20 The Queens Courier • JUly 2, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com BLACK AND WHITE VS. COLOR by OLEG RABINOVICH Don’t be fooled. This is not a tech column from 1965. We are not talking about televisions here; we are talking about smart watches and e-readers. Why would anyone want black-and-white technology when we have all these glorious full-color HD screens everywhere? The answer: battery life, visibility and waterproofing. E-readers The black and white Amazon Kindle’s ($79) battery can last for weeks with regular use and looks absolutely fabulous in bright sunlight. In fact the brighter it is, the better it looks. If you want a stepped up e-reader take a look at the Kobo Aura H20 ($180) which adds waterproofing so you can read while sitting in Pebble watch and the Apple Watch Tablet and an e-reader the pool or bathtub. Compare that to the iPad Air 2 ($499) which has a brilliant, full-color screen but only lasts 10 hours and is almost unusable in bright sunlight. Don’t even think of dunking it in the bathtub unless you enjoy breaking things. Now of course the iPad does a lot more than the Kindle. The iPad is a fullfledged tablet that you can also reads books on whereas the Kindle and Kobo are truly only good as e-readers (don’t even bother trying to surf the web on them). But if what you are looking for is a great reading experience by the pool, tub or at the beach, Kindles or Kobos are far superior than an iPad. Watches The black-and-white Pebble Watch’s ($89) battery can last for seven days, and the screen looks great in direct sunlight, is always on and is water resistant up to 50 meters. It will show your incoming calls, texts, emails and app alerts. Compare that to the Apple Watch ($349) which has an 18-hour battery life and a screen that is off most of the time. In direct sunlight, the screen can be hard to see. The Apple Watch has an IPX7 water resistance which means it is OK to wash your hands while wearing it, but don’t even think of swimming with it on. The Apple Watch does offer more options than the Pebble Watch for fitness tracking. But if what you are looking for is a watch that can send you quick updates without having to pull your phone out of your pocket or purse, the Pebble Watch is the way to go. Oleg Rabinovich is a self-described tech geek who loves to play with, put together and take apart technology. He really needs to start acting his age and asking his kids to set his VCR clock. If you have any questions for him please email him at olegrabinovich@ aol.com. ANTIQUES WANTED Buyer of Fine Arts Careful management of your precious estate heirlooms and buying and liquidation of your estate is our top priority. In addition to antique buying, we also can provide estate clean out services. We’re your premier antique buyers. • Antiques • Oil Paintings • Sterling Silver • Jewelry • Porcelains • Bronzes • Carved Furniture • Clocks • Bronze Statues Member of the American Society of Appraisers and the Better Business Bureau Garden City Antiques and Fine Arts, Ltd. HIGHEST CASH PRICES PAID IMMEDIATELY 718-347-0900 www.gardencityantiques.com IF BUSY 516-524-6000 and Antiques for Over 30 Years
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