Here in India, students and professionals alike can almost always be spotted with a book by their side. Students read under their desks in class while teachers remain oblivious to these activities.

Photo by Divya Srinivasan

Call Center professionals read in between calls at their work place. Because most of them work US and UK hours, getting off around 5-6 am when family is fast asleep, they tout reading a book as one hobby they don’t have to give up.

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The advent of e-Books and electronic readers means we can now drag our favorite travel books on trips without all that extra weight.

Similar to the Amazon Kindle, but more affordable ($80-$100 cheaper), the ECTACO jetBook is a lightweight e-Book reader that allows you to load up books in *.txt, *.pdf, *.fb2 and *.jpg file formats.

Features include:

• Bookmarking capabilities
• Auto-page turn functionality
• Adjustable font and sizing
• Screen rotation support for portrait and landscape viewing modes

It also provides already loaded language translation dictionaries in most European languages, Russian, Polish, English, and Spanish amongst others.

Built into the jetBook is an MP3 player that allows you to listen to music, audio books, and other audio files as well as an SD card slot for downloading pictures.

It runs on an internal Li-ion polymer battery that is charged via USB cable.

Price: $299.95 | BUY jetBook| BUY Accessories

Matador Life Editor Tom Gates lies
amidst the innards of his backpack.

Matador Goods is starting a “What’s In Your Backpack?” series and I’ve been asked to take it for a road-test, since I’m about to do a lap around the world.

The innards of my bag are currently spilled out on the floor and I’m about to make decisions about what stays and what goes.

Here are some of the things I can’t live without:

Aquis Adventure Microfiber Towel

This will be my first journey with a fast-drying towel. I bought it because it is the most disgusting color imaginable – kind of if Prussian Blue tongue-kissed Orange Red.

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These days, GPS receivers are common navigational add-ons in vehicles. But if you’re looking to utilize this cutting-edge satellite positioning technology out of the car—while geocaching, for instance—you’ll need a more compact, handheld unit.

The wide array of options may be intimidating, but it also gives you tremendous flexibility in selecting a receiver that fits your needs and budget.

Photo by m.prinke

Bare-bones units run for as little as $50 used. For higher rollers, more money can score you fancy graphics, bigger screens, more memory, preloaded map data, wireless capability, a stronger antenna, and waterproof certification.

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As 2008 rapidly winds down, we’ve all started compiling our resolutions for the new year. Hopefully, taking care of your mind and body is high on your list.

Photo by Aylanah

Juliane Huang introduces us to 24 Super Healthy Eats and Drinks For 2009 – from the Amazon’s antioxidant powerhouse, Acai berries to everyone’s favorite aphrodisiac, chocolate.

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The thought is what counts most. Nothing is truer when faced with the Christmas gift-giving season.

What is your sister’s passion? Your friend’s daily regiment? Your father’s hobby? The total bill for presents can grow fast – at an alarming pace actually.

Photo by Jonas N

Here are a few examples of presents that will keep your wallet in check…along with your bank account.

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Remember that guy in the pub or the frat house who would always point out the inconsistencies and errors in a movie?

Photo by mattlemmon

How about that erudite character who would always (without fail) mention that “the book was better than the film” or the irrepressible geek who must have had an almanac of the “Top 10″ of everything written on his forearms to be able to produce statistics and facts on any subject?

Being a well-traveled and worldly bunch, we may have all become that “guy” to some extent. We all have opinions and harbor an inner desire to holler at the misrepresentations brought about by powerhouses in Hollywood.

Or do I stand alone on this one?

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Bias declared: Kelsey Timmerman is a Matador community member.

So of course we’re thrilled to see his first book, Where Am I Wearing?, hit bookstores everywhere.

Photo by gabyu

Luckily, when I was preparing to write this review, I never had to worry about that connection getting in my way. The book is such a pleasure to read that there was no conflict between my Matador loyalties and my obligation to give a fair review.

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Rwandans can breathe a little sigh of relief this week.

Photo by TKnoxB

In Rwandan Genocide “Masterminds” Convicted, Sentenced, Matador Pulse editor Eva Holland gives us an update on one of the worst genocides the world has ever witnessed.

“More than 18 years later, three of the leaders behind the Rwandan genocide have been convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and sentenced to life in prison,” she writes.

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The story of Guitar Hero mirrors the rise of any rock star of the last few decades.

After first hitting the Playstation in 2005, the game has become a staple at parties everywhere. The Guitar Hero franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, and has been credited with revolutionizing the modern music industry.

According to Wikipedia, the series has sold 23 million units, earning $1.6 billion to date.

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