E-Reader 101

Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad, Barnes and Noble Nook, or Kobo eReader...

Choices, choices and more choices... we are constantly bombarded by the "newer and better" in electronics. So, how do you decide?

According to an article I read in my National Association of Female Executives (NAFE) Magazine, "carrying the new bestseller in your already-too-heavy workbag is so last century. With all the reading you do to keep your competitive edge, consider investing in an e-reader."

But which one should you purchase?

David Carnoy, executive of CNET had the following suggestion to NAFE, who considers him the smartest techie they know.

E-READER: Amazon Kindle (from $139 amazon.com)
PRO: Long battery life: turn the wireless on and read for up to three weeks, turn wireless off and read for a month. 4 GB of memory means you can store 3,500 books.
CON: No expansion slot for adding more memory. Battery is sealed into the device and isn't removable. Not compatible with loaner e-books from libraries that use the EPUB format.
BEST FOR: Someone who has a long reading list, looking for user-friendly device and doesn't usually buy books on the fly.

E-READER: Apple iPad (from $499 store.apple.com)
PRO: Multiple features including Web, email, photos, video and a large screen make it an all-in-one package.
CON: The price tag.
BEST FOR: Someone who is looking to do more than just reading with the device.

E-READER: Barnes and Noble Nook ($149, new Nook Color listed at $249 barnesandnoble.com)
PRO: Large library with more than a million e-books, newspapers and magazines. Wi-Fi connectivity. 2 GB of internal memory as well as an expansion slot for additional memory.
CON: Lacks a text-to-speech feature. Color LCD appears to have a significant impact on battery life. In-store reading and loaning capabilities come with notable limits and caveats.
BEST FOR: Someone who is looking for more bells and whistles and doesn't mind the shorter battery life.

E-READER: Kobo eReader ($139, recent listed price drop at $99 borders.com)
PRO: Now available on Wi-Fi. Users can select more than 2 million e-books.
CON: Text and images are black-and-white only.
BEST FOR: The occasional reader who isn't looking to make a major investment.

Do you own one or more of the above? Which would you recommend and why? Have any other pros/cons to add to the list? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Tweet Your Way to Better Business

Using Facebook as a marketing tool is almost mandatory. But before you ask clients to friend you or follow you on Twitter, consider the most effective uses of social media. Here are some tips from Giovanni Gallucci, an award-winning new media producer, author and digital media strategist.

Research. Learn how to find your existing and potential customers. Search for groups and buckets of people who share a demographic on the social media sites, then join the groups and start interacting.

Expand, don’t replace. Use social media to amp up current strategies, not replace them. “Some small business owners and entrepreneurs think social media is going to come in and replace their other types of advertising and marketing,” says Gallucci. “We find best success when we use sites like Twitter to compliment other advertising and marketing tactics.”

Build slowly. Start with just one, two, maybe three sites that make sense for your industry. Try tactics like building groups for disseminating information, posting giveaways on Facebook and sharing links about new trends on Twitter.

Protect your reputation. Be mindful about how your brands and products are perceived. Be careful about what you say online and how you respond to a customer’s posted comments and concerns. Address any problems and clearly explain what went wrong.

Keep up the momentum. If you don’t find value initially, don’t give up, Gallucci advises. There’s no magical number for how long it takes to get traction. You need to give yourself enough time so you can build a following.

Source: NAFE Magazine (Smart Talk)