Hurricane Sandy and Kindle PW :)

[shenye]

Here's an amusing article in the New York Times pointing out why the Kindle PW can be a relief in times of power outages and blackouts. Quote:

We lighted candles, my friend played games on his cellphone, and I tried and failed to read by candlelight on my old Kindle, which inspired me to make my first entry on my Revised Hurricane Preparedness List: When the stores reopen, get the new backlit Kindle. Hurricane Sandy, we agreed, had been overhyped.

and

As the evening wore on, I also started to feel vulnerable. And lonely. And bored. I had read everything on my Kindle, and without Wi-Fi I couldn’t download anything else or go online. Candle power — even with eight lighted candles — was insufficient to read actual books without going blind.

[weatherman]

That's why I'm glad to have had a 3G KPW - I didn't need it (my area of Brooklyn was largely spared) but it was good to know I had it through the storm. I will however be getting a solar charger for both my phone and Kindle to make sure I'm never without access to news and books during a blackout.

[SamuraiXSendai]

Originally Posted by weatherman

That's why I'm glad to have had a 3G KPW - I didn't need it (my area of Brooklyn was largely spared) but it was good to know I had it through the storm. I will however be getting a solar charger for both my phone and Kindle to make sure I'm never without access to news and books during a blackout.

I have several small solar chargers at the ready for Sandy. Fortunately I did not need them. I'd still like to find something to charge my gadgets using my hands but have yet to find anything satisfactory. The K-tor pocket socket looks like the closest thing, yet looks like it's too much work.

[weatherman]

From what I've read, all those crank chargers are a lot of work. Maybe it doesn't take long to charge a kindle, but charging a phone is supposed to be a real pain. I'm sticking with solar I think, possibly with a backup battery so I don't have to tether the devices to the panel all the time.

[Edward_R]

Here's one that can be hand cranked or hooked up to a bicycle.

http://www.handcrankedgenerator.com/index.html

[xendula]

Originally Posted by Edward_R

Here's one that can be hand cranked or hooked up to a bicycle.

http://www.handcrankedgenerator.com/index.html

Do you know how much it costs?

For disaster preparedness, I can totally recommend the d.light solar lantern as well. It charges even in dim light and lasts a long time, plus it's pretty bright for a solar light, and costs only $16.

[Edward_R]

Originally Posted by xendula

Do you know how much it costs?

For disaster preparedness, I can totally recommend the d.light solar lantern as well. It charges even in dim light and lasts a long time, plus it's pretty bright for a solar light, and costs only $16.

It lists at $429.00 down from $499.00