ipad vs kindle
 

Last trip we took our MacBook Air which was great but not being able to charge it from the bike was a PITA.
So we brought an iPad for the next trip but it has a lot of short coming (should of done more research, :blushing:) I thought the iPad was a computer but it clearly isn't so now I'm thinking a Kindle and my HTC smart phone as a combo. I'd be taking the phone anyway and the Kindle has built in wifi.
I'm even thinking of taking the Mac again now and just making sure we keep it charged, what sort of reaction will we get in cafes etc in south america when asking to use there power socket whilst we have a coffee, do the camp sites have power sockets we'd be able to use?

I think I'm thinking too much, but we still have 10 months before the off and we're at the "last time that was crap how can we make it better" stage.

Wat do ya think?

Cheers
Pete

ipad
 

Ipad are fun but they are no computer , Iconia have a tablet which also use sim card and is window OS ,not a bad choice but why not taking a netbook they are small fast reliable and their battery last for as much as 8 hours ,it will all depend what you want to do with your computer .

Horses for Courses
 

It very much depends on what you need/want to use a device for. The iPad and Kindle (and other ereaders) are totally different beasts.

There's a thread specific to Kindle and ereaders here and lots of others about laptop choice etc.

Do you just want occasional and basic web access for checking email and looking up info (Kindle would do for this), or do you need more than that (as most people do) for updating a blog etc.?

Maybe finding a charging solution that'll work with your bike is the answer rather than a different bit of kit?

What about a converter,

I have one build in my 1200gsa. My macbook air has the highest use of 148w. I choose the 200w version and costed me only €35.00. Fits under the seat and i can recharged everything, camera, phone and laptop.

Cheers

Depends on your needs: let/sublet appartment, pay lots of invoices, banking, keeping files, updating web? maybe a real computer.

For your smartphone, I would strongly recommend you a keyboard like the Stowaway Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard. I have used for many years, now with a Samsung Omnia running Windows Mobile (only downside a little small screen the cell), and it is absolutely great, you type as with a real keyboard. Check about your OS. So, if one of you has the computer (we had an Asus 1008P), the other can write mails in the smartphone easily.:D

And finally, if you may think about a HD for your IPad, you take a look at Hyperdrive. I have used a Colorspace O and it was really good quality (although expensive), great to download memory cards (photos and videos) without any computer.

Nice trip!