Abstract: An apparatus (700) for inhibiting operation of an electronic device (702) during take-off and landing of an aircraft (802) has a sensor (704) that measures a lateral acceleration. A control circuit (706) is coupled to the sensor (704) and has an output (708) coupled to the electronic device (702).

Abstract: A fluorescence spectrometer (10) includes an excitation light source (12) and an excitation light input mirror (14) for reflecting excitation light produced by the light source and directing the light along a spectrometer light path (24). A reflecting arrangement (16) receives the excitation light directed along the spectrometer light path (24) and focuses the excitation light along a sample light path (20) to a distant focal point (32) at which a sample may be located. The reflecting arrangement (16) also serves to collect light emitted or reflected from the sample at the distant focal point (32) and to reflect the collected or returned light back along the spectrometer light path (24) in a direction opposite to the direction of the excitation light.

Abstract: A method of capturing and storing a quote in an electronic book includes reading machine-readable data from a removable machine-readable storage medium installed in the-electronic book, and displaying text of a book represented by the machine-readable data. A user-initiated event is received in which a portion of the text is selected. Quote data representative of the portion of the text is stored in an internal machine-readable storage medium within the electronic book. Source data representative of at least one of an author of the book and a title of the book is also stored in the internal machine-readable storage medium. The quote data and the source data are maintained in the internal machine-readable storage medium when the removable machine-readable storage medium is removed from the electronic book.

Abstract: A method of substituting names in an electronic book (100) involves selecting an original name to be replaced. In one version the original name is selected by the user highlighting the original name. A substitute name is then determined and the electronic book (100) is updated with the substitute name. In one embodiment, the user types in the substitute name.

Abstract: A method of displaying at least one reading metric in an electronic book includes reading machine-readable data from a machine-readable storage medium installed in the electronic book. The machine-readable data is representative of text of a book. At least one page of the text represented by the machine-readable data is displayed using the electronic book. A reading pace of a user is monitored over the at least one page, and the reading pace is displayed by the electronic book. An amount of the book which can be read at the reading pace during a remaining powering time for a battery which powers the electronic book can also be displayed. An estimated completion time for a portion of the book can be calculated and displayed based on the reading pace.

Abstract: An electronic book includes a book-shaped housing having a first housing member pivotably connected to a second housing member to open and close in a book-like manner. A touchscreen displays a page of the text represented by the machine-readable data. A user-initiated event selecting a portion of the text is received by the touchscreen. The touchscreen displays the portion of the text in a highlighted form. The processor stores an indicator of the portion of the text to be highlighted in the removable machine-readable storage medium to remain with the text when the removable machine-readable storage medium is removed from the electronic book.