Cheap, Fast or Good – Pick Any Two

The title of this post can apply to almost anything. You can get something cheap and fast, but it won’t be any good. Or, you can get something fast and good, but it won’t be

Back in the day, this is what you meant when you said you had a cheap tablet…

cheap. Lastly, you can get something cheap and good, but it won’t be fast.

Same rules apply to technology – only more so as cheap usually equates to being neither fast nor good and you hardly ever hear of something being cheap and good, as good and fast typically walk hand in hand. As a public librarian, I have seen the gamut of tablet and e-reader devices walk through our doors. At a glance, I can easily tell whether or not the patron’s user experience in trying to get at our e-book collection will be a dream (“Great, you have an iPad/Samsung Galaxy/Kindle Fire/insert-pricey-but-good-and-fast-item-of-your-choice-here!”) or a nightmare (“Great, you have an insert-cheap-but-bad-and-slow-item-of-your-choice-here…”).

Let the buyer beware, as this CNET (via Yahoo!) article outlines Three tech gadgets you might be tempted to buy, but shouldn’t

The part on tablets particularly caught my eye:

A tablet is a tablet is a tablet, right? Why spend $500 on an iPad or even $200 on a Kindle Fire when you can get the Pandigital Planet 7-inch Android tablet for $99? Or a MID 70009 Android tablet for $72.95?

Because they’re terrible. Most of these dirt-cheap tablets have excruciatingly slow processors; you tap an icon, and nothing happens for several seconds. Scrolling a Web page can be an unresponsive exercise in frustration. The usability here pales in comparison to what you get from a more mainstream tablet.

What’s more, some bargain tablets employ resistive touch screens, which require physical pressure. That’s in contrast to the capacitive screens used in better tablets, which respond to the slightest brush of your fingertip. With a resistive screen, you have to push — and that ruins the entire experience. Plus, with those slow processors, it’s very difficult to tell if the tablet has registered your input, so you end up push-tapping again — often with unwanted results. Bleh.

Another big issue: no Google Play (aka Android Market), meaning you’re severely limited in the apps you can add. They might have knockoff app stores, but with none of the apps you’ll want. No Angry Birds, No Kindle, no Facebook. Double-bleh.

Recently I’ve seen some attractively priced 7- and 10-inch models with fast processors, capacitive screens, and even Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), but still no Google Play (or, for that matter, Amazon Appstore). Trust me: You won’t be happy without at least one of them.

So, be careful out there! The technology landscape is littered with lots of cheap, bad junk. Don’t give in to the temptation to purchase because the “price is right”. Save up your pennies and hold out for the best that you can buy!

-Tony L.

What’s New In Adult Programming October 2011

Be sure to check our Events Calender regularly to find out about new and exciting programming. Check out what October has to offer:

• Yoga
• Knitting and Crochet Class
• Knitter’s Nest Weekly Drop-In
• Drawing from A-Z
• Skin Care and Make-Up Application
• Enchanting Door County
• Truly Terrifying Thursdays
• Boil, Boil, Toil and Trouble Tea
• Genealogy Club
• E-Reader’s: Try It Before You Buy It
• Edgy Vampires in the Movies

We also have book clubs – because we know you LOVE to read:

• Coffee and Conversations
• Great Reads
• Horror Book Club
• X-Meets-Y for adults in their 20′s and 30′s

To check for dates and times and to register for these and many other exciting programs, you can visit us online, in person, or call 630-685-4176.

rozie

eBooks: Compare and try before you buy @ your library

Thinking of investing in an electronic book reader?  Our information desk now offers a Sony e-reader and a Barnes & Noble Nook for patron demo.  Experience each e-reader without sales pressure!  Our friendly and knowledgeable staff can give you information and technology assistance to make a great consumer purchase. 

Already have an e-reader?  Your library can assist you in downloading eBooks from our Overdrive or Netlibrary collection.  All you need is a valid Fountaindale library card and free downloadable software to start using your e-reader today.

Not sure which collection of books to choose from?  Overdrive provides popular fiction and non-fiction titles and authors such as The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson, Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts, and The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal by Ben Mezrich.  Although we share a number of books with other libraries in our consortium, the Fountaindale Public Library District has purchased multiple copies of best-selling books.  Plus, we’re constantly acquiring new and interesting titles to add to our site.  You’ll find something great to read with our Overdrive collection.  Don’t forget to login with your Fountaindale Public Library District library card!   http://emedialibrary.lib.overdrive.com/9E8C3F39-3FC7-4F2B-98A6-00FA67644CF4/10/384/en/Default.htm

For assistance with middle school, high school, college, and professional research, grab your library card and download a book from our Netlibrary archive at http://www.netlibrary.com/.   This website offers a vast collection of non-fiction materials which are available in audiobook, eBooks (which are for computer viewing and cannot be downloaded to an e-reader) and downloadable (good for e-reader use) eBooks.  There are fantastic titles for school term papers, professional development and personal use resources on this site, including A Handbook for Teaching & Learning in Higher Education by Heather Fry, Applying Knowledge Management: Techniques for Building Corporate Memories by Ian Watson, and  Nolo’s Guide to Social Security Disability: Getting & Keeping Your Benefits by David Morton.

As our library is closing for the move to our new building on Monday, February 7^th, now is the time to visit the Adult and Teen Services Information Desk and let our knowledgeable staff help you with your eBook questions.  There are free handouts and information available at the library and online at our eResources homepage: http://www.fountaindale.org/component/content/article/4/287-e-readers-and-content-are-here.html .

Keeping you up-to-date in an eBook world,

Deb

Curious about E-Reading?

You’ve probably heard in the media about the new trend in how people are reading  books these days.  E-books and e-readers and becoming increasingly popular and are becoming more visible every day.  A recent article in The Wall Street Journal, “The ABCs of E-Reading” by Geoffrey A. Fowler and Marie C. Baca reveals some useful statistics on the trend and illustrates how more and more people are finding e-books a nice option to reading the traditional book.

E-books, both in print and audio formats, are now available from The Fountaindale Public Library through two resources: NetLibrary and Overdrive.  To start using either of these sources for e-materials, go the the library’s website at www.fountaindale.org. From there, look for the Resources tab in the upper portion of the page, then go to Databases, then Alphabetical, and finally to the H – P grouping of Databases. Once there, you can then select either of the two e-sources.  If you need further assistance, one of our staff in the Adult and Teen Services Department will be glad to help you.  You can reach us directly by phone at 630-685-4716.

Happy e-reading!

- Tom