class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle.jpg?323f2c" alt="" />It’s the tablet that wouldn’t die, the device that kept coming back for more, and despite HP’s dithering over whether they would continue to support webOS or not, the HP TouchPad has exceeded expectations thanks to various fire sales at popular online and offline retailers and its friendly user interface. However thanks to the lack of support from HP early on (it was decided that the company would discard the webOS platform soon after the TouchPad launched) there is a big hole in the number of official apps available for the webOS tablets.

One of these missing apps is Kindle. While you will easily find Amazon’s eBook reading app on the HP TouchPad in the USA, outside of the country (in places such as Europe and Australia) Kindle isn’t listed in the HP App Catalog. As tablets are popularly used for reading, this is clearly disappointing. Thankfully, however, there is a way of installing the webOS Kindle app on HP TouchPads in territories where the app is unavailable.

So Why Is the HP TouchPad Kindle App US-only?

style="margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/amazon-kindle-logo.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="205" height="205" align="left" />Well, to begin with it depends on your definition of “US-only”. For many TouchPad users in North America, the Kindle app is an easy to use and enjoyable eBook reading experience. But these are the lucky ones. Thanks to some initial confusion or a problem with the app (the reason has never been made clear) the Amazon Kindle app was shipped with some first wave TouchPads but then removed from later devices, replaced with a placeholder “coming soon” app.

Fortunately, if your US-based TouchPad doesn’t have a working Kindle app, you can now find it via the HP App Catalog.

Preparing Your HP TouchPad

Before proceeding to install the Kindle app on your HP TouchPad, you will need to download a few tools (this method can be used on Windows and Mac OS X). The first thing you should do is head to href="http://hotfile.com/dl/128523150/76e47a4/com.palm.app.kindle_0.11.499820_all.ipk.html">this link and download the Kindle .ipk file. An .ipk is the installer file format used on webOS.

After doing this, download the webOS Quick Install software from href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2774158/WebOSQuickInstall-4.3.1.jar">here. This is a tool that allows the testing of unapproved applications on webOS devices such as the HP TouchPad, and requires you to have Java installed on your computer (available from href="http://www.java.com/getjava">here).

Next, connect your HP TouchPad to your computer using the supplied USB cable. The Connected dialogue box will appear, but you can select Close to continue – the USB Drive mode cannot be used for this process. You will then need to find Developer Mode, revealed by typing the following string into the search box: webos20090606

Tap the Developer Mode icon to proceed and then slide the switch in the top-right corner to activate; you may be prompted for a password, but click Submit to bypass this.

The next stage is to run the downloaded webOSQuickInstall-4.3.1.jar (you might have a different version) file and follow any prompts to download additional software (such as the Novacom driver for creating a stable connection between your computer and the tablet).

Installing The Kindle App

With all of the above installed and running, adding the Kindle app – which is in beta so might be slightly unreliable at times – is a simple task.

The webOS Quick Install application on your desktop computer will display a largely empty screen with a handful of buttons, including + and – on the right-hand side. Click the + button to browse for the previously downloaded Kindle .ipk, which will have a filename in the form of com.palm.app.kindle_0.11.499820_all.ipk (although the version number at the end may differ). Select this file and then click the Install button and wait a few moments.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle2.png?323f2c" alt="Sideloading the Kindle app onto your HP TouchPad" width="580" height="371" />

When the process is complete the .ipk file will no longer be listed in the Files to Install section of the webOS Quick Install application, so you will be free to close the software (it can be relaunched by running webOSQuickInstall-4.3.1.jar).

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle4.png?323f2c" alt="Signing into the Kindle app on the HP TouchPad" width="580" height="435" />

Next, double-tap the menu button on your HP TouchPad and go to the Downloads tab where you will find the Amazon Kindle app listed. Tap to launch and enter your credentials (or register) to continue.

A few moments later, the main screen of the app will appear. If you have used Kindle in the past,  your books will be listed; otherwise you will be prompted to visit the Amazon Kindle store, where you will find free and paid-for titles to download direct to your TouchPad.

Reading Books On Your TouchPad

Amazon’s Kindle app provides similar functionality to tablets and mobile phones as can be found on the popular dedicated eBook reader. Utilizing an Amazon account and providing access to the Kindle store, the app allows the user to download free out-of-copyright titles (such as the works of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens) as well as find the latest titles to download and read on their device.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/muo-hptp-kindle5.png?323f2c" alt="HP TouchPad Kindle app book library" width="580" height="435" />

With versions available for Mac, iOS, Android, Windows and Windows Phone, Kindle apps extend the functionality of the dedicated device to users of other hardware, often those for whom an Amazon Kindle app would be desirable if it didn’t mean carrying multiple devices. The HP TouchPad version of Kindle is just as good as the others and will allow you to download and enjoy books on your tablet wherever you are.

If you are a HP Touchpad owner, and you tried to download the Kindle app using this method, let us know if you were successful.  Or maybe you know of another way to install the Kindle app on the Touchpad?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/featured-amazon-killing-high-street.jpg?323f2c" alt="" />While online retailers href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2396634,00.asp">such as Amazon go from strength to strength, a href="http://www.maryportas.com/news/2011/12/12/the-portas-review/">damning new report in the UK has stated the high street is facing a crisis – in towns and cities, 1 in 7 high street locations lie empty.

Is the report justified? Are online retailers like Amazon responsible for this, and why? What can revitalise the high-street?

Is it that bad?

First off, referring to it as a ‘crisis’ is perhaps a little dramatic and mostly just a headline grabber. Even Amazon admits href="http://gigaom.com/2011/11/09/for-amazon-kindle-brick-mortar-stores-key-to-success/">that it needs brick and mortar stores to drive sales for devices like it’s new title="New Amazon Tablet Now Available Along With Three New Kindles [News]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/amazon-tablet-kindles-news/">Kindle Fire. Though many will be sold online, the majority of consumers will heading out to the shops to get a little hands-on time when deciding on a tablet purchase this Christmas – and that’s where Amazon needs to reel them in.

Though we don’t have the new Fire in the UK yet, the Kindle line has a strong presence even in supermarket retailers such as Tesco – alongside the iPad – while other tablet devices remain noticeably absent.

We also need to bear in mind that a large proportion of the population is still very far from what most of us would define as “tech savvy”, and many remain distrustful of online retailers in general. There is simply too large of a “digital divide” for the high street to be in that much trouble in the foreseeable future.

If my own purchasing habits can be considered a good indicator though, I can tell you now that I’ve placed an average of three orders a month with Amazon, whilst only visiting the high street only once a month. My spend on Amazon is 100 times what I’ve spent on the high street. So why is Amazon winning out – for me at least?

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Cost

It’s fair to say that in the majority of cases Amazon has a product for cheaper. The Amazon app makes it ridiculously easy to do a price check while looking at a physical product, allowing you to quickly compare and add it straight to your online basket. They’ve even gone so far as to undercut high street retailers  href="http://moneyland.time.com/2011/12/08/use-amazons-price-check-app-and-save-15-this-saturday/">by offering a discount if you walk into a high street store and scan an item, then purchase through Amazon instead. While most of us will agree this is pretty despicable business practice, I’m sure we secretly all appreciate the savings – especially at this time of year.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/amazon-warehouse.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="340" />

Service

I hate to say it England, but I’m sick of the level of service – is this really the best you can do? The typical attitude of retail staff seems to be “for god’s sake, why are you buying this? Just hurry up and bugger off so I can get back to sitting here”. If you want to know how to do good service, go to Japan. They even bow to you. And yes, I have worked in retail before – over the Christmas period no less – so don’t think I don’t know how crappy it can be.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/japan-retail-store-assistants.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="500" height="381" />

Excuse me if I don’t feel the need to put myself through that. Amazon has always been polite to me, and even makes suggestions for other things I might like. Service – as one of the few things physical retail stores should be able to one-up an internet site – is miserably pathetic for the most part.

Convenience

Parking charges, crowds, queuing – it all adds up to an inconvenient day out. If I can buy the same item online – saving money and time – that’s more time I can spend at home, with my family, enjoying the rest of my life.

The Solution?

The one thing that online retailers cannot offer is an experience, yet most high street retailers are failing miserably there too. One example of a technology retailer that got this spot on is Apple – whose retail stores continue to outshine any others in terms of revenue per square meter. Why is that? Well, not only are the Apple stores a thing of physical beauty – awe inspiring architectural structures – but they also play host to the genius bar, as well as tutorial sessions and events focused around the creative ethos. In short, they create an experience – not just a sale.

class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/apple-stores.jpg?323f2c" alt="" width="580" height="363" />

Personally, I think the solution is not to try simply try and restore the status quo of the traditional high street filled with retailers, but instead to turn the high street into a more social gathering. That’s something which online retailers simply cannot offer.

As an example from the 8 years I spent living in Kyoto, the biggest thing that drew me into town was not the shopping, but the entertainment centers. A popular high street destination there is called Round One, and for want of a better word – it’s a play center for adults open 24 hours a day. Paying by the hour – the multi-storey building are filled with arcade amusements, billiards, karaoke, bowling, even outdoor sports on the roof – all free play once you’ve paid your entrance fee.

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These places make the center of town… a destination rather than a simple shopping trip. Markets and places of historical or cultural interest could do the same job, yet we continue to see the high street as primarily a retail location.

In conclusion, Amazon have played some pretty underhanded tactics to deliberately undercut high street stores, but in these times of cutbacks more than ever I appreciate any savings. I doubt retail shops will ever completely die out, just as books won’t be replaced by eBooks either – yet is certainly a disturbing trend. More high street retailers are disappearing, and online spending continues to grow – that part is no lie. As the next generation of consumers grow up in a world where online transactions are no longer feared – the digital divide will be broken down further. One thing is for certain – the high street in 10 years time will look quite different to how it is today.

How about you? Do you do most of your shopping online? What do you think the high street can offer that Amazon doesn’t? Are US high streets facing the same ‘crisis’ as the UK? Let us know in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/kindle-cloud-e1320776717922.jpg" alt="" />Recently, Amazon launched their href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/amazon-cloud-reader-web-app-kindle-books/">Kindle Cloud Reader, which allows Kindle users to read their books in many of their favorite browsers. However, one browser that was missing from the list was Mozilla Firefox. From day one, the HTML 5 based service supported Google Chrome, and the mobile and desktop version of Safari. Seeing as Firefox is one of the more popular browsers available, leaving it off the list of supported browsers seemed like an odd choice. Another thing that is extremely odd about this is that Firefox is one of the browsers at the forefront of HTML 5 support.

Now, only two months after the first launch of the service, Firefox is officially supported. This is great news for Kindle users who are loyal to Firefox, because sometimes a computer with a web browser is the only way to get access to your book library. I can’t imagine what caused the delay, but none the less, the wait is over, so all Kindle users who support Firefox can join the rest of us in reading our favorite books.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/kindle_cloud_reader.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="373" />

At this point, Internet Explorer still isn’t supported, and neither are many other mobile devices such as the BlackBerry PlayBook. However, because of the adaptability of HTML 5, it shouldn’t be long before Amazon adds support for these as well.

Source: href="http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/11/08/it-only-took-two-months-amazons-kindle-cloud-reader-gets-firefox-support/" rel="nofollow">The Next Web

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/kindle-cloud-e1320776717922.jpg" alt="" />Recently, Amazon launched their href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/amazon-cloud-reader-web-app-kindle-books/">Kindle Cloud Reader, which allows Kindle users to read their books in many of their favorite browsers. However, one browser that was missing from the list was Mozilla Firefox. From day one, the HTML 5 based service supported Google Chrome, and the mobile and desktop version of Safari. Seeing as Firefox is one of the more popular browsers available, leaving it off the list of supported browsers seemed like an odd choice. Another thing that is extremely odd about this is that Firefox is one of the browsers at the forefront of HTML 5 support.

Now, only two months after the first launch of the service, Firefox is officially supported. This is great news for Kindle users who are loyal to Firefox, because sometimes a computer with a web browser is the only way to get access to your book library. I can’t imagine what caused the delay, but none the less, the wait is over, so all Kindle users who support Firefox can join the rest of us in reading our favorite books.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 1px solid black;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/kindle_cloud_reader.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="373" />

At this point, Internet Explorer still isn’t supported, and neither are many other mobile devices such as the BlackBerry PlayBook. However, because of the adaptability of HTML 5, it shouldn’t be long before Amazon adds support for these as well.

Source: href="http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/11/08/it-only-took-two-months-amazons-kindle-cloud-reader-gets-firefox-support/" rel="nofollow">The Next Web

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2011-11-08-10h34_27.png" alt="" />Barnes & Noble have officially announced the release of their new tablet reader, named simply the href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/nook-tablet-barnes-noble/1104687969">Nook tablet. It is designed to offer direct competition to Amazon’s Kindle Fire, and the two devices are in fact quite similar.

The Nook tablet will sell for $249, which is $50 more than the Kindle Fire, but will also come equipped with double the storage (16GB) and double the RAM (1GB). The device itself is also quite similar to the Nook Color, but the tablet’s specs will make it possible to use it for HD video content, as well as books and magazines.

The device is equipped with a modified version of Android, and will come with apps like Hulu, Netflix and Pandora, which is something else it has over the Kindle Fire. The access to apps, however, will be more limited, and there is no access to the Android Market at all.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2011-11-08-10h22_54.png" alt="2011-11-08 10h22_54" width="282" height="410" border="0" />

Like the Kindle Fire, the Nook tablet is Wi-Fi only (no 3G option), and the cloud storage options are not as strong as Amazon’s. Coinciding with the launch, Barnes & Noble announced a significant price-drop for the Nook Color and the Nook Simple Touch, which will now sell for $199 and $99 respectively. Even if you’re not a tablet fan, the general move to tablets is definitely making the simple eReaders more accessible.

So will you rush out to get the Nook tablet? Do you think it is superior or inferior to the Kindle Fire?

Source: href="http://www.androidcentral.com/barnes-noble-nook-tablet-officially-announced" rel="nofollow">AndroidCentral

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2011-11-04-20h26_37.png" alt="" />Amazon has launched a new augmented reality app for the iPhone called href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flow-powered-by-amazon/id474664425?mt=8">Flow. With href="http://a9.com/-/company/flow.jsp">Flow, you can use your camera to scan either a whole product or a product’s barcode, and get an overlay of Amazon details on top of it. The app recognizes products such as CDs, DVDs, games, books, and tens of millions of other packaged products, such as “a box of cereal” (Amazon’s own example).

By pointing your camera to the front side of the packaging or the barcode, you get Amazon’s price, product details, customer reviews and ratings, and you can also share the product on Facebook and Twitter. If you find that Amazon’s price is better than the one you’re holding in your hand, you can tap the “Buy Now” button in the app and get the product through Amazon. It can also be quite useful if you simply want to check if the product is good or worthless, and if you’re getting ripped off at the current store.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2011-11-04-20h14_261.png" alt="2011-11-04 20h14_26" width="258" height="478" border="0" />

By providing this app, Amazon are probably assuming that their price will beat the one you’re holding in your hand at least some of the time. Otherwise, why would you choose to order from Amazon when you already have the product right there?

The app is apparently only available in the US iTunes store. If you find it anywhere else, you’re welcome to let us know.

What do you think of Flow and of augmented reality apps in general? Will you use something like this to check products before you buy?

Source: href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/shop_in_augmented_reality_with_amazon_flow_for_iph.php">ReadWriteWeb

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/image8.png" alt="" />Amazon has finally launched their much awaited tablet – Kindle Fire. The new lean mean machine is basically a 7-inch Android tablet for only $199, on which you can do anything you would be able to do on a regular wi-fi tablet. In short, Fire is not just for books, it’s for movies, apps, music, and more. The Fire does not have a camera or a microphone, and has no 3G version, but the price tag Amazon put on it certainly makes it a contender.

The Fire comes with 1GHz dual-core CPU, 8GB of internal storage, 512MB of RAM, free storage on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/amazon-launches-cloud-storage-service-5gb-free-news/">Amazon Cloud Storage and the new “Amazon Silk” browser. It does not, however, have access to Android Market, only to the Android Appstore. Appstore is currently not available worldwide, which means that in certain locations Fire users might not enjoy the full experience the tablet can provide.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2011-10-01-14h58_44.png" alt="2011-10-01 14h58_44" width="571" height="297" border="0" />

Along with Kindle Fire, Amazon has unleashed some other new members to the Kindle family. They are now offering the newest version of the Kindle for only $79, and a new Kindle Touch with touch screen in both 3G and wi-fi only versions. You can also still get the old keyboard version if you want.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2011-10-01-14h57_29.png" alt="2011-10-01 14h57_29" width="580" height="142" border="0" />

What do you think about Kindle Fire? Are tablets really the new way to read books or does the whole thing defeat the point of eReaders? Tell us in the comments.

Source: class="vt-p" href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/28/amazon-fire-tablet-unveiled-7-inch-display-199-price-tag/" rel="nofollow">endagdet

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/intro4.jpg" alt="amazon reviews" />Niche products on the Internet are often the subject of ridicule, especially on big retail websites like class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-amazon-price-watch-trackers-bargain-hunter/">Amazon where user feedback is encouraged. Often these “reviews” make for a hilarious read, as communities around the net pick up on and continue to class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/overview-internet-memes-quickly-create/">share the joke.

Over the years Amazon has taken down a considerable number of these parody reviews, though many still remain. These products have some of the funniest and cleverest reviews on the Internet, with some racking up hundreds of sarcastic submissions from would-be class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/watch-your-favorite-stand-up-comedians-online-on-youtube/">comedians.

Each item has at least a page or two of content, so there should be enough here to stop you doing any real shopping today!

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000JU8FXK/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1">Katie Price & Peter Andre – A Whole New World

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/newworld.png" alt="amazon reviews" width="566" height="382" />

For those of you not familiar with Katie Price (or “Jordan” as she is known) and Peter Andre then I refer you to around 15 seconds (or however much you can stand) of class="vt-p" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLS29AE6rqw&feature=related">this video. Acquainted? Good, because the reviews on Amazon probably (don’t) sum up exactly how you’re feeling.

“If you can imagine a soothing blend of jojoba oils, vanilla, and WD40 being poured into both ear holes simultaneously, then you will have only been able to scratch the surface of the feast of pleasure that is Katie And Pete’s “A Whole New World” Album” class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R10GZDETFKC9IT/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R10GZDETFKC9IT">wrote one fan, and there are many more who were equally as moved.

“We still use it in the Accident and Emergency ward at work as an alternative anaesthetic; it’s cheap, and it renders the unsuspecting patient motionless and numbed,” claimed class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2CM18RUG8OLCV/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000JU8FXK&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">a punter.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/JL421-Badonkadonk-Land-Cruiser-Tank/dp/B00067F1CE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top">JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser/Tank

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/tank.png" alt="amazon reader reviews" width="519" height="463" />

Whoever thought that putting a tank up for sale on Amazon was a good idea probably didn’t think it through. The item has actually been out of stock for years, though the 250+ customer reviews remain strong.

However, this battle-ready behemoth has clearly touched a few hearts: “For urban driving, the Badonkadonk is terrific; equipped with an upgraded 400 terawatt subwoofer, it strikes terror wherever it goes. When we get stalled on the George Washington Bridge, we pull out the lounge chairs and watch reruns of “Knight Rider” on the DVD player,” admitted class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R1RWBK8NMEC2EJ/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00067F1CE&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">a fan.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R1F6J3UPWQAQMT/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00067F1CE&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">According to Ron, the Badonkadonk has even settled neighbourhood disputes: “My neighbors used to get mad when the dog “Wally” would use their yard as a bathroom — not any more. In fact, they don’t get mad when I do it either.”

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B000JTOYLS/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1">Bic Crystal Ballpoint Pen

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/bic.png" alt="amazon reader reviews" width="521" height="421" />

This little collection goes to show that even the cheapest and most basic items aren’t safe from the Internet’s sense of humour – pens that cost a mere 25 pence (41 cents). “Worked fine with my right hand, but when I came to use my left hand my writing came out looking like the work of a complete imbecile,” warns class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/RIYOZKLCG4DEZ/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000JTOYLS&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">one shopper.

Importers beware, class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R297JZRNT3T1N3/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000JTOYLS&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">apparently this one’s region locked: “Because of the region differences, my imported pen will not work with region 1 8 1/2 x 11 inch letter-size paper – it only works on European (A4 and such) paper … I have looked up some so called “gray paper” import companies but I don’t know if I altogether trust them.”

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/Tuscan-Whole-Milk-Gallon-128/dp/B00032G1S0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1307346522&sr=8-3">Tuscan Whole Milk (1 Gallon)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/milk.png" alt="amazon reader reviews" width="571" height="506" />

Personally I’d recommend not buying foodstuffs from Amazon, and a few reviewers clearly feel the same way. In fact there are over 1,000 reviews for this gallon jug of milk, with the finest arguably being class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/RXXPVOUH9NLL3/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#RXXPVOUH9NLL3">this lengthy poem and a class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/RKT07YYORZMZE/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00032G1S0&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">tale of milk and love.

Greg, however, found class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/RLB3INH8S1ILL/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00032G1S0&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">a few problems “Initial set up of the Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon, 128 fl oz is easy, just unscrew the cap and remove the liner. It has a surprisingly rich set of standalone and integrated food possibilities and the addition of vitamin D was a bonus … however, I find that this product quickly becomes unstable (even without overclocking) to the point that it is no longer usable.”

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/Male-Testicular-Exam-Model-Anatomy/product-reviews/B0006TYJV6/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending">Male Testicular Exam Model Anatomy

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/anatomy.png" alt="reviews and reader reviews on amazon" width="521" height="394" />

No giggling at the back, this is a valid medical training tool! Then again, you can’t list it on Amazon and not expect the following reviews. Especially when you’re charging close to $150…

Stuck for gift ideas? So was class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R3Q4GB0A92WN1G/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0006TYJV6&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">one reviewer: “I was going to give my wife a pair of diamond stud earrings, and my kids were going to get an Xbox w/Kinect, but now, nuh-uh. It’s male testicular exam models for everyone!”

“WOW!” class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R23QZ1Z5GHCHVJ/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0006TYJV6&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">writes LeeAnne, “what a difference they have made in my life. No longer do I quake with fear at the slightest stressor. I am able to stride forward in my life with confidence…the kind of confidence that only a set of hairless, tumor-riddled testicles can give you.”

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B002DGFYFA/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1">Original Three Wolf Moon T-Shirt

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/threewolf.jpg" alt="amazon reviews" width="580" height="261" />

Probably the most famous Amazon product for all the wrong reasons, this class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/bought-makeuseof-tshirt/">t-shirt featuring not one, not two but three wolves all howling at the moon in unison has been celebrated with some of the funniest and most far-fetched reviews on the site.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R6O9KCYIO3634/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002DGFYFA&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">Some elude to its incredible power: “I can honestly say I’ve never looked back. I don’t wear anything else. Literally. Sure, I’ve been arrested in every major supermarket for being naked from the waist down and limited washing has meant that I smell faintly of mushroom, but the wolves are a greater power and I no longer recognise Earth’s laws.”

Whereas class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R14GAT1RRSXEV1/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B002DGFYFA&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=">others warn against it: “I cannot recommend purchase of this shirt. Though its attractions are obvious and keenly felt by me I believe that it puts its wearer on a different plane to the other humans which – while flattering – will ultimately lead to isolation and loneliness.”

Check them all out, they’re great.

Conclusion

You can pretty much class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-tips-on-how-to-buy-and-sell-better-on-ebay/">sell anything on the Internet these days but you’re always at risk of attracting this kind of attention (sometimes with even the most mundane products). I dare say some of the products featured here have enjoyed boosted sales, better exposure and ultimately stick in the mind of those who have read the reviews.

Have you got any favourite funny Amazon reviews? Any ridiculous products you’ve found lately? Let us know in the comments!

 

Read comments: href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/funny-amazon-reviews-6-items-feature-hilarious-user-feedback/#disqus_thread">Loved it? Hated it? Join discussion here …

 

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The era of cloud-based computing is vastly taking hold, and if you are a computer user who juggles between one or more computers, plus a few mobile devices, then cloud-based storage is nearly essential to accessing your digital media and other data.

What is cloud-based computing, you ask? It essentially involves uploading computer files to a web-based network, which in turn means you can access those uploaded files from any computer or supporting mobile device that gets an Internet connection. So for example, if you have lots of music files on your home computer, you can’t play that music when you’re away from home. But if you have your music floating somewhere in a cloud network, then you can access and stream your songs nearly anywhere via the Internet. Dropbox, for many of us MUO writers and avid readers, is one of the most popular uses of cloud-based computing. Read How Cloud Computing Works for more information.

If you’re looking for more cloud-based storage, one of the largest online stores on the planet, Amazon.com, now provides its customers with 5GB free online space. That amount of storage, Amazon says, could hold up to a 1,000 songs, 2,000 photos, or 20 minutes worth of HD video. If you just wanted to use the storage for backing up all your text-based files, I’m sure 5GB would be more than enough.

Using The Cloud Drive

To use Amazon Cloud storage you need to have or open an Amazon account. You are not required to actually purchase stuff from Amazon to use the Cloud service.

The Cloud Drive is where you upload your documents, music, pictures, and videos. The process is as simple as clicking the Upload Files button and from there adding your files to your Amazon Cloud drive. To keep things from getting messy, you might want to use the existing folder structure Amazon has set up for you. You can also create new folders within existing folders for even better organization.

Using The Cloud Player

As Amazon is the business of selling music, as well as books, it has also developed an Amazon Cloud Player. But even if you don’t purchase music from the Amazon store, you can still upload your own DRM-free (Digital Rights Management) music to your cloud account and stream it over the web and through your Android phone.

When you first start using the Cloud Drive, you might think you have to upload all your music files from there, but if you’re wanting to get a significant amount of songs into your Drive, then you will want to use the free Amazon MP3 Uploader, which requires that you have Adobe Air installed on your computer. If it is not installed, the Uploader will ask you to download it. You download the Uploader by clicking the Uploader button in the upper-left of the Cloud Player.

The MP3 Uploader

When you launch the Uploader, it will scan for all the music files on your computer. If your music is organized in iTunes or Windows Media Player, the Uploader will recognize and upload all your playlists, tags, and album covers.

If your computer is brimming with music files, you may think Amazon’s meager 5 gigs of storage is useless for your needs. Well, you do have the option to purchase more space, but if you want to keep it all free, uploading just your favorite playlists or individual songs could suffice.

The Uploader allows you to cherry pick from your computer music collection what you want to upload to your Cloud Drive. To make selections, click the Start Upload button. The Uploader may inform you that you do not have enough Cloud space available in your account for all your music. If you get that notice, click “Edit selections“ to narrow the amount of files you can upload.

When your list of music on your computer appears, deselect the Playlists box and then scroll down the list and select the songs, albums, or playlists you want to upload.

There are some exceptions to the files that Uploader supports, including DRM files and Non-MP3 and non-AAC format files. If you have a long list of files, you might first consider creating a playlist in iTunes or a folder on your computer that consists of only the music files supported by Amazon’s Uploader.

In iTunes, for example, you can create a smart playlist (see screenshot above) of all your non-protected music, then upload your songs via the Uploader. If the Uploader didn’t locate all your music, you can click, “browse for more music,” at the top of the Uploader to manually locate your missing songs.

After selecting your songs or playlists, simply click the “Start upload” button. The Cloud Player is a web-based music player. Similar to iTunes, you can browse music by albums, artists, genres, and songs.

Though cloud-based computing is no longer in its infancy, there will no doubt be many more features added to services like Amazon Cloud that will make accessing your files via the Internet an essential and economical way of storing, accessing, and using data.

Let us know what you think of the Amazon Cloud Drive and Player. Are there similar services that you already use? Let us know about them.

See also our articles about other cloud services, including Amazon’s free S3 Cloud, ZumoDrive and Sipgate storage services.

More articles about: Amazon, cloud, file sharing, music player, online storage

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mobiicon.jpg" border="0" alt="books for kindle" />With the availability of so many free or affordable e-reader programs and devices for both Mac, PC, and mobile device users, you can find some good free ebooks – especially classical literature – to download and start reading in a matter of a few minutes. With Kindle being the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reader-kindle-ipad-geeks-weigh">most popular of e-readers – both in its software platform for Mac, PC and mobile devices, and its hardware versions – many websites have popped up to provide free downloads of what is called the Kindle or .mobi formats for Kindle e-readers.

First off, if you don’t know how to download free Amazon Kindle ebooks to your PC, check out Karl’s article class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-download-completely-free-amazon-kindle-ebooks-to-your-pc/">here and see my class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reading-ebooks-ipad-ibooks-amazon-kindle-mac/">article about how to add and read Kindle books on your Mac and Apple mobile devices.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2245146011">Amazon.com Free eBook Collection

Before we delve into the 5 other online sources for Kindle books, let’s remind ourselves that Amazon.com has a section of  class="vt-p" href="http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=2245146011">free ebooks - mainly older, out-of-copyright and pre-1923 books – that you can browse and download to your Kindle. Popular current features include Leo Tolstoy’s classic War and Peace and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/amazoncom.jpg" border="0" alt="books for kindle" width="497" height="443" />

Amazon’s free ebooks listings are easy to browse and download. You can sort the list by Bestselling, Avg. Customer Review, and Publication Date, and Price: Low to High.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.manybooks.net/">ManyBooks

ManyBooks has a well organized listing of popular free ebooks, including the mobile format. A good place to start browsing on this site is its class="vt-p" href="http://www.manybooks.net/categories/">Categories page which lists over 60 genres of books – including Adventure, Banned Books, Fantasy, Politics, Satire, and Science Fiction.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/manybooks-1.png" border="0" alt="kindle books available" width="580" height="293" />

When you select a book, you need to click on the accompanying pull-down Download button to get a list of ebook formats, many of which include .mobi.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/manybooks.png" border="0" alt="kindle books available" width="233" height="405" />

class="vt-p" href="http://freekindlebooks.org/">FreeKindleBooks

FreeKindleBooks is not a visually appealing site, but it too offers thousands of Kindle-compatible ebooks in the classical category. This is the site you go to if you‘re looking for books by writers like Charles Darwin, Emily Dickinson, W.E.B Du Bois, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Homer, Sarah Orne Jewett and William Shakespeare.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/freekindle.png" border="0" alt="kindle books available" width="476" height="371" />

Titles on this site do include book cover images. When you click on a title, the linked .mobi version, like the above image, will download to your computer or mobile device.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.mobipocket.com">MobiPocket

MobiPocket has over 116,000 listings. What sets this site apart is that it includes Kindle books in various international languages, including French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, and Russian.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/mobipocket.png" border="0" alt="download kindle books" width="562" height="264" />

Book categories include Juvenile literature, US politics, Criminology, history and the like. Unfortunately, listings don’t include descriptions beyond the author and title.

class="vt-p" href="http://justfreebooks.info/">JustFreeBooks

If you’re not finding what you’re looking for on any of the sites above, you might try the search engine, JustFreeBooks.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/justfreebooks.png" border="0" alt="download kindle books" width="580" height="381" />

This site searches over 700 websites for free listings. The search results for titles will include the available formats of ebooks, including Kindle .mobi.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/justfreebooks-1.png" border="0" alt="download kindle books" width="482" height="188" />

class="vt-p" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page">Project Gutenberg

Established in 1971, Project Gutenberg has the largest single collection of free electronic books on the Internet.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/projectgutenberg.png" border="0" alt="Projectgutenberg" width="580" height="265" />

You mainly search by title and catalog to find ebooks on this site. But you also can check out its Bookshelf listings, which includes 80 different categories of ebooks. If you’re an avid reader, you could easily spend hours on this site.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/muoscreenshot345.png" border="0" alt="books for kindle" width="580" height="430" />

Clicking on a title also brings up listed ebook formats. There’s also a link to read ebooks online.

These are the free Kindle ebook sites I found the most well established and easy to use. If you know of other sites that should be added to this list, please let us know about them.

Our other Kindle related articles include:

class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/borrow-kindle-ebooks-kindle-lending-club/">Borrow Kindle eBooks From The Kindle Lending Club /> class="l vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-strip-mobi-and-prc-ebooks-of-encryption/" target="_top">How To Remove DRM from MOBI and PRC eBooks /> class="l vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/reading-ebooks-ipad-ibooks-amazon-kindle-mac/" target="_top">Reading Ebooks on The iPad with iBooks & Amazon Kindle [Mac] /> />
/>NEW: href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/makeuseof/id366921965?mt=8" target="_blank">Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!

/>

 

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Free Music mp3 players -Ipod Player mp3 -eBay and Amazon website

With the recent advent of the Ipod, a lot of people are using portable Mp3 players to carry their entire music collection around with them. What just a few years ago would have required you to lug a suitcase full of CDs around, now can fit in the palm of your hand. Visit here now http://ipod-allmp3players.blogspot.com/

Some Ipods can carry up to 60Gb of songs (and now video) on a single miniature hard drive. The Ipod even looks cool and lights up like a magical glowing device. Besides Apple, numerous companies make portable Mp3 players.This doesn’t even begin to get into the phenomenon of podcasting. Podcasting is a simple concept with amazing utility for the average consumer. Imagine if you could take an audio broadcast of any sort (podcasting a teleseminar comes to mind) on the airplane with you on your next business trip.

1)You don’t have to be there when the teleseminar is held.

2)You can pause it, rewind it, fast forward the teleseminar to any point that you feel is important.

3)You can listen to it repeatedly.

4)You can send the podcast to friends and family members who can also take the audio content with them on their merry way.

I do this all the time. It works great. Download and go. This is bigger than you think. Overall, the ubiquity of portable Mp3 players is a cultural revolution as far as information transfer goes. Why do I have to wait for a broadcast when I can be in another time zone and replay it at my leisure.

When you take your Mp3 player on the road with you, you are basically shifting time. No more sitting around waiting for the video or audio presentation to start. You can download it to your portable Mp3 player and start it whenever you want.

Portable Mp3 players seem to be here to stay. Find out why and what the latest trends are: you’ll be surprised how you ever lived without one. I was! Free Music mp3 players -Ipod Player mp3 -eBay and Amazon website .

To save some money at a brick-and-mortar store, you might turn to clipping coupons. But in this day and age, you probably do a lot of your shopping online, especially as Amazon.com offers just about everything you might need to purchase, from books to electronics to groceries. On top of that, it has its own form of coupon: the promotional code.

There’s no need to cut with a pair of scissors along the dotted line anymore. All you have to do is copy and paste a promotional code at checkout to easily save some money. But where do you find these promotional codes? Not in the Sunday newspaper, but on the internet, of course!

Check out these sites that provide free Amazon promotional codes, and you’ll be on your way to saving some cash.

TopHotDeal.com

TopHotDeal.com’s Amazon Discount Finder is updated with lists of Amazon promotional codes for each month. It also includes a matrix at the top that lets you easily browse Amazon’s products by how much percent off you can buy them for.

Lastly, it includes “coupon books.” If you click onto any Amazon product from one of TopHotDeal’s coupon books and add it to your cart, you’ll receive a discount on that product.

DaddyODeals.com

DaddyODeals.com maintains lists of Amazon deals and promotional codes for the current month in a stickied thread in the Hot Online Deals section of their forums.

For this month you’ll notice a topic called “Amazon Promotional Codes, Coupons and Deals for July 2010″ near the top. Click it and you’ll find a series of posts with links to Amazon pages with promotional codes, discounts, and sales.

DealCoupon.com

DealCoupon.com has a simple list of current Amazon promotional codes with expiration dates.

Whereas most other sites like this rely on user-submitted promotional codes, DealCoupon seems to have an editorial staff who test out the coupons before posting them, which results in coupons that work a lot more reliably.

CurrentCodes.com

CurrentCodes.com provides a list of current Amazon promotional codes with expiration dates. Below them you’ll also find a list of other current discount offers on Amazon.

CurrentCodes is definitely one of the most straightforward sources for promotional codes and other deals that will save you money shopping on Amazon.

RetailMeNot.com

RetailMeNot.com is one of the most popular sources for promotional codes for nearly every shopping site out there, so it’s certainly no surprise that it offers a list of user-submitted Amazon promotional codes.

Because they’re user-submitted, they aren’t guaranteed to work (and you’ll certainly encounter some that don’t), but there is a system in place so that users can select whether the promotional code worked or not. You should stick with the codes that have the highest success rates.

Conclusion

These are the best sites for promotional codes specific to Amazon. But if you’re looking for promotional codes for other sites, be sure to check out MakeUseOf’s top 10 sites for promotional codes. MakeUseOf has also previously written about 13 bargain sites, 5 shopping sites, and 5 price comparison sites that will help you save money when shopping online.

Where do you go online to find promotional codes? Do you know of any other good sources for Amazon promotional codes?

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