How to leverage Kindle?

You can use Kindle for more than ebook reading. You can read Wikipedia pages, Quora question and answers, articles and webpages in Kindle.

1. Send to Kindle extension: Install amazon's Send to Kindle extension in chrome browser. While your browsing any page of the web, you can click on the send to kindle extension in the right corner of the browser to send that particular article/page to your Kindle. Whatever you sent using send to kindle extension will be saved in amazon cloud and it will be downloaded to your device when you connect to wifi.

Send to Kindle desktop application can be used to send files from computer to Kindle. You can just drag and drop the files to Kindle documents folder.

2. Push to Kindle Website: If you don't want to install extension or if you are using any other browser, you can use http://fivefilters.org/kindle-it/ website to send any webpage to your kindle. You have to enter the complete url of the website which you want to send to you Kindle.

Watch on video on how to use push to kindle.

Converting ebooks to Kindle format: I haven't able to find working converter for converting pdf to .mobi format. So I am converting PDF to epub then epub to mobi. To convert PDF to epub, upload your pdf file to http://www.pdfpocket.com/ then upload converted epub file to http://www.sendepubtokindle.com/.

Note: You will get your kindle email address in your kindle device and in your amazon website. Add your email address free list in amazon's "Manage content and devices".

Click here to buy Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

Are Kindles really Worth it?

I read books everyday while commuting to work in Bengaluru city bus. Always curious eyes follow my device because Kindle penetration is very less in India, even though Kindle is released long ago. And this incident will get end in me giving small demo about Kindle to interested folks. I feel the reading experience is not only reason which is stopping paper book readers migration to Kindle. Majority of Indians like multi-purpose devices like Mobile, tablet. As Kindle is single-purpose device or dedicated book reading device, failed to drawn Indians attention.

And Indian market is very price sensitive. At the price of basic Kindle, decent local tablets are available in the market. Along with price, lack of local language ebooks and support to local language fonts is one of the important reason which is hindering Kindle success.

However, Kindle is having lot of advantages which makes above said shortcomings to look smaller.
1. Kindle ebooks are cheap: You can buy books directly from Kindle and book gets downloaded to your device instantly after the purchase so you don't have to wait for 2-3 days as in the case of paperback books. You don't have to pay for delivery charges or to worry about adding another book to cart just to escape to get free delivery. And you will never loose your books. Many times we loose books by lending it others who forget return. In Kindle, you will get back automatically after one month of lending. Always, ebooks are cheaper than paperback books.

There is a saying called "Don't judge the book by cover". You can test these assumption by downloading sample of ebook before purchasing. Downloading sample option available in the right corner of above screen shot.

In amazon newly started Kindle Unlimited, you can read many books in the cost of one book(i.e. Rs.199 per month in India). You can read upto ten books at a time.

2. Sole purpose of reading: Kindle don't have audio/video capability, so you will be forced to read books instead of wasting your previous time in watching videos or browsing Facebook. One more advantage of kindle is no distractions from reading because you don't get any notifications from Whatsapp, mobile messages or work emails in Kindle.

3. Pleasant Reading Experience: Definitely it is very difficult to shift from paperback books to ebooks. Everyone of us will be skeptic when we need to change our habits but It is worth it. Kindle's glare free touch screen and INK display make you feel like you are reading physical book. INK display is as pleasant as paperback books to your eyes. In Kindle, not only highlighting certain points or adding notes is easy but also accessing these highlights and notes also very easy. With options like changing font size for your suitable size makes you fall in love with kindle.

You will get meaning of difficult word just by pressing on the word for few seconds and these word get added to vocabulary builder. You can rewind these new words by using flash card option.

However, I can't say these things if you read books with images, colourful charts and formulas. Kindle still needs to evolve in these books categories.

Yeah, you will miss the smell of paperback books.

4. Long Lasting Battery Performance: One more thing which stands out Kindle from other electronic devices is Kindle's long lasting battery. In Kindle battery is measured in terms of weeks not in hours.Kindle battery last for minimum 15-20 days if you read around 1hour per day.

5. 1000 Books Storage: India is second highest populated country in world so our homes getting smaller day by day. It is very difficult to save all the books and heart breaking to get rid of old books. In Kindle 4GB memory, you can save 1000 books. If you want to travel for 10-15 days, you just have to carry single device instead of bag full of books.

To buy Kindle, click here.

Open Letter to Prime Minister for reinstating country name as "Bharath"

Namaskara,

I like to congratulate your government for taking decision to hoist national flag in all universities. Shocking news is some people opposed the decision of hosting flag in universities. These anti-nationals are more dangerous than terrorists.

The things happening in JNU campus shock whole country. I was dumbstruck when I heard the slogans of “Azadi” in JNU campus. I think all terrorist organizations and enemies of our country are more than happy by this incident. What else one asks for? What JNU guys are doing is Intellectual extravaganza. Only freedom JNU students should ask for is from international funds for research.

We got our political independence 69 years back. Now from whom JNU guys are demanding azadi? As one of the prestigious and intellectual university of country, JNU should think about bringing economical freedom to people.  As a prime minister of country, you are working towards bringing economical freedom; I like to wish you all the best for your sincere efforts.

It is the time for us to nationalize the country; we need to start from the basic. Government should work towards instilling pride about our culture and history in students. It is the time to rewrite our social science textbooks, which did tremendous injustice to our freedom fighters and history of our country. First of all, we need to reinstate old of name of the country. Hereby, I demand you, Mr.Prime Minister to take an initiative to reinstate “Bharath” as our beloved country name. You read it correct, it is India that we need to remove from our heart, mind, papers and boards.

India is slave name. We are free and independent people, we shouldn’t let others and ourselves to address us as by slave names “India” or “Indians”. Lets have our own identity at the international level. I am proud to call myself “Bharatiya”. All of us call ourselves as Indians with pride and proud feeling.

All around the world, our country is famous as India. But does it real name? When the country that is called as “Bharath” for innumerable years suddenly became India. Even today when we speak with in country, we call our country as “Bharath” or Hindustan and ourselves as “Hindustani” or “Bharathiya”.  But in international level, it is always called as India and Indians.

In last 20 years, important cities of our country like Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru reinstated to old names. When Calcutta can become Kolkata, why can’t India becomes Bharath.

Even after letting foreigners to rule 800 years, we are still protected our culture, values and diversity to some extent. To become independent in the real sense, we need to remove all the attachments of slavery. First one in the list is reinstating our country name as “Bharath”.

Packing Tips of Travellers : Travel Cheap In India Part 3

Most people want to travel all around the world, only few take a leap. You are that one determined person who took the leap to travel the world. When you want to do something good, whole world conspire to help you. Packing your bags with all essentials is one of the major factors for your journey success. Don’t pack unnecessary things like extra T-shirt, inner wear’s etc. because you always have an option to buy these things. I have listed few crucial items.

1. Kindle & Travel guides & Offline Maps – If you like reading book, buy Kindle instead of carrying paper books, Kindle can store 1000+ books and save lot of place and weight. Carry travel guides for all the places you visit. Install lonely planet app in your smart phone. Download map for offline access.
2. Waterproof bag for your passport and other important documents like Credit card, Debit Card, ID Proof
3. Clothes bags - Keep separate bags for fresh and dirty clothes (Colour code). Carry plastic bag too. To find your bag easily, Use different colour tags for bags and different colour of bag.
4. Medicine - As you eat different foods, diarrheas tablets will be handy.
5. Travel journal - A journal to keep notes of what you did, where you went, even how much you paid for trips and tickets.
6. iPod & Ear plugs – Carry iPod and Ear plugs. Both are invaluable when you are travelling in long flights, crowded bus etc.
7. Batteries and Power banks –Phone battery drain faster so carry power bank and batteries for torch. Use mobile torch in emergency 
8. Compass - Not an app, an actual compass which doesn't rely on your phone being charged
9. Other important things

• Headlight and torch
• Plug adapter
• Jacket with interior pockets
• Full Boots
• Soap, Face wash, Brush, Paste and Toilet roll
• Towel - Carry two lightweight towels
• Playing cards - To time pass in long train or bus journey

For more travel hacks and tips, read my book Travel Cheap In India