Me and My Kindle

I first saw ebook device when I was in UK early 2009, display in a bookstore (blackwell in oxford, i think). Didn't take too much notice of it as I have a time limit in the store, haha. When my brother in law was in London for a business trip in Oct 2010, my wife ask me if there are thing I will like to buy over there. Drop in to Amazon UK site and the first thing that catch my eye is the Kindle device. 

I have been reading ebook in .lit (Microsoft Reader) format and pdf on Laptop/Desktop. It was difficult to read for long in those devices as I tend to read myself to sleep... So I start to do some research on the Kindle devices, the biggest problem it seem is the availability of content, apparently Amazon do not allow me to purchase content because of where I am (in Singapore)! But it does allow me to buy the device and ship to anywhere. Further probing does find a work around over the DRM (which is ridiculous, if I buy a physical book, I can read it anywhere I go, where not for the e-version?)

With the pound-SGD conversion near the low end, I decide that it is worth the risk of get the device first then try to get it work. There are still royalty free classic on the net and those ebook that I have (after conversion to kindle's format) which I can still read.

So I create an account in Amazon.co.uk and order a Kindle device non 3G version with a Lighted Leather Cover (the geek in me cant resist), free shipping it to my brother-in-law's hotel in London. It arrived on the second night he stay in the hotel, great service!

While wait for my Brother-in-law to return, I brought a few e-contents in Amazon just to try the work around,  it works! Now I need the device to read it, haha.

The device reach Singapore a week later. My first time with an e-ink device, the look and feel is that it is like a book, not as glaring as LCD and the weight is just about right. Transfer the couple of books that I have brought previous to the devices and the rest is history... haha.

Jeff's Blog is a great help to use kindle in Singapore. It help me make the decision!

Note: The text in the picture is from the ebook (Makers by Cory Doctorow) download at http://craphound.com/makers/download/

Kindle with night light on

Burnt Orange Cover with night light extended

How to be the second best?

ITE MICT (MacPherson ICT) team was the losing finalist in the recently concluded National Education Gaming Competition (http://www.negc.com.sg/). I know many of the 19 participants, being with them for more than 1.5 years. I was there at the final and the atmosphere is simply stunning.

They play well, stick to their game plan, yet was not good enough to win the championship. Many, many factors contribute to the success of a team, but the most important is the experience of being the second best. Knock out competition format is crude, and the most crude position to be in is the 1st runner up.

How to cope as the 1st runner up? I am incline to actually suggest some form of group therapy session for the participant, haha. It is normal to reflect back on the experience and experiment with the thought that MAYBE if I have DONE it this way, the ending would be different etc etc etc. Unfortunately, life have no replay option or reload from save game. The key is to extract that situation, and know that the next time similar situation happen, what would be the respond.

The next thing is that each would know that they have put in the best effort in to the competition. The is no shame in losing if you have put in the best effort. However, the lingering thoughts would be "have I put in my best effort". Only each will know in their heart, and each will find their own closure.

It will be nice if this will be a recurring competition, and maybe those who have a chance to compete again find strength to seek higher.

Knowing that been the second best will make you hungrier.