending on zoning laws, weather, and more. It's important to take the negative into consideration as well as the positive when making the decision to live in a tiny home.

Price: $ 2.99

Buy Tiny Home Realities here.

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Pros:

• Gives a new perspective
• Takes a realist attitude to tiny living
• Also talks about the positive aspects

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Cons:

• Very short
• Focused on the negative
• Mainly opinion with less facts

Find more Tiny Home Realities information and reviews here.

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Everything You Need to Start an Organic Urban Garden

Live in the city but longing for some green space? Here’s our guide to planning and planting your perfect organic urban vegetable garden, no matter how little space you have.

Click here to read more

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4. 'The Small House Book' by Jay Shafer

Jay Shafer founded Four Lights Tiny House Company, and is well known among the tiny living community. This book is considered a classic and reveals the truth behind residential planning and why there is so much needless overbuilding in America, including how this relates to the mortgage crisis. He offers well built tiny homes as an affordable solution, and gives lots of practical advice for building your own tiny home. This book also includes step by step instructions and pictures for many of his tips and ideas.

Price: $ 9.99

Buy The Small House Book here.

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Watch a tour of one of Jay's tiny homes here:

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Pros:

• Classic tiny house book
• Well known author
• Includes how to's

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Cons:

• Not a complete how to guide
• Somewhat of a sales pitch for the author's floor plans
• Focuses only on trailer homes

Find more Small House Book information and reviews here.

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Top 10 Best Kitchen Compost Bins

Kitchen compost bins keep vegetable scraps hidden away and prevent bad smells and flies from gathering in your kitchen.

Click here to read more

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5. 'The Tiny House Collection: Three Tiny House Books' by J.R. Shepherd

The Tiny House Collection includes three valuable volumes: A Beginner's Guide To Living Small, Tiny House Basics, and The Tiny House Lifestyle. A Beginner's Guide to Living Small focuses on all of the most basic info for tiny house novices – what are tiny homes, what are the advantages and different styles available, is it practical for me to get a tiny house?

Tiny House Basics goes into more detail about what it really means to live small, and The Tiny House Lifestyle is a robust discussion on minimalism, living with less, and reducing clutter in home and mind. These books together form a solid introduction for the tiny-curious and anyone looking to learn more about living small.

Price: $ 4.99

Buy The Tiny House Collection: Three Tiny House Books here.

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Pros:

• Good practical advice
• Solid introduction to tiny living
• Well written

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Cons:

• Not a lot of new info
• Similar opinions can be found online
• Somewhat repetitive/li>

Find more The Tiny House Collection: Three Tiny House Books information and reviews here.

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Top 5 Best DIY Garden Shed Books

Store your tools in style with a custom DIY backyard garden shed. These books will show you how to build your perfect shed.

Click here to read more

Heavy, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon. Our product recommendations are guided solely by our editors. We have no relationship with manufacturers.

Christie D’Anna is Heavy’s gardening writer. When she is not writing she can be found in her garden or tending her goats and sheep. You can contact Christie at christina.danna@heavy.com
April 7, 2015 5:26 pm