Amazon just released the Kindle Reader. I’ve not held one in my hands (how can you when it’s only available via Amazon.com and backordered like 4 weeks) or looked at the all-important screen.

But from what I can tell they’re on the right track. So, since Amazon is into Wish Lists big time, let me make mine for Kindle 2.0, now that we’ve all seen the first version.

RSS Freedom - I don’t want to hear any more about a “special” RSS feed format. The ability to arbitrarily subscribe to any RSS feed is critical to me, so let’s stick with the standard XML. This way the authors can maintain blogs about their books and use standardized Blog Creation tools like Wordpress.

Blog Reading with Offline Mode - I want to be sure that I can read books on airplanes, but RSS feeds and blogs are equally important. I love Google Gears and how it works with Google Reader and hope that Kindle 2.0 will have something like it.

A Full Web Browser - Port Firefox to the thing and I’ll be thrilled. This will benefit Amazon, too so people can both shop their site and click on ads in the Amazon Clickriver system, leading to landing pages of advertisers. Ad-supported books will be a terrific concept.

Larger Screen, In Color - This will become more important for magazines, blogs, and such. I’m personally just hoping the screen gets more paperwhite, but I know its success will depend on color. If Apple does an e book, you can bet it’ll be in full, gorgeous color.

Audiobook Alternative - I would like to have Audible (protected) audiobooks and podcasts available for the device. Since Amazon already has tons of audiobooks to download they will surely be doing this for version 2.0. I already use my iPod for this purpose, but there would be something cool about consolidating the two.

Better Battery Performance - I would think that they could figure out a way to batch wireless sessions (e.g. put wireless to sleep) when it’s not needed. Charging every day is not acceptable. I would get tired of this and hope that Kindle 2.0 has better technology.

Well, I’ve started holiday shopping a bit today.  I came across these two amazing Steampunk Items and another sweet J Peterman authentic item that you have to see.  They are in very limited supply and will probably sell out before you start shopping, if you’re like most people.

Check this list of 11 things that will sell out before you start holiday shopping.

J Peterman Steampunky Cufflinks, Pubsigns and Gothic Clock.  

I consult for J Peterman sometimes, but first and foremost I’m and admirer and customer.  Their stuff always gets people gathered around it at parties.

Postscript: Please review the “issues” list at the bottom. Added Tips are AFTER the jump

My new eStarling Frame arrived from amazon.com. I had low expectations after trying the last version, and hearing about the first. For those of you saying “this is old news” keep in mind that this is a new, bigger 8″ 800×600 eStarling, not the low-res little one that Gizmodo reviewed back in May.

NEW COUPON CODE : ThinkGeek Has The eStarling Frame: Click Here to Get it.  Use Coupon Code RAMEN

(more…)

As the Holidays approach, shutters are going to be ‘a clickin’. Being able to spread smiles digitally is truly a magical use of web technology. Grandmas and Grandpas, Aunts and Uncles can all keep track of family members’ special moments effortlessly thanks a few tools, including FrameChannel.com. Geeks have long aggregated feeds from photo sources for display using special software, such as Yahoo Pipes and Greasemonkey Scripts, but getting Grandma to run through that is not always simple. But now at least one new tool, FrameChannel allows building a photo channel from multiple web sources for distribution to various display surfaces:

• One or more RSS feeds
• emailed photos
• manual uploads to framechannel

RSS feeds are by far the most powerful. Emailed photos can be handy (e.g. after a field trip. ask parents to send photos to you@framechannel.com and they’ll appear in this source.) Manual upload is slow and probably not best.

Let’s say you have a digital camera or hard-drive of photos that you’d like to distribute to friends and family members “live.” Here’s how to push the photos in a nutshell. (more…)

Steampunk - Science Fiction where characters (often scientists) fight against an oppressive establishment often using ultra-modern technologies presented in Victorian-era form factors.

Okay, I admit it. I’m a steampunk fan. Not as much the literature, but the imaginative machines and bizarre mixes of digital and non-digital elements, craftsmanship, and tactile sensibility of the artists.

I first got a sense of Steampunk type hardware ideas while watching Brazil, Edward Scissorhands, Wallace and Grommit, and Harry Potter. Someday I will own a nixie clock. I have a wood en box in my garage full of antique tools. So I thought it would be a good idea to list a set of great steampunk-like sites that give a well-rounded overview of the phenomenon, along with a few words about each. If you have one to add to this list, post in the comments with a link. I’ll look-see and possibly add it to the main post as well. Steampunk Labs, Artists, History

• Robots of the Victorian Era
• Radio Guy

• Brass Goggles
• Steampunk Magazine - the journal of misapplied technology
• The Steampunk Workshop - awesome stuff and nicely done photos
• Datamancer - home of the home of the The Nagy Magical-Movable-Type Pixello-Dynamotronic Computational Engine (also featured on Wall-Street Journal Video)
• Steampunkopidia
• Dr Grordort’s Rayguns - this site is amazing. Check the custom cases.
• Stephen Berkman - Love the photography style … reminds me of Nine Inch Nails artwork. Perhaps NIN copied HIM!
• The Retrocomputing Museum
• Vladimir Gvozdev’s terrific artwork - sites’ a little hard to navigate.
• Da Vinci Automata - clockpunk
• Stephane Halleux - do not miss this gallery (example to right)
• Steampunk Fashion
• Steam Brass and Fzz - Check the lamps
• Steampunk Jewelry
• Christopher Locke’s Heartless Machine - Check out the Scissor Spider
• A Better World -Gaming console and ipod imagined in Steampunk Style
• Alex CF Artwork - Many Dead Thinks - brilliant research cases.
• Eccentric Genius - Antiques from a Parallel Universe.
• Spookypop - Wow, a lot of talent in one place (note, you must click on the vines on the left to navigate the site.)
• Animals from Junk - Steampunky
• Steampunk Labs
• Insect Lab
• Steampunk Jewelry and Goggles at EDM

Steampunk Devices

• Gramophone Ipod
• Steampunk iPod NEW!
• Steampunk Lamps
• Steam-Powered Computer
• The Electriclerk
• Automatic Tea Machine
• Steampunk Watches
• More Steampunk Watches (you can buy)
• Cool Steampunk Clocks
• Steampunk Tree House
• Steampunk Lightsabre
• The Vulciana Watch - I want one!
• Photos of cool devices on Flickr
• Steampunk iPhone - this thing is the coolest
• VictorioNixie Tube - Awesome Mod of a toy (also on video.)
• A couple of awesome clocks and some amazing Russian stuff.
• Steam-Powered Robot
• Steampunk LCD Monitor (with a few “how-to” photos)
• Pierre Matter Sculpture
• Steampunk R/C Centipede
• Big Steampunk Animals - wow, check out the crashed spaceship

Interactive Steampunk & Multimedia

• A Modern Compendium of Minateur Autometa
• Crazy Machines (my kids love it)
• Nine inch Nails Closer Video (mature / language / NSFW)
• Steampunk Rayguns (G Rated)
• The Golden Compass Movie Trailer

Articles / Blog Posts

• SlashBoing - Steampunk Eye
• Wired - Steampunk Design
• Gizmodo - Steampunk Laptop
• Gizmodo - Steampunk Keyboard
• Cre.ations.net - Jar of Fireflies

Stuff you can buy

• Steampunk Supplies/Salvage from Sequential Glass
• Klockwerks - amazing clocks
• Steampunk Watches
• The J Peterman Company Iron Gothic Clock
• Steampunk Gift Guide - Make Magazine
• Skerror’s bunch of great dark, gothic-modern designs.
• The Golden Compass , the Cryptex and the Spy Insect
• Steampunk iPod Skin (I tried to order this but javascript errors prevented it bah!)

Misc Fun Steampunk-like Sites & Resources for Steampunkers

• Wallace and Gromit Cracking Contraption
• Make Magazine “My God, It’s Full of Wires”

Gears image by mehrit used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License