I think I’m in love!! Though this is still just concept. At TekkieFreak we LOVE magazines. I can’t explain why…maybe it’s the pictures, maybe it’s the shiny paper (Ok so no more shiny paper if you are getting electronic magazines). Check out this video that I found over on Gizmodo (this post is for you, Paul). Enjoy:

Mag+ (video prototype footage only) from Bonnier on Vimeo.

Here’s commentary from one of the developers:

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

Here’s a link to the story:

http://gizmodo.com/5428619/mag%252B-concept-from-popular-science-publishers-shows-thinking-outside-the-tablet-box

Here’s a great video walk through of the Barnes and Noble nook. Palmsolo does a great job of showing how
everything works. Looking up words etc. I’ve already bought one book on my Nook and have some free ones that I was able to download. Enjoy the walk through. More to come.

So people are starting to receive their pre-ordered Nooks.  This is a really good unboxing so you really get an idea how the packaging is.  A little strange how there are actually instructions on how to take it out of the box.  Environmentally friendly packaging? Um, probably not.  Does this mean I have to go buy some carbon credits?

Enjoy:

Well, My Nook arrived today.  I managed to get some great unboxing photos for you guys.  I haven’t tried it yet, so I don’t have much more to tell you yet.  If you click on the little “i” you can see my witty comments.  I’m going to go look for a little bit different gallery skin, so you can see my captions without clicking anything, but for now this is how it is.

Enjoy the photos.

Update:

Clearly, Barnes & Noble was scared by my post. I hit my “publish” button, went back to my B&N tab and magically, the status on my order had changed to “shipped.” I’m sure it wasn’t just a coincidence either, after all if I were them I’d be a little worried about the entire Tekkie Freak reader base of 5 seeing that. A quick check on my tracking info and my Nook is somewhere on the UPS truck. Now the only thing to wonder is whether or not the UPS driver will make it through the winter storm. I guess I can’t blame Barnes and Noble for the weather. I could try, but even I’m not THAT delusional.

Vent warning:

So, I pre-ordered my Nook on October 19.  I was apparently one of the first to put my order in.  The device was supposed to ship on November 30.  So I receive an email, something to the effect “You’re so Lucky.”  I’m thinking if I’m so lucky then why hasn’t my Nook shipped?  In that email they stated that they were upgrading me to next-day shipping and gave me a $10 gift certificate.   So, my Nook is supposed to be here on December 9.  At my door.  It’s 4:30 PM on December 8, I’ve gotten absolutely no word that it’s been shipped.  No idea where it is and not a single, “We’re Sorry.”  As far as I’m concerned the “You’re Lucky” thing has kind of backfired and made me more annoyed.  Maybe Barnes and Noble should explain to it’s customers what’s going on.  A quick check on my B&N status page shows that it has not yet shipped and still states that the expected ship date is November 30, clearly that’s come and gone.

Frankly, Barnes and Noble, maybe you should tell your customers that you’re sorry and if there’s some horrible production problem and you don’t have the product available and can’t ship, then maybe you should just explain what’s going on.  The way this is being handled is really poor PR, but I’m guessing that in the end at least giving people some morsel of the truth is going to leave you with fewer angry customers in the long run.

Incidentally, Ellen gave away a Nook to everyone in her studio audience. I do hope you gave them some kind of gift certificate, because Barnes and Noble if you gave my Nook that I paid money for to one of the Ellen audience members and I’m sitting here wondering where mine is after you promised me it would ship on November 30, I will NOT be a happy camper.

Here’s the video on Ellen and I can’t quite make out what she’s saying, but I do think she says something about giving the audience some kind of card so they can order:

Anyway, to you my fearless Tekkie Freak readers I will keep you posted and updated on where and when my Nook arrives and hopefully I’ll have some lovely pictures to show you.

And so I guess it is true.  The Crunchpad is dead.  This is a major bummer, because this is *the* tablet that I was watching and waiting for.  Anyway, here’s the link.  You’re best of just reading the post from Mike Arrington himself.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/30/crunchpad-end/

So, today is the day that the early Barnes and Noble Nook pre-orders are supposed to ship.

I checked my account and it still says that it’s estimated ship date is November 30 and that is has not yet shipped. Anyway, if/when my Nook arrives I’ll be sure to post photos and maybe even some video.

So  the only bad thing about running a tech blog and finding all the great new products available is that I want one of each.  Since Tekkie Freak is a one-woman operation we just plain don’t have the budget.  Here’s a great video of the Archos 5 (it runs Android) and this guy apparently did some sort of hack which allows you to use the Android marketplace.  I still maintain that that 7″ screen size would be absolute perfection.  On the downside, one would need a handbag or man-purse to carry a 7″ screen around.   My current phone is the T-Mobile MyTouch…which is a great phone, but even that doesn’t fit comfortably in my pocket (unless maybe i’m wearing cargo pants)….so I carry a handbag anyway.  The Archos 5 looks like an amazing device.  Again, I’d go for that 7″ screen…but to each his own.

Here’s a great video of the Archos 5.  It gives you a great idea of what the tablet can do and the touch screen looks amazingly responsive and fabulous.

Enjoy!!!

Archos 5 32 GB Internet Tablet with Android
Price: USD 258.99

21 used & new available from USD 206.99

Whoo Hoo.  The latest Kindle software update (available now) is offering the ability to read PDF documents.  Frankly, it’s about time Amazon got with the program on this one.  We here at TekkieFreak are getting ready for a huge Thanksgiving blast at our house so I haven’t had a chance to download and try the new update.  But you can bet that as soon as I’m done cleaning my Turkey, I’ll be checking it out.

Looks like the update should happen over the air, or else it can be downloaded and you can update your Kindle via USB.  Enjoy…and a Very Happy Thanksgiving to all my Tekkie Freak readers.

Here’s the Link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200324680

freezing actually.  Frankly, the specs package on this Interead Cool-er e-reader is less than amazing and at a MSRP of $250, I think most folks are going to brown bag it for lunch a couple days and come up with the extra $9 to get either the Barnes and Noble Nook or the Kindle 2.

• 6-inch e-ink screen
• 1 gb ram
• SD card slot
• 2.5 mm headphone jack (comes with a 3.5″ converter)
• Formats: EPUB, TXT, JPEG, PDF, MP3 for audio

This device is meant to be for people who are not technologically advanced.  There’s no wi-fi or 3g so all books have to be loaded via SD card or a USB cable.  I’m not sure what Interead is thinking.  You are making a device for those who aren’t tech savvy and you are expecting them to be able to plug this thing into a computer and move files onto it?  For some of my relatives (who shall remain nameless) they don’t understand email…they don’t understand a directory structure and they are seriously frightened to plug anything into their computer.  Then again maybe that’s not the market they’re really going for because those are the folks who are scared to even touch my kindle.

Anyway, truth be told, I haven’t actually tried one of these, but the specs along with the relatively high price tag would make me head for Barnes and Noble (or Amazon).