Kindle 2 SS users

[WesW]

Am wondering for those of you that own the Kindle 2 (international version) first, how you like it? Second, while onboard you SS ship, overseas how is the downloading of books/magazines/newspapers working? Thanks in advance.

[duct tape]

I bought my hubby one for our last cruise. He really likes it and uses it daily. He even ordered books while aboard and they downloaded immediately! I am still trying to figure out how that happens?! Magic.

[WesW]

Thanks Duct Tape, we plan on buying the kindle 2 (w/intl version) in December (Christmas gift) prior to our Spirit cross in Jan...besides preloading new releases prior to boarding; want to plan on getting the daily NYT/WSJ (believe I can download these newspapers with the Kindle software when we are docked at our seven ports, however, believe when we're at sea, will have to use my USB cord along with ship's internet/computer to download my daily newspapers of choice).

[duct tape]

I know he can get newspapers but he hasn't started that yet!

[Keith1010]

Colonial Wes, while I have no first hand knowledge, based on what I have read I think your thoughts are spot on. I see it working when docked in ports the way you said based on the coverage area but at sea I would suspect you would have to use your USB connection through the computer and there is no telling how long it would take using the ships internet.

 

Keith

[duct tape]

He just goes to the computer, orders the book and VIOLA! there it is...! magic

[Keith1010]

Wow, that does sound amazing.

 

Keith

[duct tape]

I just reread my post...oops, Voila! vs. Viola. The books do not come via a violin!

[rols]

I'm really not sure about this but can't imagine that amazon's 3G agreement covers the provider of networks on ships, so I suspect that, just as it is here in Singapore, the 3G just won't work at all. When you're in port in countries served by the international agreements you should be fine.

 

I bought a kindle and had it shipped to Singapore where there isn't any amazon service, I have 3G (whispernet) turned off and just use the 'manage my kindle' webpage to find and download books and the USB cable to transfer them. I suspect you are probably going to have to do that. If you have a laptop with you, a minimal plan onboard ship will work fine, I don't know that the machines in the library are set up to allow USB devices to be plugged in so I'm not sure you'll be able to use them to add content or sync your daily newspaper. Of course you can always make friends with the person on deck with a laptop to get your daily paper and xfer it to the kindle .. I find offering them a drink works :)

 

Colonial Wes, while I have no first hand knowledge, based on what I have read I think your thoughts are spot on. I see it working when docked in ports the way you said based on the coverage area but at sea I would suspect you would have to use your USB connection through the computer and there is no telling how long it would take using the ships internet.

 

Keith

[WesW]

Rols, thanks for sharing your Kindle 2 international experience; will b/p to implent

the "Rols Drink Plan" if needed.

[WesW]

Today, Amazon released Kindle for PC, pls see link below...so now using a laptop/netbook

u can access Kindle.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&ref_=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd&docId=1000426311

[Keith1010]

Colonel Wes, yes, I had seen that last night. That is the only way I figured you can use it from the open sea.

 

It will be interesting if you can let everyone know your experience both trying wireless and if not sucessful via the computer.

 

In terms of the computer, I suspect that Silversea does allow it as they do some other applications. There are definitely some cruise lines that do not allow these types of applications via the internet network given the level of bandwidth.

 

Good luck with the Kindle.

 

Someone I know very well says that these Kindle like applications will do for the book, magazine and newspaper industries what the iPOD like electronics have done for the music industry. Or, how cell phones are beginning to make land lines obsolete. With each passing year Kindles and similar components will become much more advanced tha they are today.

 

Keith

[Wellseasoned]

Keith, more's the pity! REAL books, magazines, and newspapers are wonderful in ways that can never be replaced by electronic imposters. I enjoy my computers as much as anyone, but it will be a cold day in hell when I curl up in front of a cozy fireplace with a kindle.

[Emtbsam]

Keith, more's the pity! REAL books, magazines, and newspapers are wonderful in ways that can never be replaced by electronic imposters. I enjoy my computers as much as anyone, but it will be a cold day in hell when I curl up in front of a cozy fireplace with a kindle.

One of the things I enjoyed a lot on our recent cruise was going to the library and reading the WSJ. I loved the awkwardness of the large format - reminded me of my working days. I don't think I could have the same enjoyment looking at the advertisement on page 3 of the NYT (upper right hand corner) on a Kindle.

[Keith1010]

Folks, I did not say that hard cover books, newspapers and magazines will all disappear or will be replaced completely by the Kindle or Kindle like technology. But what I am saying is that someone I know quite well who has lectured on cruises that I have been on and who is an author shared with me his view on a cruise earlier this year that the Kindle will revoluionize the book industry as the iPod has revolutionalized the music industry. And, I do think he is correct.

 

Again, I did not say eliminate books/magazines, but I did say revolutionize them.

 

And in my humble opinion the Kindle of today will look like a dinosaur within five to ten years from now given the many advancements in this technology that will occur during this time frame.

 

There were those in the music industry who laughed at the iPod. Look how much music is sold today via electornic download in lieu of CD's, And it wasn't that long ago that cassette tapes replaces LP's and today you do not often find a tape.

 

And, when the personal computers first came out, IBM predicted only around 1 million would ever be built.

 

Do you remember the first lap top computer? It was the size of a suitcase. Very few people had one. How many have one today and how many take it with them when they travel?

 

And, as someone who worked in the telecommunications arena for many years and saw first hand many of the changes that have come in that arenda I agree with the idea that the Kindle will revolutionize these industries.

 

Just think how many more e mails are sent today in lieu of people hand writing letters to one another. I have been on e mail since around 1982. People used to look at me and say what is that thing called e-mail?

 

Just think of what takes place over the internet, (including Cruise Critic) versus just 15 years ago. And just think how many people read newspapers and magazine and other inforamation over the internet?

 

And it hasn't been very long that high speed internet has been available to so many households.

 

Just think of how many fewer land line phones exist today and how this number will shrink each and every year. Most children today who go out on their own are not using land line phones. They are using cell phones. Most recently a senior executive of one of the largest telephone companies made the statement that they were no longer making investments in land lines.

 

Do you remember the pager? It had a very short life and then was replaced by a cell phone. The cell phone has only been in existence for a relatively short amount of time.

 

Anyway, how does this all relate to cruising. The Kindle has not been around very long yet we are now starting to see more and more pasengers with Kindles or other devices such as IPods on cruise ships. And I predict we will continue to see more and more of that. Yes, there will still be books in the ships libraries as there are computers in the ships computer centers, but we will see a larger percentage of our fellow passengers with computer devices.

 

And, over the past six months I have seen more and more people post to Cruise Critic noting that they are either bringing or have just bought a Kindle to bring with them on their next cruise. And, folks such as myself are bringing an iPhone while others are brining an iTouch or an iPod with them on their next cruise or on other travels.

 

I am getting ready to go on a World Cruise this January. I know various fellow passengers who will either bring a Kindle with them or iPhone, iTouch or iPod. Why? Because we won't have to bring a suit case of books with us and we can bring items to read that might not be available in the library.

 

Think about what changes we have seen in the last 20 years and the gadgets we have today that didn't existing back then. And while I still love a good newspaper, many of the young people do not purchase them today so honestly I think things like the Kindle might be the best opportunity for many of the newspapers to survive in the future.

 

One thing I have learned is never to say never and to realize that in ten years there will be items that we will likely be using that we hadn't even thought about yet.

 

Keith

[WesW]

Keith, wonderful post down IT computer history lane...can remember one of our Soldiers in the late 70's with the Heathkit H8, and in early 80's with the Commodore 64..even I bought my first computer from heathkit in late 84...back to the kindle 2..concur with your assessment that the kindle is a game changer. Am very interested

in the kindle 2 for the Book logistics economy (each cruise, lug about 4-5 hardbacks with me..can't imagine what you would have to bring on a world cruise)..do wish the I touch screen was larger..and Wellseasoned, i concur with your sentiment on cozying up to your fav newspaper/book at the fireplace--I absolutely relish the Sunday NYT with bottomless cups of coffee on Sunday a.m...but when cruising, believe the Kindle will

be a great substitute for humping a half dozen books in our luggage and paying $7.50/day to read the daily NYT or WSJ.

[dwelsh]

Very interesting posts on the advance of technology.

 

I was in the imaging business in the year BX - before Xerox! Having watched the development over the years I explained in the early 80's, when asked about the development of IT, I expalined it like this. "Imagine a cruise ship going from San Francisco to Tokyo, in 1980 it had just reached the Golden Gate Bridge, today I would say that it is half way to Hawaii." Those of us who are "tech savvy" - aren't we fortunate to have seen the fantastic changes in the way we conduct our daily lives and we see our grand-kids with more "tech savvy" at 8 than we at 30!!:)

[south seas sue]

Keith, wonderful post, but scarry too. Hubby and I are retired, and somewhat computer savvy, but we are being dragged kicking and screaming into this new technology age. We only use a cell phone for emergencies, keep it in our ONE car - I don't want to be available to people every minute of every day! And, all the "apps" they have now for the I phones and such? I'm afraid my fingers aren't quite nimble enough to press all of those small buttons, and - ...........I can't read them anyway without my reading glasses, so what good are those buttons!!

 

I'm still not sure what "twittering" is, and don't think I need to know, frankly.......whatever it is I won't be doing it. I do see how the Kindle would be useful on a trip - not having to lug books around, and getting the latest editions of newspapers (ah, newspapers - a dying breed.) But I do enjoy going to the ship library and seeing what they have - perhaps picking up something I wouldn't not have chosen otherwise. I'm in two book clubs, and love to read, and am fearful of books becoming obsolete.

 

I guess whether you opt in for all this new technology depends on your time of life, and how much you need and want to stay current with everything.

 

Oh, and I don't have an IPOD. CD's work just fine, and we have quite a library of CD's we have accumulated over the years.

 

Interesting topic.

[Wellseasoned]

Keith, I , too have experienced all of the electronic changes as a tech enthusiast over the years and have attended the Consumer Electronics Show for three decades. I had the first generation Sony Betamax in 1976, and, yes, pagers and a Commodore 64, and still have unassembled Heathkits. I am very aware that technology will continue to march on, and I follow the industry closely.

 

My point was that print media have certain features that make them unique pleasures, and I hope that "progress" does not drive them out of existence.

 

Colonel Wes, please don't use the Kindle in the hot tub!:)

[Keith1010]

wellseasoned, thanks for the clarification. I don't think you'll have to worry.

 

southseassue, you are not alone. Many folks are a bit scared with all of the new technology. Sometimes, we all need a little push. What is amazing though is that it wasn't that many years ago when I sailed on ships which offered computer classes and back then the classes were largely on how to use e mail and maybe something on microsoft word. Today you see more classes on say digital camera photography.

 

But as they say, one is never too old to learn something new.

 

Keith

[Grace Smith]

I bought the first generation Kindle a couple of years ago before a Seabourn Cruise. I will confess to being addicted to new technology and being the first to own many inventions (oh well, some women buy shoes...). The Kindle definitely will lightened your load. If you take a long vacation and love to read, the benefits of the size and weight of the Kindle is a beautiful thing.

The other big benefit is that you can enlarge the font. In good lighting I can read my Kindle without my reading glasses!:)

I do prefer books to a Kindle (call me old fashioned). But there is no reason to give up books or your Sunday paper for the Kindle. They can coexist in harmony.

I do agree with Keith and his predictions though....eventually, I'm sure that I'll be much further in the Kindle camp! I also predict that wellseasoned & south seas sue will be "e-reading" before long.

Colonel Wes, just be sure to buy the extended warranty. The first generation Kindle has a replaceable battery. The Kindle 2 needs to be returned to the manufacturer and the entire Kindle is then replaced. The benefit to you is that the new Kindle is much thinner and probably lighter. Plus, you're paying much less, so you can afford the extended warranty.:D

Whether you're lugging your books or sporting the new Kindle 2, I'm sure you'll be loving your cruise on the new Silver Spirit! It looks like an awesome ship!

[WesW]

Grace, thank you for the super kindle 2 (xtend warranty) rec..and well wishes

for our Spirit maiden crossing voyage..best, Wes

[ging466]

Col Wes, this is a very interesting thread and whilst I don't connect to the internet when I'm on holidays, I do like my gadgets (laptop, ipod, iphone) but I had never considered an e-book reader. Brilliant!:)

 

I must admit that being a bookworm, I take half my suitcase full of books when I holiday:mad: so Kindle sounds great. I have just read about Plastic Logic's new device which will be released next year. Since it's bigger and can store more books, perhaps this is the way to go? (I'm in no hurry at the moment).

 

Would be interested to hear from other experienced e-book readers on their opinion.

 

Cheers

ging466

[WesW]

Ging466, thanks for your nice comments...pls check the Royal Caribbean Thread

below, many satisfied cruisers are now using the Kindle:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1083815

[ging466]

Ging466, thanks for your nice comments...pls check the Royal Caribbean Thread

below, many satisfied cruisers are now using the Kindle:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1083815

 

 

Many thankx ColonelWes...this link is so helpful...you always provide interesting information.:D

 

Cheers

ging466