Tag: Technology

How do Authors Sign eBooks for their Fans?

There’s nothing I love more than providing a serious answer to a not-so-serious question, which is why I couldn’t resist responding to Robert Stephen’s tweet: “So many authors here. How does an author sign an ebook?”

We all know that eBooks are gaining in popularity exponentially thanks to readers like Amazon’s Kindle. The benefits to the avid book reader are numerous, with cheaper books and less storage requirements being just a few.

However, eBooks do have a flaw for fans of an author in that they will eventually eliminate the old tradition of standing in line at the local book store for your favorite author to write a quick personal message and sign the the inside of your book.

I think Amazon should look prevent this bleak future by working on the technological problem now. Otherwise, you’ll have book fans looking for increasingly fine Sharpie pens to ask authors to sign the back of their Kindles, and really, that will only end up getting messy.

Perhaps someone could develop an iPad app that allows an author to load in images of their book covers for signings. When an eager fan comes up from the line, they could enter their email address, which eBook they want to have signed, which the author could do with a stylus designed to work with the iPad. The image, with the author’s personal message and signature would then be emailed to the fan, who can then treasure it always. Or print out 1,000 copies and wallpaper their room.

As Android tablets and iPads become more common, someone could develop a digital autograph books, so the fans could do this electronically with covers from books, movies, music albums or even websites.

“Why, yes, I’d be happy to sign this digital copy of meisterplanet.com for you!”

5 Common Security Threats

If there’s one constant on the Internet, it’s that there will always be security threats that the every day user will need to watch out for.

I had a chance this morning to talk to the Wills & Snyder Show on WTAM 1000 in Cleveland about the current 5 common security threats.

Fox 8 News – Geek Squad Back to School Notebook Tips

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmOyn7gC21Y

Summer is almost over, which means parents around the nation have already started getting their kids ready for school. One of the high-tech items on that back to school list may be a new laptop, so here are some Geek Squad tips on portable PC purchases.

I Survived 2010’s E3

This week thousands of game industry insiders (and a few outsiders) met in Los Angeles, California for the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Running from June 15th through the 17th, it was three days full of giant convention displays filled by equally giant videogame companies showing off both their latest releases, as well as upcoming game titles and hardware.

I was there in the middle of the gaming chaos to help with coverage for this month’s online issue of Best Buy On. Helping to cover the show with photos and articles meant a lot of running around the convention floor, which can be a lot of work, but it also meant I was pretty much guaranteed to see just about every part of the show floor. I even had a number of opportunities to stop and talk with the smaller companies who came with hopes of attracting new fans to their products, as well as see some “unique” hardware accessories that were shown along with the big show stoppers.

Even though it was my first time at E3, I had a blast, and can’t wait until next year. In the meantime, check out the rest of the Best Buy On E3 coverage.

Camcorder Alternatives

If you’re shopping for a family video camera these days, there are reasons you might ask yourself if you even need a full-sized camcorder thanks to some new technological alternatives.

It’s amazing how small camcorders have gotten over the last decade. I remember the first video camera my family bought was a large over-the-shoulder unit that recorded to full-size VHS tapes. However, even with hard drive camcorders shrinking every day, they’re still not small enough to take with you on a daily basis.

Here are a few alternatives for shooting video on the go:

  • Pocket Camcorders – These flash-memory based camcorders from the likes of Flip Video, Kodak or Insignia, have exploded in popularity due to their extreme portability, price and ease of use. Even the higher-end models capable of HD video are affordable enough to be popular with teenagers looking to keep their YouTube accounts filled with fresh video of their daily life.
  • Point & Shoot Cameras – These sleek and slim digital cameras have learned new tricks by using the same lens technology they take still images with to also record video. Many models, such as those from Canon and Sony, can shoot HD video comparable to the pocket HD camcorders, but with the added advantage of taking great still shots as well.
  • iPod Nano – Although the video recorded by these tiny MP3 players from Apple are only SD, the fact that they’re more likely to be with you on the go means they will be there for when you absolutely need to get video of that crazy scene you just walked past on the way to work.
  • Smartphones – There are a huge number of choices here, but in between all the apps each platform has, you’re also seeing better built-in cameras on many makes and models that mean you can not only shoot video on the go, but often edit it on the phone itself before uploading directly to YouTube and posting about it on Twitter.