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Reading with Reeder

If you aren't using an RSS reader, I have one question for you. Why not? They are a simple, free way to have articles about anything delivered to one place, so you don't have to check in with multiple websites everyday just to find out what's happening that interests you.

I use Google's Reader. It's simple enough, and because I like most things Google, it plays nicely with the other Google products I depend on, like it's Homepage.

Enter Reeder. It's a polished, yet simple platform to view your Google Reader content. The interface is straight forward and it has an awesome iPhone application, and just released for Mac, a beta version. 

Give Google Reader and Reeder a shot, let me know what you think. If you already have a method of scrubbing the wed via RSS that doesn't include either, tell me about it. 

The evolution of books

How do you take your book, electronically or hardcopy?

A lot of people wouldn't dare putting down a book for an Amazon Kindle or a smartphone, but some of us have.  I've read probably about 5 ebooks over the past 5 years.  My first was on a Palm Treo 650 and the others on my IPhone.

I keep the full sized Webster's Dictonary that used to take up valuable real estate on my desk on my phone now.

Colleges are even starting to explore ebooks for text books. A move that could save shoulders of students everywhere.

My biggest complaint of ebooks are the cost.  In many cases the price of a hard copy and an ebook are the same.  But the cost of producing the two has to be vastly cheaper for the electronic version.  There are several out of copyright books you can find for free if you dig around.  EReader, the program I use comes with a few titles like "Last of the Mohican's" and "Tarzan."  The latter I recently read and really enjoyed.

So what up? How do you take your literature?

Pandora

If you've never heard of the site Pandora.com, quit reading this, put on your headphones and go there now.

OK now that you're back you've realized what a site you've been missing.  Simply type in a song, artist, or genre and Pandora creates a "radio" station for you based on the information. 

I've been using Pandora for around 6 months and I love it, it's introduced me to a ton of new music.  If you hear something you like you can use links to buy from Amazon or ITunes, or you can bookmark the artist or song and return to it later.

If you have an IPhone, Pandora has an application you need to download.  The Pandora App gives you a great IPhone interface.  I even listen to it over my car's audio system and it works great on AT&T's Edge network.

Bottom line, Pandora's free and will give you endless hours of listening enjoyment.