Tag Archives: Windows 10

Daily Links and Deals: Can Google Translate Help Translate a Classic Novel?

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daily_links_1Today, a look at using Google Translate on something as complex as a novel. Also, some Kindle users are having an issue with Windows 10, Scribd has made some changes to address discovery issues and we’re still talking about that monkey selfie. In deals, Amazon is offering significant savings on household products.

Daily Links for day, August 26, 2016:

Some Kindle users reporting Windows 10 Anniversary compatibility issues (ZD Net) Windows 10 has managed to break yet something else.

Amazon just launched Vehicles, a place to talk about and lust after cars (The Next Web) But Amazon’s not selling cars – just an awful lot of of parts and accessories.

Google now lets you play ‘Solitaire’ in search results (Mashable) And you can play Tic-Tac-Toe… Forget getting any work done.

If a monkey snaps a selfie, does it own the rights to its own photograph? (Quartz) Yes, we are still talking about that picture.

Can Google Translate Help Translate a Classic Novel? (Publisher’s Weekly) We probably have a lot of misconceptions about how Google Translate works, a fact that highlighted when you try to translate a novel.

Scribd Introduces New Discovery Experience (Scribd.Literally) Since these changes are mostly about curated content, I’m underwhelmed, but YMMV.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Life After Life: A Novel by Jill McCorkle.

In Today’s Deals, Amazon has a large assortment of household products and cleaning supplies. Also, you can also still get $15 off the regular price of the Amazon Tap and the Certified Refurbished Amazon Echo for $150.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is AT Bay (An Alex Troutt Thriller, Book 1) by John W. Mefford. The Romance Daily Find is Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The Excellent Lombards by Jane Hamilton. The Extra Daily Deal is Enslave Me Sweetly by Gena Showalter.

Also, until August 29, 2016, there’s a Back to School Sale: books $4.99 or less. There is also a  selection of Great Reads Under $5 and Bargain Reads in Fiction, in Mystery and other genres.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Time for School, Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz.

Google Books has a selection of Best Beach Read Bets.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: Happy 25th birthday to the World Wide Web

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daily_links_1Today is the 25th anniversary of the Internet being open to everyone! Also, stories on how Windows 10 is causing problems with webcams and Kobo e-readers, a Chrome Extension for  helping you decide which articles to save for later and a service that lets you read novels on your phone, one text at a time. In deals, a stainless steel tumbler and a Hoover carpet cleaner. Also, continued deals on Alexa enabled devices.

Daily Links for day, August 23, 2016:

Should you read this article now or save it for later? There’s a Chrome extension to help you decide (The Next Web) Speaking as someone who has been working on clearing articles from my Pocket that date back to 2014, this actually sounds pretty good…

Microsoft: Sorry Windows 10 Anniversary Update killed your webcam (ZD Net) For an OS that’s been out for a year, Windows 10 has a lot of compatibility issues.

Updated Windows 10 won’t read Kobo ereader files: September fix hoped for (Teleread) As I was just saying….

The Best New Way to Read? Novels Told Through Text Messages (Wired) We’ve had weekly and monthly serials, blogged books and books written as a series of tweets. Why not texts?

Happy 25th birthday to the World Wide Web (CNET) Twenty-five years ago, CERN let the rest of play online too. Now look at where we are at! 🙂

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Yard (Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad Book 1) by Alex Grecian.

In Today’s Deals, a RTIC 30 oz. Tumbler. Also, a Hoover FH50150 Carpet Basics Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner (I have an earlier model of this – a must for a pet owner…)

You can also still get $15 off the regular price of the Amazon Tap and the Certified Refurbished Amazon Echo for $150.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Natchez Burning (Penn Cage Series #4) by Greg Iles. The Romance Daily Find is Odd Girl Out by Elizabeth Jane Howard.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Spider Woman’s Daughter A Leaphorn & Chee Novel by Anne Hillerman. The Extra Daily Deal is Life After Life A Novel by Jill McCorkle.

Also, until August 29, 2016, there’s a Back to School Sale: books $4.99 or less. There is also a  selection of Great Reads Under $5 and Bargain Reads in Fiction, in Mystery and other genres.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes The Slow Fix by Carl Honoré.

Google Books has a selection of Hot Book Deals.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals – DRM: You have the right to know what you’re buying!

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daily_links_1Today, The EFF want the FTC to force labels identifying DRM restrictions. Also, Microsoft has changed the Windows 10 rules (again), Target starts selling Kindles again and the those software bundles you install may be worse than malware. In deals, an automatic pet feeder, select Crayola products and deals on Mountain House Emergency food bundles. Amazon also still has savings on Fire tablets as well.

Daily Links for Monday, August 8, 2016:

Google: Unwanted bundled software is way more aggressive than malware (ZD Net) You may want to think twice about installing that software bundle….

Microsoft’s giving you just 10 days now, not 31, to change your mind about Windows 10 (PC World) This is the friendlier, less pushy and aggressive Microsoft, right?

Target starts selling Kindles again after a four-year break (Engadget) This makes it easier to try before you buy.

DRM: You have the right to know what you’re buying! (EFF) Organizations are putting pressure on the FTC to make sure we know what our rights are before we buy.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Worthy by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

In Today’s Deals, Arf Pets Automatic Pet Feeder Food Dispenser for Dogs & Cats, up to 50% off select Crayola products and savings of up to 40% on Mountain House Emergency Food Supply. Amazon also has the Fire HD 6 (my favorite Fire tablet) for $69.99. The Fire HD 10 Tablet on sale for $50 off.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson. The Romance Daily Find is Crashing Down by Cathryn Fox.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks. The Extra Daily Deal is The Devil in Winter:  Wallflowers (Book 3) by Lisa Kleypas.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson.

Google Books has a selection of Topsellers Under $10.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: Bookstagramming: It’s a thing

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daily_links_1Today, a look at an the notion of posting book pictures on Instagram. Also, a lawsuit over manipulative upgrades to Windows 10, what Comcast thinks about streaming and a glimpse of how seductive (and dangerous) free Wi-Fi really is. In deals, Rock Band 4 bundles and savings on headphones.

Daily Links for Friday, July 29, 2016:

Comcast’s Still Not Sure There’s Any Money In This Whole “Streaming” Thing (The Consumerist) It seems abundantly clear that Comcast doesn’t get the whole streaming and cord-cutting thing….

Florida men sue Microsoft over ‘coerced’ upgrades to Windows 10 (Computer World) Is this going to have the impact of the Internet Explorer case? This will be an interesting one to watch.

Bookstagramming: It’s a thing (Crain’s Chicago Business) Even people who only read ebooks (like me) like pretty pictures of books. What’s not to love? PS: It doesn’t necessarily indicate digital fatigue.

The dangerous cost of ‘free’ Wi-Fi  (PC World) It might surprise you to see just how willing people are to contact to a free Wi-Fi spot….

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Bringing Delaney Home (A Cates Brothers Book) by Lee Kilraine.

In Today’s Deals, Rock Band 4 – Band In A Box Bundle and select AKG Over the Ear and JBL In-Ear Headphones.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Reawakened by Colleen Houck. The Romance Daily Find is Sit, Stay, Love by Dana Mentink.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Everything I Left Unsaid A Novel by M. O’Keefe. The Extra Daily Deal is Radio Shangri-La
What I Discovered on my Accidental Journey to the Happiest Kingdom on Earth by Lisa Napoli.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm.

Google Books has a selection of Hot Book Deals.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Deadline looms for free Windows 10 upgrade

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windows-upgradeIf you have been holding off on upgrading to Windows 10, you are almost out of time to get the free upgrade. The deadline for reserving your copy is July 29, 2016. You are supposed to be able to reserve a copy, even if you don’t install it.(Here’s how to do it.) After the 29th, the upgrade will set you back $120.

A lot of people have been put off by Microsoft’s aggressive (and sneaky) push to get users to install the new version. Some computer experts likened Microsoft’s deceptive actions to malware. I know it took over and installed itself on my husband’s laptop, without permission. We had to roll back immediately because much of his specialized music software would not work on Windows 10.

When my computer hard drive died on me last month, I bought a new Windows 10 machine as replacement. Much of the software I’d been running on the old machine would not work on Windows 10. I am still scrounging for replacements for voice recognition, photo and video editing software. I am still trying to get one of my scanners to work properly. So your choice to upgrade may be strongly influenced by the software and peripherals you use.

Be aware that the new OS is also a privacy nightmare. Thanks to Microsoft’s new freemium model, I found out that you can’t even play a game of solitaire on the new system without being logged in and tracked. 😦

If you do upgrade, or if you already have, you should also note that Microsoft is making some changes to Windows 10 with its upcoming Anniversary update. One of the most disturbing changes is that you lose the ability to turn Cortana off. Since I prefer Google to Bing as a search default, this is probably going to be a big deal for me.

If you have decided not to upgrade your present computer, the good news is that after July 29th, Microsoft has promised that it will turn off the update nag screens (and presumably the sneaky installs). Microsoft has promised that this is the last version of Windows, making it a sure thing that if you buy another Windows machine, sooner or later, you’ll be running Windows 10.

Resuming regular blogging schedule

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children-computerMy new computer is almost set up. I have to say that it has been an adventure. I still have a few programs that don’t work on Windows 10 that I haven’t found replacements for, including my voice recognition software. 😦 But I am at least able to function on the new computer and will be resuming my regular blogging schedule over the next few days. There are a couple of stories I missed during my little forced hiatus that I need to write about first.

Many thanks to everyone for your patience!

Free Microsoft Ebooks (2016 Edition)

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ms_booksIt is that time of year again. Every year, Microsoft’s Eric Ligman, Director of Sales Excellence, offers free Microsoft ebooks on his blog. The books offered come from various authors and publishers and consist of tech books, how to resources and reference guides for Microsoft productls.

Titles are mostly PDFs with some EPUB, MOBI, Zip, and DOCX formats as well. Formats vary according to title. Topics include:

  • Windows 10
  • Office 365
  • Office 2016
  • Power BI
  • Azure
  • Windows 8.1
  • Office 2013
  • SharePoint 2016
  • SharePoint 2013
  • Dynamics CRM
  • PowerShell
  • Exchange Server
  • System Center
  • Cloud
  • SQL Server
  • and many more….

The giveaway started on July 10 and doesn’t list an end date, so I don’t know how long these will remain free. There is more info on Ligman’s blog here.

Daily Links and Deals: How Are Digital Devices Changing the Way We Think?

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daily_links_1Today, a new look at the digital versus print reading comprehension debate which suggest what we are reading may be as important a factors as what what we read on. Also, increased WiFi hotspots may be on the horizon for Germany, locking in your Windows 10 upgrade and sharing a free audiobook via Audible. In ebook deals, a Paris Getaway sale and a great price on Desert Rising by Kelley Grant.

Daily Links for Sunday, May 15, 2016:

A Rule Change In Germany May Allow For Widespread Free WiFi (Gizmodo) A loosening of restrictions may make it easier to find an internet cafe in Germany.

How Are Digital Devices Changing the Way We Think? (Psychology Today) A study suggests that reading comprehension differences between digital and print may not be as black and white as previously thought.

Audible to let audiobook owners share one book free of charge as introduction to share mechanism (Talking New Media) I missed this story a few days ago. Give a copy of any Audible book in your library to a friend (or your book club). Great way to get others hooked on audiobooks.

How to lock in your free Windows 10 upgrade and keep using your old Windows version (ZDNet) You can reserve your free copy, even if you are not ready to upgrade yet.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Desert Rising by Kelley Grant for 99 cents. (I ♥ this series! If you like fantasy and cats, I think you will enjoy this!)

In Today’s Deals, you can find an AmazonBasics Fade-Resistant Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set or save up to 40% on Sawyer Outdoor Products.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is a City of Lights sale! Choose from 15 tiles at up to 80% off during the Paris Getaway Sale! The Romance Daily Find is Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick for $1.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The Liar by Nora Roberts for $1.99. The Extra Daily Deal is Adam by James Bushill for 99 cents.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes The Beach House by Jane Green for $1.99.

Google Books is having a Historical Fiction Sale.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: 10 of our favorite quotes from children’s books that offer great life advice

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daily_links_1Happy Star Wars Day! Today,  we have life advice from our childhood books, a Middle-earth map annotated by Tolkien himself, big cord-cutting news and more. In Deals, Lots of Star Wars-themed items for May the 4th and continuing sales on e-readers and tablets for Mother’s Day.

Daily Links for Wednesday, May 4, 2016:

Bodliean Libraries acquires rare map of Middle-earth annotated by Tolkien (Oxford) Here be dragons! There are no words for how cool this is!

10 of our favorite quotes from children’s books that offer great life advice (Overdrive) See, these were our childhood favorites for a reason. 🙂 Inspiring!

Hulu CEO confirms plans for a live TV streaming service in 2017 (Techcrunch) Most of the people I know watch TV on Hulu anyway since the no-commercials plan. This would make it very convenient.

Adblock Plus will help users pay publishers and keep a cut for itself (Ars Technica) Is this a solution to the website revenue problem? We will see.

YouTube is reportedly building a streaming cable service called Unplugged (The Verge) Not just Hulu, but YouTubes is also getting into the game.

Vine releases its first ever desktop app for Windows 10 (The Next Web) Not a fan of Windows 10 but seeing Vine available for the desktop is exciting!

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America’s Secret Government by David Talbot

In Today’s Deals, a Nixplay Edge 8-Inch Wi-Fi Cloud Digital Photo Frame with Hi-Res Display. There are also lots of StarWars goodies sprinkled in the lightning deals.

Mother’s Day is less than a week away! Amazon has some great deals on both e-ink Kindles and Fire tablets:

First, in e-ink Kindles, you can get $20 off the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle for Kids bundle. 

There are several promotions on Fire tablets. The 7″ Fire (normally $49.99) is only still only $39.99. Amazon is also offering savings on the Fire HD 6 (8GB and 16 GB versions) and the Fire HD 10 is $50 off for a limited time. There are also still deals on pre-owned Fire tablets.

And, yes, I am also still seeing the option for 5 payments of $58 for the Kindle Oasis pre-order. Current delivery date is June 1, 2016.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is  A Galaxy Not So Far Away: Writers and Artists on Twenty-five Years of Star Wars by Glenn Kenny for $$2.99. The Romance Daily Find is The Demon Lover (Fairwick Chronicles Series #1) by Juliet Dark for $1.99.

Other Star Wars Day promotions at Barnes and Noble: May the Fourth Be With You! Celebrate Star Wars Day Star Wars Collection sale and  Star Wars: The Force Awakens Soundtrack (a B & N exclusive until May 20). You can also pre-order Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Soundtrack and Star Wars: The Force Awakens Soundtrack Laser-Etched Edition! See the site for details and release dates.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt for $2.99. An extra daily deal is Afterburn: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller: Next (Book 1) by Scott Nicholson for 99 cents.

And, you can still get $20 off the Kobo Glo HD.  Free shipping is included but I am not sure about a Mother’s Day delivery at this point, although they are still advertising it as a Mother’s Day sale.:)

The Kobo has a monthly special 3 for 2 deal features books by  Grace Burrowes. The special runs the entire month of May.:)

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon for $3.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: 5 settings every new Android owner should change

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daily_links_1Today stories include 5 setting every Android user should change, a phone/smartwatch to help you monitor your child, how to control the information Windows 10 is looking for and more. In Deals, great Gifts for mother’s Day: Polaroid Snap camers, Panasonic devices for the kitchen, e-readers from Amazon and Kobo, and Fire tablet deals that include a $40 Fire.

Daily Links for Tuesday, May 3, 2016:

Xiaomi’s smartwatch for children only costs $50 (Android Authority) It makes calls, sends an SOS and sets geofences for the kids? This could be a way to up the parenting game to a new level.

5 settings every new Android owner should change (CNET) These tips help improve the battery life and functioning of your phone!

Amazon Prime Now arrives online with one-hour delivery service (Ars Technica) It’ll cost you $7.99, but two-hour delivery is free.

Classic George Plimpton Titles Reissued, Go Digital For First Time (Publisher’s Weekly) These new enhanced editions carry a heft price tag for old books.

Why Windows 10 wants your feedback and diagnostics, and how to control them (PC World) The Big Brother aspect of Windows 10 is pretty scary.

Universal and Capitol fly high with copyright win (The 1709 Blog) Label win against in-flight entertainment provider for infringement of music.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (Theodore Roosevelt Series Book 1) by Edmund Morris for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, get up to 27% off Polaroid Snap camera bundles and Panasonic Deals for Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day is less than a week away! Amazon has some great deals on both e-ink Kindles and Fire tablets:

First, in e-ink Kindles, you can get $20 off the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle for Kids bundle. 

There are several promotions on Fire tablets. The 7″ Fire (normally $49.99) is only still only $39.99. Amazon is also offering savings on the Fire HD 6 (8GB and 16 GB versions) and the Fire HD 10 is $50 off for a limited time. There are also still deals on pre-owned Fire tablets.

And, yes, I am also still seeing the option for 5 payments of $58 for the Kindle Oasis pre-order. Current delivery date is June 1, 2016.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is  Gathering of Waters by Bernice L. McFadden for $1.99. The Romance Daily Find is The Choice by Nicholas Sparks for $2.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Before We Met – A Novel by Lucie Whitehouse for $1.99.

And, you can still get $20 off the Kobo Glo HD.  Free shipping is included but I am not sure about a Mother’s Day delivery at this point, although they are still advertising it as a Mother’s Day sale. 🙂

The Kobo has a monthly special 3 for 2 deal features books by  Grace Burrowes. The special runs the entire month of May. 🙂

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo for $1.99.

Google has a selection of Topsellers Under $10 which includes some Lovecraft collections for 99 cents. Is it Cthulhu day?

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.