Wishlists are the savior of both gift givers and receivers. The giver gets an insight into the wants and desires of the recipient and the recipient doesn’t end up with a bunch of stuff they don’t want. But crafting the perfect wishlist requires some attention to detail and thoughtfulness on the part of the recipient. Here is how to make a truly awesome Amazon
amazon
11 posts
I have established elsewhere I am not a very fast runner. However, I am obsessed with reading about running and trying out new training programs. I purchased this book about a month and a half ago, and so far I am very impressed with the methodology.
First of all, the authors of “Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary 3-Run-a-Week Training Program
This methodology is not about jogging for the sake of jogging but focusing your training on three runs: Continue reading
In the old days (from about the early-mid-1800s until the past 2 or 3 years) book publishing usually worked like this: the author wrote a book, and sent the manuscript to a commercial publisher, Random House, Faber and Faber, Akashic, there are thousands of them world-wide. The publisher employs professional editors to read the manuscripts and select (‘acquire’ is the usual verb used) ones with commercial possibilities. The author is then assigned an editor to work with to prepare the manuscript for publication. Continue reading
Well it’s holiday time and that means tedious gift-giving. Got an uncle who won’t shut up about the original intent of the Constitution, or an annoying cousin won’t shut up about the constraints of the patriarchy? This gift guide is for you. Click the image on any of the gifts to buy it on Amazon. Continue reading
The news wires have a nifty little story this morning about an actress who has decided that the fact that she isn’t getting the types of roles she would like is the fault of deep pocketed internet retailer Amazon.com.
How? Continue reading
Today in New York, Amazon.com is expected to launch its own tablet device. It is reportedly called the Kindle Fire.
It is expected to be a strong competitor against Apple’s iPad and iPad 2, which produced 75% of all tablets sold this year.
According to TechCrunch, in addition to surely being able to read Kindle e-books the Kindle Fire will: Continue reading
In just over a week, a group of professional and citizen journalists collaborated via Twitter to source, edit and publish a book of first-person accounts of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The goal: to sell the book and donate all monies to the Japanese Red Cross earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.
A former British journalist residing in Japan who blogs under the pseudonym Our Man in Abiko (check it out – he’s a very funny fellow) wanted to do something for the hundreds of thousands of people that have been affected by this event, from those directly in the earthquake zone, the path of the tsunami, in the evacuation area around the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, to those in many other areas of Japan, whose lives have been disrupted by rolling power blackouts, poor road conditions, food and water supply difficulties, and more. Our Man thought up 2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake, and spread word on Twitter via the hashtag #quakebook. He gathered stories from around the country about people’s experiences of people in the thick of the disaster and its aftermath.
Contributions to the book—essays, artwork and photographs—poured in from writers, artists, and photographers all over Japan, as well as elsewhere in Asia and North America and Europe. In addition to narratives by the journalists and people who braved the disaster, the book contains writing created specifically for 2:46 by authors William Gibson, Barry Eisler, Jake Adelstein and artist/musician Yoko Ono.
“The primary goal,” Our Man in Abiko says, “is to raise awareness, and in doing so raise money to donate to the Japanese Red Cross Society to help the thousands of homeless, hungry and cold survivors of the earthquake and tsunami.” The collection reflects the fear and confusion caused by Japan’s unprecedented disaster. “But #quakebook isn’t all gloom and doom. By the time you finish reading it, you’ll have a sense of hope, and even optimism.”
2:46 is now available as a Kindle ebook here. (The Kindle app is free for use on your computer,
Please support the Japan Red Cross and buy a copy today. For updates and press coverage of the book, please visit the Quakebook blog, the official Twitter account, or join the Facebook group.
While I’m pretty savvy when it comes to the Internet and computing, I was a late-comer to the smartphone market. In fact, my first smartphone, the DROID 2 Global
Before I begin the descent, here are a few Android apps I’ve downloaded in the first week of owning the Droid 2 Global. Of course, beyond the apps pre-installed on the phone, there are seemingly millions of apps available for the Android platform, so please include your favorites in the comments.
In addition to the Android Market already installed on the phone, you can purchase apps via Amazon’s Android App Store
***
Portland Transit: Okay, unless you live in the Portland Metro area, this app may not be of interest to you, but it is easily one of my favorites and one I use on a daily basis as a rider of public transit. The app pulls in the arrival data from TriMet’s site to show upcoming times, shows transit maps as well as allowing you to plan a trip and get the best route. You can save your favorite routes as well as favorite/most-used stop IDs for quick reference. Another great feature built into the app is the strobe function. Simply hit the “strobe” button and your phone flashes various colors, making it perfect for getting the bus driver’s attention at night or during foggy weather. Just don’t stare at it for too long.
Cost: $2.34
Fandango Movies: You’re out with friends having drinks. “Hey, let’s go see a movie!” This free app allows you to enter the zip code of where you are and find out which films are playing nearby, watch trailers, read reviews, and buy tickets. So, while you’re finishing up that last cocktail, the tickets are already purchased and now you just have to figure out if you want Gummi Bears or popcorn.
Cost: Free
Pandora Radio: I love this Internet radio station’s ability to take one of my favorite bands and match it to similar groups. For instance, typing in “The Afghan Whigs” lead to hearing “66,” followed by “Dig for Fire” by The Pixies, followed by “Goin Home” by Dinosaur Jr. Fuck yes! Having this app is a great alternative carrying around your iPod. Plus, you’re providing real-time feedback on which songs fit your station better than others.
Cost: Free (with ads)
Retro Camera: Oh yes, I had to download a “cool” photo app. I opted for Retro Camera since it comes with five vintage camera styles modeled after Polaroid, Lomo, and Holga techniques. Yes, the effects can be overdone if each and every photo taken and e-mailed/shared to a social network uses a vintage style, but it can be fun, if used sparingly, for capturing a moment or place in a different way. The app also allows you to designate another button to take a photo. For instance, the volume button is a good alternative to the in-app shutter. This is great for when you’re attempting to do a self-portrait.
Cost: Free (with ads) or $2.99 (ad-free version)
Wordsmith: I will kick your ass at Scrabble™. I’m the girl who, while on a first date, laid down a seven-letter word while playing my date on my first turn of the game. Needless to say, there wasn’t a second date. But I digress. Wordsmith isn’t Scrabble™, but it’s definitely in the same family. The game allows you to play against your friends who also have the app installed or against random people. Either way, it’s fun and will keep your brain thinking of different word options based on the letters available.
Cost: Free (with ads) or $2.49 (ad-free version)
Tip & Split Calculator: Recently, while out with a group of girlfriends for our bi-monthly dinner meet-up, we spent several minutes using the back of the bill to divvy up who owed what. It’s a headache and doing math after a couple of margaritas isn’t fun. This app allows you to enter the bill information, the tip percentage and how much each person owes. If you’re doing an even split with the bill, you can even change the number of diners to determine that amount. Any app that helps you do math while drunk is a good thing.
Cost: Free or $.99 for the Pro version
Hello Crasstalk. As most of you can tell by the box on the upper right side of the page, Crasstalk is an Amazon Affiliates member. This is to help us raise the money we need to keep the site running and so that someday little Timmy can have that surgery so he can walk again. In an effort to increase the amount of funds we are raising Crasstalk has created its own Amazon store.
However, to make it a success we need to stock it with the kinds of cool stuff that people might actually be interested in buying. To find that cool stuff we are asking for your help. It is clear to us that the Crasstalk Nation has great taste so we are asking for your recommendations to pick the items for the store. Got a favorite band, writer, or designer? We want to know.
Making a recommendation is simple. Just find the item you want to recommend on Amazon, find the ISBN or ASIN numbers from the Product Details section, and post the number here in the comments section. You can suggest anything sold on Amazon. Music, books, accessories, games, or anything else you think other people would enjoy. Hopefully, this will not only be a way for us to raise some cash, but also a way for us to share some cool things with each other.
Anyway, your suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Below are a couple of screen shots with the product codes highlighted so it will be easier to find. As always, it is an honor to serve with all of you.
Who decides what an e-book book costs, the retailer or the publisher? This is the question at the heart of the debate on e-book pricing. Previously many publishers sold e-books to retailers for a fixed rate and the retailer decided what to charge the end user. If the retailer wanted to make a small profit, big profit or even a loss it was up to them. Amazon seized this model since they can sell e-books for near, at or even below cost and still make money by selling other products. Amazon’s loss-leader strategy paid off and the Kindle is their best selling product ever.
However, Apple would rather that the publisher set the retail price and give the retailers a fixed 30% margin. Even though this is blatantly anti-free market nobody seemed to care in this case because iPads are very shiny and people are impressed when you have one of these fondle-slabs. Apple doesn’t sell anything at a loss or even at low margin so this model fit better with their philosophy.
Today Random House became the last major publisher to switch over to the agency model that Apple prefers.
When you listen to Apple talk about the iPad 2 tomorrow just remember what it costs you and what it costs the market.