New toy on board!

We don't miss to have an iPad even though so many cruisers swear on it and try to convince us!
BUT what really made us think was the discussion about the Amazon Kindle. First we thought it's just one of many e-book readers and never really digged deeper into it. Then we did of course notice the big number of cruisers that own such a device. "Bookworms", we thought. That turned out to be not entirely true. Yes, when you're finished with the daily boat maintenance, repair and cleaning and fed up with snorkeling there might be time for reading ;-) And as the space on a boat is rather limited it makes sense to carry and store just ONE "book" namely an e-book which is even lighter than a paperback but still gives you the possibility of keeping a decent library. But that's just one side of the coin. What made us badly want to have one ourselves was another benefit that comes with it: the Amazon Kindle includes 3G and WiFi connectivity! What is that 3G, you ask? I did aswell! So basically it's using the mobile phone signals to give you a free (Yes, FREE!) internet connection. I learned it's called "experimental" since it uses some unused bandwith on the cell phone signals. Even though it can be incredibly slow and the keyboard is not that handy, it's still a great source to get weather reports and a few emails. What we believe to be the biggest advantage: it's working without a local SIM card. In case it's still not entirely clear, here is the explanation taken from amazon.com:

Kindle Keyboard 3G offers the convenience of no wireless setup--you are ready to shop, download, and read right out of the box. Kindle Keyboard 3G uses the same wireless signals as cell phones, so you don't need to worry about Wi-Fi connections, passwords or internet charges. Unlike cell phones, with Kindle Keyboard 3G there are no monthly fees or commitments — Amazon pays for Kindle Keyboard 3G's wireless connectivity. 


So it will be of great use in a remote anchorage where there is no internet available but cell phone signals (just imagine where you DON'T see people clued to their cell phones?!) Especially important to us is the possibility to download weather forecasts. That will give us more peace of mind. And last but not least: it will be great for reading books, newspapers or magazines!

A big *Thank You* goes to Miriam & Rick Longay from s/v Me Gusta who kindly offered their help and delivered our Kindle!

With love from paradise
Rahel