E Reader Advice

[keefe]

One of our projects is clean water systems where we pull H2 out of the atmosphere for drinking and irrigation. We are beginning deployment in rural Ecuador in a few months. I think an e-book will solve the weight and space issues associated with paper books but because our operations are in extremely remote areas access to electricity will be non-existent for weeks at a time. I am a voracious reader so having as many books a possible is important but I have to believe power will be the critical path.

Any thoughts on this would be welcomed! Thanks!

[Benny B]

Anyone here Amish?

But seriously... my wife's Kindle (b&w, not the Fire) will go for weeks without a recharge, but she only reads an hour a day at most. Frankly, I'd buy a device based upon "on-grid" utilization and buy an accessory (solar charger, aux batt pack, etc) to assist you while off-grid.

If I was going off-grid, I'd probably take something like this along with my iPad 2:

http://www.portablesolarpower.biz/collections/portable-solar-cell-phone-chargers/products/12-watt-portable-solar-usb-mobile-cell-phone-charger

[GGGG]

Try the Nook Glow Light.  Last's a long time on a charge.  Kindle has something similar.

[mu_hilltopper]

If I was going off-grid, I'd probably take something like this along with my iPad 2:

http://www.portablesolarpower.biz/collections/portable-solar-cell-phone-chargers/products/12-watt-portable-solar-usb-mobile-cell-phone-charger

Interesting product .. but man, that guy spent 9 minutes explaining what he could have shown in 90 seconds.

[reinko]

Kindle Paperwhite.

The Amazon e-book library is much More robust than the Barnes and Noble, one for the Nook.

[🏀]

Kindle Paperwhite.

The Amazon e-book library is much More robust than the Barnes and Noble, one for the Nook.

I'll vouch for the Amazon library, pretty amazing. If you have a Prime account you are set, and let's be real here, if you're not using Amazon Prime you are missing out.

[chapman]

Bought my mother a Paperwhite for Christmas.  She's loving it.  Could never adopt the e-book ways with her tablet, but this device and the Amazon integration have finally done it.  Supposedly can last up to eight weeks on one charge. 

[mu03eng]

Anyone here Amish?

But seriously... my wife's Kindle (b&w, not the Fire) will go for weeks without a recharge, but she only reads an hour a day at most. Frankly, I'd buy a device based upon "on-grid" utilization and buy an accessory (solar charger, aux batt pack, etc) to assist you while off-grid.

If I was going off-grid, I'd probably take something like this along with my iPad 2:

http://www.portablesolarpower.biz/collections/portable-solar-cell-phone-chargers/products/12-watt-portable-solar-usb-mobile-cell-phone-charger

I'd recommend this as a power source, especially if you are going to be doing any serious rucking

http://www.npowerpeg.com/

[MU82]

My wife also loves her Kindle Paperwhite. Literally goes weeks and weeks without needing a charge.

[Benny B]

I'd recommend this as a power source, especially if you are going to be doing any serious rucking

http://www.npowerpeg.com/

In an emergency, vigorously shaking an empty PEG for 10 minutes will give you enough charge to make a short phone call from a dead phone.

Sure, but does it give you cab fare afterwards?

[mu03eng]

Sure, but does it give you cab fare afterwards?

I pay it to leave

[keefe]

I'd recommend this as a power source, especially if you are going to be doing any serious rucking

http://www.npowerpeg.com/

This is fantastic! Thanks, Navy!

[mu03eng]

This is fantastic! Thanks, Navy!

No problem.  I love it when I backpack because it's a hybrid charger so I can "precharge" it if I want or if I forget, just hike around for a couple of hours and it's good to go for charging an iPod or GPS or whatever.  Use it for work trips too, nice to be able to charge my iPad on the long flights to EMEA.

[keefe]

No problem.  I love it when I backpack because it's a hybrid charger so I can "precharge" it if I want or if I forget, just hike around for a couple of hours and it's good to go for charging an iPod or GPS or whatever.  Use it for work trips too, nice to be able to charge my iPad on the long flights to EMEA.

Do I have to shake it in the other direction since I'll be going to the southern hemisphere?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

since I'll be going to the southern hemisphere?

Confirm the water flushing direction for us.  Clockwise or counterclockwise or no-water/just a hole?

[mu03eng]

Do I have to shake it in the other direction since I'll be going to the southern hemisphere?

Back hand shake south of the circle of death

[keefe]

Confirm the water flushing direction for us.  Clockwise or counterclockwise or no-water/just a hole?

Where we're going there is a lot more squattin' than settin'

[keefe]

Thanks, guys. I looked into each of the suggestions here and decided on the Paperwhite. The deciding factor was battery endurance but the other significant consideration is the anti-glare features. We will be outside all the time and will need to use reference materials (which can be loaded onto the Paperwhite!) so this looks like a winner.

Thanks, everyone, for some great ideas!

[reinko]

Thanks, guys. I looked into each of the suggestions here and decided on the Paperwhite. The deciding factor was battery endurance but the other significant consideration is the anti-glare features. We will be outside all the time and will need to use reference materials (which can be loaded onto the Paperwhite!) so this looks like a winner.

Thanks, everyone, for some great ideas!

Enjoy, safe travels.

[mu_hilltopper]

Here's another solution...

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/skajaquoda/trinity-the-portable-wind-turbine-power-station

[keefe]

Here's another solution...

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/skajaquoda/trinity-the-portable-wind-turbine-power-station

These systems suffer from three drawbacks:

1. Output
2. Capacity
2. Lithium Ion

Of the three, the most critical is the use of lithium. We all use them but the dirty little secret that nobody wants to discuss is lithium ion is an environmental nightmare. Both upstream and downstream, these storage units are a disaster. Tesla, Prius, et al are worse for the planet than your Chevy Yukon. Of course, no one wants to think about it.

[RushmoreAcademy]

How about this?

http://www.thepowerpot.com/

[keefe]

How about this?

http://www.thepowerpot.com/

It's amazing the power generation tech coming on line.

What I find ironic is that these tools are essential for people working off the grid given our dependence on automated tool sets. But for time off, a weekend in the Cascades for instance, the last weight I want to add to the ruck is my droid. Seems silly to want connectivity when the point of escape is to shrug off the electronic leashes.

[reinko]

Bump, refurbished Kindle Paperwhite is on sale today for $85.


http://www.amazon.com/Certified-Refurbished-Kindle-Paperwhite-Resolution/dp/B00CTTJRTU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1405436125&sr=8-6&keywords=amazon+kindle+paperwhite

[Spotcheck Billy]

^ why not just use a Kindle app on your smartphone?