Charlie Rose - Jeff Bezos (November 19, 2007)

An hour with Jeff Bezos, chairman and CEO of Amazon.com about The Kindle, a wireless, portable reading device.

Quite funny flashback to the beginnings of the Kindle...

Click here to read more and order it on Amazon.com !

M-edge Leisure Jacket for Amazon Kindle 1

The eMotion Leisure Jacket for the Amazon Kindle is the ultimate case for on-the-go eReader owners. Whether at the gym, pool, or beach, this jacket provides superior protection for your Amazon Kindle.

This stylish, padded case features a read-through clear vinyl cover which helps provide protection against moisture, dirt, dust and sand. The reverse binding design provides easy access to the Kindle's "Next Page" and "Back" buttons.

This custom designed jacket incorporates a perfect blend of function and style and provides the most protection and mobility available for your Amazon Kindle.



Customer Review: Just what I needed

Maybe they've re-engineered this cover since some of these reviews were written, because I'm not having any of the problems that people have reported here.



I'm very impressed with the sculpted bed that holds the Kindle. It fits the edges perfectly and even compensates for the sloped angle of the Kindle's back, making the screen sit flat in the cover. This leaves a little cavity behind the Kindle where you can store notes, business cards, etc. The sculpted bed also appears to provide extra protection against impacts (not that I'd want to test it). The screen is a little more exposed than it is with the standard cover. I'm more careful about throwing it in a bag or under stuff in my car when I'm using this cover.



I LOVE the fact that the screen is always visible. This means I don't have to open and close a cover every time I want to read. When I commute by train to work, there are lots of stops and starts when I board the train, transfer to bus, etc. This cover makes it very simple to wake up the Kindle and start reading again.



It's easy to access all of the buttons through the cover. The little hole for the scroll wheel is perfect and doesn't hinder its usage. And contrary to what others have reported here, the cover has made my next/prev page buttons less sensitive and now I'm less likely to accidentally turn the page.



Some reviews complain that there's no access to the power and Whispernet buttons. I rarely turn mine off, so that's not an issue for me. I typically just use sleep mode when I'm not reading. Maybe I'll reboot the Kindle every few weeks because I'm superstitious and periodically reboot most of my electronics.



WHAT I LIKE:



* Never having to open and close the cover. That's perfect for me, because I read whenever I can, even if it's only for a few minutes at a time. I can easily wake up the Kindle and put it back to sleep by pushing the buttons through the cover.



* The perfect contour of the cover.



* Less chance of accidentally pressing buttons.



* More protection than the standard cover.



* Since you don't have to open this cover to read, the Kindle stays cleaner and doesn't end up with rain spots, dust, cigar ash, etc.



WHAT I DON'T LIKE:



* There's no access to the controls on the bottom edge of the device (power, earphones, USB, etc.). This is the biggest flaw in an otherwise awesome product. I'll probably carve a hole in mine so I can access these controls.



* Zipper (minor complaint): The puller on the zipper slide is big and flops around. A smaller puller would tuck into the zipper instead of dangling. It's not a big deal, just a minor annoyance.



* Cleaning: Although not a design flaw, but an inherent problem with a clear cover, this cover creates three surfaces to keep clean: the screen, the inside of the cover, and the outside of the cover. Dust or dirt on any of those surfaces gets in the way of the text.



All in all, I'm very happy with this cover. It's actually a 4 1/2 star item for me, but I'll give them the half a star.

Click here to read more and order it on Amazon.com !

Kindle-Gadget: Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 Clip-On Light

GOLD CREST LLC-Mighty Bright XtraFlex2 offers pure smooth light guaranteed. Features no bulbs to replace-ever! Coils to super compact size can be clipped on or freestanding can be positioned in any direction and a long battery life of up to 40 hours! This product is great for readers and crafters. Includes 2 super LEDs as bright as 6 regular LEDs. Measures 9 inches when it is in a ready to use position. Uses 3 AAA batteries (not included) or an AC Adapter (optional sold seperately) that can be plugged into an appropriate AC household outlet. Color: Black.


Customer Review: Very Good quality

I love this light. So many booklights I have bought in the past lack something to be desired (not bright enough, only lights a small area, flimsy). This one surpased my expectations. It nicely lights both pages so readjusting the light every page isn't necessary and it is very durable feeling. I just bought two more for my daughters.


Customer Review: Excellent product

Great product! Light is bright and really helps when using the Kindle in low light situations. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because it is very bulky. If they had a smaller version that would be easier to carry with the Kindle that would be great.

read more and order it on Amazon.com !

New Kindle 2 is out! The better Bookshelf!

Just a short note to let you know Amazon has released the second generation of Kindle.
Thinner, more beautiful (looks almost like a big iPod...), more powerful, even better display, longer battery life, way more storage (up to 1200 books...) and so on...

To put it different: time to upgrade. Or for those who were reluctant due to the "questionable" optics of the "old" Kindle: time to get one, at last!!

Click here for more images, technical details, detailed reviews, videos, and - of course - the chance to pre-order your brand new Kindle 2:

The Virgin's Lover

The Virgin's Lover

"In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen. One woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows that Elizabeth's ambitious leap to the throne will pull her husband back to the very center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be. Amy had hoped that the merciless ambitions of the Dudley family had died on Tower Green when Robert's father was beheaded and his sons shamed; but the peal of bells she hears is his summons once more to power, intrigue, and a passionate love affair with the young queen.

Can Amy's steadfast faith in him, her constant love, and the home she wants to make for them in the heart of the English countryside compete with the allure of the new queen? Elizabeth's excited triumph is short-lived. She has inherited a bankrupt country, riven by enmity, where treason is normal and foreign war a certainty. Her faithful advisor William Cecil warns her that she will survive only if she marries a strong prince to govern the rebellious country, but the one man Elizabeth desires is her childhood friend, the irresistible, ambitious Robert Dudley.

Robert revels in the opportunities of the new reign. The son of an aristocratic family brought up in palaces as the equal of his royal playmates, Robert knows he can reclaim his destiny at Elizabeth's side. Elizabeth cannot resist his courtship, and as the young couple slowly falls in love, Robert starts to think the impossible: can he set aside his wife and marry the young queen? Philippa Gregory's The Virgin's Lover answers the question about an unsolved crime that has fascinated detectives and historians for centuries.

Philippa Gregory uses documents and evidence from the Tudor era and, with almost magical insight into the desires of Robert Dudley and his lovers, paints a picture of a country on the brink of greatness, a young woman grasping at her power, a young man whose ambition is greater than his means, and the wife who cannot forgive them.


Customer Review:

More like 4 1/2 stars....

With the death of Queen Mary, Elizabeth is now the heir to the throne of England. She is not beloved by all, however. As a Protestant, Elizabeth is opposed by the Church and her people are split by their faith. Elizabeth needs a confidant, someone she can rely on when all seems chaotic around her. Robert Dudley seeks to be that man, despite his marriage to Amy Robsart Dudley. England is teetering on the brink of war, both internally and externally. Elizabeth's love for Robert could destroy England forever....



Philippa Gregory immerses the reader in a time long past. The rich pageantry of Elizabeth's reign springs to vivid life in this lush tale. The meticulous attention to detail can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, such as when the war is being described, but the sheer imagery of this tale is startling. THE VIRGIN'S LOVER is a tale to be savored as it provokes as many questions as it answers.



Elizabeth herself is a tortured character, sometimes controlled and focused and at other times a silly girl in love. She is sharply contrasted with Amy, a woman I wanted to like but yet couldn't. Amy's staunch faith both in her Church and her marriage is admirable to a degree, but her blindness to Robert's faults made me want to reach in the pages and slap some sense into her.



Robert is a total cad. Is he driven truly by love for Elizabeth or does he only want the power she can grant him? At times, I sensed that he still felt a smidgeon of the love he once shared with Amy. Regardless, his dismissal of her wants and needs is inexcusable. The power of the court was obviously a very heady thing and Philippa Gregory clearly shows this throughout THE VIRGIN'S LOVER.



What sheer genius by Philippa Gregory to evoke such strong reactions about her characters! Ms. Gregory provides her own twist to the history of Elizabeth's reign while keeping the reader completely enthralled. Having not read the prior books leading up to Elizabeth's ascension to power, I still felt the magic of the time period. After reading THE VIRGIN'S LOVER, it is a guarantee that I will read THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL and THE QUEEN'S FOOL to see how these books tie in.



Verdict: more than worth the few bucks and the space on your Kindle that this book will occupy ;-)
For further information and instant download, click the cover image above!