Tag: Windows

A Windows/Android Laptop, Self-Improvement Apps and Netflix Dominates Streaming Video For Now

Linda Reimer

Wow, another super busy day in library land! How did it get to be 6 PM already?

Here is a short tech posting for today!

A Windows/Android Laptop: the popular laptop maker ASUS has just shown off a new tablet – it is called a “Transformer Book.” And this new laptop is notable because it has two sides two it –one side runs Windows and the other runs the Android operating system which is notable because Android has, so far anyway, been predominantly seen on tablets and not laptops or desktops.

Here’s a link to an Engadget article on the subject titled “ASUS Transformer Book Trio: a hybrid laptop running Windows and Android (hands-on):”

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/03/asus-announces-the-transformer-book-trio-likens-it-to-a-laptop/

Self-Improvement Apps: All Things D Columnists Lauren Goode reports on a number of apps that will assist you in become a better person!

Her article is titled “On the Road to Self-Betterment, Apps That Keep You on Track” – here’s the link:

http://allthingsd.com/20130603/on-the-road-to-self-betterment-apps-that-keep-you-on-track/

Netflix Dominates Streaming Video For Now: And the NPD which is a global information company that keeps track of, among other things, how many people stream video from the web and which subscription services they use to do so, has just issued a press release which indicates that right now Netflix has 89% of the streaming market but that both Hulu and Amazon Instant Video are gaining traction in the streaming video market. Here’s a link to a NPD press release on the subject:

https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/the-npd-group-as-tv-viewing-drives-subscription-video-on-demand-netflix-dominates-but-hulu-plus-and-amazon-gain/

And on the same subject of streaming video, which is gaining in prominence, here is a link to a Huffington Post article titled “Amazon, Viacom Announce Prime Instant Video Streaming Deal;” which offers info on the new Viacom deal with Amazon which will allow consumers to watch even more videos via the Amazon Instant Video store:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/04/amazon-viacom-prime-instant-video_n_3382985.html

Have a great evening!

Linda R.

References

Goode, Lauren. (2013, June 3). On the Road to Self-Betterment, Apps That Keep You on Track. All Things D. Online. Accessed June 4, 2013.

The NPD Group: As TV Viewing Drives Subscription Video-On-Demand, Netflix Dominates, but Hulu Plus and Amazon Gain, NPD. Online. Accessed June 4, 2013.

Stenovec, Timothy. (2013, June 4). Amazon, Viacom Announce Prime Instant Video Streaming Deal. Huff Post. Online. Accessed June 4, 2013.

Wollman, Dana. (2013, June 3). ASUS Transformer Book Trio: a hybrid laptop running Windows and Android (hands-on). Engadget. Online. Accessed June 4, 2013

Library E-Books Part III: How to Download Free Library E-Books to Smartphones & Tablets

Linda Reimer

As you may be aware the Southeast Steuben County Library in Corning, NY is a member of the Southern Tier Library system. And Southern Tier Library System member libraries buy e-books for the Digital Catalog through the library e-book vendor OverDrive.

And OverDrive has created an app for all Apple, Android and Windows smartphones and tablets. You can find the app, which is officially called “OverDrive Media Console” in your respective app store.

Once you obtain the app and set it up, which requires you to register for a free Adobe Digital Editions account; you will check out library e-books by:

  1. Opening the app on your smartphone or tablet*
  1. Selecting the Southeast Steuben County Library as your library to obtain e-books from – this will then re-direct you to the STLS Digital Catalog where you can search for e-books or audio books to download*2
  1. Search for an available e-book you’d like to read (if the e-book is available there will be a button to the right of the title that says “Add to cart. If the e-book is checked out; instead, you’ll see a button that says “Place a hold” and you can click that button to be emailed when the title is available for you to download)
  1. Click the Add to Cart link (and the My Cart page will display)
  1. Click the Proceed to Check Out link on the My Cart page (and the Sign in page will display)
  1. Select the Southern Tier Library System (instead of Penn Yan Public Library) from the drop down box in the Library field*2 (just click on the down arrow to the right of the word Library.)
  1. Enter your Library card number in the library card number field.
  1. Enter your PIN number in the PIN field (this is by default the last four digits of your telephone number)
  1. Click the Log In button on that same Sign in page (The Check Out page will display)
  1. Click on the Confirm Check Out button (on the Check Out page and the download page will display)
  1. Click the download button and the e-book should start to download into the OverDrive library within your app. E-books download in a matter of seconds – and you’ll see a download status bar fill with color as the download process unfolds and completes
  1. Read your library e-book!

Tomorrow I’ll discuss how you download library e-books to Nooks and one of next weeks’ postings will be on how you download audio books and media (music and videos) from the Digital Catalog.

Have a great day!

Linda R.

*1) If your tablet is a Wi-Fi only model you will have to be within range of a Wi-Fi network in order to download library e-books.

*2) You can download MP3 audio books to all Windows, Android and Apple smartphones and tablets; however, WMA (Windows Media Player) audio books can only be directly downloaded to Windows smartphones and tablets. If you have another wireless device you should be able to download the PC version of OverDrive Media Console to your computer, download WMA audio books to it and then transfer those to Apple or Android mobile devices. Unfortunately if your main computer is a Mac – you cannot download WMA audio books to it and transfer them to mobile devices; the process will only work if you’re using a Windows PC.