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Get a Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch e-reader for $74.99

Need a sexy, practical, affordable last-minute gift? Barnes & Noble has you covered with the Nook Simple Touch e-reader for $74.99. And that includes expedited shipping, so it should arrive no later than December 22.

More good news: the Simple Touch is new, not refurbished--unlike the Nook Color I've been pimping for what seems like months.

There is, however, one small catch: This deal is available only through eBay, so you'll need an account there. Also, the auction page is currently showing "Limited quantity available," meaning this will likely sell out soon.

Actually, it appeared … Read more

Tech news site ReadWriteWeb acquired by Say Media

ReadWriteWeb, a popular tech news site, has been acquired by San Francisco-based Say Media.

The site's editor, Richard MacManus, announced the deal this morning, explaining that RWW will join Say's Technology channel, giving it access to more than 75 million monthly readers:

ReadWriteWeb is going to get bigger and even better. Our plans include widening ReadWriteWeb's editorial scope and expanding our team. That starts from today, with the addition of SplatF's Dan Frommer to our team as an editor-at-large. We will also be doing a redesign, utilizing the sophisticated designers at SAY Media. With SAY's … Read more

Soda brings 3D to PDF readers

Soda 3D Reader is Lulu Software's answer to Adobe Reader. While it may not be the most powerful Adobe alternative out there, it does have some nice features and unique 3D functionality that make it worth a look.

The program's interface is clean and inviting, with ribbon-style navigation that should be familiar to Microsoft Office 2010 users. The tabs at the top act as your main menu, with submenus that open up beneath them as you click. And along the left, there's a page preview pane, if you choose to enable it. The program's controls are … Read more

How to listen to Web sites in Chrome

Text-to-speech can assist people with disabilities in using computers or read documents to people while their eyes' attention is needed elsewhere.

Chrome Speak, an extension available for Google Chrome, offers the ability to listen to text on any Web site. The extension doesn't require any Internet connection, making it a bit faster than many other TTS extensions. Here's how to get started with using it:

Step 1: Install Chrome Speak from the Google Chrome Web store.

Step 2: Right-click on the headphones icon to adjust the extensions settings. Here you can tinker with how … Read more

Evernote launches soothing article reader

The note-taking powerhouse Evernote is launching a pleasant little browser plug-in, Clearly, that gives you a clean, story-only view of what you're reading in Chrome (today) or Firefox (later). Safari users, Apple already gave you this. It's called the Reader view.

Clearly also lets you clip your article to your Evernote notebook, which is kind of nice. My readers know I'm an Evernote junkie, and I've been using Evernote as a quasi-bookmarking service anyway. Sometimes I save just a URL of an article I want to refer back to in my notebook, sometimes the whole article. … Read more

Another tech blogger joins the startup fray

Sometimes blogging about startups makes the blogger want to start one.

Marshall Kirkpatrick, a tech writer with ReadWriteWeb whose work is often cited by other outlets, is setting out to turn his ability to sort through the noise on the Web into a product and company called Plexus Engine.

Kirkpatrick describes Plexus Engine as an application and tool to help customers discover key information before their competitors do. His target customers are those in marketing and public relations firms.

He's been trying it out with a handful of trial customers and plans to launch officially in three months.

Kirkpatrick … Read more

Seven free mystery novels for Kindle

The only thing better than a good book is a good free book. If you like mysteries and thrillers, you're in for a treat: Amazon is currently offering seven Kindle e-books absolutely free of charge.

I can't say I've heard of any of the authors (unsurprising, given that mystery's not really my preferred genre), but all seven titles have average customer reviews of four stars or better. (A couple are flat-out five-star picks.)

To read them, you'll need either a Kindle e-reader or your preferred Kindle-compatible device: PC, smartphone, tablet, etc. Here's the selection:… Read more

Zendio tracks when e-mails are opened, clicked on

Who uses those receipts for e-mails read? Most people either block sending receipts altogether or ask to be notified before sending a read receipt (a default setting in Microsoft Outlook and other mail clients). So read receipts either don't work at all, or they require acceptance by the recipient--no sure thing.

That doesn't mean that we aren't curious about when the messages we send are opened, and when the links they include are followed. For most organizations, this information can be a valuable asset. The Zendio add-on for Microsoft Outlook tracks the messages you select and records … Read more

And so it begins: Nook Color down to $149.99

Well, well, well. The Barnes & Noble Nook Color, already a steal when it was selling for $179 and then $169, has dipped even further.

Today only, and while supplies last, DailySteals has the refurbished Nook Color for $149.99 shipped. That's officially the lowest price I've seen, and a really hard bargain to pass up.

Update: If you missed out on the deal, fret not: Buy.com also has the Nook Color for $149 shipped, and the deal runs through Oct. 9 (or until supplies run out).

I have nothing but praise for the refurbished … Read more