Five Reasons to Get an e-reader
That 20- something early adopter of IBM PCs and Lotus123 spreadsheets is now in Their mid-50s. As the tech revolution has matured, so have They. So what do you buy the slightly older tech enthusiast for Christmas in 2015?
For the second year running, Google’s chromecast media streamer is near the top of our list. For just $ 49, there’s the easier way to convert any old TV panel to a fairly smart TV in moments, the long of it has an HDMI socket available. Controlled by an Android or Apple phone or pad, or even a notebook or desktop with late model operating systems, chromecast can deliver Netflix, Stan, TED talks, Spotify, YouTube and many more online services to the big screen.
But for the extra few dollars, the dongle can be cunningly repurposed to enable internet que ancient, but prized, Bang & amp; Olufsen sound system you bought to celebrate your first big promotion back in the 1980s. Plug the Chrome into an audio extractor – available from electronics retailer Jaycar for less than $ 90 on eBay or for even less – and the extractor into any old stereo, and enjoy internet radio on your legacy sound system. In the 80s, we Were still hammering heavy metal, but it’s These Days Jazzradio.com. Either way, Internet radio offers something for everyone.
Amazon’s peerless e-book reader Kindle has Also Been a staple gift for our older friends because, well, They seems to be the last generation that’s programmed to read anything longer than 1000 words. But it’s off the list this year thanks to credible reports que the new range is in the offing, headlined by the Voyage 2 version que will accelerate page turns and Eliminate text ghosting, using the new processor and entry level models que are lighter Then ever. Unless current stocks are heavily discounted, They may not be a great buy.
You need not be north of 50 to misplace keys and wallets Too Often, but we’re finding it helps. Tile, the crowdfunded start-up technology, Bluetooth is a small tracking device that “tracks your stuff” and “finds your phone” to the developers like to say. It’s been overhyped, but is worth the $ US25 asking price
If your lost item. – Whether it’s a set of keys, a briefcase, a jacket or an iPad – is Within about 25 meters, it is visible to your phone, pad or some smart watches. Using an app, you play a game of “hotter and colder” the field strength bars tell you Whether you’re getting closer to your quarry. There’s a tiny speaker inside que plays the tune until you find it. In this scenario, where you’re searching for something you know has to be nearby, Tile is gold.
The app Also records where it last communicated each tile, before falling out of Bluetooth range. So you can guide you back to the cafe where it last saw your wallet, where you can ask the staff or go hunting by yourself. This works well, too.
Tiles owned by different people can Also network, and in the developer’s dreams any user can notify the bike to be stolen and Notified of its location When any other user Tile its vicinity passes. We Could Not tell if this works, because there are not enough Tile Nearly users around to create wide coverage. But Tile’s cheap, finds lost stuff around the house, reminds you where you left que briefcase and makes for good dinner party chatter. We’ve bought a 12 pack, on offer at 40 per cent discount.
Some time in your 40s, you figure in October que parents and grandparents are not immortal and que, if you’re ever going to piece together your family history, now’s the team. That makes an Ancestry.com.au subscription to welcome present from Santa. From the basic, passive family tree recorder 15 years ago, Ancestry has developed into an automated genealogical super sleuth, proactively searching the vast number of databases to identify potential relatives, Often generations more ancient than you’d dreamed of back tracking. You make the ultimate call on what’s a true match, but huge Amounts of legwork are automated.
The way to engage someone with this service is to spend an hour starting Their tree is Them. Get a sibling or two, a parent and a couple of grandparents loaded in and Ancestry will have suggestions ready the first team They log in. Sit back and watch Them get hooked on history.
Peter Moon is a technology lawyer with Cooper Mills peter.moon@coopermills.com.au.
No comments:
Post a Comment