Sony Reader PRS-700

I got myself a Sony Reader PRS-700 the other day. Imported from the USA of course, since we can't get fancy things like that here in Europe. Actually I am evaluating this unit for some friends and co-workers so they know what Reader to buy later.

So far I must say that I am impressed. I have been using it on my weekly trips back and forth to Malmö and more or less left all my books at home. The built-in light is pretty slick, I can actually read books in bed without disturbing my lovely fiance.

A word about the display, a lot of people hate it because it "glares", my guess is that these are the same people that "can't" use a glossy macbook either. I on the other hand have never had any problems with it. So I will continue to read my books digital going forward, no more big books that weigh a ton in my backpack.

General Update

I am god damned tired right now. Yesterday I worked for a lot more hours than usual, because I had to go up very early (4:00) to make a installation at a customer site. That totally destroyed my rhythm so I am still totally lost.

Finished Pattern Recognition by William Gibson yesterday. It was ok, not as good as everyone says it is, but still pretty intense. I think my main objection towards the book is that the main story is pretty strange and in the end it doesn't get really that clear why everything happened the way it did. I have started a new Alistair Reynolds book right now, I'll get back to that.

Talking about intense I played a lot of World in Conflict the last week. It's a strategy game created by a Massive Entertainment from Malmö, Sweden where some of my friends work. It's a great multi player / online game and I recommend it to everyone into strategy.

Next week I am going to South America again, Brazil first and then Argentina. Two trade shows in two weeks. Going to kill me I think.

As for XMMS2, haven't had so much time for this lately. I have worked a bit on the new playlist in Esperanza, it will be pretty cool whenever I have time to release it. You can see a teaser here.

Absolution Gap

Last night, while eating excellent mexican food at Taqueria El Rancho, I finished "Absolution Gap" by Alastair Reynolds. It was my second (or third, if you count that I just finished half of "Revelation Space" before it was destroyed by rain) Reynolds book. The whole book was very captive and the pace was incredible. From the start you follow three different settings in different parts of the universe, after half the book it merges into just two stories you follow. And in the last three high paced chapters all the loose ends tie up and you get eject into a reading frenzy that is unavoidable!

In Reynolds universe every book add to the details and it feels richer and richer all the time.

But this book is not for everyone, it's "hard" science fiction with a lot of reference to physics and space science. Reynolds has worked at ESA so he probably know more about physics than most people. His books are very careful to not break any rules of natures, even though they bend them pretty far in some cases (see the Hypometric weapons for example). The books also challenge the reader to follow at least three different story-lines.

I am looking forward to my next Reynolds book (I need to surf amazon I guess :)), in the meanwhile I will finish Gibsons "Pattern Recognition".