There are a few things I’ve used with my Sony Readers that I’ve found supremely useful, and it occurred to me that this list might be of some use to other folks, too. So, behold, a List! With Illustrations!
Software: Calibre. I can’t praise it enough. I have a Mac, a PC, and Hubby’s PC, and Calibre loaded on all of them. By keeping my eBooks on an accessible external drive, I can access and load books from any location, regardless of operating system, and oh, how I love it. If I get another pet, it’s going to be named Calibre Excelsior.
Did I just hear the sound of every animal rescue person near me hiding their animals and moving away from me?! Come on now – I’m awesome! Two of my cats are named after the original Iron Chef!
Skins: If you’ve got a Sony 505, you can skin that baby, and turn it all sorts of funky colors. I love the look of the burled wood one. You can also put stickers all over the included cover (OMG KINDLE II: MATZOH EDITION, DID YOU HEAR THAT?! AN INCLUDED COVER?! *swoon*) and make it funky fresh that way.
Lights: There are several options for lighting the 505, since it, and most other ebook readers, do not come with a light on board.
Many people have seen the Sony Cover with Custom Light Shield. I have one – and I never use it. Why? Because the spine of the light shield holds its power source: AA batteries. And that makes the case HEAVY. I mean, really heavy.
It’s also a sheet of frosted plastic, and that muddies the text enough that I prefer another light option.
This clip-on light is $19.99, and is advertised as being made expressly for the Kindle. When I bought Kindle I: Baron von Fusspot, I bought one of these, too.
It works fine – it’s a clip on light. It’s not like it’s rocket science. But the problem, regardless of Kindle or Sony Reader, is that the light itself is so bright and so focused that it creates a big splotch of glare on the screen, and I’d find myself tilting the light all over the damn place trying to get indirect light onto the screen so I could, you know, read off it. The other problem is that it was irresistible to Baba O’Riley, who fell in love with it, carried it everywhere, and promptly hid it in a place only to be discovered after the passing of many, many years. I haven’t seen the clip on light in months, but to be honest it was enough of a pain in the arse that I don’t miss it. It was not easy to put in a purse, and it caught on my keys and made a mess of things, so I didn’t carry it anyway.
Several people have recommended this light as an alternative. It’s lighter in weight, and costs a lot less, though several have complained that you get what you pay for – it tends to fall apart.
Chargers: The Sony 505 and 700 ship with a USB a-to-b cable only. There’s no a/c outlet cable included. And if you look for the Sony Reader a/c charger? It’s expensive at $30.00!
But thanks to Jane, I have a solution: the Sony PSP charger. It’s the same plug, so it works perfectly – and it costs $13.00. If you’re feeling particularly frisky, there are other models, too, such as this one, currently on sale for $1.67 plus shipping.
What accessories have you found super useful for your digital reader, or for books you read in dark or often damp locations? Book covers you dig? Lights? Share, share! It’s shopping time.
I have one of those Energizer clip-on LED lights – I’ve had it for 4 or 5 years, stuffed into a pocket of my luggage, unprotected. Still in great shape.
I bought a clip on light for my Kindle2 at the dollar stores (actually I splurged and bought two!), so the $19.99 awkward-ass light fell by the wayside.
That’s one of my biggest beefs with my Kindle, is that it’s not backlit. And the clip on light makes for funky glare which leads to the tilt-a-whirl reading experience.
Otherwise, I’m okay with the AC plug and other accessories.
I have the cover light for my 505 and I love it because it provides even lighting across the screen with no glare. I leave that cover on the reader all the time, so I guess I’ve gotten used to the weight…or maybe I’m just strong like bull.
I have the Sony 700 and love it love it. The best tip I have is the small ziplock freezer (heavier plastic) bags for bathtub reading. Ziplock bags are awesome and tested and cheap. I never reuse them, and of course they have the yellow+blue=green! Ha! Every function works through the plastic, even the page turn on the screen.
Just a suggestion though, bag your reader at your own risk.
Hooray! There’s a Mantitty skin! (page 4)
Funny Jenn- I was going to suggest the same thing. Pool, spa, tub, rain- it hasn’t failed me yet. I usually keep one in my truck just in case I am somewhere and the weather gets crappy- which has been everyday in NY this summer.
I do like the lighted cover on the 505 as opposed to the backlight on my 700, because of the power usage.
Anne Douglas has some lovely padded fabric covers for added protection for the included cover – also nice if you don’t like the colour. Her shop is Anne’s Addictions on Etsy.
@Estara- I was going to say the same thing! I have two Anne’s Addictions covers and I love them to pieces. I switch ‘em up when I need a change.
I also love my Might Bright Flex LED (looks like it’s the same one Sarah posted). I find that it lights the screen fully but can easily be adjusted to avoid glare, and it doesn’t get in my way.
Oooh, I iz in love with the skinz idea, that was on my acc. wishlist.
The burled wood one? SO, do you like have a fetish for station wagons too?
I kid, I kid!
I like the idea of the Liebesbrief ones, but would switch it up to have scrawling Shakespeare quotes and pics of Willy in place of the skulls.
Hmmmmm, none of those light options seem just right for me…I need to keep looking, or free my inner genius and invent one myself.
OMG! I didn’t know there were skins out there for the 505! I am soooo getting myself a skin! I LOVE MY SONY READER!
Well, I love my iPod Touch, which I got to be able to read eBooks on, and to do other stuff. I don’t have any accessories for it, although I’d like a new iPod charger (have one that came with my iPod-Mini Gen1, and I’m too nervous to really use it with my iPod Touch 2ndGen) so I don’t have to have my eeePC open to charge it, but I don’t have to have one. It’s beautifully backlit, so I don’t have to have any kind of reading light with it. I run Stanza as my eBook software on it, and it also has a night-time reading option, which turns the pages black with white writing instead of black on white. (Very Awesome.) I also use Calibre as well, but not to the extent I could – I find it very convenient to convert books 🙂 I also really love the case I have to it, which is just a skin, but it makes it non-slippery to hold, which in bed at 4am is great 😀
I love the 505 light.
I run Stanza as my eBook software on it and it also has a night-time reading option, which turns the pages black with white writing instead of black on white.
I’ve checked out a few popular meal planning sites, but none of them are quite what I’m looking for. I’m looking for an automated meal planner (so that it populates itself based on my preferences) which allows me to swap out meals that I’m not too keen on, provides a shopping list, and considers dietary information (such as calories per day). Ideally, the shopping list would be optimized for the week (so I’m not buying groceries that are completely separate from each day’s meal recommendations). I’m willing to pay for such a site.copper sinks
I write things down as I need them. I review it before I go to the store and look through my cupboards and fridge to see if there is anything else that I might need. Also, it helps to write your list in the order of the aisles of the store you are going shopping at (or group your list by fruits, veggies, meats, etc) – this will also save time once you get to the store so you don’t have to back-track any.