Old Media, New Tech: Using Gadgets To Enjoy A Good Book

 

(Image Source)

 

Few things can stand up to curling up and getting lost in a book you love. The twists and turns of a well-written story, the stresses and strains of each character’s relationships, and the satisfaction you feel when you’ve read the whole thing are all elements that have made this form of entertainment popular for thousands of years. Of course, though, in the modern day, it makes sense to use modern tools to help with your reading. There are loads on the market, and this post will be exploring a range of them to give you some ideas.

 

Smartphones

 

Modern smartphones can handle a huge range of different tasks, from giving you the ability to call and text, to being able to handle a whole day of work without breaking a sweat. Of course, though, they can also be an awful lot of fun. There are a few different options available when it comes to using a smartphone to help you to enjoy the books you like. Audiobooks can be found on each smartphone app store, along with applications that make it very easy to read various eBook formats. This enables you to choose between reading and listening, while also making it far easier to search for books when you’re on the go.

 

E-Readers

 

E-Readers have been becoming increasingly popular over the years, with people looking for ways to simulate the act of reading a book more accurately. Using special screens which have a white background and use black pixels, these products can make your time using a digital display feel like you’re working with paper. Amazon Kindles are the most popular example of this, though you can find cheaper versions of the same devices which will be able to run more formats of eBooks. These devices are usually powered by Android, and this makes it possible to have a lot of fun with them.

 

Borrowing Books

 

In the past, if you wanted to start reading a new book, you’d either have to go to the bookstore or library to get your hands on what you wanted. Nowadays, though, it’s possible to borrow real books without having to leave the comfort of your computer desk. There are loads of sites around the web which make this easier, giving you the chance to order from a huge range of classics, while still getting the chance to use paper books. It’s worth being careful here, as some of the sites you find will be renting out digital copies of the books they have on offer, and this isn’t quite as nice as getting a real one.

 

Lighting

 

Trying to read in poor light can make the whole experience very unpleasant. Not only will it be hard to see the pages, but your eyes will start to feel the strain very quickly, and this is something that most readers will want to avoid. Having proper lighting can be hard, though, and you need to have an option that can give you a variety of different modes or settings. LED smart bulbs are perfect for this. Going in a lamp or ceiling fixture, these products can be changed to shine in different colors, while also being dim. Of course, though, the real benefit is being able to control them with your phone.

 

Magnification

 

This next area is one that a lot of people see as something for older people, though most can benefit from having the words they’re reading a little bigger. Magnifying glasses have been on the market for hundreds of years, with people using these tools long into the past, but they’ve gotten a lot more tech. A magnifying glass with light features won’t cost a huge amount but can make your reading experience far easier, especially if you’re trying to read a book with very fine printing. There are countless products like this on the market, and they can all make your reading experience a lot more pleasant.

 

Digital Bookmarks

 

There are few things worse than stumbling upon words that you don’t understand and having no way to figure them out when you’re reading something. While this problem may not occur in every session, a lot of readers find themselves tiring of this very quickly, and this can lead to skipping the words entirely. Modern digital bookmarks can help you with this. Among many other features, these devices can serve as an excellent dictionaries. With the ability to be updated and changed after they are made, new words can be added to them, making them far more accurate than paper options. This should make it just about impossible to find yourself confused about the words you’re trying to read.

 

Books On The TV

 

When some people find themselves with a book that has small print, they will find themselves reaching for a magnifying glass. Others, though, will want something a little more advanced for this job, and this is where page-to-TV scanners come in. These small devices can be dragged around the pages of your books, using a small camera to display the text on the television you like to use. This can make it incredibly easy to read books together, while also making it possible to enjoy a book on the big screen. Some people find that reading like this is far more comfortable than reading conventionally.

 

Prism Glasses

 

Finally, as the last gadget to consider, it’s time to look at something which is a little more fun than functional. Prism glasses operate similarly to a periscope, using mirrors and small lenses to shift your field of vision by 90 degrees. If you were standing upright and looking forward, these glasses would make you see the floor. They are designed to make it possible to read while lying down, without having to bend your neck and leave yourself uncomfortable, and they do their job very well. Of course, though, some people will find themselves falling asleep if they read like this.

 

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of using gadgets to get more out of your books. A lot of people struggle with this sort of work, finding it hard to know what needs to be done to improve their reading experience, though this can easily be handled with a few clever gadgets.

20 Ways to Save Money on Everyday Items….

Growing up money was tight, I learned at a very young age you had to work hard for everything you want in life. This also taught me the importance of money. Saving it, making it and especially how to spend it.

After marriage and graduating college money issues were not as “tight”, but I still took those young values I learned with me and it has paid off!

Here are ways I like to save money!

Pic Credit

  1. Cell Phone bill – I had AT&T for years, I would call every so often and explain that I will have to cancel my account since the prices were constantly going up. It wasn’t until a blog conference that I recently found out Cricket is owned by AT&T. I did my research and found out they use the same towers and covered the same area. So I switched from a 160.00 for two lines to 100.00 for four lines.
  2.  Cable bill – I hated writing the 124.00 a month check to Directv every month so I did a little research and sure enough if you call them when they have promotions and ask for it, you can cut your bill to half of what it is. I now pay around 60.00 a month. The only reason we keep it is the husbands wants the SEC channel.
  3. Filters – Changing out your air conditioner/heater filters often will help save on the electricity bill. The more clogged they are the more the air conditioner/heater will have to run.
  4. Shop wisely – When I am browsing in a boutique, I usually take a picture of the tag of something I really, really, like 99% of the time I can find it online way cheaper than in the store!
  5. Dollar Tree – This place will save you 5.00 – 10.00 a week if you shop there first. I buy all my cards and gift bags from here and every now and then you will find something on your grocery list there for a dollar!!
  6. Wash your sheets – Keeping your bed clean will help you not to get sick as much. Besides the fact that clean bed is amazing!
  7. Coupons or Sales– Check for printable or app coupons before leaving to shop, plan meals around what is for sale that week. Regardless of how great the coupon is, only buy what you will use.
  8. Bulk – Take a calculator with you, if it is a lot cheaper to buy it in bulk then do it. I love when something in bulk is on sale and I have a coupon, I stock up!
  9. Budget – Make and stay on a budget regardless!! This is important to learn, I remember weeks when I would say we are going to have a “leftover” night or let’s find a meal at the “Dollar Store”. Really what I meant is that is all we could afford but wanted it to seem like a fun activity. Staying on the budget meant getting creative.
  10. Electricity – It is important to seal off any air leaks or making sure your home is insulated to reduce the electricity bill.
  11. Intrest Rate – Negotiate those as often as possible.  You will be amazed at how willing a company will be to work with you if you make payments timely.
  12. Pyramid payment – This took us several years to master but now I am happy to say we are debt free! You take your smallest bill rather if it is a 300.00 jewelry store account or 500.00 hospital account and you pay extra until it is paid and continue this until everything is paid off. We paid cash this year for my new Cadillac and it sure felt good!
  13. Savings – Regardless if you put 5.00 a week away, make sure you start and have a savings account. You need something to fall back on when you have an emergency!
  14. Education Degree – The more education you have or can receive the more you make in life, as a general rule. Try and get some type of degree even if you can only take one class a semester. There are so many grants and aids that can help you with this.
  15. Church – Most churches have a ton of really fun free activities you can do as a family. Church communities love to help out.
  16. Yard Sales – I can’t tell you how many times, my new wardrobe consisted of my latest yard sale finds. Most yard sales have clothes really reasonably priced. I clothed my children for years from yard sale finds.
  17. Garden – Plant a small garden of veggies your family likes. If you don’t have room for a garden put them in a pot, people love fresh veggies and it is a great way to give to others.
  18. Fix broken items – If there is an issue with something like a vacuum or dripping water faucet, fix it immediately. You will save money in the long run by taking care of it right away.
  19. Money saving sites – Shop sites like slickdeals.net before making online purchases to see if there are any great deal or prices. I recently found a 99.00 gift that I wanted to get my grandson for his birthday on there for 25.00 at a certain store. I was so excited!!
  20. Ebates – If you download Ebates to your dashboard every time you shop online it will pop up and tell you how much $$ you will make from the purchase not only that but it will find if there is any money saving coupons out there. I use it for every purchase and get a check in the mail!!

Pic Credit

These are a few of my favorite ways to save money! I am sure there are a ton more ideas and would love to hear yours!!