6 NOOK Accessories for Traveling

October 4, 2012 By

When you are on the road, the right accessories can turn a boring flight or lonely hotel room into an adventure! With your NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet by your side, you can have plenty of fun, entertainment or just plain distraction while on the road or in the air.

However, your NOOK can be even more fn and useful if you have the right accessories. Let’s take a look at some of the best NOOK extras to have when you are on the go!

1. A sturdy case. The ones from Barnes and Noble are great, but check around to find even more sturdy and attractive ones from independent stores – we like this Bundle Monster that holds your NOOK Color plus an array of credit cards and other personal items for quick and easy access.

2. A stylus. If you use your NOOK as more than just an e-reader, a stylus is a must have! This gorgeous Touch Pen Stylus is perfect for the job without feeling like a cheap Nintendo pen. Developed specifically for the NOOK Tablet, this pen features a soft non-degrading rubber touchpoint that eliminates scratches from occurring.

3. High quality earbuds. B&N does a fine job of branding their own earbuds, the NOOK Audio IE250. According to them, their engineers “paid special attention to enhancing bass reproduction, creating a full-bodied sound that’s truly remarkable in such a compact, lightweight product.”

4. A car charger. This is another great product from B&N, and a must have if you plan to be zipping around in a rental. Charge your NOOK Color or Tablet on the road with their handy car charging kit, so when you get back to your hotel you can hunker down for an enjoyable read without being tethered to the wall adapter.

5. A reading light. Coming soon from B&N, the Lyra Light makes it easier to read your NOOK without having to angle it towards the nearest light source. The sturdy, flexible neck points a bright, white LED onto your NOOK’s reading surface, and the shallow clip with a cushioned grip pad won’t interfere with the screen as you read.

6. A charging dock with speakers. The N-Station from ReaderDock provides the perfect solution – a charging dock that lets you use your NOOK Tablet or Color while you charge it, with built in speakers and even a headphone jack for private listening!
Once you’ve got all these great NOOK accessories in your bag, you are ready to go!

Filed Under: Accessories, NOOK

Top 5 Nook Must Haves for College Dorms

September 28, 2012 By

College can be stressful, but you can take some of that stress off of your fledgling leaving the nest with a few gifts to enhance that NOOK you bought them for high school graduation!

Here’s five things no college dorm should be without, if the occupant is lucky enough to own a Barnes & Nobles NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet!

1. Premium Hard Nylon EVA Carrying Case for the Nook

Safely carry and store your NOOK in this durable Nylon EVA Case. The case is constructed of durable nylon, and provides excellent protection against dust and unnecessary scratches, bumps or other damage. Designed to fit the NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet Barnes & Nobles, this carrying case includes a mesh pocket inside for storage of USB cable, Micro-SD card and other accessories. Think of this item as insurance – keep that expensive gift safe and you won’t have to replace it before the end of the first semester!

2. Nook AC Adapter & USB Cable Kit

This handy kit will help your kid get the most out of his or her NOOK. When they need to charge the battery from a wall outlet, they simply can connect the cable to the included AC adaptor. If they want to sync their NOOK with their computer, they can plug the 3 foot cable into a USB port! Light in weight and compact in size, this kit is also a perfect travel companion. This works with the Barnes & Nobles NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet.

3. Budget App

You remember being a teen, and the envelope system! SimpleBudget (Envelope Budget) is a simple budget tool app based on evelope budgeting, that may help your college kid to control his or her spending just by doing simple steps:

  1. Creating envelopes
  2. Setting a budget for each envelope
  3. Recording spending

Your student can automatically reset the envelope every month, view monthly transaction history per envelope, and see the transaction list on the right box. Data is stored locally, so an internet connection isn’t needed to use the app. Combined with a set limit PayPal card or other type of prepaid system, this app can help your son or daughter learn to budget through tough times!

4. Weather, Calendar, Alarm Clock, ToDo List, and Night Stand Clock

This app lets your college kid turn wallpaper into an Alarm Clock, Calendar, and ToDo List – or they can use it as a stand-alone Alarm Clock, Weather, Calendar, Nightstand Clock, and ToDo List. Never wake up late for a test, or forget when laundry day is – the app takes care of it.

5. ReaderDock N-Station

Check out this cool video – then if you haven’t already, pick up one of these for your college kid. It’s the ultimate docking and recharging station with built in speakers for the Barnes & Nobles NOOK Tablet or NOOK Color!

Send your kid to college with everything he or she needs for success – including accessories and apps for their amazing NOOK!

Filed Under: Accessories, NOOK

Kindle Fire In School: A Must-Have List for Students & Educators

May 21, 2012 By

The Kindle Fire can be a powerful tool in the classroom and out, for students and educators alike. The capability of a laptop in an easy to hold and read tablet form makes the Kindle Fire one of the best options as a teaching aid.

There are dozens of terrific apps designed to help advance learning. Imagine a future when handheld devices like the Kindle Fire are in every classroom – the day might not be so far off as you think! From handy e-reader to valuable teaching aid, the Kindle Fire is your all-in-one tool for school!

Kindle Fire For Educators

You can use your Kindle Fire as a handy lesson planner, to take attendance, and to communicate with other teachers, teachers’ aides, administrative staff and tech support. Adding apps to your Kindle Fire makes all of this possible, and here are some of the best apps out there for the busy teacher.

5 Best Practical Apps for Teachers

  1. Exchange by Touchdown is the best app for full support in the Microsoft Exchange environment. If you want to keep track of your Exchange email, including Contacts, Calendars, Tasks, and Notes, this Kindle Fire app from Amazon is a must have.
  2. ŸPG Calculator Free from Amazon is easy to use and looks like a real calculator. It allows you to quickly do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; power and roots; trigonometric functions including sin, cos, tan, asin, acos, and atan; hyperbolic and factorials functions; and natural and decimal logarithms.
  3. StopWatch is another great free app from Amazon; features include stopwatch and timer, volume control, and shake to start (with accompanying starting pistol sound effect). Great for tests, timed activities, etc.
  4. Evernote is a wildly popular note-taking app. The Kindle Fire app version of Evernote includes advanced formatting features such as the ability to bullet and number text, or boldface, italicize, and underline text (basically making Evernote a basic word processor). In addition to typing information into an Evernote app, you can add attachments to the note, including sound files and pictures. As a bonus, Skitch, the companion whiteboard app to Evernote, lets you sketch out a map, diagram, or anything you want, save it with Evernote, and then sync with your PC or laptop at home for review later. Both are free from Amazon.
  5. ŸEasy Slide Grader features decimal percentages; calculates up to 999 questions; lets you choose Correct or Missed; has an easy to read interface to eliminate excessive double checking; and includes a Grade Scale option. It’s the perfect tool to speed up the end of the day!

 

Kindle Fire for the Classroom

In addition to practical apps for teachers, there are dozens of terrific physical teaching apps that cover grade levels from elementary to middle and high school. For schools with a decent technology budget, the lower cost Kindle Fire is a great alternative to expensive and bulky student laptops or the pricey iPad. Teachers can share information quickly if all students have the same app, and teaching can be fluid.

5 Best Free Teaching Apps for the Classroom

  1. ŸHistory: This Day in History provides a quick overview of what happened “today” in history across 9 categories, and includes search, share, and copy features.
  2. Social Studies: 50 Statesfeatures a map, total population, capital, state bird and flower, largest city and population for each state. It also includes a full clickable map, making it easy to locate and identify a state. Users can take quizzes, search for a specific state, or browse through an alphabetical list.
  3. Science: Periodic Tablefocuses on the elements. Users can access chemical and physical properties for each element and get help with pronunciation with audio clips. They can find elements by browsing the table, searching, or using the index, and take quizzes.
  4. Math: Fun Math Tricks Litefeatures 10 different mathematical tricks in an easy-to-use interface with clear explanations and practice problems. (A paid version includes 15 more tricks.) This is an excellent math tool for busy classrooms!
  5. Language Arts: PowerVocab includes word search, a spelling game, several kinds of quizzes and pronunciation help. Terrific for quickly boosting vocabulary at any age level.

 

Kindle Fire for Students

Students respond well (especially at lower grades) to classroom apps. High school and college students use devices differently. A survey this spring by the National Association of College Stores found that 15% reported owning an e-reader, up from 8% in October 2010. The survey also found that those who read digital materials were using dedicated e-readers over their laptops.

Many students say they haven’t made the move from print to digital textbooks due to limited cost savings and the difficulty in taking notes or sharing books, but that may be about to change. Amazon has entered the digital textbook market, unveiling its Kindle Textbook Rental program this summer, and is pursuing a joint effort with Overdrive to enable library lending.

Whatever happens in the textbook market, educational apps can be an invaluable way to encourage studying among students.

5 Best Studying Apps for Students

  1. ŸSAT is a flashcard review app for the SAT Reasoning Test with over 6,000 detailed flashcards to help students prepare. Developed by experienced SAT Reasoning experts, this app provides a comprehensive review that covers every subject needed to pass the exam. $1 on Amazon.
  2. ACT flashcards help students prepare for ACT exam with matching, memorization and quiz activities. Powered by super-flashcard with a built-in spaced repetition scheme that shows ACT flashcards just before short-term memory forgets them, this app is ideal for cram sessions. Free from Amazon.
  3. Ultimate Math Skills includes timer and multiple choice questions and covers algebra, geometry, fractions, decimals, percentages, multiplication, division, ratios, powers, roots and approximation. Questions range from basic to advanced. $2.99 from Amazon.
  4. Sentence Completion tests students’ ability to use the information found in complex but incomplete sentences in order to correctly complete the sentences. This app tests two separate aspects of verbal skills: vocabulary and ability to follow the internal logic of sentences. Free app/bookmark from Amazon makes navigating to practice questions easy.
  5. Speed Reading Tutor uses the fundamentals of meta-guiding and viewing exercises to train students’ eyes to process text more quickly. A diagnostic tool is included to check progress, and a small selection of public domain works is provided. The average adult reads at about 250 words per minutes with a 70% comprehension rate. This can be doubled in as little as two weeks of use. Free from Amazon – ad-free paid version also available.

 

3 Must-Have Kindle Fire Accessories 

Using Kindle Fire in educational settings just wouldn’t be complete without a few accessories to enhance the experience even more.

  1. ReaderDock F-Station is a multi-angle docking station that recharges the battery while docked and has amplified speakers for superior sound quality. Educators and student can use the Kindle Fire hands-free during lessons and recharge the battery while in use so lessons won’t be cut shortt.
  2. With the Skiva Capacitive Stylus, students can ‘write’ directly on the Kindle Fire with accuracy and the soft and durable tip won’t scratch the touchscreen.
  3. The rooCase Executive Portfolio is a well-designed leather carrying case with a built-in stand for Kindle Fire. It comes in several colors, holds pens, business cards and papers, and has a zippered enclosure.

 

Video Tutorials
Want to know how to get more out of your Kindle Fire in the educational world? Check out these videos for cool tips and products.

 

Using Overdrive to Borrow Books and Audiobooks from the Library

 

Using the Slide Grader Grading App

Filed Under: Accessories, Apps, Kindle Fire, Popular Post

Using Kindle Fire for Business: Must-Have Apps & Accessories

May 1, 2012 By

The Kindle Fire isn’t just for reading anymore – with full internet connectivity, you can play games, watch movies, listen to music and more! However, the Kindle Fire isn’t all fun and games – it’s actually a powerful tablet that can double as a professional business tool.

Tired of lugging that second shoulder bag for your laptop, or cramming an oversized netbook into your briefcase? Lighten your load by using your Kindle Fire for all your needs in the business world. With a powerful dual core processor and hundreds of convenient apps designed to help you get the job done, the Kindle Fire is your all-in-one tool during business hours and beyond.


Working Smart – Kindle Fire For Business

You can use your Kindle Fire as a full scale office planner, keeping track of meetings, coordinating phone conferences, and communicating with your team. While your Kindle Fire comes preloaded with several apps that can be used for business, there’s a lot you can do to add functionality and turn your out-of-the-box Kindle Fire into a powerhouse of a business tool!


Microsoft Office Apps

While Microsoft hasn’t rolled out dedicated apps for the Kindle Fire yet, most Word documents and Excel spreadsheets can easily be read on the Kindle Fire with the pre-installed QuickOffice. If you want to edit them, simply upgrade to QuickOffice Pro, or buy another inexpensive fully supported app like DataViz’s Documents To Go.

QuickOffice is also supposed to support PowerPoint presentations, but many users report problems with PPT files. There’s a quick fix – with a bit of tweaking you can access problematic PowerPoint presentations by converting the PPT files into Kindle readable video files (Wondershare has a terrific free download called PPT2Video Pro that makes converting PowerPoint files a snap!)

kindle-for-business


Using the Kindle Fire for Meetings or Sales Presentations 

The Kindle Fire may be a bit small for using in the boardroom, but it’s excellent for in the field use. Catch your boss in the hallway and want to pitch a quick idea? All your data is easily accessed from the cloud. Closing a sale over lunch? You can take payment via credit card through a safe and secure mobile app!

The ability to play demo videos, share information and check in with other members of the team discreetly makes the Kindle Fire a great tool for business. All that’s currently lacking is the ability to connect your Kindle Fire to a projector or monitor for larger presentations.


7 Must Have On-The-Go Business Apps for the Kindle Fire

  1. Mighty Meeting is a powerful app for business! Upload, download, send, and share all content through your Kindle Fire. Give on the spot mini-presentations, hold instant meetings with co-workers across the globe, present demos and join online discussions. (Free through Amazon.)
  2. Evernote allows the capability to make lists or notebooks and share them with others straight from your Kindle fire. This is a great application for project management as you can assign tasks and watch them get checked off by others on the team. (Free through Amazon.)
  3. MailDroid is a user designed email client handler that works across platforms with instant message notification and the ability to handle heavy incoming mail traffic while letting you quickly and easily sort mail into folders. (Free with fade-in ads through Amazon.)
  4. PaymentMax turns your Kindle Fire into a credit card processor on the spot, allowing you to take payments safely and securely anytime, anywhere. Accepts all major cards including AmEx, with a flat rate of 20 cents per transaction plus fees as low as 1.59%. (Per transaction paid app through PaymentMax.)
  5. Smart Writing Tool – 7notes Premium lets you use a simple stylus to take notes on your Kindle Fire – instead of your boss and co-workers thinking you are texting, it’s obvious you are note-taking! Smart even converts your handwritten notes into digital text with state of the art handwriting recognition software. (99 cents though Amazon.)
  6. WiFi Analyzer tells you which network is best anyplace, anytime, so you can stay connected and keep getting the job done on the go. (Free through Amazon.)
  7. TripIt is a full service travel itinerary organizer – keeping all of your flight, hotel and restaurant reservations organized and at your fingertips. Also allows you to earcn rewards point! (Free with ads through Amazon.)

 

On the Go Accessories for the Kindle Fire

Your Kindle is an investment, so treat it like one. Once you’ve loaded it up with all the best apps for business, it will be you go-to device, so protecting and making it more functional only makes sense!

ŸA travel case is a must have. Check out this Certified “Made for Kindle” Marware travel case for the Kindle Fire; it features a zippered closure for added security and an exterior zippered pocket for small personal items such as IDs, cash or credit cards.

ŸInternational power adapters are a must for the globetrotting business executive. Gomadics wall chargers for the Kindle Fire come with 4 different adapter ends so you’ll be able to plug in and charge up anywhere in the world.

ŸHaving an extra battery can make all the difference in the world when you can use a wall charger or PC to get more juice. This rechargeable battery from EZOPower is compatible with the Kindle Fire and has an integrated microchip to prevents overcharging. Perfect for when you want to keep working when your flight is late!

ŸA screen protector prevents scratches, smudges and damage from coffee spills. Belkin screen protectors for the Kindle Fire come with a cleaning cloth and cardboard “squeegee” to aid installation. (Installation video available on Amazon.)

Ÿ Speakers can make your Kindle Fire much more versatile. Check out the ReaderDock’s F-Station, which combines speakers, a charger, headphone jacks and a docking station in one elegant product.

 

Kindle Fire Video Tutorials

Want to know how to get more out of your Kindle Fire in the business world? Check out these videos for cool tips and products.

 

Increasing Your Kindle Fire’s Browsing Speed


Using a Stylus With the Kindle Fire

Like the Bamboo Stylus seen in this video?  Get one at Amazon!

Filed Under: Accessories, Apps, Kindle Fire, Popular Post

9 Must-Have Nook Color Accessories for Fashion & Fun!

January 14, 2012 By

Nook Color accessories like skins, cases and extra memory make using your Barnes & Noble Nook fashionable and fun.

The Lyra Light is among the most classic Nook Color accessories. With a design that is customized for the Nook, the flexi-neck LED light has a no slip grip that allows you to position your light in a number of angles.This maximum flexibility means the Lyra Light works well regardless of what physical position you are in while reading, but also whatever light source you are under.

The Nook Color Matte Screen Film Kit is a must for any Nook owner. The screen film helps protect against scratches and blemishes that can occur through repetitive use or unfortunate little accidents. Just as importantly, the screen film kit also offers a level of glare reduction meaning your Nook is easy to read even under the brightest of lighting conditions.

The TrendyDigital WaterGuard Waterproof Case for the Nook Color is one of the most favorite nook covers of them all. Whether it be blowing sand and water at the beach, dust and dander at home or even frost, this is one Nook cover designed to fend off all of the elements. Even with what is arguably the best protection any Nook cover can offer, the transparent surface allows easy interaction with all keyboard and navigation buttons.

 

Etsy is the answer! At least so long as the question is “Where can I get a unique handmade Nook case? Many crafters on Etsy have produced some stunning Nook cases that rival anything that has come down the road from the major corporations.

A SanDisk 8 GB card for extra storage is always a good idea for heavy Nook users. Feed your addiction by expanding your memory capacity!

GelaSkinsGelaSkins remain popular because they do a good job, they look great and they are highly customizable. GelaSkins will even allow you to turn a picture of your kids, cat or a favorite sunset into a skin for your Nook Color. This is personalization to the max!

Oberon Design is the unquestioned leader in leatherwork Nook cases. The designs are inspired by Celtic art and nature – think sun, trees, dragons, flowers etc.. They come with a pewter clasp and create a look that transforms your Nook into what one might mistake for handmade leather bound book.

Another way to make your Nook Color stand out is with ColorWare customization. Colorware transforms your Nook Color from its factory color to any shade you want – baby blue, bubblegum pink, stormy gray or whatever your signature color is.

Don’t forget earbuds! Rocking out to the  music on your Nook during travel may be your idea of paradise, but it won’t do to tick off the big guy in the neighboring airline seat.

 

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Of course, a Nook docking station with speakers and recharging capability is a must have. For some reason, Barnes and Noble weren’t as quick to supply this type of accessory as Apple was to promote similar visions for the iPad – but no worries, a super cool docking station for the nook is available at ReaderDock!

 

 

 

Filed Under: Accessories, Cases + Covers, NOOK

Find Out Why You Need A Kindle Fire Docking Station!

January 6, 2012 By

A fully loaded Kindle docking station will make using and charging your Amazon Kindle Fire or practical and easy – and hold on to your hats, because the ReaderDock F-Station is finally here.

readerdock-fstation-kindlefire-dock1Do you have any idea how much more enjoyable your Kindle Fire could be with a docking station that offers speakers plus charging capability? Let’s count the ways a Kindle dock could make your eReader/Tablet into your favorite gadget.

1.  Amazing Sound From High Grade Speakers.
While the Kindle Fire does have an in-unit speaker, it’s impossible to hear audio if your not right there next to your device. A Kindle docking station with built-in speakers means you can set up your Kindle Fire in a convenient location and workout, cook, or just chillax while enjoying perfectly clear music that is superior to the sound you get from the Kindle’s in unit speaker.  You won’t have to strain to make out lyrics or wince when the sound is brassy – just stick your Kindle in the dock and experience the difference!

2.  Reading & Viewing – Hands Free!
Even though the Kindle Fire weighs less than most print books, you can still get tired of holding it.  A Kindle docking station can hold your Kindle Fire upright and immobile, allowing you to read eBooks, listen to music or enjoy an audio-book, and even watch streaming video without you having to constantly hold it steady.

3.  Horizontal or Vertical Viewing.
A well designed Kindle Fire dock should be expected to hold your Kindle either vertically or horizontally. The horizontal view is great for some games and for reading little Timmy a storybook with pictures, while the vertical interface is best for single page format for reading regular books.

4.  Recharging the Battery.
Charging your Kindle Fire is annoying sometimes. Like previous Kindles, whether or not you can still use it while charging form your PC is iffy. Many of the USB ports simply won’t let you “eject” as per Kindle instructions and continue reading – and who wants to be tethered to their PC?  A Kindle Fire docking station / recharger will hold your Kindle wherever you are,  and allows you to charge right from the cradle while still using the device.

5.  Stable, Secure Hold.
This is very important in a Kindle docking station – it shouldn’t end up being top-heavy or unstable, as dropping your Kindle can damage it. A Kindle Fire dock should allow you to feel secure about leaving your Kindle docked, and eliminate worries about the station being overturned by an accidental hip-check to the desk or table it is sitting on.

6.  Multi-functional Usage Options.
This is perhaps the biggest benefit to a Kindle docking station. It’s your all in one solution for re-charging and superior sound, with portability, professional grade speakers, and a sleek design that fits any decor!

If these benefits sound like something you’d enjoy, check out the F-Station by ReaderDock – the first multifunctional docking station for the 1st generation Kindle Fire that features built in speakers and recharging capability.

Filed Under: Accessories, Kindle Fire, Popular Post