Friday 21 November 2008

Books - What to Buy (Barnes and Noble - Amazon) And What Not (What's Free)

The perception

In general, the popular perception is that every book needs to be bought and read - if one wanted to read legally.

Evolution of sources of books

The obvious choice is to buy the books from the bookstore as and when they are released. Or, even many days, months and years after they are released. Physical bookstores did that always - this is the traditional way of buying and selling books and still remains the same.

Up came the Internet, the the evolution of buying books found a new way - the online stores. Within a short number of years, great booksellers as Amazon and Barnes & Noble established themselves as the leaders. You could now order book from home on the Internet and get them delivered easily. Talk of saving time and energy to grab the book!

To leverage the readers who look for books with a heavy discount and are prepared to (or had to, for whatever reason) wait till much after the book was published, up came half-price book shops. The reader who were late in buying the books (even if because the reader was not born when the book was written) started being happy. The age-old selling of cheaper-than-original book culture now formalized.

Smart online book sellers started having low-price book selling features in their online stores where a reader could sell another reader a used book. And they kept a commission. This again was the value-add of saved time and energy for the reader to get the book easily.

Then up came book digitization projects. Many books were digitized across various efforts around the world. But not all books could be fully provided online because of copyright issues.

All books belonging to the Classic Literature category got identified as legal candidates to be put online on the internet. Classic literature is defined to be books where the author has been dead for long time - the exact number of years depends upon the country. For India, it is 50 years and for some other countries, it might go up to 75 years.

Summary

1. Newly released books are usually bought fresh from one of these two:

  • bookstores
  • online book sellers

2. Relatively older books (but the author is alive or has not yet been dead for the last several years) might be bought from one of the following:

  • bookstores
  • online book sellers
  • half-price book stores
  • online low-price book exchange sites

3. Classic literature books can be read online for free - no need to buy them - this is your free pool of literature - can be novels, poems, short stories and essays.

To find out which books today are Classic Literature and also to read free, one can try out the following resource along with other resources of similar nature:

http://www.webliterature.net/literature


Ben 10 on the Cartoon Network

Getting sick of the same old TV shows? Well even though Ben 10 recently went of the air, this is the show for you! Ben 10 is a show about a family, where the brother Ben, of course, stumbles upon an alien pod in the woods while on vacation! Found inside is a watch like device witch happens to be called the, "Omnitrix". The Omnitrix attaches to Ben's wrist and the gives him the power to transform into an alien, but only for 10 minutes so that his DNA doesn't permanently become damaged! From his new gained powers, Ben realized that now has the responsibility to use his powers to do good. Thru his journeys with his family, a sister Gwen, and grandfather Max, they do battle with many aliens, looking too take the Omnitrix from them.

The one warlord alien Vilgax, is one of Bens main nemesis's! Vilgax tried to conquer the galaxy by stealing the Omnitrix, by sending his alien drones, and even he himself tried too take it! But Ben and his family succeeded in defeating Vilgax! Ben even had to fight Kevin! Someone who could absorb some of bens powers from being around the Omnitrix. Kevin even eventually banded together with an alien named "Ghostfreak" who escaped the Omnitrix and tried too possess Ben! But luckily Ghostfreak and Kevin where eventually defeated! Toward the end of the fourth season of Ben 10, Ben even had to defeat a resurrected Ghostfreak and Vilgax! Ben even had to stop someone named Doctor Vicktor from cloaking the world with his corrodium beam project!

And Ben did all of this only with the help of his family and the power of the Omnitrix! A device originally designed to show the many races of the universe about one another, made by Azmuth. But the Omnitrix was eventually used for war because of its inherited power. The Omnitrix, binds too your skin, and is very hard to get off! Though very mechanical looking, it is organic in the sense of how it fits the user, growing and changing. It binds the users DNA with the DNA of the 10 aliens inside! Ben only has limited use of the Omnitrix, because of his inexperience, but the aliens that are after it have a better understanding of it, and can use it to its optimum function. Changing from one alien to another just by thinking it!

So as you can see the Cartoon Network show, Ben 10 is a very appealing show too a wide variety of people.

You may even want too check out the two Ben 10 movies that where released. The first, "Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix", and the second, "Ben 10: Race Against Time". Both moves dive deeper into the origins of the Omnitrix and the life of Ben and his family after the original 4 season series.

Phillip Bernard wrights on Ben 10. You can find more information at: http://ben10products.blogspot.com/

Saturday 8 November 2008

Top 10 Most Wanted Toys For Christmas 2008 - Put These Under Your Tree

Figuring out what the top 10 most wanted toys for Christmas are is very important if you want to make sure that Santa gets things right this year. These toys are flying off the shelves with increasing fervor, so it's definitely best to act sooner rather than later so your shopping cart doesn't look sadly empty.

Toy #1 - Elmo Live

The first toy you need to make sure you have is Elmo Live. Elmo is a beloved character for the young and old alike. This Elmo is so lifelike you won't believe your eyes. For such a lifelike toy you'll be surprised at how low the cost is!

Toy #2 - Bakugan Starter Pack

The next toy you need to have on your list for the Christmas 2008 season is the Bakugan starter pack. Children love the anime series Bakugan, so you definitely can't go wrong when you decide to pick up these packs. They are also incredibly inexpensive, and make great stocking stuffers.

Toy #3 - Kidizoom Digital Camera

For that little photographer in your life, you'll want to buy the Kidizoom Digital Camera. This camera is incredibly tough and durable for even the most carefree of children. It also contains features you'd expect on an adult- and much more expensive- camera. This one is probably less than you think.

Toy #4 - Flip Video Camera

The Flip Video Camera. Okay, so this one is technically not a toy. Still, this is a great first video camera for kids because it's inexpensive, small, and very easy to use.

Toy #5 - Busy Ball Popper

For that baby or toddler in your life you'll definitely want to look for the Busy Ball Popper Toy. This one is great because it has colorful balls that go through a tube and pop into the air! Tons of fun for your little one.

Toy #6 - Furreal Friends Biscuit

Furreal Friends Biscuit Dog is a real winner for this holiday season. You can't help but fall in love with this little pup because he is so lifelike. This one is on the expensive side, but the expense is well worth it to see the look of happiness your little one has on his face.

Toy #7 - Eyeclops Night Vision Stealth Goggles

Eyeclops Night Vision Stealth Goggles are next on the list because they are fun for everyone. It's hard to believe, but this toy delivers in a big way by offering real night vision.

Toy #8 - Nintendo Wii

The Nintendo Wii is perhaps an obvious choice, but it's a great one! The Wii has been out for a couple of years now, but it's still hard to find. The interactivity and excitement is something your whole family will love.

Toy #9 - Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer

Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer is another great option. This toy allows your child to change their voice just like in the movies! It's great fun, and sure to bring some laughs.

Toy #10 - Little Big Planet

Last but not least, one of the top 10 most wanted toys for 2008 is Little Big Planet for the Playstation 3 console. This is one of the most innovative, interesting and fun games that has come out in years. You can't go wrong with this title.

Figuring out which toys are hot is half the battle! Now you've got to narrow down your list and choose the best Christmas toys for your own child this year. It also helps to learn about the best pricing deals so you can save money this year. Visit http://bestchristmasgiftsonline.com for more details.

Thursday 6 November 2008

Top Christmas Toys

Christmas is fast creeping up on us and it's getting to that time of year when are minds are bending towards our children and the gifts we will be buying.

With most of us feeling the pinch, preparation is the key; shopping around will ensure the best deals enabling our budgets to stretch further. There are a huge range of top toys for boys on offer this Christmas and with shops grappling for your custom there are some great deals to be had. Once you've decided on the products you wish to buy, visit one of the price comparison sites in order to get the biggest bargins. This year it seems that boys have the best deal. Manufacturers have bought up the rights to many programmes ensuring a huge spectrum of toys for boys!

Top of the crop is Ben 10 . The cartoon has been a massive success and boys are desperate to get their hands on the Ben 10 Alien Laboratory and Vilgax Battle Ship - the ultimate arena for alien battles! Bakugan is another popular choice, with many stores fast running out of the Bakugan Battle Arena.

For younger children, Elmo Live is the toy creating the biggest buzz. Scarily life-like, Elmo sings and talks, telling stories and sharing jokes. He bobs his head, waves his arms and Elmo can even cross his legs! This high tech, Muppet mannerisms bring Sesame Street to life.

An educational choice is the groundbreaking LeapFrog Tag Reader , a touch reading system which allows words to talk, pictures to sing and story book characters to come to life, honing comprehension and phonic skills. With our technology ever advancing, the most intricate and exiting of toys are now on offer.

Kota the Triceratops is a life sized, 40 inch baby dinosaur that reacts to touch, creating realistic movement and noise! Touch him and Kota will move his head, tail and eyes - he will even roar in appreciation.

Spykee Robot is another huge craze that's selling out fast. Spykee comes with a built-in motion detector, so that it can detect movements, which is great if you want to keep your sister or brother out of your room, the Spykee will sound an alarm on your computer and incredibly send you a picture of the target so you have proof.

It's bound to cause a stir in any household! With such a wealth of toys to choose from, Parents should be able to find a gift to suit their budget. Finances may be tight, but we might find some comfort in the fact that it is a buyers market and there are deals to be had.

To find out more information about the top toys for christmas visit : top toys for boys