The Inimitable Have Tex Blog

B&N has a winner on it’s hands. With the 1.2 update it’s a crossover between an e-reader and a tablet. Rooted, it gives the Samsung Galaxy tab a run for its money. It’s definitely the best value Android tablet under $300.00.

The Chromebook is answering a question no one is asking. Windows netbooks and low-end laptops are cheap. If all you want is to web browse and use browser based apps, Acronis will let you reload Win 7 from a protected image in a few minutes, so malware issues can be worked around easily.

If you want a richer graphics experience, tablets from Apple and Google’s Android operating system offer more options, are more compact, and some are cheaper.

If you want a locked down corporate OS, virtualized remote desktops work just fine and protect data from theft/exposure.

So what’s the the point exactly? I’ve been in IT for over 30 years and just don’t get it.

EditThere’s a lot of buzz this holiday season about eReaders. Having researched them all, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Nook Color best suits my needs:

Pros

• Smaller than an iPad at 7″,  hold it in one hand like a book.
• Backlit LCD, works in low light. (Kindle and the first Nook, better outdoors.)
• Gorgeous 1024*600 screen, the same as a netbook, but more portable.
• Responsive, load books quickly, immediate page turns. Full color magazines.
• Full web browser, except flash, you can see full pages, and they load quickly.
• Plays most eBook formats, you don’t have to buy from Barnes and Noble.
• Lend books to Nook users, and borrow them. Borrow from libraries.
• Plays music, and supports 32GB Micro SD card, so you can store all of it!
• It’s been rooted, you can load Android on it if you’re a tech savvy risk taker.
• Because it’s been rooted, lots of pressure on Barnes and Noble to roll out more apps to its own store.

Cons

• No Flash video, yet! An Android update is expected to fix that in January.
• No 3G support, so you have to get to a wifi network to download books or browse the web.
• $100 more than a monochrome eReader (I think it’s worth it, you may not).
• Video quality is poor, I expect that to improve with the Android update also.
• Very limited apps, no calendar, contacts, email. No access to the Android market.
• There is a Nook appstore, but there’s almost nothing in it as yet.
• Check out at Barnes and Noble

Most people are honest, trustworthy and hard-working. Perhaps I’m naive, but treat people as you would like them to be, and as you would like to be treated, and you get their best efforts.

Things aren’t always as they seem. A couple of years ago I ended a relationship, because the other party wasn’t living up to its side of the agreement, and it threatened my whole business. I talked to the other party, then, reluctantly, used the courts when that failed. I didn’t just walk away, I tried to make it work, and then ended it in a professional, legal manner.

When one of my vendors’ employees quit, he implied I should do business with his new firm. It would have violated my contract with his employer. Even though my day to day relationship was with him, I had no doubt the correct response was to honor my contract and contact his employer.

I’m confident the owner will work hard to keep my business, if he doesn’t I’ll renegotiate the agreement. Worst case, I won’t renew.

Most importantly, I can look myself in the eye. To me that’s integrity.