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View Full Version : this is mildly ridiculous but I NEED this for my thru



skinny minnie
05-12-2008, 09:40
Have I been under a rock?!

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Device/dp/B000FI73MA

And yes, a little ludicrous... but let me tell you - I read. I read a lot. And I read fast. I tend to get insanely bored/go a little crazy if I don't have reading material. I need this in my life. I mean seriously! It's lighter than some books are! Ridiculous, expensive... yet suddenly this is completely vital to my life.

sofaking
05-12-2008, 09:43
you can get a tattoo of '666' behind your ear for much less than the $400 that thing costs...

minnesotasmith
05-12-2008, 09:50
Odds are you won't read much during your hike, no matter how much you read at home. Most hikers are too busy in camp, and want to go to sleep so early, that reading more than the appropriate guidebook section for the next day just doesn't happen for them on days they hike. If you bring some electronic book reader with you when you hit Springer, I'd bet you'd send it home either at Neels or Hiawassee.

skinny minnie
05-12-2008, 09:51
I bring books on hikes now...

Granted, they are not 2,000+ mile hikes.

Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-12-2008, 09:52
I note this item has a keyboard - if the device could be used to record one's journal as well as for reading, I just might have to get one.

skinny minnie
05-12-2008, 10:05
well i know you can send basic email. so if you have a journal transcriber it would work.

"Wireless Access with Whispernet™ Whispernet utilizes Amazon's optimized technology plus Sprint's national high-speed (EVDO) data network to enable you to wirelessly search, discover, download, and read content on the go.Unlike WiFi, you don't have to find a hotspot. Amazon pays for Kindle's wireless connectivity so you will never see a monthly wireless bill for shopping the Kindle Store. There is no wireless setup—you are ready to shop, purchase and read right out of the box.
Note: There is no wireless coverage available currently on Sprint’s data network for Kindle in Montana and Alaska."

skinny minnie
05-12-2008, 10:07
oh, wait. you can email your documents to the device for viewing. crap. It doesn't say you can email with it... I don't think. That makes it a bit less appealing. Darn.

I'll have to read a little more closely

minnesotasmith
05-12-2008, 10:09
Then it might be worthwhile. I didn't bring anything electronic to help with either of those, so can't make a judgement about the subject.

max patch
05-12-2008, 10:11
Odds are you won't read much during your hike, no matter how much you read at home. Most hikers are too busy in camp, and want to go to sleep so early, that reading more than the appropriate guidebook section for the next day just doesn't happen for them on days they hike. If you bring some electronic book reader with you when you hit Springer, I'd bet you'd send it home either at Neels or Hiawassee.

Thats a blanket statement thats just not true for all hikers. Some read less, as you say. Others read more. I always carried a couple paperbacks with me at all times.

sofaking
05-12-2008, 10:12
need travel scrabble.

doggiebag
05-12-2008, 10:13
I have never read so many books in such as a short period of time until I was on the trail. Bringing a book is a great luxury item. Most folks going on long distnce hikes just leave the book at shelters once they are done reading them. People even sign the books so you know who has read them before you. The trail is a great place to read in the evening once camp is set up.

skinny minnie
05-12-2008, 10:13
I completely agree with max patch.

And regardless of email - this would save me a A LOT of weight in my carry-on when I travel!

max patch
05-12-2008, 10:15
Have I been under a rock?!

http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Device/dp/B000FI73MA

And yes, a little ludicrous... but let me tell you - I read. I read a lot. And I read fast. I tend to get insanely bored/go a little crazy if I don't have reading material. I need this in my life. I mean seriously! It's lighter than some books are! Ridiculous, expensive... yet suddenly this is completely vital to my life.

I owned it and returned it within the 30 day return period. No shipping either way so you can try it out for free. Great concept, but I thot the hardware was too clunkey. I'll rebuy once they make improvements. Read the reiviews on the site; you'll get the good and the bad.

I don't think it would survive a thru, tho.

skinny minnie
05-12-2008, 10:18
I don't think it would survive a thru, tho.

Ha. Good point.

ofthearth
05-12-2008, 10:41
I bring books on hikes now...

Granted, they are not 2,000+ mile hikes.

On shorter hikes I carry whole books. Since starting a thru ( a couple of times now - feet and tax issues) I have carried parts of books with me.

"I tend to get insanely bored/go a little crazy if I don't have reading material."

I've found the trick is to carry those books that you always wanted to read but had trouble getting into - Darwin for instance. You can reread the same section a couple of times. :rolleyes: And at the end of the day I have looked at the map and guides enoough for the day.

Kerosene
05-12-2008, 10:45
I'd be concerned with durability as well as battery life and what it will take to recharge (you'll have to put the charger in a bounce box).

I say it's worth the weight if you're a voracious reader. Early on you'll be pretty tired at the end of a day, but you want to keep your mileage down to give your body time to adjust to the rigors of hiking every day. Plus, you'll be starting out in summer when the days are long, so you'll have more than enough time to take care of your camp chores. If you're not sure, then have someone purchase the device and ship it to you about a month into your hike.

bigcranky
05-12-2008, 10:53
Both my wife and daughter read a lot on the trail. Lilac carries several books (paperbacks), but that's no different than her everyday life, where she has 3 or 4 books in her purse at any given time.

Not sure the Kindle would survive, but you could carry it in an Aloksak (extremely waterproof plastic bag), possibly in a small box for protection. There are a couple of spots in my pack where it would be well protected.

Wise Old Owl
05-12-2008, 11:12
A palm pilot or smart phone can display books and do all the same things with a built in phone at price that is less than what was displayed. Books can be taken from digital libraries or CD rom and put into the phone or palm - Something I was doing about 8 years ago...


Please don't bring up the battery debate.

jessicacomp
05-13-2008, 13:41
There is a woman named Mustang Sally who currently is noboing and has this. It looks great!
Also, thank you to the person who mentioned scrabble. I am going to go search for it, buy it, and eventually pack it out with me whenever i leave damascus.

Blissful
05-13-2008, 14:16
I wouldn't take expensive electronics on the trail with the humidity and weather. Just take a paperback book.

max patch
05-13-2008, 14:21
I wouldn't take expensive electronics on the trail with the humidity and weather. Just take a paperback book.

Yeah, and $400 certainly qualifies as an "expensive electronic" -- especially when paperbacks are such a cheap alternative.

hopefulhiker
05-13-2008, 15:48
I listened to a couple of audio books on my thru hike on an MP3 player....

Tin Man
05-13-2008, 16:29
As has been suggested, electronics are difficult to keep dry (and alive) on a long hike, but if you are planning to figure it out for a phone and/or a camera, then maybe it can work. The problem I see is in the reading. I read "The Red Badge of Courage" on a Palm a few years ago. Even though it is a short book, I couldn't wait to be finished as there was about 2-3 sentences per scroll. It was very aggravating. I didn't quit, because I thought I could get used to it. Wrong. This device looks a little better, but I would test drive first to see if you will like it or not.

sofaking
05-13-2008, 16:34
There is a woman named Mustang Sally who currently is noboing and has this. It looks great!
Also, thank you to the person who mentioned scrabble. I am going to go search for it, buy it, and eventually pack it out with me whenever i leave damascus.scrabble rules...even if the new book says 'za' is a word.

KnowledgeEngine
05-13-2008, 16:50
As to the kindle...it has to have cell phone coverage to work.

My canon camera has a book reader on it. If you own a cheaper canon digital camera check out CHDK (http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page) It gives you games, book reader, 1 minute exposures, motion sensor and intervalometer on almost all cheap canon cameras. I own a canon S5 IS which cost me about $400, but it works on some $100 cameras.

Tin Man
05-13-2008, 17:01
As to the kindle...it has to have cell phone coverage to work.



...to add content. There is plenty of storage to add enough content to get you to your next cell coverage area/battery charge.

max patch
05-13-2008, 17:04
As to the kindle...it has to have cell phone coverage to work.



No. You need wireless only to download content. You can read the Kindle anywhere.

KnowledgeEngine
05-13-2008, 19:59
I was aware of the fact service is only needed for adding content, but to me that seems to be the point of the device. Guess it's one of those to each their own things. I'd go with a paperback, but mainly because the trails in AR are much less travelled than AT, etc. I could use the pages as extra kindling if need be.

LOL
benefits of paperback: can be used for kindling after read
drawback of kindle: does not easily combust without accelerant or battery malfunction
Sorry just thought of that comparison as I finished the post.

Hooch
05-14-2008, 06:09
I listened to a couple of audio books on my thru hike on an MP3 player....Yup, I'm thinking that audio books downloaded to your MP3 player would be a much better idea than that thing. Personally, I wouldn't shell out $400 just for something just to download books to, but to each their own. It's a lot cheaper just to carry a paperback then donate it to a hiker box and have another mailed to you or bounce boxed forward for when you need it, but that's just me.

Del Q
05-14-2008, 22:16
No books, MP3 (music) only, has worked for me. More miles = more simple as I progress.

Captain
05-15-2008, 07:05
i understand what it meansto need something utterly ridiculous for the trial.. like me i will NOT leave ( i simpyl refuse to) unless i have my alphasmart dana journal with me. this is something i want to remember and sure writing a journal would be cheaper and the same weight but my hand writing is not even decode-able to me if i put the piece of paper down for literaly 2 minutes to do something else as soon as i pick ti up its like " what the heck is this?" alot of people ive asked ( off of here) to look at my packing list thats the first thing they would toss and im like umm thats not optional then they look at me like im crazy, IT WAS MARDI GRAS i was swimming in tequila i DIDNT know the monkey would act that way i ASSUMED it liked potatoes OKAY!!??..::cough:: ANYWHO i sympathize

skinny minnie
05-15-2008, 09:02
Well, Scrabble was a pretty amazing suggestion... except that I'm prone to Scrabble rage. Seriously. It ain't pretty.

I'm a very non-technological/electronics person (I think I've used my ipod once, literally)... but when I packed 8+ books on my last week long vacation, and finished them all while there/was freaking out from boredom on the (very long) flight home... I started to realize I might have a problem. Packing books also bothers me because I hate leaving them behind/getting them dirty/ruining them. I could rely on mail drops but that just seems like a pain/limits you/then you're stuck carrying dead weight occasionally.

I thought about a blackberry or iphone or something... I figured you can download books to that, but then figured it might drain the battery, and have an annoying glare.

Anyway, this all tongue-in-cheek, because I'm broke! It's a nice thought... and if I had oodles of money lying around, I might indulge myself. Maybe Santa will, ha. But seriously... if that thing sent email I would be all over it.

bigcranky
05-15-2008, 09:42
I'm a very non-technological/electronics person (I think I've used my ipod once, literally)... but when I packed 8+ books on my last week long vacation, and finished them all while there/was freaking out from boredom on the (very long) flight home... I started to realize I might have a problem.


Recognizing that you have a problem is the first step toward curing it.... :D

Get the Kindle, load it with books, put it in double zip-loc bags and carry it inside your pack against the frame, maybe wrapped in a sleeping pad or something. Enjoy.

MudDuck
05-15-2008, 09:52
If you took a lap top with a Sprint EVDO wireless card wouldn't that be the same? The weight wouldn't be that much different as it looks to me. If you were to take a wireless computor wouldn't you want a real computor? Your not going to get Sprint service with that thing where you wouldn't get it on a lap top with THE SAME CARD. The Sprint EVDO card is nothing more / less than a cell phone.
I wouldn't take that thing for the same reasons you wouldn't take a lap top in your pack, it wouldn't survive long. Great idea though for people who read alot but again just use your lap top to access.

Panzer1
05-15-2008, 20:10
Every day on the trail would shorten it life by about a month. These things aren't meant to live outdoors.

Panzer