SANParks.org Forums

Hi All

One of the problems we have found in travelling is the mass involved in bringing our reference books with us on a trip - when travelling economy class it chews up a lot of allowance and when you are planning in being in the bush for a month that can hurt.

We've been considering getting a couple of eReaders and was wondering if anyone has managed to find reference eBooks as yet? I have seen Roberts (I think) in eformat but have'nt seen any others.

Any info would be much appreciated

Hi Timepilot,

I don't think there are many ebooks around yet. I'm in the same position- going to SA to do a field course soon and I need to bring a huge stack of books with me.

Roberts does have an interactive version, but it's PDA or PC only. I don't think there's an ebook. For an iphone or ipad there are a few digital versions of popular books on iTunes. The Van Wyk Tree book is there, as is the Marais snake book. There are a few others I think, but I can't comment on their quality. There's even an app for the Sasol bird guide. I haven't got it yet as i've heard bad reviews about it and it's hugely expensive.

Unfortunately, my solution is going to be to fly an airline which gives 30kgs of luggage in economy instead of 20, and fill my bag with very heavy books (about 15 of them! )

Good luck!

Let us know if you find anything

Hi Moose

Thanks for the response.

I have found a couple of the books on google books in pdf format but I'm still trying to work out how to download these!!

It would be chepar to purchase the books in SA than to fly them out as luggage - the only problem is I lose years of margin notes if I do that

Cheers
TP

Hi Timepilot,

Which books have you found in PDF?

Are you able to look at them on a computer? If so, when the pdf file is open, there should be a little disk icon in the toolbar and this saves pdfs.

I have an ipod touch and I can view PDFs on it using ibooks, which has really helped me a lot.

But then like you said, there's no replacing years of margin notes!

It may not be cheaper to buy the nooks in SA. Have you seen the price of books there these days? I've bought most of my South African reference books here in the UK for less than half the cost of the same books in SA

Hi Moose

On Google books I have found Smithers, Sinclair, the Stuarts tracks and signs and field guide to mammals. These are public pdf's and are mostly complete - so I can read them online but I REALLY don't want to take my lapdog with me

When I meant cheaper, I was'nt looking at the price of books, but the cost of excess baggage in comparison to the book cost. Even at "pre-booked" excess baggage it might still be cheaper to buy the books in SA (for me at least)

Hey Timepilot, how's things?

Interesting thread. Mrs P and I have had Amazon Kindle ebookreaders for the last couple of years and we love them. At the moment their chief benefit is for reading novels and biographies. The kindle doesn't relally support pics (just grainy black and white images), but it's great for reading.

My guess is that if guidebooks do become available as ebooks they'd best suited for the ipad with its colour screen.

I've got the Sasol bird app for my iphone - as someoneelse pointed out it's not cheap, but I've found it OK, and fun to use. I've also got trees of southern Africa on my iphone which was very expensive (about AUD$60 I think), and to be honest the couple of times I've tried using it I've found it too fiddly and the pics too small. Still, it's a step in the ebook direction.

I'm wondering how those two apps - sasol and the tree book would look on an ipad - pretty good.

As you know, we come over for 6 months at a time, so having an ebook reader is the best thing out as far as us and books are concerned. I'm in Kruger now and Mrs P has just downloaded three more novels for us to read.

I've also just picked up good book on kindle that was out of print in paper - Robyn Keene Young's 'Backseat Safari' about her travels with her wildlife photographer husband, Adrian Bailey, in Africa.

G'day Tony, sweltering in Perth but otherwise OK. Don't need to ask about yourself and Mrs P - in the Kruger again you can only be good

I've been looking at the Kobo rather than the Kindle but am still in 2 minds at the moment. I've also considered a tablet because of the colour situation and we might end up with a eReader and a tablet to provide us the best options.

Both myself and the boss read a fair amount so we have to look at the eReader option and as you've pointed out, you can get out of print books which can be an advantage.

I think someone has to consider ebook format for reference books soon with the amount of travellers and the tightening up on luggage restrictions - hopefully sooner than later and screens will need to go colour soon anyway.

I'll continue to see what I can source whether it is pdf or ebook format and keep this up to date.

Rgds
Timepilot

Cool, Timepilot. I'd be interested in seeing how the sasol birds app looks on an iPad to see if it's an option.

I hadn't heard of the Kobo but will check it out.

I contacted the Roberts people and they are busy working on a app version for tablets which will probably be ready in June. This would make a fair difference methinks.

Thanks Timepilot!

That's excellent news about a Roberts app. I'll buy it as soon as I see it

Here's an ebook I can recommend. It is written as a virtual tour through the Kruger Park with photos of all waypoints like waterholes, picnic spots, etc. Also coordinates of all these waypoints as well as the turns in the roads. Download from here: http://www.krugernationalparkbook.co.za

It also have an Afrikaans version, downloadable from here: http://www.krugerwildtuinboek.co.za

Hey Everybody!!!

E-readers... Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and Apple i-pad... THe kindle is great, my sister, mom and i have one each and we enjoy them. THe screen has no colour and so is not ideal for bird books etc. The Nook is colour but you can only get books from Barnes and Noble as far as i know. The i-pad is awesome, my dad has one and it has not dissapointed him. It is rather big and expensive but the most versatile, it has a notebook, you can access your e-mail, store photo's and download a kindle app which allows you to buy kindle books. It is also colour and the touch sensitivity is amazing.

Hope I helped!
KC

Thanks KC, great info.

Nook uses the epub format so you should be able to download from any of the other major stores. There are also programs available such as Calibre to convert file formats so you could buy from Nook and convert to Kindle etc.

The Ipad is great for the colour option.

Amazon has a free app for the ipad so if you install that you can buy any ebook from amazon and read it on your ipad. Bought the Sasol guide to birding and other books on photography.
The good thing on many of these ebooks they have links to websites wich is
Amazon also sells a lot of books about (nature) photography.

@Tony Park


I've just loaded the Sasol bird app to my Samsung phone and galaxy tab (10.1" screen) and it is awesome. Even on the 4" screen on the phone the photos are big enough. Definitely the way to go and for the $27 odd for the app not too shabby a buy.