Turns out BusyMom is well… busy, giving things away, and has another offer up, this one for a $100 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com courtesy of Seattle’s Best Coffee.

All you need to do is leave a comment saying where you are on the Seattle’s Best Coffee Level System.  No purchase is necessary.  As always see the referring site for all rules and details for Giveaways not originating from this site.

This Giveaway expires April 30th, so you have a little time, but not much… so why risk forgetting, go over now and find you Coffee Level.

I have been remiss lately with keeping up with all the giveaways going on from some of my trusted sources.  Sorry about that. But to start rectifying that situation allow me to tell you about a pretty cool on being run by Busy Mom on her Review Blog, the Gatorade Moms $100 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card giveaway, which (as if the title didn’t explain it all) is your opportunity to win a $100 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods.

All you have to do is post a comment on how you can support the little athletes in your family.  Simple as that.  (There are other ways to gain an additional chance to win.  Read the rules and guidelines as alway, as I am not responsible for any offer that is not originating from here).

And naturally, if you are not following Busy Mom’s Blog, I recommend you do that as well.

Look out GoodHousekeeping!  Move over Betty Crocker!  Heloise, you day as reigning champion of household tips is over!  If there is a book that is the 21st century standard that should be a gift for every new couple starting out, it is Heather Solos’  Home-Ec 101.

From the cover, to the topics covered, it starts to look like (and is probably an homage to) a 1950′s “housewife guide book.”  Fortunately for the reader, Heather’s writing personality and writing style come through wonderfully, and rather than your static, boring how to, you get fresh, current, real world tips and ideas that are useful *today* (after all how many people are still trying worried about caring and storage for a mink stoll these days?)

This book is essentially a “Cliff Notes” version of the home-ec101.com website.  This is a good thing, because first, it gives many basic day to day problems a solution and keeps them at your fingertips (because, if the power is out, it is hard to look for a solution on how to fix it on a computer with no power, isn’t it?), and because that means, when you are done with this book (though, are you ever really “done” with a good reference book?), there is a whole world more information available from Heather readily available for you to continue reading.  Unlike your favorite thriller author where you will have to wait months if not years for the next installment, you can see tips and tricks that didn’t make this book, and the possible tips and solutions that may make up the next edition, as they are being developed… on a basically daily basis.

If there is one drawback to this book, it is that by making it so clearly a sort of tongue in cheek dedication to the 1950′s housewife, it will not be picked up by as many men as it probably should be.  I started off saying that this would be the perfect starter book gift for a couple.  It would be just as beneficial (if not more so) to a bachelor getting his first apartment, but odds are he would not appreciate it, just based on the superficials of the cover and style.  Is that shallow and sort of neanderthal like thinking?  Of course.  But in many cases true.  Yes, there are men who will read it (I did), and will appreciate all the information (guilty as charged), but that is not true of everyone.

OK, a second flaw, and this is strictly for Kindle Edition readers (and especially those that read the Kindle Edition on a device other than a Kindle).  It is preety obvious that this book was nothing but a straight port from the book.  There are images that are not clean or formatted properly and look pretty bad in Kindle Software.  There are a few glitches as well in bullets and line item numberings that make it pretty clear that the editor did not go over it again once ported to digital.  Fortunately, this flaw is not bad enough to detract from the otherwise fantastic content.

So, in short, if you ever have the need to wash something, cook something, clean something or fix something, then there is absolutely no reason that you should not have a copy of this book at your fingertips.  You life just might depend on it.

How good is this book?  It is so good that in honor of me actually starting to try and make this blog somewhat useful, I am going to use it as my “official launch” promotion.  (Yes, my launch is months late, but I figured I needed some content, and with some here, and more on the way… well it seemed like a good time to do so).  So, I am going to give away 2 copies of the Kindle Edition of the Book .  ( I will be giving a paper edition away soon for those that are less digitally inclined, but as they say, “Stay Tuned for more information on that one).

What do you have to do to win a copy?  Simple:

1.  Leave a Comment on this post (by 11:59 PM Saturday, April 16th)

2.  Stop by http://www.home-ec101/.com and tell Heather you entered to win her book because she is so smart and pretty.

(OK, technically Step 2 is completely option, but highly encouraged (It will not however alter your chances of winning the book).

3.  Tweet this Review and Contest for an additional chance to win (leave a separate comment).

The small fine print (that isn’t so small, because I hate when they do that)

1.  This review and giveaway is completely unsolicited.  I received no compensation (other than enjoying reading Heather’s book).

2.  My review copy and the copies I will be given away are purchased by me.

3.  The reviews, opinions and terms of this giveaway are set by me, and are in no way affiliated with or should be considered the opinion of (or my lack of wordsmithery should reflect poorly on) Heather Solos, her publisher, editor, or any other fine upstanding person that is affiliated with its release.

4.  This contest is for a Kindle Edition of the Home-Ec 101 book.  In order to be able to read it, you will need to either own a Kindle or download the free software from the Amazon.com website.  Terms and Conditions that apply to the use of a Kindle or the Kindle Software can be found at the Amazon.com website.

5.  Due to the nature and DRM of Kindle Books, once given to the winner, the licensed copy of this book given cannot be transfered or sold to another user.  Again, refer to Amazon.com for their terms on Kindle Books.

I have avoided reviewing the Amazon Kindle for some time.  Basically because, being that it is now the best selling of all time on Amazon that everybody either knew about or already had a Kindle.  So I thought there was really no point to it.

But as I look around now, I realize that there is some confusion, brought on mostly by the surge of the tablet market, led by devices like the iPad and Motorola Xoom (review coming soon), and even to a lesser extent by devices like the Archos 70 (review) and or even the iPod Touch.  Items such as these have clouded the though process and created some confusion.  Do I really need an eBook reader if I have a tablet?  What are the advantages of the eReader and so on.  So, finally I decided to put fingers to keys, and give you the good and the bad of the Kindle, and hopefully enough information to decide if a dedicated eReader is for you.

eReader versus Tablet

This is probably going to seem backwards for most, but in today’s market, before delving into specs and comparing like devices (Kindle, Nook, Sony eReader, Kobo, etc.), the initial battle is, whether to bother with an eReader at all or just to go with a tablet device.  So rather than dealing with the details that would be moot if you opted for a tablet, I thought it would be wise to start there.

First of all, you do not even need to necessarily decide on tradeoffs when considering a tablet.  Amazon has done a magnificient job of bringing the Kindle software to virtually every platform.  You can read Kindle Books on any PC as well as an iPad and virtually any Android based device (meaning tablets like the Motorola Xoom, Archos 70, Samsung Tab or any Android mobile handset).  Sure, the iPad also has the iBook Store, but honestly, I don’t know anybody that uses it.  Less content, the same or higher prices, despite the attempt by Apple to undermine the Amazon eBook market, this is just merely a side highlight to the most ardent of Apple fans that want to ensure all their money goes through Apple.  Beyond Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook), Borders and Sony also offer their software for some or all tablets, so really whatever store you wish to use, you can get it on a tablet.  If this were the only factor, then it would be easy, the tablets cost more, but they do more, and you can get the same content.  End of story, right?  Not so fast, if that was all there was, do you think I would have bothered to make this comparison?

Tablets have the one fatal flaw that have kept eBooks from being popular long before now.  An LCD screen.  Regardless of the resolution of the display, LCD is still the same back lit technology that has powered computer screens for some time, and have all the same drawbacks, including the most famous… it makes your eyes tired.  LCD viewing angles also must be considered because if you don’t look at an LCD straight on, the display is altered (how much depends on the device) not to mention reflections (reading lamp, or other light source reflecting off of the glass screen)… and while we are on the subject of light, an LCD is notoriously difficult to see in bright daylight.  I know the example is always showing somebody reading on the beach, but consider other possibilities that might be more common.  For the soccer mom, waiting in the bleachers during soccer (or baseball, softball, etc) practice.  Dad, out at a campsite.  Or anyone, just sitting out in the yard while the kids play.

So, depending on how you view the importance of some of these issues, it may seem a wash at this point,  Each have their good and bad points, but here is a few more things to consider.

Color.  eInk (the technology behind eReaders like the Kindle) do not currently offer Color.  The layout possibilities are also somewhat limited and graphics are not always intended for black and white.  This makes magazine reading on a Kindle a less than optimum experience.  If you read more magazines than you do books, then this would be a major plus for going with a tablet.

Contrast.  I mentioned it briefly above, but eInk offers much lower contrast, making it optimum for reading in bright light, and is easier on the eyes for long periods of sitting with a novel.  If you spend more times with novels in your hand, then the eReader is the leader.

Battery Life.  eInk as mentioned does not have a back lit display.  Which means there is nothing sucking down battery life in between page flips.  Whereas a tablet will get 8-10 hours before you need to plug it in, you can get weeks (Amazon says up to a month) between charges.  So even if you leave the charger at home, you can probably make it through your vacation, sitting and reading on the beach and still have battery life left for the ride home.

Weight.  The iPad weighs in around 1.5 pounds (the Xoom, a few more ounces than that) but the Kindle weighs in a svelte .54 pounds.  At first blush, this doesn’t seem like that big a deal, but sit there reading a novel for any length of time, and your wrists will certainly let you know about the difference in weight.  Simply put, an Kindle weights about as much (or less) than many paperback books, whereas a tablet feels like you are holding a hardcover Oxford dictionary.  Which do you think is more comfortable holding up for a long period of time?

Price.  No, a Kindle cannot do everything a Tablet does.  It does have a browser in it, but it really is not intended for web browsing, instead the browser is a throw in, really intended for when you want to hook up your wi-fi to an access point that requires you to log in (such as McDonalds, Starbucks, etc).  That being said, the Kindle doesn’t cost anywhere near as much.  At $139, it is not quite disposable pricing, but it is pretty darn close.  With Smart Phones now dominating the market, most people will spend more on a phone that they will discard in 12-18 months.

So, if you have decided, I don’t care, a tablet is for me, then you can stop here.  But  if you are still considering the eReader (and from my personal point of view, I don’t know why you wouldn’t), then read on.

Tell me more about the Kindle

Despite what most people think, eReaders… or at least eReader software, has been around for quite some time.  I remember having Microsoft Reader on my Cassiopeia PDA back around 2000, and there was eReader software for the Palm Pilot even before that.  But, digital books had not caught on in any great fashion until Amazon introduced the Kindle.  Even with the much higher price of the original Kindle ($399 if I remember correctly) the original Kindle sold out quickly and had been selling well ever since (and became the best selling product at any price for Amazon as of late 2010).  The combination of infrastructure, book pricing and timing have all led to the Kindle being the leader in eBook devices.

Over time the Kindle has gotten smaller, sleeker and (possibly most importantly) cheaper.  The original Kindle offered their connection over a free (to the user) 3G connection, which is somewhat convenient, but more expensive to Amazon.  In 2010, they introduced the new Kindle 3 with a version that was wi-fi only, and at the new low price of $139 which is where it stands now.

The device, as I mentioned earlier weighs about 1/2 a pound, is small compact and as easy to carry around as a standard paper back book, except instead of carrying one book with you, you can carry approximately 3,500 books with you at any given time.  Just try stuffing that much reading material in your purse or briefcase.

The eInk technology is also very book like in readability, with the exception that you can change the size of the print.  So, if those eyes just don’t see quite as well as they used to, you can set the print size to whatever is most comfortable for your reading enjoyment.  The Kindle gets complaints from people about lack of page numbering (though this is now being offered in the future on many books), but in reality this is really not all that necessary (except when say reading a book in a class where a teacher tells you too read or cite a specific page or pages).  Since different editions have different page numbers (depending on size of page, print size, etc), page numbering is not as “universal” as most people make it out to be.

Amazon currently brags a store of over 810,000 books available for purchase (including 107 out of 111 NY Times best sellers) in the United States (pricing and availability varies in other countries and is directly tied to the publishers).  In addition Amazon has over 1.8 Million Free out-of-copyright books available, and you can also load or download free books from Internet Archive (over 2.5 million free books), Open Library (over 1 million free books), and others.

You can now also (it was not introduced until late 2010) lend books that you have purchased to other Kindle users for up to 2 weeks.  There are however limitations, which we will discuss in next in the drawbacks.

I’m going to be honest.  I have never been what you would call an avid reader. I originally grabbed a Kindle to be able to lug around my tech and programming books without breaking my back. But once I started downloading few things onto a Kindle and reading… the convenience of it reminded me why I used to read for fun a long time ago.  Having something small that I could bring a virtual library of material with me at any given time?  Awesome.

I tried reading on my tablet, and in a pinch at times it will do.  And I may use that for magazine subscriptions for the full color layouts.  But reading on the LCD for any length of time irritates my eyes.  It really does.  I didn’t think this was actually true, but I can tell the difference between reading on the two devices and how tired my eyes get after a few pages.  Yes, I am fortunate enough that I can afford both devices, but honestly, if I had my tablet alone, I don’t think I would be reading anywhere near as much as I have been.

OK, how about the Not so Good things?

As good as the Kindle is, there are some certain and definite drawbacks to the eReader device.

No support for ePub.  Amazon Kindle does not support ePub or DRMed PDF files.  This means that local libraries which lend out books in this format, cannot be read on the Kindle.  I am not sure if this was a decision Amazon made, or just one of the things they had to do to get the deals they have with publishers.  Either way, it stinks for the consumer.  The much less popular Nook and Sony Reader both support this format, so if you plan on using your local library for books, this is a deal breaker.

Lending. Yes, you can finally lend Kindle books to a friend.  Well, some of them anyway.  It seems that features like Voice to Text and lending can be limited by the publishers.  Thus there are books you can lend, and others you cannot.  This is just plain annoying, and proof that Publishers still don’t get it.  They want to be able to charge higher prices for eBook, but not allow the buyer any to do any of the things they would do with a normal paper book.  I’m sure this will get ironed out in time, just as being able to lend ANY books on the Kindle was… but that may take some time.

A bit delicate.  No, not fine china delicate but..  The disadvantage of making something so small and light is that the lighter you make it, the easier it is to break.  And for some reason, rather than pressing, the letters on the keyboard are painted on, making it possible to “rub” them off with constant contact. I definitely recommend getting a cover if you purchase a Kindle.

Price of Books.  This is not a knock on the Kindle, but IS certainly something you have to consider when looking at an eReader (whether it is the Kindle or a tablet or any digitial device). Publishers are still grappling with the move to digital, and are making plenty of bad choices and doing things to harm consumers in the process.  Trying to force book prices higher is one of those things.  Some publishers set their digital price rather than allowing Amazon to set the price as they do with normal paperback books.  For those books, in many instances the price of the eBook is actually higher than the paperback, despite the lack of physical media that needs to be shipped or production costs.  It is publishers trying to hang tight to an old tired model.  This is not Amazon’s fault, nor is it a knock on the Kindle, but IS something that needs to be considered when deciding to go digital.  Will this eventually shake itself out and will logic win out?  I believe so.  But it may take some time.

Conclusions

I think this is one of the biggest points right now worth considering.  If you are looking at a tablet because of everything else, when you consider the benefits of eInk and the ease of reading, if you can, it might be worth consider getting both.  A tablet does not have to exclude an eReader, because they are not comparable devices.  This is a single purpose device at a great price that might be worth having in addition to your tablet.  Consider this.  Even if you are not worried about the glare… are you really going to take your much more expensive tablet to the beach? Or Poolside?  Or really anywhere that it could potentially get damaged?  At this price, if you can afford it (and if you can’t… can you really afford that tablet you are considering?) why not have an eReader at your disposal?

Take a look at the reviews on Amazon (just click the picture of the Kindle in the top right corner there).  I am not the only one.  Many people have rediscovered the joys of reading with this device.  It is inexpensive, easy to use, can hold an amazing number of books, and won’t weigh you down.  Amazon has a winner in the Kindle, and despite what naysayers think about this single purpose device in the age of tablets, I don’t believe it is going anywhere any time soon.

The Archos 70 Internet tablet is yet another Android Tablet that was rushed out the door before Android was “officially” ready to be put on a tablet device. Thus I have been very hesitant to really look at these tablets. However, unlike many of the unfinished, unpolished and usually unresponsive tablets that came before it, this little device is actually functional.

Despite what Apple leader Steve Jobs thinks, there is certainly a market that is ripe for 7″ tablets.  Now, whether the Archos 70 is the device for you, really depends on what you want to do with it.  This one was a Xmas present for my daughter who initially asked for an iPod Touch.  Since we are an Apple free household (sans one stupid 2nd Gen iPod Nano I haven’t gotten my wife to give up), I needed an alternative, and in this mode… a game device that is bigger than the Touch, but still allows her to play games, play music and do other such things, the device has been a winner.  As a book reader that also does a couple of other “tricks” (like play backgammon, which my wife seems to be addicted to on this device), and thanks to its light weight is up to the task without you having to work out to strengthen you arms.

At around $329 the Archos 70 (for the 8GB Flash Drive model that I have, there is also a 250GB hard drive version available that runs about $339)  is certainly not bottom of the barrel cheap, and was more expensive than the iPod touch, but that is because it sports a fantastic 800 x 600 capacitive display that is responsive to the touch, smooth to operate, and light enough that you are not going to develop carpal tunnel trying to hold it up.  Also worth noting, the Archos 70 supports MicroSD cards, so you can expand your storage later by popping in an inexpensive MicroSD.

The device came with Android 2.1 out of the box, but upon setup upgraded to 2.2, providing it with Flash capabilities when browsing the web (something you will NEVER get from an iPad).  The web is still a little cramped at this resolution and size, but it is still far better an experience than you would get with a phone.  Browsing the web over the wi-fi connection was a bit slower than a desktop computer, but equal to or faster than any phone browser, and while you still needed to scroll a bit to see some web pages, it was still a satisfactory browsing experience.  Checking e-mail, Twitter and Facebook were all relatively easy and painless as well, but Google Docs and Spreadsheets was finicky.

Archos also included a front facing (VGA) camera and built in microphone, so you can Skype, use Video Chat with GTalk or Yahoo!IM and other Chat and IM programs.  The VGA camera doesn’t provide the best display,but is satisfactory for a quick messaging chat or letting GrandMa see and talk to the kids.

Another nice feature built in (that I doubt anyone will use) is the HD output.  You can run HD video and display it on any HD television (additional cable not included of course).  I have this ability on my Droid phone as well, but at least my Droid can RECORD HD content.  The Archos can’t, so you are (presumably) going to copy HD content onto this device, to show it on another?  I guess I see what they are trying to do, I just can’t see it being used in this way.

So, I guess the question remains… is this tablet for me?  If you want it to read a book, play a game, keep lists on, light web browsing and playing games, they this might be worth taking a look. If you are looking for something better than an iPod Touch but not a full blown tablet, then yes this a good device to put in the running.

Many parents may consider the $329 price steep for a “toy” but most kids would get far more out of this than a Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable or even an iPod Touch.  It may not be an “iPad killer” but is certainly kinder on your wallet, and much more portable as well.

If however, you want it for heaving browsing, document editing, or laptop replacement, then this is certainly NOT the device you want. In reality, in these cases, you will need to wait for a device like the Motorola Xoom or LG G-Slate or other Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb) devices.  For heavy use, the better stuff is on the way, and hold your purchasing power until they arrive.