Maybe I'm being peevish? Tell me what you love about your e-reader, please. Would you choose a color display? Do you like the e-ink? Do you get glare when you read outside?
We just left a boondocking spot we found in Marianne's guides to boondocking. If you'd like to check it out, we were here. The Coconino National Forest is developing a rep among boondockers as being hard-nosed. I can't say fair or foul about that yet. This spot happened to be right on the path of NFS rangers as they drove to the Work Center, but we weren't hassled at all even though we were there sixteen days. Some say it helps not to look like squatters, so we never let ourselves be seen squatting. I didn't even hang up BVDs, so circumspect were we.
The road is paved at this point, and for a Forest Service road it was pretty busy. Down the road half a mile is a picnic area with free parking and easy access to Beaver Creek. Garbage cans are plentiful. There are port-a-potties, if you can avail yourself of that sort of thing. These things are situated so as to be useful to the "campground" there, which has about ten spots. There are no amenities there, either, except that you're allowed to pay $16/night, $24 if you also bring a car.
This area has great trails, great non-trails, petroglyphs, geocaches, canyons, creeks, and cacti. You are very close to the Village of Oak Creek and Sedona. And cowboys.
Our new spot:
42 comments:
I have had a Kindle for several years. Never had any trouble reading it at the pool, by the RV, in the RV, etc. My cover has a little light that is attached that I use in bed at night when my husband wants to go to sleep. It is so much lighter and easier to hold than books. I can lay on my side, prop it up against a pillow and read hands free. Just have to click with one finger to change pages. I can also lay it in my lap and knit as I read, or sometimes I turn on the "voice" and let it read to me. It is an automated voice, but it works for me. I get lots of free books and you can also get them from libraries. Yes, I loved "real" books all my life. Had quite a collection til we downsized. But have to say, the Kindle is just so much easier on my hands, and eyes, as I can make the text LARGER! :))
You didn't wash your BVD's for 16 days?!?!?!?!?
Obviously your owling days are behind you? NFS Rangers don't seem they'd cotton to owling.
I'm heading... as of this particular moment ... to Sedona tomorrow... IF I don't take a wrong turn. Found some interesting stuff turning wrong though.
You guys somewhere still in that vicinity? I look like hell though... if my hair doesn't do weird things tomorrow... I'd like to say hey... but not in the freakin wilderness! man
Carolyn, if we meet in the wilderness it doesn't matter how your hair looks! But, okay... email us, or text me at 6o7 2l6-8O4O. I gotta get this pair of BVDs washed anyway.
Russ, you're so crazy. I have TWO pairs of BVDs.
Cathie, you're saying I was having a Wal-fit? Maybe they display them in the worst possible way. Thanks for detailing what you like and why.
oh, thank you for washing yer BVDs ... looking like hell is one thing but smelling like hell? not good
great! I'll text...
Have you driven Oak Creek Canyon? I made a wrong turn on my first big adventure and nearly crapped my paints. Its a beautiful road if you can stop staring straight ahead. My rig was less than half the size of yours. But I bet I could do it now and enjoy it.
Love your new home.
I just barely managed to use my iPad2 out in the Anza Borrego desert. And only because we stayed in the shade. It's good for long airplane trips, and for downloading and playing free games. I prefer paper'n'ink books.
I love my Kindle! Although they call it the Kindle Keyboard now. Everything Cathie said!
I LOVE my Kindle. Not only does it have wifi, it has 3G so I can order and download books if I do not have internet access. I love the e-ink and have not had a problem with glare. Russ has a Kindle Fire and it is color and backlit and NOT easy on the eyes like the regular Kindle. I thought I would miss holding a "real" book but I don't really. The Kindle is so light and easy to hold and read.
As to Russ and his BBD comments...ask him why, when I do the laundry, he has 7 t-shirts, 7 boxers but only one pair of socks!!! Something is rotten somewhere and I think it may be the socks!
ooops. that's BVDs!!
I bought the Kindle Fire about a month ago. I went to Office Max near my daughters house, I also wanted to see it instead of just ordering it from Amazon. The kid/salesman explained how I could change the type size and also to set it for a black background with white type. This is how I set it up on the day I bought it and have not changed it back. The Kindle Fire is a little bigger and heavier than just a Kindle, but I like the idea that it is like a mini computer, although limited in its applications, but you can do apps, just like on the iPhone. I didn't get 3g and wish I had. I have mostly downloaded free books or books that are less than $5.00. Love the idea of less clutter, even though I used to go to bookstores or library sales and come home with bags of books.
I forgot, the thing I don't like about the Kindle is that you can't see how much of the book you have read. The Kindle tells you "67% complete", but that does not compute in my brain. I figure its a small thing and I will adjust.
Teri, so your display is LCD rather than e-ink? But, you like it, right? That's funny, because when I'm reading, I look at the page number and calculate what percentage I've read. :o)
Ha, Donna! Russ, that's pretty incriminating. Unless you've been wearing your Birkies all week. Donna, this is what I'm reading, that the backlit is harder to read than e-ink.
Thanks, Steve - another vote for the Kindle.
Anonymous, I have to say that I'm underwhelmed by the iPad, too. Annie likes hers, and uses it as a reader a lot, but it's way bigger than what I want.
Jojo, I'm willing to go again in the car, maybe. It scared the paint outta me, too. I did like the view from the top, though.
Carolyn, I meant I'd wash my BVDs after we had coffee.
I don't have any e-reader thingies. Or BVDs for that matter.
Looks like you're working your way north.
Down with blinking boxes!!! Needless to say, I don't own an e-reader.
I also have a kindle, and love it. I have used it both outside in the sun and inside, and have not had any trouble being able to see it. I love the fact that I can download a book anytime, anywhere.
I have downloaded several of my mostest favorite cookbooks to my Kindle. I have sold the books versions and broke even on them. The books together weighed about 30 pounds. Not good for an RV life-style. Love my Kindle. I have read it poolside - no problem, though I was sitting under an umbrella, what with my fair complexion and all...
We both have the Sony 600 PRS e-readers. Not sure what kind of "ink" they have but the screen is no glare and we have no problem reading in bright sun. It's harder to read in low light though, but Al has a light on the cover of his reader which is nice. Sony has a format that libraries support and we frequently download free books from the library. Since we still own property in Florida, we were eligible for a library card. It's good that you got your hands on it before you bought.
If you haven't seen the chapel that juts out in the mountain side in Sedona, that's a beautiful place to go see. And then you get to look down on the most ostentatious house and grounds I have ever seen right below it. The locals hate the guy that built it. Don't have Kindle, but wish I did..The Nook Tablet sure looks good!
Just don't buy a POS e-reader. That wouldn't help you at all.
Getting a Kindle requires a mailing address :-(, so buy a Nook.
I'm sure you're aware that the kind of ereader you buy will help determine what books are available, as the Kindle and Nook use different formats and not all books are available for both. At tis point in time, Amazon seems to be elading the pack with number of books. Apple is really limited that way.
SPD, I use the Kindle app on my iPad for Amazon titles, and the Overdrive app for library books (I think ePub format), so I'm not limited to what Apple puts out. If I were looking for a dedicated e-reader now, I'd go with the Kindle Touch, I think.
I love my Nook Simple Touch and Jim loves his Kindle. No problem reading inside or out. And if you forget to put on your reading glasses just increase the font size!
I really love my Nook. I got the cheap one for one main reason - I can read it in the sunshine or the shade. I just wanted a reader - not something that does a bunch of stuff.
My sister gave me a Kindle and I love it too. Didn't know what I was missing. Perfect for RV'g as you can have a huge library in just a few ounces and next to no space. Reading it is pleasant and easy - eink. I prefer to have a real computer for computing. The type is probably not all that important unless you get digitally encrypted files. There are translators to convert from one format to another. Mine only does wifi but that is fine. I only need to connect once in a while and it still does it with a wire. The downside is not being easily able to shift ahead, but that only matters when reading heavily foot noted books. So far, I've done only free books - there are tons that I've never read and many are really good. Some not.
I have a Kindle. I had a first generation K that I broke, so I looked closely at the Nook vs. Kindle for a replacement, and the Kindle won -- because I could read outside in the sun without glare.
E-books are easy to find now, and lots are free to freeish. One of my favorite e-reader thingys is the dictionary -- when I run into a word I don't know I can look it up without leaving my chair (otherwise I tend to just make up a definition because it is just too much work to go find the real one).
Once you start getting books, download Calibre. Great ebook management software, and it is free.
Zoe
you can get a free kindle ap on your laptop and get free books from amazon kindle store. i like reading on my laptop indoors. never tried it outside. but trying the ap give you the opportunity to get the feel of an e reader. i can also get all of the books craig has on his kindle.
i am not caping anything because im typing one handed.
Another Kindle fan here...the regular black & white version. I find this the easiest to read and easiest to see inside & out. No glare, easy on the eyes, works in the sun and shade. Absolutely love this thing and would get another in an instant.
Nina
We bought a Kindle Fire last year and love it, great LCD display but not so easy to read in the sun, although haven't tried the white on black yet. Like the dictionary and that you can jump straight to footnotes and back again. Hope this helps.
Great comments on this post Rox. Thanks for asking the question. Seems the answer is Kindle B/W. Just what I wanted to know too.
OK, I just HAVE to say it. I'm quite the voracious reader, but I like books - real books. There's something to be said about finding good reads at garage sales and thrift stores. I'll even go as far to say there's somewhat of a karmic connection in what one finds to read. When I'm traveling I don't keep books, I donate them somewhere and move on. Just my two cents worth...
eReader comment
I have 3 Nooks; the original, the Simple Touch, and the Color.
I love the Touch. It's eInk and very easy to read in sunlight, and just like a book in bed (need a lamp at night). With wifi off the battery lasts for weeks. It's very light weight and easy to use. It's a keeper.
When I get around to it I'll Craigslist the other two. The original has awkward controls. The Color tries to be an eReader and a tablet. The Color ebooks are nice, when color is important, but otherwise not necessary. The backlight can be handy but is more tiring on the eyes.
There's a brand new Nook out that is backlit but not color. The light can be turned off, so it looks like the best of both. But it's $60 more than the simple touch. You can buy a lot of lightbulbs for that. And we've found that the light of the color touch is still bright enough to be annoying to the person trying to sleep in the same bed.
If you have a desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone or iPod, you can get ebooks from either Amazon or B&N. No eReader required. And you can also borrow ebooks from some libraries, and you can download free ones from places like gutenberg.org.
A thousand thanks, you guys. This has helped me sort out what I want and what I don't.
Cheryl and Cat, I know what you're saying. I love paper books. A year ago, i thought I could easily get by with whatever I happened upon at a yard sale or thrift store. It turns out I can, but there is a growing list of specific books I want to read, none of which are turning up at the Salvation Army. The other problem is that while it's light I usually don't feel like reading. I want to read as soon as it gets dark, but our "reading lights" aren't.
I have the Kindle app for Mac, and I don't like it. I thought it might be a little awesome, but it's sort of - what's the opposite of awesome? - sucky. Somehow the interface with Amazon gets a muscle spasm, and then my laptop is writhing in agony while Amazon pokes it. And, I can't read for long at a computer screen. It's an option, but one that makes me crabby.
The color tablets were tempting me, but I realize I want a dedicated reader, one that won't tease me with the possibility of email or any sort of distraction. I'll still want to surf on my laptop. People also say that the e-ink (b/w) readers are easiest on the eyes.
Although there are several readers out there, I read stuff, and then Annie read stuff, and I decided it was between the Kindle Touch and the Nook Simple Touch. The $99 Kindle comes with ads, but everyone says they aren't intrusive. For $139 it comes without ads. There are fine differences between Nook and Kindle, but not large ones.
One difference that did seem large to me is that the Nook is ready to go with library e-pub downloads, where Kindle sends everything through Amazon. See spasm paragraph. It is probably not a real issue, but I have a bad taste from my Kindle for Mac experience.
The only thing that was getting me down was nighttime reading, still. And, then there was Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight, for $40 more than the Simple Touch Voila! That made my decision lots easier. Annie ordered it for me this afternoon.
Whew. I'm glad Annie is easier to celebrate than I am. I really appreciate your input and experiences.
Still prefer a real book!!!
just revived a mocha late soaked kindle keyboard 3g model.. its a keeper. read outside, limited web access but my favorite. we have gifted our clan with many and all share books.. fire is good.. watch netflix, newyorker looks great, color is yummy.. a feature i use is sending a pdf to the kindle so i can copy your blog and reference it when i get to sedona. and public library downloads freeeeee... still like a real PAPER newspaper in the morning but the NY Times gets delivered first...
Anonymous, thanks. Now I will be singing Mocha soaka latte ya ya all day. I also like the part where you said 'reference my blog.' I like the idea of a NYT in the morning, but have never done it.
I hear ya, Contessa! We're old-school, you and me.
The absolutely only reason we bought Kindle e-readers of the non-3G, download thru computer & USB sort, is that we are addicts, as in voracious readers and our tiny home had become a storage for books we couldn't part with, and the food had to go!
That's a choice I never want to face! Okay, I'm getting one.
I got a kindle right after they first came out. Cost $300 back then (using my $50 coupon from Oprah), and it was worth every penny. And this is from someone who has designed lots of print books and loves them.
But I also love traveling and it used to be a drag trying to find enough books in English in non-English-speaking countries. My first kindle solved that problem.
When the new $79 kindles came out, I got one and gave my old one to a friend because the new ones weigh less than 6 ounces and when you travel with a backpack every ounce counts.
I LOVE this new one! No 3g anymore, but wifi works great. I have more than 1000 books on my little kindle, too. It's fantastic for reading outside in bright sun. Not exacly "black and white," though -- more like black and light gray, but that probably helps cut down on glare. I take this thing with me almost everywhere. It'll even fit in a jacket pocket.
Amazon definitely has more books available. And here's a site where you can find loads of free kindle books every day: ereaderiq.com
Yes, there's a lot of garbage on there, but you pretty quickly get a feel for what's probably going to be worth your time. And if you happen to "purchase" a book for $0.00 and it's crap, just delete it. No biggie. Plus you can easily set up filters there on their home page and then, each day, just apply your normal, everyday filters to cut down the number of free books from a few thousand to maybe a couple hundred that you'd actually want to bother even looking at. I read at least 3 books a week and have found loads of great stuff on this site.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Very good and specific tips, and thank you for the link! I've been enjoying browsing.
The trigger has been pulled on the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight, but I still have my Kindle for Mac app as a back-up, and can download to my computer.
I find the e-ink display on my kobo (from borders) is readable under a wider variety of conditions than a paper book. The user interface does have a couple of things that really bother me though, and it's showing significant signs of wear after a little over a year.
Blars, have you needed any customer support from Borders? I'm wondering how they are with that.
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