kindle

Retractable Periscope reading light for Kindle does more than you think

For Amazon Kindle owners who want to read in the dark, there's a new lighting option available: The $49.95 Periscope Lighted Folio. It's actually a retractable reading light, Kindle cover, notepad, and pen holder, rolled into one contraption.

In case you're wondering, the case is made of "leatherette," not real leather, and the lights are "twin" LEDs. The unit's powered by three AA batteries (not included), which should offer "at least 40 hours" of lighting. And when you're finished using the light, it retracts into the spine of … Read more

Rashid: Battery power is a tricky thing

LOS ANGELES--You may not know it, but you are carrying 100 watts of power inside you.

The problem is, much to the lament of all those whose cell phones and iPods run out of battery juice, researchers haven't found a very good way to harness that energy.

In an interview with CNET News, Microsoft research chief Rick Rashid said the best that researchers have come up with is to put solar panels on a hat or perhaps harness some power by putting something in one's shoe.

"You can get power, but not a whole lot," he … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 839: Is 12 inches too big?

What? What's wrong with you people? We're talking about Netbooks. Dell has a new "Mini" Note, but it's a 12-inch laptop. So, the question is: what is going on in the Netbook world these days? Also, the Internet makes you both smarter AND dumber, Google Earth shows up for iPhone, and Oprah gives out a Kindle discount. And Natali and Molly love Oprah. Deal with it.

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 839

Sling.com launch http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/26/slingcom-to-launch-on-november-10/

Google Earth for iPhone/Touch http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10075543-37.html … Read more

What impact did Oprah have on Kindle?

LOS ANGELES--I'm guessing that Oprah Winfrey helped boost Kindle sales over the weekend after giving a glowing review of the device on her TV show Friday. I'll also give odds that her endorsement pays off big for Amazon in the future.

On Friday, Winfrey, a daytime TV fixture for decades and one of the richest women in the world, dedicated a significant part of her TV show to recommending the Kindle, Amazon.com's digital-book reader. An ebullient Winfrey called the e-reader "life changing" and her "new favorite device."

Winfrey's recommendations of book … Read more

Amazon's Kindle obsession: Bury the printed book

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos loves to talk about the Kindle e-book reader. He's even got media mogul Oprah Winfrey pitching the device: "I'm telling you, it is absolutely my new favorite thing in the world," she recently said.

The Oprah endorsement is just the latest marketing scheme Bezos has applied to making the Kindle the next iPod. He has been relentless in promoting the Kindle at the expense of maximizing Amazon.com revenue on the virtual storefront.

Every time I go to Amazon I am greeted with a huge Kindle ad that takes up … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: XP comes to the XO

It was initially announced almost a year ago, but the first version of the XO from the One Laptop Per Child program will soon begin shipping to governments that order it for their country's schoolchildren. CNET News' Ina Fried got to do a side-by-side comparison of the original Linux-flavored XO and the new Windows XP variety.

Also in today's podcast: exploring the real story on the Mac Mini, Yahoo cancels Messenger for Vista, and Oprah endorses the Kindle.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Today's stories:

The XO laptop gets a Windows makeover

Will Kindle sales spike because of 'Oprah effect'?… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 838: Hot troll-on-troll action

On today's show, it appears that the person who caused Apple's stock to drop like a stone on reports of a Steve Jobs heart attack was just "doing it for the lulz." So, he didn't even short-sell the stock? Wow. Stupid trolls. Also, Oprah declares the Amazon Kindle her most favoritest gadget of all time. Wow. Kindle for President?

Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 838

Report: Teen planted fake story about Steve Jobs http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10074401-37.html

Will the Kindle Get an Oprah Bump? http://www.nytimes.com/external/gigaom/2008/10/24/24gigaom-will-the-kindle-get-an-oprah-bump-26376.html… Read more

Will Kindle sales spike because of 'Oprah effect'?

Oprah Winfrey, the empress of taste makers, is about to anoint the Kindle.

Oprah, who became a force in book publishing in the mid 1990s when she began recommending her favorite titles on her TV show, said during Friday's broadcast that the Kindle, Amazon.com's electronic book reader is her "new favorite gadget." She also called the device "life changing."

There's nobody in publishing who hasn't heard of the "Oprah effect." This is the term given to how the daytime TV star's recommendations can send book sales soaring. She … Read more

The 404 203: Where we're not even supposed to be here today

The 404 is back together again and this time around we welcome DIY comic book artist Samuel Vera to the show. Artist, publisher, and do-it-all for Crazee Comics, Sam sits in for a chat about the state of the comic book industry, how to get your start in publishing, the war between online and print comics, and the recent surge of comic book movie adaptations.

Don't forget to come and say hi to us tonight at our second 404 meetup at Gstaad Bar on 26th and 6th Avenue in New York! We'll be there at 6:30 tonight, kicking back and celebrating our 200th episode anniversary, and you're welcome to join us! We want to meet as many of our New York listeners as we can, so if you're in the New York area, come check it out--if nothing else, Natali Del Conte, Mark the Intern, and Dan the Mantern will all be there as well.

Big thanks to our buddy Samuel Vera for coming on the show today. Listen in for seriously helpful tips on how to publish your own comic and even hear Sam's opinions on existing comics and his humble beginning in the thriving comic book industry (no matter what Wilson thinks). He also weighs in on a few current events including the closing of two corporate pillars of American excellence: Circuit City and Mother's Cookies. All right, all right, nobody is going to miss Circuit City but Mother's Cookies gave us the famous ANIMAL CRACKER! You're never going to believe this, but neither Jeff, Wilson, nor Sam knows what those are. Whaaaattt? Is this a West Coast thing or what? I don't get it, but nevertheless I'm still really bummed out because I practically survived off those things for the first half of my life. Hmm, that explains a few things...RIP Mothers Cookies, we'll almost remember you and your deliciously sprinkled confections.

EPISODE 203 Download today's podcast … Read more