::Griffblog::

True to their promise, Amazon and UPS tuned up at my front door this morning with a Kindle International, the new, albeit somewhat kludged (more of that later) version of their previous US only EBook.

I had lusted after one of these for a long time so when the announcement came that the International version was being released and could be pre-ordered I put my name down that very day.

Later, having read some of the restrictions of the International Kindle such as no web browser, no access to blogs, no images in newspapers or magazines etc I cancelled my order.  At least I thought I had until the email announcing dispatch arrived.  Ooops ….

And so here I am with a Kindle International.  And first impressions are very good.  It’s smaller and lighter than I had imagined, about the size of a paperback in width and height and 6mm thick.  It is very light in the hand and comfortable to hold, much better than struggling to keep the cover of a thick paperback open or supporting a weighty hardback.

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The time has come for us to choose a new family car.  Our current Mercedes Cabriolet which we’ve had for 5 years is proving very thirsty as it’s primarily used for school runs and short trips into town.

Being a 3.2 litre V6 Auto this is the worst possible driving cycle and we’re now seeing MPG figures in the late teens and if lucky, early 20’s which makes it very expensive and gives us about 270 miles from a full tank.

Last year we were a two car family. But my Discovery, being rather impractical, was being used less and less.  Though I loved that car, it’s 4-litre V8 Auto would struggle to pass 16MPG even if driven very carefully.  This was mainly due to the kit that it had fitted, it was an ex-G4 Challenge competitor vehicle complete with full rack, snorkel, front winch and under body armour which all weighed it down.

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I came across an photograph taken a few days after the frame was fitted and noticed the difference in the gaps between the rings before the lengthening had begun and now with it all finished.

I’ve taken a quick snap as close to the original as possible for direct comparison but it’s immediately obvious how much lengthening has been achieved in less than a month. You can also see a gap between one part of the frame/pin and the skin has appeared where before, the leg was so swollen that it was tight against the frame metalwork.

The red sections are the lengthening rods, compare before and after! The blue box highlights the area where the surgeons made the incision to break the bone, look how tight it was against the skin whereas now there is an inch or so gap!

All but two of the pins have stabilised so much now that they require just the daily cleansing, no dressings needed. Only one wire pin at the top of my thigh (and which goes straight through the leg exiting in my buttock) requires dressing still, mainly because the skin around it is being moved each time I sit or stand.

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On Tuesday I finally saw my consultant to check on the length of my leg and bone growth.

I was delighted to be told that the leg was physically at the right length (+25mm) now and I would therefore not need to continue with the daily nut turning spanner exercise. The bone however has not quite met growth expectations having grown only about 15mm since the surgical fracture.

Not unusual I was told and so I am am now waiting for it to grow to close the gap of approximately 1cm. To that end I have been told to move to using one crutch only and fully weight bear on the right leg, this encourages bone growth.

I’ve started doing just that today but it’s incredibly hard work. Two factors being the mental block that tells you not to put all your weight on the leg and the other being the leg muscles, unused to weight, which scream at you every time you apply pressure and trigger the mental process that questions whether you should be doing this at all!

I’ve a review in three weeks and if I can help speed up the bone growth by walking then walk I shall, that and the gallons of milk, multi-vitamins and orange juice I’m being fed should do the job!

As a journalist working in the technology arena it’s expected that I will have more than my fair share of gadgets. Some bought, some loaned and some gifted to me by companies in exchange for a review (but note I ALWAYS speak my mind regardless).

Photography is both an interest of mine and an technology that I use a lot in my day to day work. I don’t have access to the resources of large art department and staff photographers so I need to take photos that are at least half decent to accompany my reviews. Most companies will supply stock artwork for their products but for a review nothing is worse than stock photos. It’s a clear sign of re-hashed PR where the author may have barely used a device let alone formed an opinion of it!

And so I have a large collection of cameras, Pro SLR, pocket digital, combo digital and video not to mention the cameras stuffed into the various phones I have in my possession.

Video is a new area. The addition of short videos to demonstrate a product are a great value add to a written review. An early investment in a Sony ProHD Camcorder has proved a poor choice, it’s complex to use, the use of tape makes importing of film arduous and the results are far too high quality for most of my web-based needs.

And so I have come to buy a Flip Mino HD camcorder. Basic in the extreme but superb in their execution, the Flip series have proved a huge hit selling in their millions. Why? Because as a famous photographer once said, “the best camera you can have is the one that’s with you”! It’s pointless having a £3000 ProHD Camcorder if it’s too bulky to carry. The Flip Mino HD is inexpensive at £129 AND fits in your pocket.

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