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Tracy

Member since: Aug 31st, 2005

Tracy's Latest Comments

Blog Activity
Blog# of Comments
Autoblog1 Comment
TUAW.com9 Comments
Engadget19 Comments
Cinematical6 Comments
BloggingStocks1 Comment
Switched1 Comment

Recent Comments:

Netgear CEO has harsh words for Steve Jobs' "ego" (TUAW.com)

Jan 31st 2011 12:52PM Besides being incredibly rude considering Jobs health, Netgear's software leaves much to be desired. I'm sorry I ever purchased their NAS. No uninstall, the damn thing just won't die.

AT&T announces expensive rebranding (sigh) (TUAW.com)

Apr 10th 2010 3:26PM I remember when they choose the logo a significant amount of effort was toward how it would look in black and white since the phone book and newspapers were a major amountbof their advertising. The world moved on.

Report: One-third of iPad buyers will read books, newspapers (TUAW.com)

Mar 23rd 2010 4:54PM I have the Sony reader and will change over for most reading. The key is battery life. I read a book on the iPhone as a test and battery life was much more of a factor than small screen. If eInk drops price do 5-6" books are a hundred dollars they have a product. Else they are toast. Btw the cheaper Sony readers are still the best reads. The ability to read emails and other books other than Sony of Amazon is key.

New Sony Reader PRS-300 and PRS-600 details leaked (Engadget)

Jul 31st 2009 5:58PM There are many free programs that translate the formats. I use calibre on a mac. Also works with Linux or BSD. The user interface could use work, but since most reading is done pushing the page button all of these units work fine. I tried for two years to get questions answered before I finally just jumped in. I love mine. Bought one for Mom & Girlfriend. Buy the cheapest one with a matte screen and you won't regret it.
Ignore Comments by people who have not used one. This is a leap of faith gadget. You have to use one vor several hours before you get it. I wasted two years shopping. Should be noted every manufacturers first unit sucked. Sony took until the 3rd try the 505 before getting it right. The 4th try the 700 is iffy. The new 300 & 600 look like they're back on track.

New Sony Reader PRS-300 and PRS-600 details leaked (Engadget)

Jul 31st 2009 5:53PM There are many free programs that translate the formats. I use calibre on a mac. Also works with Linux or BSD. The user interface could use work, but since most reading is done pushing the page button all of these units work fine. I tried for two years to get questions answered before I finally just jumped in. I love mine. Bought one for Mom & Girlfriend. Buy the cheapest one with a matte screen and you won't regret it.

New Sony Reader PRS-300 and PRS-600 details leaked (Engadget)

Jul 30th 2009 9:34PM Amazing that most comments are from those who have never used one. In such a gadget friendly forum for products that have been out for many years with very little change this is not a good sign. I love mine. Sony needs to improve the product, but it works.
I've read books on my iPhone and on laptop. EReaders are superior. EInk is easier on the eyes. The iPhone was better than the laptop. For those wanting color, LCD is better for comics and magazines. At least the normal mags with articles of 1500 words or less. Foreign Affairs which is available on calibre I read on the Sony.
eInk and battery life is what it comes down to. European papers are experimenting with giving them away with two years subscriptions. This requires wireless download. Kindle wants 70% of the revenue which is a non starter. Phillips has talked about this as a business model. Selling them thru newspapers.

New Sony Reader PRS-300 and PRS-600 details leaked (Engadget)

Jul 30th 2009 3:02PM I have the prs505 and I believe touch screen which needs to be glossy and all the other bells and whistles are useless. 5" instead 6" is a loss. The Interface is stupidly complicated. But everything made in Japan has too many buttons. I think it can be done with 3. USB port for power and data is all that's needed.
No audio, cards is no loss. I've never filled 20% of memory and I've tried.

Eventually I see card for low bandwidth bookstore for people without computers or a separate model for same. eReaders are a commodity device.

BTW I use a Mac w/ no problems using Calibre. No vendor has solved the formatting problems for large print users. This is stupid. Of the people I have talked into buying one 70% bought because they need large print.

Why Are Text Messages Limited to 160 Characters? (Switched)

May 5th 2009 5:20PM Too simple a question. I prefer text to telephone for the thousand and one to do's through out the day. Picking up milk and eggs doesn't require a phone call.
I much prefer it to eMail because while I avoid general spam pretty well, the hordes of friends and relatives who think they are funny and sent, resend and send again stale jokes I hated when they used to be faxed to me, can't be stopped. Perhaps one in fifty is actually funny. But how do you tell your sister to stop?
Phone calls are social or for the 10% of life that can't be categorized.

Plastic Logic e-reader not coming until early 2010 (Engadget)

Jan 26th 2009 3:08PM The sum total of vapor ware from e-readers almost defies description. Never has a product come out on time or for any where near the prices hinted at. What is the trouble with these machines. I gave my girl and mom a Sony and they work fine, though it's software is PC only and quirky at best.

TUAW Unboxes the new MacBook Pro (TUAW.com)

Oct 17th 2008 3:17PM The survey is frustrating because it doesn't mention the MacBook. I'm buying the larger of the two mainly because of the backlit keyboard. Her use wouldn't require firewire, but if I bought for myself I would need it. I wonder why Nvidia couldn't build one processor that had 2 speeds, battery killer game player and most other use.

Apple is used to marketing this many machines, but it appears the technology doesn't follow. They should offer 3 machines including the old Macbook with options instead.