Hello there

ChrisHandley · 03-02-2008, 09:19 PM

Hey all,

Very glad to be here. I have always loved books and collect many.. I can't believe how easy it is to download books and carry them around on my brand new Sony reader. I am a consultant on the road every week and may never have to check bags of books again. So happy with the deal where you can download 100 Classics from Sony for free... too bad New Grub Street by George Gissing does not show up there yet. I will buy a copy of it online. Not that I object to paying for books... I already do pay for many, many paper based books.. I just thought that New Grub Street would finally make the English language classic top 100.

Yay (or maybe more appropriately) yahoo.. finally technology that does what I wanted it to do when I read about inventions coming out of Xerox park so many years ago.

Still looking for my Dick Tracey watch that is not the size of a small hockey puck on my wrist.

Glad to meet you all.

Chris

Cthulhu · 03-02-2008, 09:27 PM

Chris--

Welcome to MobileRead.

If you start asking after your flying car, the queue forms behind me.

The Reader is indeed a marvellous device. I have the earlier model, but, thanks to astute members of this forum, purchased it at a ridiculously low price.

ChrisHandley · 03-02-2008, 09:32 PM

but maybe the fact that I am in a flying cigar tube from Coast to Coast twice a week is suppressing that thought.

But wouldn't it be better to be able to fly without the technology?

Thanks for the welcome,

Chris

Nate the great · 03-02-2008, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisHandley

But wouldn't it be better to be able to fly without the technology?

Flying with minimal technology is easy. It's the landing that's really hard.

ChrisHandley · 03-02-2008, 09:47 PM

a few years ago I consulted to an agency that has bases all over the country and I complained to them about the travel time and how long it took to fly from base to base.

They said "we can get you from Florida to California in a few minutes but the physicis of getting off at the other end make it a one way trip"

I didn't complain again.. though I am still amazed that 500 mph or so still seems to be the limit for commercial travel.

But thanks for the reminder.

Chris

Cthulhu · 03-02-2008, 10:17 PM

This little thread reminds me of Dan Wilson's sophomore book Where's My Jetpack?

Sadly, don't think that either of his books are available in digital format. Of course, if they were, we would miss out on all the cool design work that hides a certain lack of depth/length. One can never argue with shiny.

Chris, if you get the chance, I would suggest those books to use, though as I wrote, you'll need to drag around a big stack of paper all glued together to do so.

ChrisHandley · 03-02-2008, 10:31 PM

Thanks for the reference. I have been a Sci Fi afficiando for decades and had never heard of this book. what a neat idea to "audit" predictions or hypotheses. I will order it. One more paper and glue book won't hurt.

It is interesting that, as much as I love ebooks, I can't give up wanting to hold and own paper books. Aside from being a multiple personality.. maybe the explanation has to do with location and travel.

I was blown away by the electronic ink concept and how much it extends battery life.

Thanks for the reference.

Chris

Cthulhu · 03-02-2008, 10:37 PM

Both those books are.....mostly non-fiction. Wilson is a kid who has a Ph.D. from Carnegie-Mellon for data mining. In his spare time, he did some research about the difference between reality (Asimo) and fiction (T1000, not the Toyota). He writes very tongue in cheek while providing some interesting facts. "Jetpack" is about why we don't have all those cool gadgets we were promised as lads.

For myself, I look at paper books these days like a rotary phone or a dial-up connexion. There's a raft of views on this, but I'll be happy if I can find a new use for my bookshelves.

ChrisHandley · 03-02-2008, 10:45 PM

so I will order his work.

It is weird how some of us love paper books.

I do like antique furniture but don't have a manual typewriter or a rotary phone.

I wonder what makes the difference? I dont have a clue what drives the different opinions. After all it is the story that makes the book but somehow, looking at all those books reassures me.

maybe I will start a book repository underground in solid rock in case all ebooks get wiped out (kidding).

Chris

MickeyC · 03-03-2008, 12:53 PM

Hi and welcome to the Forum. Reason 500

Patricia · 03-03-2008, 05:42 PM

Welcome to the forum.
I've just uploaded Gissing's New Grub Street onto our Book Uploads section. I hope that you like it.

03-02-2008, 09:19 PM	#1
ChrisHandley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: SONY PRS-505	Hello there Hey all, Very glad to be here. I have always loved books and collect many.. I can't believe how easy it is to download books and carry them around on my brand new Sony reader. I am a consultant on the road every week and may never have to check bags of books again. So happy with the deal where you can download 100 Classics from Sony for free... too bad New Grub Street by George Gissing does not show up there yet. I will buy a copy of it online. Not that I object to paying for books... I already do pay for many, many paper based books.. I just thought that New Grub Street would finally make the English language classic top 100. Yay (or maybe more appropriately) yahoo.. finally technology that does what I wanted it to do when I read about inventions coming out of Xerox park so many years ago. Still looking for my Dick Tracey watch that is not the size of a small hockey puck on my wrist. Glad to meet you all. Chris

03-02-2008, 09:32 PM	#3
ChrisHandley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: SONY PRS-505	Should have thought about the flying car but maybe the fact that I am in a flying cigar tube from Coast to Coast twice a week is suppressing that thought. But wouldn't it be better to be able to fly without the technology? Thanks for the welcome, Chris

03-02-2008, 09:47 PM	#5
ChrisHandley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: SONY PRS-505	excellent point a few years ago I consulted to an agency that has bases all over the country and I complained to them about the travel time and how long it took to fly from base to base. They said "we can get you from Florida to California in a few minutes but the physicis of getting off at the other end make it a one way trip" I didn't complain again.. though I am still amazed that 500 mph or so still seems to be the limit for commercial travel. But thanks for the reminder. Chris

03-02-2008, 10:31 PM	#7
ChrisHandley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: SONY PRS-505	Where is my jetpack? Thanks for the reference. I have been a Sci Fi afficiando for decades and had never heard of this book. what a neat idea to "audit" predictions or hypotheses. I will order it. One more paper and glue book won't hurt. It is interesting that, as much as I love ebooks, I can't give up wanting to hold and own paper books. Aside from being a multiple personality.. maybe the explanation has to do with location and travel. I was blown away by the electronic ink concept and how much it extends battery life. Thanks for the reference. Chris

03-02-2008, 10:45 PM	#9
ChrisHandley Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: SONY PRS-505	I'll read both science and science fiction so I will order his work. It is weird how some of us love paper books. I do like antique furniture but don't have a manual typewriter or a rotary phone. I wonder what makes the difference? I dont have a clue what drives the different opinions. After all it is the story that makes the book but somehow, looking at all those books reassures me. maybe I will start a book repository underground in solid rock in case all ebooks get wiped out (kidding). Chris

03-02-2008, 09:27 PM	#2
Cthulhu Technologist Posts: 488 Karma: 585237 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: I'm between Cities Device: SONY Reader PRS-500	Chris-- Welcome to MobileRead. If you start asking after your flying car, the queue forms behind me. The Reader is indeed a marvellous device. I have the earlier model, but, thanks to astute members of this forum, purchased it at a ridiculously low price.

03-02-2008, 10:17 PM	#6
Cthulhu Technologist Posts: 488 Karma: 585237 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: I'm between Cities Device: SONY Reader PRS-500	This little thread reminds me of Dan Wilson's sophomore book Where's My Jetpack? Sadly, don't think that either of his books are available in digital format. Of course, if they were, we would miss out on all the cool design work that hides a certain lack of depth/length. One can never argue with shiny. Chris, if you get the chance, I would suggest those books to use, though as I wrote, you'll need to drag around a big stack of paper all glued together to do so.

03-02-2008, 10:37 PM	#8
Cthulhu Technologist Posts: 488 Karma: 585237 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: I'm between Cities Device: SONY Reader PRS-500	Both those books are.....mostly non-fiction. Wilson is a kid who has a Ph.D. from Carnegie-Mellon for data mining. In his spare time, he did some research about the difference between reality (Asimo) and fiction (T1000, not the Toyota). He writes very tongue in cheek while providing some interesting facts. "Jetpack" is about why we don't have all those cool gadgets we were promised as lads. For myself, I look at paper books these days like a rotary phone or a dial-up connexion. There's a raft of views on this, but I'll be happy if I can find a new use for my bookshelves.

03-03-2008, 12:53 PM	#10
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,731 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	Hi and welcome to the Forum. Reason 500

03-03-2008, 05:42 PM	#11
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	Welcome to the forum. I've just uploaded Gissing's New Grub Street onto our Book Uploads section. I hope that you like it.