The Saint That I Am Married To recently promised to take me shopping for a gift. She would have purchased it outright, then wrapped it and presented it to me, however there are several variants of this item and she was unsure which variant would best suit my needs.
Last night, as we were loading up the Jeep and trailer for a weekend excursion in the desert, she presented another option to me, one that involves an item which will be used as more of a toy - though one that will enhance my hobby of taking pictures.
To be honest, this second option kind of threw a monkey wrench into the works as I had wrapped my head around the first item and was looking forward to using it. The second item will likely not be used as much, but will be tremendously fun to use. The second item might have an additional benefit as the results of it's use may appear on this blog.
These are both items that I could go out and purchase at any time, though I would likely not. I would probably end up spending that disposable income on memory cards or accessories for my Jeep. That's a beauty of gifts, giving someone something they want, not necessarily something they need.
So now it comes down to this, a Kindle Reading Device, or a Go-Pro Hero camera.
I can justify both and even more important, I would enjoy either immensely. I love to take photos and I love to read. Win-win for me. Do any of you have any thoughts on the matter or have any practical experience with either product? If so, leave me a comment.
The matter is not much as far as dilemmas go, though it is a good dilemma to have.
Thanks for reading,
Schmoe
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Go for the camera-Kindles are cheap. I have a Kindle and haven't taken to it-still prefer the feel of a book. I'm sure I would use it more if I traveled extensively.
ReplyDeleteI have both and recommend that you do the same. :-)
ReplyDeleteI use the gopro for my flying stuff (e.g. http://is.gd/ZTijJi and others if you look at my profile). So I suspect that would be similarly useful for your adventures in el cheepo jeepo. I thought I would use it more for my blog (http://leftbase.com/), but have only ended up posting a few videos there due to the amount of time it takes to edit something post-worthy.
I bring my kindle everywhere. We're pretty mobile so being able to have (after three years of buying everything as an ebook) essentially my whole library in my pocket (literally, it fits in my pocket) is just awesome.
If you can only have one, it's a harder choice. My thought process would be that I will use the gopro more in the summer (upper midwest) than the winter so I'd get the gopro now and request a kindle for christmas. Maybe your decision is reversed due to climate?
I have a Kindle that I enjoy quite a bit. I can't speak to the camera. The benefit of the Kindle is the ability to carry around a ton of books in one place. I read a lot of non-fiction and history, usually of the 5 lb. per book variety. I miss being able to turn the page of the book, which I hadn't anticipated. Clicking a button to turn the page isn't as rewarding. That said, it small and easily travels which makes it perfect for my commute on the subway, uninterrupted time at the firehouse, etc.
ReplyDeleteThat's a beyond-awesome dilemma! The Missus recently got a Nook, having researched several readers online. I've only gotten to fiddle with it briefly (The Daughters have laid claim to much of its unoccupied time), but it's undeniably a nifty gadget. That said, I have a bit of a paper addiction. I don't know if I could read electronically consistently. Turning pages is part of the process for me, seems like.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I saw a segment on the GoPro cameras on the AM news The Missus left on the other day. I'm not a camera geek - but those things are AWESOME. And the news segment showed the GoPro guys doing some remarkable stuff with them. I'd go with the camera. :)
I really enjoy my Kindle, but after seeing the commercials for the Go Pro cameras, one of those would be kind of cool too!
ReplyDeleteYYC Dispatcher
You have it tough :-)
ReplyDeleteI like to read as well, but I didn't pay much attention to readers as reading on my PC or laptop was not a relaxing experience.
Then my wife bought me a Kindle, and, I must say, this has forced me to change my mind. Don't get me wrong, I still like paper books on my shelves, particularly reference books or books I need to hop quickly from page to page, or to thumb through looking for something, but for a relaxing read I find the cost difference significantly in favor of the E-Books, and then there is the sheer convenience of the e-reader.
I get to the end of a great book while lying in bed at night, two minutes later I have the next in the series from that author, ready to go.
Can't be beat :-)
Ex SFF Garry.
Go-pro hero camera, So some of us Midwestern Jeepers can see what the desert looks like.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going the Kindle route, I suggest Kindle Fire with Amazon Prime. I have a regular Kindle and bought a Fire for my son - he loves the Fire. It is just much more versatile.
ReplyDeleteOne other note: I thought in buying the Kindle I would read more, but the electronic books are not that much less expensive than paper. For the classics in the public domain, it can't be beat, but your book purchasing budget will not go down much. YMMV.