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FREE Kindle eReaders Available Online
FREE Kindle eReaders Available Online
āTurn Your Computer Into an eReaderā
by Gregory West
It just keeps on getting better in Cyberspace!
āWOW,ā I holleredĀ when I learned I could get a free app (software program) that turns my computer into the Kindle eReader. It was a fluke coming across this beauty.
I ordered a technology book to review from OReilly Media. Usually my review books get emailed as a PDF or a real paper book. This particular book came as a an attachment in an email that my computer did not recognize, nor open. I tried and tried to open the file without success. Finally, after emailing OReillyās back, they explained about the free app to run the Kindle eReader on a computer.
Marsee Henon, from O’Reilly Media (www.oreilly.com/ebooks), explained that āour ebooks work not only on a Kindle, but also on the Kindle app offered on Macs, PCs, iPads, and other devices.ā
At first I didnāt believe it would actually work. I clicked to the amazon website (listed below) and downloaded the program, all the while, still thinking it probably wonāt work. Even when I had the program downloaded, it wasnāt until I clicked on the ebook attachment in OReillyās email when a miracle happened. The ebook opened on my computer and I had my very own Kindle on my laptop. Amazon also through in several free books too. Yeah!
Marsee sent me the links (listed below) for the free download. If you have a Windows computer less than 12 years old, or a Mac computer with an Intel chip, you should have no problem using your computer as a Kindle eReader. You can check the required specs on the following websites.
Choose one of the links below and download the Kindle app for your computer.
Windows PC computer users:
Mac computer users: Snow Leopard and Lion
http://amzn.to/snowleopard_lion_kindle
Mac computer users: Leopard
http://bit.ly/leopard_only
The Kindle application for your computer offers many functions, āincluding functionality such as zoom and pan, highlighting, note taking, dictionary lookup, and bookmarks,ā according to Amazon.com.
Once you get your free Kindle eReader appĀ visit the Project Gutenberg (www.gutenberg.org) where there are over 30,000 book titles. These books are free as the copyrights have run out. There are some real gems to be had here. Treat yourself this free eReader; you will be amazed with this easy-to-use technology. I know I enjoy my new free Kindle.
PROBLEM – Last month a reader emailed me that he had a problem after downloading the anti malware program (Superantispyware.com) I wrote about in the June issue called: āMake Your Computer Run Brand New Againā. He said the program worked fine then āit began asking for $19.95ā. He also said he had an difficult time trying to remove this program.
SOLUTION -After several emails and a telephone conversation it was discovered this reader clicked the āUPGRADEā button. This took him away from his free version to the paid version. Moral of the story: Be careful what you click. āUPGRADEā usually means a better program and one that costs. The reader was thinking he was getting an āUPDATEā. Therein lies the difference: UPDATE is when a program fixes or makes it better or safer to use. UPGRADE is taking you to the paid version.
PROBLEM –Ā Another reader said his computer had a virus. This nasty thing disabled his anti virus program and he could not get rid it. The virus warned him if he paid for their anti virus his computer would be fixed. His computer had been āhijackedā and he was being held for ransom. This is quite common and usually simple to fix.
SOLUTION – I told the reader to start his computer in āSAFE MODEā, then run his own anti virus program. This caught the nasty virus, deleted it and now he is a happy computer user. Be careful what you click on in Cyberspace…It may cost you!
If you have a computer problem or a great tip, please pass it along to Greg at First Monday and he will post it in the next issue.
Gregory can be reached at: gregory@alternatecloud.com
A website for Seniors learning technology: http://alternatecloud.com
For more tips visit his Blog: https://gregorywest.wordpress.com
Free Computer Help Seminars: Grace United Church – 519-542-1203
Filed under: computers | Tagged: alternate cloud, alternatecloud, Amazon Kindle, Comparison of e-book readers, ereader, free, gregory west, ipad, kindle, Kindle eReader, mac, ontario, OReilly Media, pc, Project Gutenberg, sarnia | Leave a comment »
Facebook for Beginners
HOW TO GET A FACEBOOK PAGE – HOW TO SECURE YOUR FACEBOOK
CLICK HERE WATCH THE HOW TO VIDEOS
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AlternateCloud.com helping seniors learn tech stuff
Visit us today for FREE HELP – so CICK HERE
Ā Seniors learn the easy way right here at AlternateCloud website for FREE
Filed under: computers | Tagged: computer, facebook, free, gregory west, help, how to, Internet, Lambton County, mac, pc, sarnia, seniors computing, teach, tutorial, windows | Leave a comment »
New Google Search Series
This is a change from my normal blog. This time the article(s) and videos are in the LambtonShield online newspaper.
I am doing a 3 part series on the new Google Search. This is also part of a live presentation I am doing for the Sarnia Computer Users’ Group in Sarnia, Ontario.
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AND ARTICLE: CLICK HERE
Filed under: computers | Tagged: alternate cloud, apple, classes, computer help, computer training, google, google search, gregory west, lambtonshield, mac, ontario, sarnia, teaching, training, tutorials, video, youtube | Leave a comment »
MAC Users Should Protect With Software and Common Sense
There is a lot of hype in the media today about a security issue for Macs. In Krebs’ blog KREBSONSECURITY he wrote a blog entitled: “Weyland-Yutani Crime Kit Targetss Macs for Bots“. In this blog Krebs clearly pointed out that users are responsible and must maintain common sense while online and using a computer, be it Mac, PC or even Linux.
The media has hyped this issue up because it could involve Mac users. Krebs tells us that “A new crimeware kit for sale on the criminal underground makes it a simple point-and-click exercise to develop malicious software designed to turnĀ Mac OSXcomputers into remotely controllable zombie bots. According to the vendor of this kit, it is somewhat interchangeable with existing crimeware kits made to attack Windows-based PCs.”
Apple news site offers this resolve:
“What does this mean for normal Mac users? For the moment, only that you really do want to stay up to date with security updates to Mac OS X and Web browsers. If Weyland-Yutani were to become popular with criminals, the anti-malware market on the Mac would certainly heat up.
But for the moment, just be sure to install security updates, be careful opening email attachments that could contain code, and stay away from dodgy Web sites pushing pirated software, gambling, and porn. Oh, and keep reading TidBITS for news of changes in the security landscape. In other words, use your common sense, since the Internet simply isnāt an entirely safe place and hasnāt been for years.”
Any Mac user who takes their computers seriously have read Apple’s advice on Security that is posted near the bottom of the Apple website:
Mac OS X –Ā SecurityĀ – Keeps safe from viruses and malware
The built-in defenses in Mac OS X help keep you safe from viruses and malware without the hassle of constant alerts and sweeps.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/
Security Advice
The Mac is designed with built-in technologies that provide protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box. However, since no system can be 100 percent immune from every threat, antivirus software may offer additional protection.
and…
Here are some other ways to help keep your information as safe as possible:
- Download files only from known and trusted websites.
- Use FileVault to encrypt your most important documents.
- Control access to your Mac by locking your screen after a period of inactivity.
- Securely delete outdated sensitive files with the Secure Empty Trash command.
Check out our FACEBOOK PageĀ – CLICK THE LIKE BUTTON to get in.
Filed under: anti virus | Tagged: anti virus, apple, āWeyland-Yutaniā Crime Kit Targets Macs for Bots, bots, gregory west, Lambton County, mac, mac computer group, Mac OS, Mac OS X, Macintosh, mackintosh, macosx, malware, Microsoft Windows, mug, Personal computer, sarnia, security | Leave a comment »