Next eBook: Money Hacks

My Next Book Will Be An EBook

First Published Date: October 9, 2014

I have decided to publish my next book as an eBook via Amazon Kindle. For those who are not reading A Dawn Journal for long, I would like to mention that my first book, Invest Now, was a paper book.

eBook sales will overtake print sales across the globe, if they haven’t already. eBooks offer various advantages over printed books, such as instant global distribution, instant access for readers (instant gratification), very short timeframe to publish (about 24-48 hours once uploaded on Amazon), affordability for readers, and more control for authors.

I have contemplated about 20-30 names for my next book. Initially I was thinking about naming it Save Now: A Universal Guide to Saving. However, I think I found a name that better fits the content and more attractive than the above name:

 Money Hacks: How Small Changes Save Big Money

But I might change the above name if I can come up with something better. The book will be filled with tips you can use daily to save money. Like Invest Now, I will keep Money Hacks simple and short. Expect it to be around 150 pages.

I have decided to set the price at $2.99. However, I will have some free days so A Dawn Journal readers can download it for free. The free download announcement will be published on A Dawn Journal.

I have finished writing in my notebook and am now typing it on MS Word. In between editing, formatting for Kindle, and finishing the cover, you probably are looking at another one to two months before it is available. Stay tuned for more, as I will keep you posted as work progresses.

Sorry, Google Nexus 6, I Will Stay With My OnePlus

OnePlus SmartPhone Gives Better Value For Your Money

First Published Date: October 25, 2014

After much anticipation and excitement, Google finally released its flagship 2014 long-awaited smartphone Nexus 6. All the rumoured features and specs of this gigantic phablet appear to be somewhat true, except its gigantic price.

Google’s Nexus branding has been known for its reasonable price, which is much less than other brands in general. For example, the Nexus 5 was priced at $350 and $400 – a $200 to $300 cheaper than other comparable models.

The same reduced price tag was expected for the Nexus 6. However, it broke everyone’s heart when it was released on Oct 15, 2014. CBC reports that Nexus 6 pricing for Canadians will be a hefty $749, much higher than the roughly $500 I was expecting it to be.

On the other hand, a new phone company called OnePlus was founded in China in December 2013, taking the smartphone market by storm. OnePlus makes elegantly high-end and high-performance smartphones at ridiculously low prices that were never heard of before. For example, their 64 GB 2014 Flagship Killer is only $349, which can be easily sold for more than $700 by other manufacturers.

However, OnePlus has its own drawback; you can’t just buy it if you want. Due to high demand, the manufacturer is unable to keep up with supply, and as a result it’s only available via invite. If you have an invite from OnePlus or someone who already bought one sends you an invite, you will be able to buy it.

As I have been contemplating buying a new Nexus 6 and eagerly waiting for an invite from OnePlus, I was leaning more towards Nexus 6, if the price tag stays within my expected range. Surprisingly enough, all of a sudden I got an invite from OnePlus just before the Nexus 6 release date. I did not hesitate to buy OnePlus, as the invite stays valid only for 24 hours. After purchasing OnePlus on Oct 14, the Nexus 6 price shock came the next day on October 15.

The choice became obvious once I found out the price of the Nexus 6. It is no longer an affordable brand like its predecessor models. As I am waiting to receive my OnePlus, at the same time I am feeling good about not buying Nexus 6 and saving about $400 – $500. Thanks, Google Nexus 6, but no thanks.

Lenovo Twist 12.5 Touchscreen Laptop Review

Lenovo ThinkPad Twist Convertible UltraBook

First Published Date: September 12, 2013

Lenovo Twist Laptop Review

I bought my last laptop Acer Aspire Timeline about three years ago and so far it has worked without any problems. I kept it in crisp condition and was able to sell it for $200. This time, to try something different I decided on buying a Lenovo ThinkPad Laptop/Tablet. This is my first time buying a Lenovo product.

Specifications

– 3rd generation Intel Core i7-3537u processor 2.00 GHz 4MB cache

– 500 GB Hard drive

– 8 Gig RAM

– It’s an Ultrabook combining laptop/tablet together that can bends, twists, folds, and spins.

– Dolby® Home Theater® Stereo speakers

– Magnesium Alloy Construction – only 20 mm thick and weighs 3.45 lbs

– A hybrid hard drive and solid state drive. Active Protection System prevents hard drive from system failure.

– Wakes up from sleep mode in two seconds

– Spill resistant keyboard

Cons

– Feels a bit heavier than other Ultrabook. I think this is due to its heavier keyboard. A feature to detach screen from the keyboard would have been nicer.

– Although Lenovo says battery has 6 hours life, I cannot get it to work more than 4 hours.

– I don’t understand or see any value in The TrackPoint center button. I find it meaningless, but it could be due to the fact that I never dealt with such a button in my life.

– I am not impressed with its Dolby® Home Theater® Stereo speakers. My cheap $250 Acer Netbook has a better sound system.

My Take

I like its rugged, rubberized durable construction. Its overall design and looks feel and look elegant and extraordinary. If you don’t mind the few cons I mentioned above, I think the Lenovo ThinkPad Twist Convertible is worth its value (around $1000 to $1100 + taxes in Canada).

Casio F-91W – The World's Best & Cheapest Value Watch

Casio Black Classic Casio F-91W - The Legendary Watch Everyone Should Own

If you ask around and show the legendary Casio F-91W, most likely people would be able to recognize this watch.

The Casio F-91W is one of the best, cheapest, and the most popular watches in the world. You can buy many other cheap watches these days, but a watch with the same high quality as the Casio F-91W will be hard to find.

Casio started producing the F91W in 1989, and it’s still in production to this day. Casio produces 3 million units per year. The Classic Casio F-91W has survived and stood the test of time and remains the most popular watch in the world.

There are several factors that made the Casio F-91W become so popular: it is durable, unique, simple, functional, looks good, and feels comfortable to wear.

The learning curve to get acquainted with the Casio F-91W is not steep. It is very easy to learn and looks remarkably good on everyone, whether you are young, old, male, female, or kids.

The Casio F-91W is a minimalist watch that offers a simple LCD screen, three buttons or pushers, a stopwatch, a calendar and a battery life that can last somewhere between 7 to 10 years.

What I don’t understand is how Casio can still make and offer this timeless watch so cheap without compromising quality and features.

In Canada, you can grab the Casio F-91W for around $20 CAD. In the USA, it’s a mere $10. That’s a shocking value price given the fact that these days a fast-food meal costs around the same amount.

My video review of the Casio Classic Black is available below:

Timeless Classic Casio F-91W The Best Cheapest Watch

Financial Author A Dawn’s New Book Save Now Is Designed To Reach His Global Readers

Dawn Starts Working on His Second Book “Save Now: A Universal Guide to Saving”

First Published Date: July 13, 2011 ADawnJournal.com

When my first book Invest Now was published, my main site A Dawn Journal was just starting out and there were hardly any readers.

Three years later, I have just started working on my second book “Save Now”, and things have changed since then. With all my sites (see Links on the right sidebar for URLs), being A Dawn Journal is now a high traffic site, I am able to reach more than a thousand visitors daily – and this global traffic reach is increasing steadily on a regular basis.

At this point, the time has come for me to write a book to reach my global readers and this is what I have in mind working on “Save Now.” This book will be packed with simple and doable tips to save money that can be applied across the globe. Here is a short post I wrote for the A Dawn Books site describing more about “Save Now.”