books

Reading on the road gets interesting

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There are interesting times ahead for RV travellers who like to read, and who need to cut down on weight.

kindle-3.jpgAlready in the marketplace are the Kindle [from Amazon]. shown right, and Sony’s nice, but expensive, ebook reader.

The Kindle has been a winner for Amazon, and next month they are releasing version II, which should go a long way toward given it a cleaner look. On an ugly scale of 10 I currently give it an 8.

Also due next month, according to the rumour mills, is the Mac Tablet, which could give all competitors a big headache judging by previous launches of new products [think iMac, iPod, iPhone … ] by Apple.

However, another ebook reader has snuck under everybody’s radar — Plastic Logic’s as yet-unnamed electronic reader, shown top, and in use below, which was announced today.

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According to the company, their reader supports a full range of business document formats, such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint, and Adobe PDFs, as well as newspapers, periodicals and books.

It has an easy gesture-based user interface and powerful software tools that will help business users to organize and manage their information. Users can connect to their information either wired or wirelessly and store thousands of documents on the device.

Watch it in action here:

The reader incorporates E Ink technology for great readability and features low power consumption and long battery life. The Plastic Logic reader is scheduled to ship in the first half of 2009

There’s more information here

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In the beginning

More than 20 years ago I travelled the length and breadth of Australia to research three books.

I travelled on commercial airlines, light planes and helicopters, in hire cars, battered outback Toyotas and Land Rovers, by camel and horse, on cross country skis, by hot air balloon, motorboats and yachts, on bicycle, in sea kayaks, canoes and rafts. And on foot — one memorable trip alone was a 23-day walk in South West Tasmania.

In one 18-month period I spent 268 nights in my beloved North Face VE24 tent [shown above in company with Bluey, my 1975 Kombi]. Together we survived blizzards in the Snowy Ranges, torrential rain in the tropics, and idyllic days on the banks of lazy rivers.

The dome tent and I survived mosquito and sandfly invasions on Hinchinbrook Island thanks to our ‘no-see-um’ mesh, and waves of leeches in various swampy campsites in Tasmania and Queensland courtesy of our sturdy rainfly and mesh. At other times, snakes, frogs and toads also tried to enter the high tech haven.

These extended trips also taught me plenty about surviving with minimal possessions.

I am about to embark on another extended adventure, again to research a couple of books, but this time I’m taking my ‘home’ — a 1985 Coaster bus — with me.

The long-surviving tent will come along too, but this time to cater for overnight visitors.

Let the journey begin.

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