I thought it might be a good idea to talk about the electronic gadgets you might have either been given as a present or bought for yourself. Technology has been advancing by leaps and bounds in recent years allowing us mere humans to hold in our hands devices that just a decade ago were either big or clumsy, or non-existent.

One of the most universal gadgets is of course the cell phone. Which started out as a very large device and then went down to a very minute size that could almost disappear when put in your pocket. Now of course the trend is for bigger bodied phones with larger screens. You can play games on them, text someone, even bank on them and also read e-books. There are two operating systems- one by Apple and the other by Google (Android) the former is very easy to use and the latter is highly customizable. Both have stores where you can purchase Apps (Application Programs) that run from games to more serious things like an appointment book.

Then there are those dedicated devices that can more or less do one thing well. One of the most popular of those is the Amazon Kindle, the Kindle is what is called an e-reader that downloads books that you have purchased from Amazon or even borrow books from your local library. To borrow an e-book from your local library you need to be able to access the internet through OverDrive. Your local library can help you setup your account so that you can borrow at no cost e-books. And yes I said for free, there are no charges involved borrowing an e-book. The only cost you might have is for the Kindle or a Barnes & Noble Nook that you have purchased or none at all if you got it as a gift.

If you have or install the Kindle app for your cell phone, then you too can download e-books from the library also. And if do not want to purchase a physical e-reader or the App there is another alternative. Either for a Mac, iPod, iPad or Windows computer you can download from Amazon their Kindle program that makes your computer/device act like an e-reader. There of course is an app from Barnes & Noble that allows your portable device to act like a Nook.

So if you like to read and want to be either very modern or just do not want to be going either to the bookstore or library get an e-reader or an App or a program for your computer and start reading.

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike