Touring - Bought a Kindle. I'll be your guinea pig.

I just re-read the thread called, "Anyone take a Kindle along?" Interesting, because I just ordered a Kindle 2 yesterday - the small one. It hasn't come yet. After I receive it and have a chance to familiarize myself with it I'll add my findings. Stop reading now if you've heard it all before.

I'm buying it almost exclusively for the purpose of bike touring. I think I will continue to buy and read books for everything else. I like the feel of books. I like looking at them on my shelves after I've read them. I love lending them out to my friends who also love books. You can often find used books very cheap, and that's good. Even though Kindle versions of hardbound books often cost significantly less, used books are often even cheaper.

I think the Kindle will be a benefit on touring for these reasons:

It's very light. I haven't held the small one yet, but it seems as if it will be as light as a thin paperback, and quite a bit lighter than a big hardbound. Plus, it's less bulky and will take up less space in my handlebar bag.
I won't have to try and find a bookseller when I finish a book. I don't like carrying two books any longer than I have to, so I usually try and time the purchase of a new book about the same time as I finish the previous - so I'm never without a book to read (horrors!) but I seldom have to carry two books at a time.
I won't have to worry if I choose a bad book at the bookstore. I often agonize over which book to buy when I can only buy one. If I buy one and don't like it, I'm stuck until the next bookseller. With a Kindle I can have several books stored, choose which to read depending on my mood, and switch to something else if I make a bad choice.
After a few days on the road I like to buy a newspaper to catch up on world events. I'm a bit of a news junkie. Often my choice is limited to some small, local paper. USA Today is a good choice, but often unavailable or hard to find. The Kindle allows you to download a copy. However, there are some limitations which reviewers have described. I'll report back on how useful this is.


I looked at the Sony Reader and the Nook. The Sony Reader was out because you have to load books from a computer. I want to be able to load data from the road. The Nook was interesting, partly because of the ability to share books with another Nook owner. My daughter wanted us both to buy Nooks, because then I would buy books and share them with her and she wouldn't have to pay for them. However, there's a 14-day limit on sharing books, and not all books are share-able. I think she'll probably end up with some sort of E-reader and I'll just buy books for her. She knows I've always been very willing to buy her books, bikes, and musical instruments!

Another issue was the operating system. I read lots of reviews saying that the Nook is very slow compared to the Kindle.

Barnes and Noble touts lots of other features. They have free content. However, I checked what it consists of and it's nothing of interest to me. They say you can read their books for free if you're in a Barnes and Noble store, but it's not for all books, and there's a time limit. I figure if I'm in a Barnes and Noble store, I'd rather pull a book off the shelf and read it for free. I don't need to use an E-reader.

A bigger issue was battery life. The Kindle's was said to be much longer. That's big on the road, although I already have to charge my mp3 player and my phone. One more device wouldn't be that bad, especially if it only has to be done every few days.

Both the Kindle and Nook have built in dictionaries, but the Kindle has access to Wikipedia. I like to look up words I don't know (I usually bring a dictionary when I go car camping) so I like the dictionary. I also like to research things I don't know about, so Wikipedia will be nice, hopefully.

Off-topic a little bit: My dad is 98 and in really good health, but his eyesight is impaired by age-related macular degeneration. He has been a voracious reader his entire life. During the past couple of years he's had a hard time reading - sometimes not being able to, and other times able to read if he had a REALLY bright reading light.

My brothers and I bought him a large-size Kindle for Christmas, hoping the larger font size would help. It did! He says his Kindle has become something he can't live without! Besides new titles, he has been loading some of the classics that are free or very cheap. He got the complete works of Dumas for $0.99 and is halfway through The Three Musketeers right now, and enjoying it immensely. Of course there are a lot of titles that aren't available in Kindle versions (especially the obscure subjects he is interested in - technical stuff - he's an engineer interested in all sorts of things. He just bought an entire book about the development of the toothpick, and he has scores of volumes about code breaking, particularly during World War II.) and he still buys books, but he loves his Kindle. If you have an older parent (or if your eyes are similar to his) it might be something to consider.

Great! Keep us posted on how it goes.

I have handled one and was impressed with it for reading. I am especially interested in how the web browsing works out for journal entries on the road.

My hope is that a cgoab journal will be easily managed if the appropriate preferences are set. The preferences for images and ads if pretty configurable for the site so I am optimistic that the Kindle will work well for that purpose.

I will also have a chance to see first hand how it works out, since my daughter is bringing one on our spring tour (Sierra Cascades).

I will be reading audio books on an iPod shuffle on our Spring/Summer tour. All the books I want for the weight penalty of less than an ounce if I share a charger with my phone. Personally I don't have a strong preference for paper and would buy a Kindle in a heart beat if most of my reading wasn't listening to audio books when driving.

I wonder if you can tether a laptop to a kindle and use it as a cellular modem.

Haven't played with a Kindle or a Nook in person yet. I use Barnes and Noble E-reader on my Crackberry. So far it has worked okay for what I need.

I too prefer the feel of a real book, plus it will never become unreadable due to dead batteries and can be hell on flies that are bugging me. If I get a Kindle I hope I can remember not to swat flies with it.:o

Aaron:)

Great! Keep us posted on how it goes.

I have handled one and was impressed with it for reading. I am especially interested in how the web browsing works out for journal entries on the road.

My hope is that a cgoab journal will be easily managed if the appropriate preferences are set. The preferences for images and ads if pretty configurable for the site so I am optimistic that the Kindle will work well for that purpose.

I will also have a chance to see first hand how it works out, since my daughter is bringing one on our spring tour (Sierra Cascades).

I will be reading audio books on an iPod shuffle on our Spring/Summer tour. All the books I want for the weight penalty of less than an ounce if I share a charger with my phone. Personally I don't have a strong preference for paper and would buy a Kindle in a heart beat if most of my reading wasn't listening to audio books when driving.

Now that will be interesting ;)

We bought Kindles for our boys a few months ago and have been really happy. We mainly got them because we simply couldn't find kids' book in English down here in Latin AMerica and our boys love to read. Now, we can get books from Amazon and they are happy campers!

I really like using their Kindles (when I can get my hands on one of them), but don't like not being able to flip ahead to see what happens! If you are one of those people who reads the book straight throughfrom the beginning to the end, the Kindle will be perfect.

I love my kindle. Access to almost my whole library on the trail without needing the whole library. Can download new books in the middle of nowhere, and the batteries last for weeks if you turn the wireless off when you're not using it.

I just re-read the thread called, "Anyone take a Kindle along?" Interesting, because I just ordered a Kindle 2 yesterday - the small one. It hasn't come yet. After I receive it and have a chance to familiarize myself with it I'll add my findings. Stop reading now if you've heard it all before.


I really don't like buying books at retail and prefer to buy used for a fraction of the price. However, you can read txt. documents with Kindle which means you can download the books from the Guttenberg project or ManyBooks! Don't start buying new books just yet because you may not have to for years! Start with the free books before you begin buying new ones.

http://manybooks.net/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Browse through the most popular titles, recommendations, or recent reviews from our visitors. Perhaps you'll find something interesting in the special collections. There are 26,283 eBooks available here and they're all free!

I assume you don't consider listening to audio books reading? Different strokes, but I do. The experience of reading an unabridged audiobook (as long as it isn't overly dramatized by the reader) is enough like reading a paper book that I can often not recall which way I read a particular book. They are after all the same words either way and the words are more important than the paper and ink.

I assume you don't consider listening to audio books reading? Different strokes, but I do. The experience of reading an unabridged audiobook (as long as it isn't overly dramatized by the reader) is enough like reading a paper book that I can often not recall which way I read a particular book.

I love audio books for certain times.. I was joking ;)

Another thing I do with books is hit up the local thrift store where I happen to be for reading materials. Then when I move on to a different town and I am done reading what I have I re-donate them to a thrift and buy a few more. And yet another time when I was on tour and the weather was not particularly good, I would stop in a local library read a few chapters of a certain book, then move on to the next town and do it again.:lol:

Aaron:)

I got a Sony eBook Reader last year and love it. I primarily get my reading material from Project Gutenberg so not having wireless is not an issue.

I still haven't received the Kindle. No first hand information yet.

My wife loves audio books (as do many friends.) I tried them a couple of times on long driving trips. They didn't work for me. I found my mind wandering, as it often does while reading. With a book I just go back a paragraph (page?) or two and refocus. With the books on tape I kept rewinding and forwarding trying to find my place. It's not nearly as easy as with a book. I'd find my place, listen contently for a few more minutes, then my mind would wander again and I'd have to go through the finding-my-place rigamarole. I got so frustrated I quit. One time I was able to listen to a book while I was lying on the bed of my van and someone else was driving, so I guess it's possible, but they generally don't seem to work for me.

I buy a lot of used books, but I also like to buy several new every year, and I usually buy several Barnes & Noble or Borders (or Amazon) gift cards for Christmas. I want to support authors. I'm a musician who has lost some money due to people copying my music rather than paying for it - not much, but enough to be irritated. I like to support the originators of intellectual properties sometimes - other times I just want to save money. It's why I support my local bike shops along with buying on the internet or mail order. I'm not very consistent, I guess, but I'm satisfied with my approach.

I've found that with almost all audio books I need to listen through twice. I get distracted enough at times while listening to miss some of the story.

I also tend to read books more than once so I suppose it's no different. The deeper the subject(non fiction) the more I need to listen again.

kyakdiver

I have poor hearing so quite often miss out on some things in the audio books. I also have a very short attention span unless I am visually involved. I guess that is the main reason I prefer to read.

Aaron :)

When I was on tour last summer I kept running into a guy with a Kindle 2. When he rode through an area of cell coverage his New York Times subscription would download and he would read it at camp at the end of the day. Very cool. I just sat in camp trying to pick up cell coverage mostly without success so I could read it on my netbook.

Now, I have a Kindle 2, too.

I have a Kindle 2 and I think it's brilliant. Love the convenience of it - also love being able to sync my account and being able to pick right up and read on my iphone if I'm stuck in traffic or killing time.

As mentioned above, turning off the wireless feature extends battery life quite a bit.

I've found that with almost all audio books I need to listen through twice. I get distracted enough at times while listening to miss some of the story.

I also tend to read books more than once so I suppose it's no different. The deeper the subject(non fiction) the more I need to listen again.

kyakdiver
That is one drawback to using my iPod Shuffle, but with my fuller featured iPod backing up to listen to a section again after you drift is easy enough. I am willing to put up with the lack of navigation of the Shuffle when on tour to save a few ounces though.

As far as reading more than once with paper, Kindle, or audio... For me it varies. Some books even though I liked them I might only read once others I have read over and over.

BTW, I talked to my daughter last night and so far here review of her new Kindle is all positive.

I really don't like buying books at retail and prefer to buy used for a fraction of the price. However, you can read txt. documents with Kindle which means you can download the books from the Guttenberg project or ManyBooks! Don't start buying new books just yet because you may not have to for years! Start with the free books before you begin buying new ones.

http://manybooks.net/
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Browse through the most popular titles, recommendations, or recent reviews from our visitors. Perhaps you'll find something interesting in the special collections. There are 26,283 eBooks available here and they're all free!

Dayum! Now I had to download MobiPocketReader to the crackberry and download a bunch of of books! I am going to pick up a spare chip for the crackberry and fill it up with books!

Aaron :)

When I was on tour last summer I kept running into a guy with a Kindle 2. When he rode through an area of cell coverage his New York Times subscription would download and he would read it at camp at the end of the day.

Pretty cool that it is possible, but reading the news paper is not something I want to do on tour. Being out of touch and away from the daily grind is one of the things I like about being on tour.

I am curious... Do most of you follow news when on tour or avoid it like I do? Not knocking either way, just curious what others do.

Pretty cool that it is possible, but reading the news paper is not something I want to do on tour. Being out of touch and away from the daily grind is one of the things I like about being on tour.

I am curious... Do most of you follow news when on tour or avoid it like I do? Not knocking either way, just curious what others do.

I carry a small transistor radio along when touring... Kinda nice sitting around listening to the news at night while eating or around a fire if I'm living so large.

Pretty cool that it is possible, but reading the news paper is not something I want to do on tour. Being out of touch and away from the daily grind is one of the things I like about being on tour.

I am curious... Do most of you follow news when on tour or avoid it like I do? Not knocking either way, just curious what others do.


I carry a small transistor radio along when touring... Kinda nice sitting around listening to the news at night while eating or around a fire if I'm living so large.

Depends...I don't mind keeping current on events but most of what passes for news these days I can do without.

I do have an elderly Grundig shortwave that I occasionally carry with me. I can also get headline news by reading the faces of the news papers in the boxes as I wander by.:lol:

Aaron:)

Pretty cool that it is possible, but reading the news paper is not something I want to do on tour. Being out of touch and away from the daily grind is one of the things I like about being on tour.

I am curious... Do most of you follow news when on tour or avoid it like I do? Not knocking either way, just curious what others do.

I can take it or leave it...But I do like a good book to read.

I've not researched this yet, but, are there any (good) guidebooks available for the Kindle?
like Footprint, LP etc.
and: still interested in how many pageturns to the batterycharge (or technical: pt / bc lol) when just reading.
I would like (ideally, please don't think I'm pressuring you or anything) two sets of data:
one with everything on (like cell etc.) and one in economode: only reading, nothing more (as far as possible).
preferably not just once, but a few times, just to get the kinks out of the data...

but: enjoy your Kindle.

oh, and regarding news: we don't carry a radio, and don't buy newspapers etc.
we do not try to actively avoid the news, we try to convers with people, that means we sometimes get news that way, or sometimes, particularly after we have had nothing new to read for a week or so we scan headlines (and then return to reading labels on food etc.).

I've not researched this yet, but, are there any (good) guidebooks available for the Kindle?
like Footprint, LP etc.
I don't have a good handle on what is or is not available, but I did a quick check the other day to see if the long out of date (20 years) Bil Paul book on the PCT bike route was available. While I was at it, on a whim I checked to see if the more recently out of print Kirkendall and Spring book was available and it was. That is kind of nice because it is a bit hard to find used copies of the most recent version.

Another thing I do with books is hit up the local thrift store where I happen to be for reading materials.

+1. Paperbacks are light enough.




I am curious... Do most of you follow news when on tour or avoid it like I do? Not knocking either way, just curious what others do.

I don't read news but a grab a few headlines when passing news stands. I also gleam info from folks at camp. It is amazing what I missed while "out in the wild".


I've not researched this yet, but, are there any (good) guidebooks available for the Kindle?
like Footprint, LP etc.


This is an excellent way to use Kindle. The ability to have local bikeways, hiking trails, historic info, local sites etc. would be great.


Still not sold on it, but I'm an old guy that is slow to change his ways.

Pretty cool that it is possible, but reading the news paper is not something I want to do on tour. Being out of touch and away from the daily grind is one of the things I like about being on tour.

I am curious... Do most of you follow news when on tour or avoid it like I do? Not knocking either way, just curious what others do.

I do a little of both. Plenty of days I don't follow news and don't seem to miss it. Other times I get a hankering to know what's going on. I spend 90% of my off-bike time reading a book, but sometimes a newspaper is what I want.

I have an FM radio on my mp3 player. When I can get NPR I love it. Listening to "All Things Considered" when drinking coffee and contemplating dinner is a great thing. However, I seldom find reception good enough - at least on the routes I've gone so far with the thing.

Personally I really enjoy reading a good book and have never thought of getting a Kindle. After reading here, I'm going to do more research.

To answer the newspaper question. If there is one laying around while I'm stopped somewhere, I usually pick it up and peruse the headlines. I may read part of it if something looks interesting. I do enjoy reading the local section of papers in other areas of the country.

NPR is my vehicle of choice for news of the world.

+1. Paperbacks are light enough.
Different strokes, but... A single small paperback weighs a pound and a paperback textbook might weigh 5 or 6 pounds. A kindle weighs 10.2 ounces. So the difference will probably be 1-6 pounds if you are carrying at least a couple smallish paperbacks. Some of us worry about ounces and I would think that most of us worry about pounds. To me that makes a kindle or using audio books pretty desirable options, even if based solely on weight.

While I was at it, on a whim I checked to see if the more recently out of print Kirkendall and Spring book was available and it was. That is kind of nice because it is a bit hard to find used copies of the most recent version.
http://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-The-Pacific-Coast-ebook/dp/B001C36XSW/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

I'm wondering if ACA will ever make a kindle version of their Bicycle Route Maps? That might make sense, if you had a kindle handlebar mount.

I've not researched this yet, but, are there any (good) guidebooks available for the Kindle?

I bought the Kindle version of "Bicycling the Pacific Coast". The maps are unreadably small but the text is fine.


and: still interested in how many pageturns to the batterycharge (or technical: pt / bc lol) when just reading.
I would like (ideally, please don't think I'm pressuring you or anything) two sets of data:
one with everything on (like cell etc.) and one in economode: only reading, nothing more (as far as possible).
preferably not just once, but a few times, just to get the kinks out of the data...

What's the point of this folly? I doubt anyone has the spare time, or patience, to complete this experiment. In real-world use, it seems unlikely that anyone would sit down and turn pages continuously until the battery runs dry. Amazon seems to have a pretty liberal return policy. Why not buy a Kindle, do the experiments yourself, then return it if you're not happy with the results?

My wife and I each have Kindles. As long as both Kindles are tied to the same account, you can share books both ways. I think there is a limit of 6 concurrent distributions which encompass, Kindles, PCs, Iphones, and some others that I don't remember at this moment.

Apparently Lonely Planet is available for Kindle: See here. (http://www.google.com/products?q=lonely+planet+for+kindle&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=jV2NS6TpKcmUtgftuKjwCA&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCgQrQQwAw)

I bought the Kindle version of "Bicycling the Pacific Coast". The maps are unreadably small but the text is fine.?
This is interesting... strange that the maps are unreadable, I don't know the book itself, but is it that much larger than the Kindle?
or are images / maps etc. just displayed in a terrible chunky way?

What's the point of this folly? I doubt anyone has the spare time, or patience, to complete this experiment. In real-world use, it seems unlikely that anyone would sit down and turn pages continuously until the battery runs dry. Amazon seems to have a pretty liberal return policy. Why not buy a Kindle, do the experiments yourself, then return it if you're not happy with the results?
I'm not looking for scientific data, just real world experience of reading 'till the battery runs dry. I've never found data anywhere online that gives me (preferably per e reader) how many books (read: pages) one can read on a single charge. They all use the (for me misleading) days usage, which is NOT the same.
Amazon may have a liberal return policy, but I don't. When I buy something and it is as advertised I'm obliged to keep it, I've always found return policies like REI's etc. that are liberal enough to do these kinds of things wrong, as it encourages people to buy then return. then they are left with second hand goods... It's a typical US of A way of shopping that I think is not that natural to Europe / rest of the world (I could be mistaken though).
Plus: I don't know if I want a Kindle, you suggest I buy all the readers available to me, test them then return the ones not suited to me?

Then again, maybe I'm just an old fool...

Apparently Lonely Planet is available for Kindle: See here. (http://www.google.com/products?q=lonely+planet+for+kindle&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=jV2NS6TpKcmUtgftuKjwCA&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCgQrQQwAw)
interesting...
and there are some others I don't know (offbeat, experience, some I've never heard of) but not Footprint (in my humble opinion the best books for South-America).

I would love to see a screenprint or something like that, seeing as how the maps in the Kindle version of "Bicycling the Pacific Coast" are probably essentially unusable (see sstorkels comment).
Unfortunately Amazon doesn't offer a preview page.

however... I should probably stop polluting this topic.

I've had the 1st gen Kindle since June of 08. I took it on BikeVirginia that year, and it was perfect for killing an hour or two before dark. Even though my equipment was sagged, it was still better than carrying a large book.

On last year's BV, I read a book on Thomas Jefferson and his purported relationship with "the help", while touring the Charlottesville area. It was so cool to be reading a book that mentioned locations from the 18th century that we were riding through that very day.

I think on a long self-supported tour it would be fun to be able to download a book on the local culture or history on a whim. Or take along the free full-length copy of Louis and Clark's journals while riding through the territory they discovered.

I haven't bought an actual book (other than one or two work-related tomes) in nearly two years.

The first time I rode the pacific coast a girl I met was using the Kirkendall/Spring book. Every morning she would tear out the pages from the previouis day's ride to lighten her load. I didn't because I wanted the book intact as a keepsake and possible future reference. The second time I just rode the Oregon section, so I photocopied those pages and left the book at home.

I don't think I'd want a version where I couldn't read the maps, but maybe. I'd have to see it. WAIT! Amazon lets you download a free sample. If I ever ride that route again I'll check it out.

WAIT! Amazon lets you download a free sample. If I ever ride that route again I'll check it out.
Yeah, it says so, until you try it, then it says: it seems you don't (yet) have a kindle,
and while it allows you to install a reader on your PC (mac version available soon (sigh, LOL)) and THEN view the
sample that's definitely NOT the same as seeing it on a real Kindle.
Plus: would that sample contain any maps? probably not, depending on the book of course.

If the radio is turned off, the Kindle2 appears to last months without recharging if you don't use it much. From memory, I think it is rated for about 7000 page turns (a theoretical number to be sure). Anyway, mine lasts for about a month between charges at my usual reading rate. Maybe it would be less if I had time to use it more.

This is interesting... strange that the maps are unreadable, I don't know the book itself, but is it that much larger than the Kindle?
or are images / maps etc. just displayed in a terrible chunky way?

The Kindle and the book are about the same size, but the Kindle's screen is quite a bit smaller than the book's pages. As a result, the maps are displayed smaller than they are in real life. The Kindle as a limited number of pixels and won't allow you to zoom in on the maps, so many of the small details (think: street names) are unreadable.


I'm not looking for scientific data, just real world experience of reading 'till the battery runs dry.

You don't want scientific data, you just want multiple tests run with at least two different configurations of the device. Data like this would take hundreds or thousands of hours to collect. That sounds like a scientific study to me! And one which you'll be unlikely to convince current Kindle owners to run.

My real world experience, BTW, is that the battery lasts from 2-4 weeks with wireless turned off. With wireless turned on, it lasts 3-10 days depending on how frequently you browse the Kindle bookstore, how many items you download, and how strong/consistent your wireless signal is.


Plus: I don't know if I want a Kindle, you suggest I buy all the readers available to me, test them then return the ones not suited to me?

I would suggest you narrow the field to a small number of readers that sound promising. If any are available locally (e.g. B&N Nook) I would encourage you to test them in-store before buying. At some point, though, you'll have no choice but to actually purchase a device and see if it actually works for you. If it doesn't, I would encourage you to take advantage of the manufacturer's or the seller's return policy. In the Internet Age, where you often can't see or touch a product before purchasing returns are a fact of life. Most companies, including Amazon and REI, understand this and factor it into their business plans...

I'm a very, very happy Kindle owner. I've used all 3 (Kindle, Kindle 2, and Kindle DX), and currently own the Kindle DX.

Just to address some of the topics above:

- The battery lasts a very long time. In real-world use, if you're using it for reading, and have the wireless turned off, it lasts for many, many books. Days of reading. Maybe weeks. I have not done a scientific study. The only time I run out of juice is when I'm exceptionally lazy and just don't bother to recharge if forever. Usually I leave the wireless on, and plug it into a charger every 3 or 4 days. That seems to keep it happy. My answer on battery life: "enough."

- Maps are OK on the large Kindle (the DX), but not as good as paper maps. Plus, the Kindle DX is likely larger than most people would want to take on a bike tour. The Kindle 2 is a great size for bike touring, IMHO, but not so great for maps.

- There are lots of great tour guides available on Kindle already. I have used them on trips and been happy.

On my next tour I am taking:

- A Kindle 2 for reading, buying newspapers, and buying other reading material along the way
- Paper maps for finding my way.



YMMV.

My real world experience, BTW, is that the battery lasts from 2-4 weeks with wireless turned off. With wireless turned on, it lasts 3-10 days depending on how frequently you browse the Kindle bookstore, how many items you download, and how strong/consistent your wireless signal is.
I am curious... Was that around town or in remote areas without cell coverage. I ask because I know that at least some cellular devices kill batteries very fast when there is no signal and they are left on. We found that our cell phones searched for a connection when none was available and killed the battery in as little as a day.

I suggest turning off cell phones and the Kindles wireless connection when there is likely to be no signal or a poor signal. In fact better yet just turn them off any time they are not specifically being used. Battery life will be much better.

I am curious... Was that around town or in remote areas without cell coverage. I ask because I know that at least some cellular devices kill batteries very fast when there is no signal and they are left on. We found that our cell phones searched for a connection when none was available and killed the battery in as little as a day.

In town. I've had the same experience as you: cell-enabled devices drain battery power quickly if they can't find a signal. While touring, I kept the Kindle's wireless service disabled unless I specifically needed it.

The Kindle and the book are about the same size, but the Kindle's screen is quite a bit smaller than the book's pages. As a result, the maps are displayed smaller than they are in real life. The Kindle as a limited number of pixels and won't allow you to zoom in on the maps, so many of the small details (think: street names) are unreadable.
mmmhh I was afraid of that. pity...

You don't want scientific data, you just want multiple tests run with at least two different configurations of the device. Data like this would take hundreds or thousands of hours to collect. That sounds like a scientific study to me! And one which you'll be unlikely to convince current Kindle owners to run.
I wasn't aware of that, but, remember: the OP asked for suggestions etc... so I gave him questions I have.. It's up to him to do something with it, or not.
My problem with the data people give is that, like yours, it is in the form of: it lasts from 2-4 weeks with wireless off. That's interesting data, but... with e-ink the energy use is almost entirely when the page changes. so... if you read one page per day: 2-4 weeks is just about 30 pages. if, on the other hand you read for a few hours each day, reading let's say 150 pages, that's about 13.000 pageturns.

However, let's just see if the OP wants to try this, or not, and scientific or not.
Plus: let's not pollute this topic with my hangovers any more.

Plus: let's not pollute this topic with my hangovers any more.

:thumb:

I have a kindle 2, and I love it! Carrying all of your books in something the size of a small manila envelope cannot be beat.

Enjoy!

Here's a few bicycle touring starter books for your kindle--

http://manybooks.net/titles/allent3111131111-8.html

http://manybooks.net/titles/stevenstetext04awbv110.html

http://manybooks.net/titles/stevenst13741374913749.html

Here's a few bicycle touring starter books for your kindle--

http://manybooks.net/titles/allent3111131111-8.html

http://manybooks.net/titles/stevenstetext04awbv110.html

http://manybooks.net/titles/stevenst13741374913749.html

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Ever since the link to Manybooks.net was posted earlier I have been merrily downloading.:D..I had to go and get a larger chip for my Blackberry.:o

Aaron:)

Well, my Kindle arrived on Thursday. My first impression was that it's heavier than I thought. I plan on weighing it side by side with typical books I would carry on tour to see how it compares. I bought the leather case from Amazon - the one with the elastic to hold it shut. It's a little heavy, but I think it will offer good protection, and it gives me a better grip.

I wasn't planning on using it much immediately - not until I finished the book I'm currently reading. However, the book is Emma, by Jane Austen. I checked and there was a free copy available for download. I thought I'd give it a try. It matches the paper copy perfectly. It was a bit difficult at first finding the page I was on. I should have looked at the percent number and the gas tank graphic at the bottom. It matches what you do when you look at your bookmark in the book to see how far you are (halfway done, three-quarters, etc.) If you like old classics (and I do) there are a lot of them available for free. I've already downloaded Northanger Abbey, The Three Musketeers, and Daisy Miller.

I find the font extremely clear and easy to read. As I get older my eyesight gets a bit fuzzier. The Kindle's print is wonderful, and I can blow the font up if I want. (I've found myself using the smallest font I can comfortably read so I won't have to hit the "next page" buttons so often. However, when my eyes start to get tired I go up a size or two.)

If, like me, you like to lay on your side and read yourself to sleep, the Kindle is wonderful. You don't have to worry about keeping the book open with your little finger. It's always open. All you have to worry about is pressing the "next page" button. I had a hard time finding a position to hold the Kindle and press the button all with one hand, so I would reach out every few seconds with the other to push the button. Not too bad. On the down side, pushing the button makes an audible noise, and it irritated my wife, whose head was right next to the Kindle.

Another plus: when I'm alone in restaurants (often on tour) I like to read while I eat. Usually I have to find something to weigh down the pages so the book doesn't close, because I need both hands for eating. No problem on the Kindle.

Another plus: I was reading in bed when my wife brought in a plate of food. I sat up to eat and read. There was no place to prop the Kindle on my legs that would work. Either the plate would have to rest on top of the Kindle's keyboard, or the Kindle would have to be on top of the edge of the plate, which would mean it would slip into my food. Solution? I put the Kindle on the bed next to me and put the font up really big. It was so big I could easily read it from a couple of feet away. Problem solved. I just had to reach out quite often to hit the "next page" button, because there wasn't much text on each page at that size.

So far I'm thinking the Kindle is a great purchase. I have yet to use it outside. I'm a ittle worried about damaging it because it was so expensive. I'm going to try one of those press-on sheets to protect the screen from scratches, and there's a silicon sleeve that might protect the rest against bumps, scratches, etc. I think it will be as easy to drop as a cell phone, so I'm worried about that. That's a plus with a book. You can drop it, spill milk on it, brush dirt onto it, and it still works.