I often write about how wonderfully secure Linux is. It’s immune to Windows viruses, Trojans and malware.  However, Linux is not immune to carelessness and user error.

As an example, I recently received an email which looked like it may have come from Yahoo.  It explained that I had won an Apple iPad.  All I need do is click the link and I’d receive my free iPad.

Well, I don’t click on links like these and neither should you.  As the old saying goes, “If it’s too good to be true…”

Instead, I did a quick Google search to gather some information for this blog post.  As I surmised, it’s an email scam that attempts to grab your Facebook log-in so it can hack your account and who knows what else.

My point is, even the best anti-virus software or  impenetrable operating system can’t prevent you from entering personal information (passwords, bank accounts, etc.) that can be used at a later time to steal your identity, credit card information, or savings.

Make it a rule to never click these email links. Report the abuse, delete the email, and, if you’re curious,  investigate on your own.  You’ll find that these emails are always scams.

My Kindle housed in its new Mareware cover.

I recently bought a cover my Kindle. I didn’t think I wanted a cover, but after using it for almost a year, I decided to give one a try.

Before I made my purchase, I did a little research on available covers.

The Kindle Keyboard has a couple of openings on the left hand side that allow you to plug it into a specially made cover. The prongs on the cover are metal and draw power from Kindle’s battery allowing it to power a compact on-board light.  Or, you can buy one of these covers without an on-board light.

I was about to buy one of these plug-in covers without the light, when I noticed a few reviews saying the metal prongs, somehow, shorted out their Kindle. This didn’t happen to all Kindle users, but it did happen to some.

So, I decided not to take a chance with the metal prong cover.

Instead, I found a cover where the Kindle slips into place.  No metal prongs, no drain on the battery, and no potential to short out.

It’s the Marware Eco-Vue Kindle Leather Folio cover for the Kindle Keyboard.  It lists for $34.99.  On amazon.com, it sells for $20.99.  I still felt that was a bit steep.

Well, I found the cover at a website called Pulsetv.com.  They had it on sale for only $12.99!  (Or you can buy two for only $19.98 plus shipping!)

Visit pulsetv.com and give the video a look to see how exceptional this cover really is.

This cover  is terrific!  Exactly what I was looking for!  You can open and read your Kindle just like a book, or fold it back and use the strap to hold the Kindle with one hand.  The leather (and inside microfiber) is soft and comfortable, holds the Kindle firmly in place, and sort of “disappears” into the background, so to speak, while you read.

If you’e like me, you’re reading from your Kindle all the time.  Holding a “naked” Kindle does get a bit uncomfortable after a long period of time.  Sometimes, we’d like to have a bit more to hold on to.  This cover solves that need.  It’s a wonderful addition.  It gives your Kindle the feel of a book, adds very little weight,  and and keeps it protected.

If you have a Kindle Keyboard, this is the cover to get.

The Loss of the S.S. Titanic by Lawrence Beesley on my Kindle.

The 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic is only a few days away (Titanic sank on April 15th, 1912).  And for those who want to explore its history, I can recommend a free Ebook.

The Loss of the S.S. Titanic by Lawrence Beesley is a first hand account from one of the survivors. Mr. Beesley survived the Titanic tragedy and, after encouragement, wrote his own story of how the events unfolded.

The book is in the public domain and available for free download at Project Guttenberg. It can also be downloaded for free through amazon.com for Kindle.

I own a couple of Kindles and downloaded the book.  Rather than download the free editon,  my Kindle edition was purchased for only .99 from amazon.com. (I started reading it last night and it’s hard to put down!)

What’s the difference between the free version and the paid version?  The free version is just text.  The paid version, however,  has illustrations plus an interactive table of contents.  I like to make use of all the interactive features on my Kindle, so I felt the .99 was a real bargain.

Another free Ebook regarding the Titanic is Sinking of the Titanic and Great Sea Disasters.  I downloaded the free edition, but amazon.com also offers it as a paid Kindle Ebook with additional features.

If you have the extra coin, you can also download the classic A Night to Remember by Walter Lord.  Many feel that this is still the definitive retelling of Titanic’s final minutes.

If you want to enjoy a quick read on Titanic (something you can readi n one sitting) I recommend Lifeboat No. 8: An Untold Tale of Love, Loss, and Surviving the Titanic (Kindle Single).  It was historically accurate and gave yet another side of what the survivors endured on that fateful night. In this case, the survivors of Lifeboat No.8.

And, I stumbled on a new offering regading the history of the Titanic. It’s 101 Things You Thought You Knew About the Titanic . . . but Didn’t!

So, get a Kindle and grab a free Ebook about the Titanic. Or, buy any number of other Kindle books which recount Titanic’s tragic maiden voyage.  And, with a Kindle, you can download and be reading in less than 60 seconds.

I love my Kindle!  It opens you to a whole new world of learning, history, and entertainment.

PCLinuxOS Magazine has a new home! Check it out at: http://pclosmag.com/index.html

If you want to learn more aobut linux and all it has to offer, PCLinuxOS magazine is a great place to start.  it absolutely free for donwload!  Plus, while you’re exploring the pages of all the issues,  you can check out my contributions to the magazine, a monthly Double Take cartoon game panel and a column on the latest tips and tricks using The Gimp (Linux’ Photoshop equivalent.)

Give Linux a try!  I highly recommend the PCLinuxOS distribution!  It’s easy to use and has one of the friendliest and helpful forum communities on the internet!

Wow!   Science fiction came one step closer to reality.

Google announced Project Glass.   To paraphrase the song, “The future’s so bright, I have to wear shades.”