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Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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  #1  
Old 11 Mar 2011
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eBooks, eReaders and Tablets

Hi All,

The number of adventure motorcycle travel authors publishing eBooks seems to be increasing pretty rapidly. A quick browse on the Amazon Kindle Store, for instance, shows Ted Simon, Sam Manicom, Carla King, Paddy Tyson, Lois Pryce and plenty of other well-known names.

I'm wondering how many HU folk own eReaders (e.g. Amazon Kindle, Sony eReader, B&N Nook, etc.) and/or tablets like the iPad?

For those that do, how useful have you found them on your travels? Any recommendations about the different devices, reading apps, eBook stores or the specific adventure travel eBooks you've downloaded?

Not looking for recommendations/advice for myself by the way - just throwing it open for discussion....

Thanks

Iain.
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Old 17 Mar 2011
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Interesting to see this post from you Iain. My books have only just gone into e-book format on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk For a long while I was very sceptical about doing so - I like books! That I can hold that is.

But having now played with a Kindle, I can really see it's benefits. I haven't played with an i-pad yet but I hear good stuff about them too. And from my books point of view it really helps potential readers around the world to get hold of copies, where its difficult to snag a paperback version in particular.

The system is really easy to use too, and it has the benefit of potential buyers being able to read a good chunk of the first chapters before buying. Like the read? Buy it. Think its grim, no money spent, just a little time. Phew, I hope I'm not shooting myself in the foot with that comment!

I'll be interested to see what people think about e-books. Good idea? Paper books better?
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Old 17 Mar 2011
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I have found a couple of old motorcycle books on Amazon that were very good.
Those British riding around before Ewan and Thingy.


Adventures of a Motorcycle Despatch Rider During the First World War [Kindle Edition]
By: W.H.L. Watson

Across America by motor-cycle (1922) [Kindle Edition]
By: C. K Shepherd
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Old 17 Mar 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Manicom View Post
I'll be interested to see what people think about e-books. Good idea? Paper books better?
Being new to the whole e-books idea I would say it almost entirely depends on the book.

If it's a reading book then I prefer the e-book approach, partly because of space (no need for huge bookshelves) but mostly for the convenience that it brings when purchasing books. Not only the convenience of being able to sample a book first, but it is so much easier to buy an e-book than a regular one, they are always in stock (assuming that an e-book version exists) and buying and receiving the book takes what, thirty seconds?

The only time I would prefer a paper book over an e-book would be if the book placed as much emphasis on photographs as it did on the written word. In that instance a paper book wins hands down.
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Old 17 Mar 2011
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I rode from Alaska to Panama with just books. I've bought a kindle for my Africa trip and so far I've been very happy with it. It saves a lot of space. You can load lots of books which means you don't HAVE to read the book you have or try to find someone to swap it with. And the battery lasts for ages.

A good buy in my opinion.
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Old 17 Mar 2011
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Originally Posted by Lonesome George View Post
And the battery lasts for ages.
Important point that one, the thread is call eBooks, eReaders and Tablets - I own and use both a tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab) and an eBook reader (Kindle) and they are very very different beasts with respect to battery life. If the choice was between using eBooks on a tablet or paper books then paper books would win hands down. Tablets are only good for use as an eReader if you can charge them every few days or so (depending on use).
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Old 17 Mar 2011
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Pictures are an issue. We looked hard at that before we put the books up as e-books. We tried to get round that by, within the e-books, pointing people at the website for the books where there are stacks of pictures.

You know, the only thing that kept popping into my mind as we were going through the process was that on the road we'd have missed out on some friend making opportunities. We are still friends with people we met as a result of looking for a book to swop. Then again, some of the available swops.... hmmmm.

And I'm told you can fit 300 e-books plus onto a Kindle. Now that's useful no?
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Old 30 Mar 2011
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I decided to bring along a Kindle 3 on my upcoming trip. I debated about bringing it for a long time because it is yet another bit of technology to care for, but what finally decided me was that I can use it as a reference library.

I have medical reference books in case of injury & illness.
I have a PDF version of my motorcycle shop manual.
I have dictionaries to look up foreign words.
I have guide books (Lonely Planet).
I have fiction books for entertainment.
I have a (primitive) web browser for emergencies.
Battery gets charged once every 2-5 weeks (depending on use).

All the above increases my resourcefulness while on the road and decreases the volume of what I carry.

The kindle web browser is primitive even compared to a smart-phone. But it is usually minimally capable for light use. I use it frequently for accessing gmail and wikipedia.
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Old 31 Mar 2011
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Just started to look into loading my new ipad with guide books and LP want the same price for there ebook as the paper copy.......great!
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Old 6 Apr 2011
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I'll definitely be taking a Kindle on my trans-african trip at the end of the year.

Space and weight is always important on long trips.

The kindle allows you you take workshop manuals, guidebooks and general reading whilst sacrificing minimal space and weight
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