View Full Version : Kindle just got lighter!
Railroad
09-28-2011, 19:54
Amazon just announced their updated line of Kindles. The lightest one (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051QVESA/ref=famstripe_k) is now down to just 6oz. It still probably won't make it into an ultra-lighter's pack (and I know there are some durability questions too), but I think it justifies me reconsidering the Kindle in my gear list. Thoughts from everyone else?
XCskiNYC
09-28-2011, 20:01
It's a cool device, especially if you get all the video content streaming with prime plus. Two main drawbacks for an AT hike though are that you can't swap the battery (but Amazon claims pretty good battery life) and the coverage has lots of white patches on the AT, including pretty much the entire state of ME along the AT:
http://client0.cellmaps.com/viewer.html?cov=1
It's a cool device, especially if you get all the video content streaming with prime plus. Two main drawbacks for an AT hike though are that you can't swap the battery (but Amazon claims pretty good battery life) and the coverage has lots of white patches on the AT, including pretty much the entire state of ME along the AT:
http://client0.cellmaps.com/viewer.html?cov=1
The lightest ones are dedicated e-book readers, not the psuedo-tablet Nook Color competitor that the Kindle Fire is(the streaming media one).
I have a Kindle 2 3G and I had resigned myself to waiting another year before a smaller e-ink model came out, sicne the rumor was that this would be a Tablet onyl event. I'm pretty pleased and have already ordered the Kindle Touch 3G.
Don Newcomb
09-29-2011, 08:41
My niece had a Kindle that went TU. I looked at it and it seemed kind of fragile to me. (Just MHO)
PapaGarrettP
09-29-2011, 09:03
I have had my Kindle 2 for 2 1/2 years. I take it everywhere (except hiking because, hey, I go hiking to get away from the world). If I was going to thru hike the AT I might consider bringing it along because I like to read -- and the ability to download the Sunday NYT in under a minute every week would be compelling. I find the kindle to be very durable. I dropped it on tile stairs from a height of five feet and, except for a small crack, it is OK. I take it to the beach in a zip lock bag. I would not fear taking it to the woods. If one is afraid of smashing it one could always roll it up in one's sleeping bag or poncho liner. Battery life is exceptional ( a week) when the 3G is turned off. YOu do not need to turn it on to read and the device uses very little juice in the reading mode.
Slo-go'en
09-29-2011, 09:16
My niece had a Kindle that went TU. I looked at it and it seemed kind of fragile to me. (Just MHO)
You need to take reasonable care of it, like keep it dry and not sit on it or drop a rock on it.
I'm intrigued by the "Fire", as it looks like it would do the things I want for a trail friendy PC, rathier then going the smart phone route with it's on going expenses. The 8 hour battery life is a bit of a limitation though. But since you can usually get a charge every 3-4 days, that means it can be used at least 2 hours a day, which is probably enough.