Category Archives: Product reviews

Spell Check Anywhere — useful and inexpensive

Posted on by Carol

While I was trying to get spell check to work in Microsoft Office 2010, I discovered a great spell-check program called Spell Check Anywhere. I like this program, because it can be used to check anything that appears on one’s computer screen. A small green button appears in the upper right-hand corner of all programs. Just click the button, and SCA checks for errors. And as it checks, it offers easy access to a dictionary or thesaurus.

Once in a while, the computer will issue a message that it can’t find anything to spell check — for instance, on web pages. Just highlight the text, and then click the button. Spell Check Anywhere goes to work.

Once the program did stop working. I e-mailed for assistance, and received almost immediate response. Apparently, Norton Antivirus was interfering. It was recommended I “whitewash” the program, so that Norton would know that it was safe. I did, and haven’t had problems  since.

Spell Check Anywhere costs around $30 and can be added to three computers/devices.  There is a seven-day free trial period.

Avoid bug-bites with camper’s soap

Posted on by Carol

I love the outdoors, but seem to attract every type of biting insect.

At a home show in Little Rock, I met a woman who made citronella lye soap. I’d planted citronella in a mosquito-prone area of our yard the previous year, and it eliminated the mini-swarms we’d had in the past. So I decided to give this soap a try.

I went through several bars, and didn’t get a single bug bite. Even the chiggers left me alone.

Unfortunately, when I went to reorder, the woman’s web site was down. But Herbaria offers something similar that seems a little milder on the skin.  I’ve used the soap all summer, and have only had two insect bites during that time.

I love “camper’s soap.”

Digital meat thermometer with remote reminder a great investment

Posted on by Carol

I was recently at a department store, browsing the kitchen aisle. This meat thermometer  looked interesting, but I was skeptical of its claims:

  • Set the type of meat and temperature.

  • Stick the probe into the cut.

  • Place the device on the counter and the meat in the oven, with the wire strung through the closed oven door.

  • Listen for the beep.

The unit came with an optional vibrator, remotely connected to the thermometer, that can be worn around the neck or carried in a pocket. It reminds the cook to return to the kitchen when the meat’s nearly ready.

I couldn’t resist trying it, and it’s far exceeded my expectations.

In an attempt to protect my family from food poisoning, I tended to overcook meat. The result was a dry and tasteless meal. Now everything I cook is moist, but cooked through. This thermometer was definitely a great investment at around $20.

The Clones of Langston “fun to read”

Posted on by Carol

A woman came up to me this morning. She’d just read my novel, The Clones of Langston, and wanted to tell me how much she’d enjoyed it. “It’s such an adventure — and fun to read!” It made me feel so good that I’ve decided to lower the price on the digital editions to $1.25. That’s the lowest price that all booksellers can agree upon. I want to be sure that anyone who wants to read my book can afford to do so. The new price will go into effect in about 24 hours. Watch for it at:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Lulu Marketplace

The Clones of Langston

Readers Favorite Medalist

Heat sensitivity and color fastness in Canson Infinity Rag Photographique

Posted on by Carol

This morning, ran water over images printed with on Canson Infinity Rag Photographique paper (printed with HP Vivera inks). The color didn’t run.

I also tested the paper, both printed and unprinted, in the oven, first at 170 degrees Fahrenheit and then at 220 degrees. Both image and paper appeared undamaged.

Canson Rag Photographique and Arches Velin Museum Rag

Posted on by Carol

I tested both of these papers today. The Arches Velin Museum Rag is too stiff. It will not fold around the roller in my printer, and jams the device every time.

However, I’ll be using the Rag Photographique in the future. The colors closely resemble those of my proofs, which are run on HP Premium Plus Photo Paper. The primary color difference lies in the the blacks. On the HP paper, the blacks are crisp; deep. On the Rag Photographique, they have the sultry richness found in an etching. It should be noted that, on the latter,  the blacks don’t reach their full intensity until the print has thoroughly dried.

Legion was good to its word and sent me replacement Somerset Enhanced Velvet. However, I’m still experiencing a pronounced color shift.

Barnes and Noble’s Nook Color

Posted on by Carol

I’ve had my Nook for two weeks now, and still love it! That doesn’t mean it’s perfect.

Below are some things I’ve noticed.

Things I like:

I love that you can rest your finger on a word, and then quickly pull up the word’s definition.

I love that I can easily highlight or add notes.

One thing I do like is that books and periodicals can be archived to the B&N web site, so that they do not have to consume space on the Nook. If the book has been highlighted, or if notes have been added in the margins, these are preserved. Magazines and newspapers cannot be highlighted; notes cannot be written in the margins.

Because I can adjust text size and page brightness to accommodate for eye fatigue, my love for reading has returned. Too many books in print are published in small, nearly unreadable fonts in order to save paper.

The screen is easy to clean. I use untreated, fabric wipes used for cleaning eyeglasses. I use one slightly damp one, and another to dry the screen off. The nook seems to have more difficulty recognizing “commands” when the screen is dirty.

It seems to recharge quickly.

 Things that need improvement:

It seems to take a long time for e-mail (or any web page) to load.

Deleting an e-mail through the e-mail application does not delete it in my e-mail account. In other words, if I check my mail using a desktop computer, the e-mail that’s been deleted through my Nook is still there.

I can’t say I really enjoy reading magazines on the Nook. The screen is simply too small to enjoy the photographs. One can make the photographs one size larger, but this of course cuts the pictures off. Also, captions are much too small to be read comfortably.

One of the first books I ordered was Stephen King’s Misery. I quickly learned that books by large publishers aren’t much cheaper in the digital format. Misery was $7.99 as a paperback, and as a Nook Book. King’s book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is only a dollar cheaper as a Nook Book. (However, you don’t have to pay shipping, so I suppose that saves at least a few dollars.)

Some of the applications do not have a quick exit feature. You have to repeatedly press the button at the bottom of the nook to escape. Nothing major, but slightly annoying.

Nook does not work with Windows Media Player files. Audio files must be converted to MP3s. I converted a few, but was unhappy with the sound quality. There was no sensation of stereo.

There is no search feature that allows you to search for key words within the notes you’ve taken.

If there is a jpeg embedded in a book (there were two or three in Misery), these cannot be enlarged. The pages in Misery were actually parts of the text, but were unreadable.

You cannot manage your magazine and newspaper subscriptions through the Nook, even though you can log into your account. You must use a computer to do this.

I bought Webster’s thesaurus application. When a word and its associated synonyms are pulled up, the text is very tiny. The text can be enlarged with a screen “pinch,” but then the words extends off the page. You have to move the page back and forth to read it, even if the unit is turned sideways (to form a landscape page).

Barnes and Noble Nook Color — Love it!

Posted on by Carol

Happy Holidays, everyone!

For the first time in many years, my husband and I exchanged gifts. And I received a Nook Color. And I love it!

For anyone used to working with computers, it’s relatively easy to operate. And a user’s manual is included on the device as a free book. (For anyone not familiar with computers, there might be a substantial learning curve.)

For reading books, the font and font sizes can be changed, so that text is easier to read. The manual says that font color can be changed but, sorry, that feature is not included. However, there are several background colors to choose from while reading, and one can reduce or enhance the display brightness.

Searching is easy, as is highlighting and note-taking. One feature I’d like to see in the future is the ability to search one’s notes for key words.

However, Nook has a built-in dictionary that one can access while reading a book. Simply keep your finger on a word, and a menu appears. Select “look up.”

This morning, I was searching for an additional dictionary application. The only one I saw that got good to fair reviews was from Merriam Webster. However, it’s very pricey ($25). I did find one MW version for $14 – don’t know if that’s older and less reliable software, or simply less expensive.

Many magazines are available for Nook, with a 14-day free trial. However, one cannot highlight, look up words, or paste notes when reading a magazine.

For 99 cents each, a number of applications to the device, including a calendar with alarm clock, a calculator, checkers, and scrabble. Great to have on hand if when waiting at the airport, the auto repair shop, or in the kitchen as dinner cooks. There are also many applications created to entertain small children.

As long as there’s a WiFi connection, one can search the web or check/send e-mail.

I haven’t loaded any music to my Nook, but that’s yet another option.

I understand that NetFlix also has a free application for streaming video and television shows – which would be great for long car or plane rides. Of course, one has to be a NetFlix member, which involves an additional fee.

LATER THAT SAME DAY…  I just tried adding music to my Nook. It does not accept Windows Media Player files, which means songs on my computer must be converted to MP3s. I did convert a sampling, but when I played them on Nook, the sound quality was poor. Since music isn’t an important feature to me, I still love my Nook Color.