A Bit Eclectic

I will (attempt to) match Gary’s style and review this show as he does wine.

It is important to note that I am talking about the new Wine Library Reserve videos. These are a condensed version of the regular Wine Library TV episodes that roll in around 5 minutes. I am a huge fan of Wine Library TV and here are my thoughts about the new Reserve.

Wine Library Reserve 2008, $0

To begin with, the show is very watered down. In only 5 minutes it is hard to get the full flavor of Gary. The “nose” on this show is really tight and it is hard to get much out of it. We lose one of the most important aspects which is Gary’s unique personality. You get small hints of the flavor, but nothing special that will blow you away.

Additionally, they tried to spice up the show with some new fancy animations. In the end it is way to synthetic and forced. I get these fake flavors in my mouth. It feels like they were placed there after the fact for mere WOW effect. I will admit that some of these can be useful (showing the grape and country) but overall it brings a bad finish.

Like Gary says, trust your palette. This show may not agree with mine but it may be right up your alley. You may like this shorter snazzier version and there is no problem with that. Either way check out both Wine Library TV and the Reserve and make your own judgement. For ZERO bones, either show is worth a taste.

The world of eBooks is not new. They have been around for awhile, whether on a dedicated reader or just a computer or PDA. But they haven’t really taken off. The market is plagued with high prices and relatively small selection. Plus, it is hard to compete with good old paper. It is difficult to improve on something that has not only stood the test of time but also changed the world as we know it.

Amazon recently released an eBook reader called the Kindle. It started selling on Nov. 19th 2007 for $399 and was completely sold out until recently. It is about the size of a paperback book, but a little thinner. The Kindle utilizes an eInk display, which reads just like ink on paper, to prevent eye strain. One of the key features that sets the Kindle apart from other eBook readers is it’s wireless connectivity. You can connect directly to the Kindle store and download books all through the device itself with no monthly charge.

I received my Kindle at the beginning of February and I absolutely love it. This is my first foray into the world of eBooks and the Kindle has been an excellent host. At first, I was extremely skeptical about the device. I had heard about it through many different blogs and podcasts but it just never caught my attention. I thought it was neat, but still more of the same thing. Mainly it was the price that held me back. I couldn’t imagine paying so much for this device. After hearing more about it, I decided to hit up the product page for more information. That is when it got me.

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