Re: Kindle Updates Reply #25 – November 22, 2011, 10:12:03 am Yahoo Message Number: 126836"Andy: Did you buy the wifi or the 3G version of the Kindle Touch?" i ordered the 3G version, because I wanted to test out just how useful the cellular-network feature was. Based on Sprint's coverage maps, my expectations are pretty low, but I though I ought to see for myself just how well or poorly it works.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Kindle Updates Reply #26 – November 22, 2011, 11:11:36 am Yahoo Message Number: 126837"As promised, I've posted an article discussing the current crop of ereaders in some detail:"AndyNice comparison to the various Kindle models. I bought my wife a Kindle last year and she loves it except for not having a built in light. I like reading on it too, when I can get my hands on it. Interesting comments about your iPod. I find reading books on it, using the Kindle app, to be very useful and easy since I can carry it all the the time in a shirt pocket. When reading in 'landscape' mode, the print is just large enough to be comfortable. Now, anytime I'm stuck waiting in a line, there is always something to read. In my daily trips out into the world, I would probably never bother carrying a Kindle due to its size...I'm not the purse (or the 'man bag') type. As much as I would enjoy owning an iPad, or other tablet, they too are too large to carry in a shirt pocket or most jacket pockets. Maybe it just me but if I'm going to have to hand-carry a device, it's going to be a small laptop. Tablets may be small computers but they lack inputs and large storage capacity for downloading cameras (unless switching to the WiFi enable memory sticks), one of my main uses for a travel computer. Hopefully, tablets will someday get the add-ons I desire. The wonderful thing about all the various devices available is that there is something for everybody and the choices just keep getting better. Wonder if Apple can take an iPod and split it down the center and hinge it, exposing twins screens when opened up. Thanks for the information and saving some of us from buying a Kindle Fire.LarryLiving small
Re: Kindle Updates Reply #27 – November 22, 2011, 11:36:28 am Yahoo Message Number: 126838At 09:11 AM 11/22/2011, you wrote:QuoteInteresting comments about your iPod. I find reading books on it, using the Kindle app, to be very useful and easy since I can carry it all the the time in a shirt pocket. When reading in 'landscape' mode, the print is just large enough to be comfortable. Now, anytime I'm stuck waiting in a line, there is always something to read. Larry, I figured that out almost immediately with my Droid. I download books for free from my public library, or make use of the Gutenberg Project website for out-of-copyright material. I prefer to read in the vertical position, but I enlarge the type somewhat so it's quite legible. I can't tell you how often I have dipped into my latest book while waiting in line, stuck at the doc's office, etc.I also agree about not wanting anything much larger, at least for this type of thing. I can answer my phone while reading, but I can't "answer" a tablet! And while I do carry a purse, the real estate therein is far too restricted and too valuable to waste it on what amounts to a larger size cell phone.Until I'm ready to spring for a dedicated book reader, I'll stick with my Droid. It does admirable double duty for me.Sonsie
Re: Kindle Updates Reply #28 – November 22, 2011, 12:10:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126839I've tried reading books on an iPod and an iPhone. Mostly I get a case of iStrain.ed
Re: Kindles and tablets (off-topic) Reply #29 – November 22, 2011, 12:47:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126840"Maybe it just me but if I'm going to have to hand-carry a device, it's going to be a small laptop." I know what you're saying, but here's my experience. While dealing with my father's estate this past summer, I carried my iPad everywhere and used it one-handed, much as you'd use a paper notebook. I had at my fingertips (literally!) lists of the furniture in the house, copies of legal papers and the like. And I often viewed portions of the six hours of video that I'd shot a few years ago, in which my father described all the interesting items in the house. I used the iPad to quickly photograph things--not as good as a camera, but OK for reference, and I could immediately email the photos right from the iPad. And of course I also used it to check email, look up things on the web, and so on. I did all this while walking around the house from room to room, holding the iPad in one hand. It would have been extremely awkward to attempt the same thing with a laptop, even an ultra-lightweight one such as Apple's MacBook Air series. The iPad's instantaneous startup made it easy to use it casually whenever the need arose. And with its 10+ hour battery life, I could use it all day without having to worry about running out of power. No laptop can do that. I even used the iPad to edit a friend's website while standing at the counter in his bookstore, using FTP and HTML code-editing software I have installed. (Textastic, if anybody's interested.) I don't know whether it's possible to get across in words what a difference this one-handed, instant-on, all-day capability made--maybe it's one of those "you had to be there" things--but it really was a big difference for me. I'm not trying to argue that a tablet is a complete replacement for a laptop, because it isn't. If you're going to be doing a lot of typing, you'll want a physical keyboard (and I don't mean the Chiclet style on the old Kindles). If you want to play DVDs, you'll want an optical disc drive. If you want to plug in a scanner... well, you get the idea. But for my purposes, the iPad was far more useful. Proof: I had a perfectly good 12" laptop sitting in the closet here. I didn't get it out once during the whole summer.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Kindles and tablets (off-topic) Reply #30 – November 22, 2011, 02:14:17 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126841"I don't know whether it's possible to get across in words what a difference this one-handed, instant-on, all-day capability made--maybe it's one of those "you had to be there" things--but it really was a big difference for me."Andy No argument here. I have played with one enough see the utility and how much fun using one is. Add a USB port and/or a memory card port, another 100 gigs of storage, an aftermarket folding keyboard cover and I'm there. That would enough to entice me to give up carrying a laptop or netbook when we travel. It seems I'm being buried in expensive devices, I want less, not more of these things. Today, when touring, I usually carry a cell phone, iPod, MiFi and a Canon S95 pocket camera, as well as having a laptop back at the LD or hotel. In the future, an iPhone will replace much of the above. It would be great to travel with just an iPhone, with a high-quality built-in camera, and a 'enhanced' iPad. It's going to happen, I need to be patient and hope I live long enough. Bet if happens before we get our rocket backpacks.Larry It's going to happen, I need to be patient and hope I live long enough. Bet if happens before we get our rocket backpacks.Larry
Re: Kindles and tablets (off-topic) Reply #31 – November 22, 2011, 02:34:03 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126843That's why I got a Toshiba Thrive: http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/toshiba-thrive-16gb/4505-3126_7-34468401.htmlbest, paul *"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." Steve Jobs*QuoteNo argument here. I have played with one enough see the utility and how much fun using one is. Add a USB port and/or a memory card port, another 100 gigs of storage, an aftermarket folding keyboard cover and I'm there. That would enough to entice me to give up carrying a laptop or netbook when we travel. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Kindles and tablets (off-topic) Reply #32 – November 22, 2011, 07:07:43 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126848Andy:Apple has a Bluetooth Keyboard. I have one it and works great. . If you're going to be doing a lot of typing, you'll want a physical keyboard (and I don't mean the Chiclet style on the old Kindles).
Re: Kindles and tablets (off-topic) Reply #33 – November 22, 2011, 08:30:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126849"Apple has a Bluetooth Keyboard. I have one it and works great." So do I, and you're right: it works fine with the iPad. For that matter, there are several iPad cases on the market that have built-in keyboards (http://tinyurl.com/6nqgrux)... but I always feel a little sheepish about bringing that up, because the obvious reply is "Well, then, why don't you just buy a laptop?" ;-) Truth is, I rarely use my Bluetooth keyboard with my iPad, because I don't write a lot on the iPad. Notes, lists, short email replies, yes... but something like that article on ereaders is much easier to do on my big iMac screen, where I can open multiple windows, look things up online, and copy back and forth.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Kindle Updates Reply #34 – November 27, 2011, 10:04:14 am Yahoo Message Number: 126915Andy... Many thanks for your in-depth and meaningful article and research on the E-Readers. Bravo for you and thanks for your work. This is such a great time to be an RVer. The Kindle just makes it even more fun! Looking forward to boondocking in Anza Borrego next month with the LD and Kindle Touch!!!
Re: Kindle Updates Reply #35 – November 27, 2011, 01:03:00 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126919Speaking of Kindle updates... The letters were wearing of the keyboard of our 5 month old Kindle. When I called Amazon about it, the agent said Amazon would send me a new one - no questions asked, no receipt needed (we bought it at Fred Meyer). Four days later it arrived, and I returned the original in the box the new one came in - easy, shipping prepaid. It was easy to load with all our personal files and purchased items.Apparently, a lot of the "granite" colored Kindles have had this problem, but they took care of it as painlessly as possible. And also thanks to Andy, because I don't have explain Kindles to anybody anymore (I wasn't doing a good job of it, either)!Eric
Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #36 – November 28, 2011, 08:34:21 am Yahoo Message Number: 126933VIDEO: America's largest nomadic tribe (BBC) http://tinyurl.com/82sqpnxThere is an LD in the opening census. Some of us confound the Brits.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #37 – November 29, 2011, 03:50:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126963George, when I try to watch the video I get a message that says that the video only plays
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #38 – November 29, 2011, 04:08:06 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126964I didn't have any trouble viewing it. Just clicked on the URL and away it went.What browser are you using? I am using Internet Explorer 9.Dick
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #39 – November 29, 2011, 04:30:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126966The 4-1/2 minute teaser plays just fine. The 1-1/2 hour first episode comes up with a page that says it can only be streamed to IP addresses recognized as inside the UK. (using Firefox 7)Art
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #40 – November 29, 2011, 04:35:44 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126967Wow!! I just clicked on the link that you sent me and it opened!! Let me see what I can do.George, when I try to watch the video I get a message that says that the video only plays
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #41 – November 29, 2011, 04:47:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126968This is not a link to a TV show, it is a BBC News article about RV full timers in the US. It sounds like something is truncating the link and going somewhere else.The 4-1/2 minute teaser plays just fine. The 1-1/2 hour first episode comes up with a page that says it can only be streamed to IP addresses recognized as inside the UK. (using Firefox 7)[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #42 – November 29, 2011, 07:41:05 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126971I was referring to the episodes that are shown at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01777fpWhat the original link took me to was a 4-1/2 minute video which I believe is a teaser to the whole documentary. If you found a way to play those episodes, I'd really be interested.Art
Re: Nomads or gypsy's? Reply #43 – November 29, 2011, 08:35:47 pm Yahoo Message Number: 126973From what I can tell, only the 4-1/2 minutes segment has anything to do with motorhomes.Dick
Kindle Updates Reply #44 – December 10, 2011, 10:38:27 am Yahoo Message Number: 127245After doing my research on the Kindles (thanks again for your comments Andy), I went over to the nearest Best Buy store to get a hands on experience, fully intending to buy the Kindle Touch. Well to make a long story short, I bought the Kindle Fire. Why? I read primarily at night and the Kindle Fire is perfect for me with its back lit screen. Although it weighs nearly a pound, I have no difficulty in holding it with my left hand and touching the screen with my right hand to turn the page. No more fuss with attached light (such as my Mighty Bright) which always seemed to make a noise when I moved the goose neck. My wife loves the new quiet space now. I started investigating all of the other features and realized that the Kinde Fire is sort of a Poor Man's I Pad. I especially love the video feature as I was able to instantly download TV series with our Verizon MiFi. With the free one month trial period on the Amazon Prime, I can try out most apps for free before any commitment. In the process I realized I could watch the Amazon Prime movies and TV series on my Mac Computer as a new Kindle Member. My wife purchased the Kindle Touch 3G since she is a day reader and she loves her Kindle as well. Although we are visiting Tucson for part of the winter, we had no problem in joining the Pima County Library which allows us to download up to five books on our Kindles for 21 days. And..we will join Amazon Prime at about $6.50 a month. So we are Happy Campers! The one thing I would improve with the new Kindle Fire whenever it comes out with an upgrade is the battery life. Eight hours is way too short and it would be great to have one that lasts a week to a month. Otherwise, this is a great addition to our RV lifestyle as we plan on boondocking in the Sonoran Desert for the winter months.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Kindle Updates Reply #45 – December 10, 2011, 10:59:43 am Yahoo Message Number: 127246That is the trade-off. Eight hours of battery life vs. about a month for the Kindle Touch or other newspaper print models. I love my Sony Tablet, but it has the same problem, so I use a Sony Daily Reader for books. You aren't going to find something with a color screen and long battery life. My wife's Kindle has the pull-out light in the Kindle cover, so reading at night is not a problem.Dick
Topic: Kindle Updates (Read 3 times)
previous topic - next topic
Topic: Kindle Updates (Read 3 times)
previous topic - next topic