A welcome new toy

[mike ritenour]

Well, we did it, we bought a Kindle3 E-reader for Lavida.

When my better half asked me last year how many books she could bring onboard, I quickly replied, "as many as you can sleep with!".

You can imagine that didn't go over very well with a literacy professor.

So after examining the cost of redoing our "library shelves" vs the cost of the Kindle3, there appeared a technical shift in our library.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good book and its "hand", but I must also say that this new form of reading is really awesome.

It plays nicely to my habit of reading four or five books at once and faithfully keeps all my individual bookmarks in each book. The type is full adjustable in spacing and font size and it will show me the meaning of words foriegn to my limited sailor's vocabulary.

One very useful ability, although labeled "experimental" by Kindle, is the 3G network web access. Although a bit clunky in its web navigational tools, it still allows you full access to the www, albiet in black and white.

Oh, did I mention the little LED light attached to the optional cover which is so bright I can change a waterpump impeller with it!

As you can tell, I'm enamored with this little tool, although I don't think it will swim very well, yet!.

Be interested in others comments and uses.

Rit

[jerryaxler]

Welcome to electronic shelving. It is 14 days between charges and you can get weekly magazines, if you are in 3g range. Just don't forget to turn off the wi-fi connection when not in use.

[Dick Barthel]

and I mean that in a good way! It sounds like a great idea for someone like you who is in perpetual passage. I'm looking forward to reading more as this thread hopefully grows.

Dick

[S/V Necessity]

"although I don't think it will swim very well"

Just stuff it in a ziplock bag, or a clear dry bag. That's what we do with ours (We have a pair of Nook's actually) and it works great. It might not help them swim, but is sure helps when they take a dive to the bottom (bath in our case).
My brother had been trying to goad me into getting an E-reader for about a year and I had been ignoring him. So he bought me one for and early Christmas present this year. It was such a huge success around the house that we had to buy a second one.

[Zeida]

I got the iPad for Christmas, which is also a fabulous e-book reader, and now I don't leave home without it! I had one of the very first Kindles and rapidly got hooked. The new Kindle with the 3G is fabulous!. Also every book purchased through Amazon for 9.99 go both into the Kindle and the iPad. We buy books right from the boat -both have the 3G app. It is the greatest thing to have for reading on board without taking up any space at all. Unfortunately, some of the seafaring books are not transferred electronically yet.

[Joe Myerson]

I got a Kindle for Christmas and, despite my long affection for print-on-paper (I once owned a printing business), I think it's fantastic. My only question: How do you recharge it onboard?

--Joe

[jerryaxler]

I recharge it with a plug in small inverter. I use the same inverter for the computer.

[Sea Hunt]

For whatever it may be worth, Consumer Reports, July 2010, rated both sizes of the Amazon Kindle as top of the line.

I looked at them (and Nook) but for now have decided to invest my funds elsewhere and just buy hard copy books. When (not if ) I get my CD 25D and need to consider storage space my views may well change.